The first game of the new league season and an evenly contested match with honours shared.

Chard led twice and, when Ben Berryman first broke the deadlock midway through the first half, it was no more than Chard deserved after their bright start. Yeovil's keeper had by then produced four top drawer saves including a double from efforts by Ian Wait. He also kept out Berryman's first shot but, having gone to ground, could do nothing to prevent Ben coolly lifting the ball over him on the follow up.

Chard kept their lead till half time despite having to defend in depth as the home side pressed for an equaliser. That was to come in stunning style early in the second half. A speculative ball upfield immediately following a Chard attack evaded the otherwise solid Nigel Parris and fell to Yeovil's captain for a run at goal. Nick Turner did his best to shepherd him wide to narrow the angle but was beaten by a fierce shot across him into the top corner of the net.

The guile of Wait and energy of Berryman throughout the game in the heart of midfield kept Chard in with a chance of restoring their lead and this came courtesy of one of several penalty corners they were awarded. Rich Jones injected, Wait stopped and laid the ball off to Berryman who fired back into the centre of the D for Jones to slide in from close range. Alfie Baker-Pike was particularly unlucky not to get his name on the score sheet, twice collecting the ball close to goal, forcing saves from the keeper and seeing follow up efforts go just the wrong side of the post. On top of this, a Chard counterattack late on saw an on target shot get past the keeper but cleared off the line by a Yeovil defender.

In the final stages and in the unexpected hot weather, tired legs became evident and the space afforded Yeovil's midfielders to bring the ball forward stretched Chard's defence once more. Parris and Paul Sainsbury made some timely interventions but, with less then 5 minutes to go, Yeovil conjured a deserved second equaliser, Chard being left to rue not being able to take earlier chances to extend their lead.

Thanks to match sponsor: LIFT Fitness at Crewkerne.