The Ducks bounced back from their 1-0 New Year Holiday Monday derby defeat at Wycombe to put themselves back in the hunt to avoid relegation back to the Beazer Homes League with this thrilling win over the Somerset side at Buckingham Road.

Trevor Gould's side had the best of the play in the first 15-20 minutes but it was Yeovil who had the first serious chance in the 20th minute when Paul Thorpe sent a free header over the bar from 16 yards following a corner. That was the closest the visitors came to breaking the deadlock before, at the other end, Jeff Lissaman's left wing cross found Cliff Hercules whose glanced diving header went inches past the far post.

The deadlock was eventually broken in the 38th minute and it was the hosts who took the lead with a well worked goal. Mark Boyland received the ball in the centre circle and with options opening up of Peter Hutter's decoy run to his right or Lissaman sprinting away down the left, Boyland chose the latter and Lissaman held off a challenge from Andy Wallace before sliding the ball neatly past advancing keeper Mel Gwinnett.

In the 43rd minute with United looking like they'd be going into half time in front, a cruel piece of luck gave Yeovil an equaliser. Guy Whittingham cut inside Paul Saunders from the left and his shot from the edge of the box looked to be going wide as Ducks keeper Tim Garner moved to cover it but struck Junior Wilson's knee and the deflection left Garner stranded as the ball bounced slowly into the net.

It was a shattering blow but just two minutes into the second half the Ducks went back in front when Wilson made amends for his unfortunate deflection by delivering a perfect cross for Hercules to climb high above the defence and power a header into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

Then in the 59th minute it was 3-1 when Wilson's long clearance from defence found Hercules clear on the halfway line with defender Jeff Sherwood aware that with Hercules powering towards him, Boyland was clear to his left. With Boyland screaming for a square pass, Hercules appeared to have taken the wrong option by trying to go it alone, but he surged forwards before sending a low drive from 18 yards skidding past Gwinnett to put United in the driving seat.

Just four minutes later Yeovil pulled one back when Gary Donnellan chased a long ball down the left and after outstripping both Bob Coy and Saunders crossed for Martin Grimshaw to score.

Whilst Yeovil never forced Garner to make a serious save after that, United should have added to their tally late on when Hercules set up Les Lawrence who somehow scooped his shot from around the penalty spot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.