Johnson hits right note as Yeovil dream nears reality

Woking 1 Yeovil Town 1

Gary Johnson, Yeovil Town's manager, can explain why his side appear destined to achieve League status for the first time in their 108-year history this season. In one word. Tips.

After watching his side earn a point at Woking despite having the full-back Adam Lockwood sent off just seven minutes into the second half, the man who has managed Cambridge United and the Latvian national side in recent years, described the four factors which have enabled his current charges to establish a nine-point lead in the Nationwide Conference with eight games remaining.

"Talent, Intelligence, Personality and Speed," he explained. "That's what we look for from all our players. Although you didn't see too much of those four things in this game."

Johnson was grinning at the time, as well he might be. Because although his men were clearly disappointed not to gain maximum points against a side struggling to avoid a sinking sensation at the other end of the table, they showed those qualities in sufficient quantity to satisfy the 2,000 travelling supporters who contributed to the Surrey club's highest attendance of the season, 3,332.

Yeovil are still best known for their famous 1949 FA Cup win over Len Shackleton's Sunderland, a result which earned them a fifth-round tie against Manchester United at Maine Road in front of 81,500 people, still an FA Cup record outside the final itself.

But since Johnson's arrival 18 months ago at Huish Park stadium, the ground the club bought after selling their sloping pitch in order to right their finances, the green-and-white hordes have had increasing reasons to be very cheerful.

Last season saw the club win the FA Trophy, and this season they have risen to the top of the Conference through smart, attractive football, even if Johnson was not carried away by their performance on Saturday. "We have been fantastic recently," he said. "We haven't lost in 2003. But you can't have the Lord Mayor's Show every week."

The show Yeovil did produce was more than enough to merit a point as an impressive midfield featuring the outstanding Michael McIndoe, a £25,000 signing from Hereford, and the manager's son Lee, formerly on Watford and Brighton's books, dominated the proceedings.

Having fallen behind to a 19th minute header by the Woking centre back Jon Boardman, the visitors equalised ten minutes before half-time through their top scorer, Kirk Jackson, and appeared set to revisit further humiliation upon a side that had lost its previous home game 6-0, until Lockwood – who looks uncannily like the 400m runner, Iwan Thomas – bulldozed the Woking substitute Martin Williams over the touchline.

Johnson's matter-of-fact reaction to this turn of fortune said much about the can-do spirit currently animating his side. "We know that we are fit enough to cope with having ten men," he said. "All it needs is for everyone to add 10 per cent extra to their game and we have got our extra man."

Yeovil's chances of making the jump in status are increased this year by the fact that a second promotion place will be available this season via play-offs. But Johnson's gaze is set on the summit. "We have got a group of lads here that are winners," he said.

Asked if he was surprised that McIndoe was not playing at a higher level than the Conference, he replied: "Hopefully he will be at a higher level with us next season. The players here know that, both on and off the pitch, we are a Second Division club playing in the Conference at the moment."

There was no disagreement from the Woking manager, Glenn Cockerill, the former Southampton midfielder, whose respect for his opponents was transparent. "Yeovil are our benchmark," he said. "I said to my players after the game – there's your standard. If we can eventually get to where they are now I will be delighted."

Cockerill and co had better maintain their concentration. The benchmark appears to be rising fast.

Goals: Boardman (19) 1-0; Jackson (35) 1-1.

Woking (4-4-2): Burch; Townsend, Boardman, Collins, Campbell; Sharpling, Canham, Hamilton (S Smith, 67), Coates; Patmore (Williams, 41), Nade. Substitutes not used: Tucker, Allman, N Smith.

Yeovil Town (3-5-2): Weale; Lockwood, Skiverton, Pluck; Elkholti, Williams (Lindegaard, 90), Johnson, Way, McIndoe; Jackson, Gall. Substitutes not used: O'Brien, Grant, Collis, Mustoe.

Referee: T Kettle.

Bookings: Woking: Williams, Campbell. Yeovil: Lockwood, Way, Skiverton, Williams.

Sent off: Yeovil: Lockwood.

Man of the match: McIndoe.

Attendance: 3,332.