1. The Glovers winning run comes to a halt.
All good things come to an end and that proved to be the case for Yeovil Town as their club record 14-match winning run ended with defeat to Torquay United in the FA Trophy second round.
The Glovers' run included a 3-1 win over the Gulls at Plainmoor on November 7, where they displayed their credentials as potential National League South champions.
However, against a much changed Yeovil side, United produced what could be described as a 'statement display' - as the Gulls look to close the 13 point gap that exists between them and the Glovers in the National League South table. With the way the play-offs are structured in National Leagues North and South, finishing second in the table as possible provides home advantage for the semi-finals and the final, which should United maintain the performance levels that they showed yesterday will certainly be in their sights.
2. Callum Dolan's dynamic midfield display.
It could be argued that the Gulls' league meeting with the Glovers earlier this month was won and lost in the midfield, with Yeovil pair Jordan Young and Sonny-Blu Lo-Everton emerging as stand-out performers.
However, in their FA Trophy re-match, it was United who dominated in the centre of the park as Callum Dolan, Brett McGavin and Ryan Hanson, and out of the aforementioned trio Dolan was outstanding performer.
The Fleetwood Town loanee played a key role in setting up Dillon De Silva for his opening goal and then he doubled the Gulls' lead on 49 minutes with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. He could have helped himself to a brace if his 20-yard effort early in the game hadn't been disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
3. Dillon De Silva's early opener.
After missing much of the 2023-24 campaign with injury, winger Dillon De Silva marked his first start since the beginning of September with the game's opening goal.
The Sri Lankan international latched onto a cross field ball from Callum Dolan and then cut inside onto his left foot before slotting past Glovers' keeper Joe Day to give the Gulls a perfect start.
During his loan spell from QPR in the 2022-23 season, De Silva found the back of the net four times, and if he continues to display the form that he showed against Yeovil then he will surely better that tally.
4. Dylan Crowe excels as a left-back.
Throughout the history of the game there have been a number of right footed players who have excelled as left backs. Notable names include Pat Van Den Hauwe, Denis Irwin and Philipp Lahm, and Dylan Crowe put in a great shift on the left hand side of the Gulls defence.
The former Ipswich Town and England youth prospect, who is a right back by trade, looked to get forward at every opportunity and also looked very assured defensively, keeping Jordan Young, who was a key performer in Yeovil's National League South victory over the Gulls, quiet.
Earlier in the season, Crowe was loaned out to Havant and Waterlooville, but he seems to returned to Plainmoor with a greater sense of purpose based on this showing. He also has some competition for the left-back slot with the loan acquisition of Archie Harris from AFC Bournemouth.
5. 250 not out for Gary Johnson.
Saturday's tie also marked United manager Gary Johnson's 250th game in charge of the Gulls in all competitions, and it was probably quite apt that it saw him secure a win over his former club.
With 117 wins, 49 draws and 84 defeats, Johnson has a win ratio of 46.80% and he is only the third United manager to have overseen that number of games. Only Frank Brown (279) and Eric Webber (680) have overseen more.
