September 2021 (Page 3)

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Barnett in action vs King’s Lynn
Pic Courtesy of Mike Kunz

Yeovil Town left back Jordan Barnett was disappointed to come away from Boreham Wood with nothing after the Glovers lost 2-1.

Speaking to BBC Somerset, Barnett was adament the Glovers were on top both with 11 and 10 men with Adi Yussuf being shown a brace of yellow cards shortly before half time.

“We were definately on top, especially in the first half, when we had the man sent off we have to be a little more defensive, but we were also on top with ten men”

“In the second half, we came out and battled very hard and we were dominant throughout the game”

When asked about the sending off, Barnett was almost refreshingly honest about it saying;
“Obviously it’s a bit stupid, it’s a bit reckless, but it’s one of them where the ref is always going to give it”

“It’s just a stupid one really”

There were chances for the Glovers throughout the game both with 11 and 10 on the pitch and Barnett was quick to praise opposition goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore.

“Quigz (Joe Quigley) has had a few (chances), Knowlesy had a few, the keeper has pulled off some worldy saves off… but we were obvioulsy on top for large parts.”

The result leaves Yeovil Town 11th in the National League table on nine points.

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Sarll and Skiverton
Terry Skiverton, right, alongside Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll spoke to BBC Somerset following the Glovers’ 2-1 defeat to Boreham Wood on Saturday.

He talked of his pride as the visitors spent most of the game with ten men after a 38th minute red card to Adi Yussuf.

“I thought more so than that (just) at times, we were the better team, I’m a bit disappointed we haven’t won, but I am immensely proud of the group of players.”

“They took themselves through that process (after the red card) they took themselves through the challenges and I thought they played wonderfully in the second half”

With regards to the sending off – the Glovers’ second of the season already – when asked if he thought it was a red card decision, Sarll simply replied “Yes”

He would go on to reiterate his pleasure at the response, rather than focus on the incidents that led to either of Yussuf’s yellow cards.

“I thought second half especially, the football we played, how competitive we were – I know it’s a defeat, but we are going to be all right, we are”

There was praise for former Boreham Wood ‘keeper Grant Smith, who despite an error in the build up to one of the hosts’ goals has been a regular member of the squad and often backed  by supporters, as well as for Josh Staunton who filled in at centre-half with a performance described by Sarll as “enormous”

Speaking on Yeovil’s newest recruit, Mitch Rose, Sarll indicated he was impressed with the midfielder’s debut performance and would expect more from the former Notts County man over time.

“I’ve known Mitchell a long, long time, he’s a powerful athlete and charachter and I thought you saw his qualities straight away when he came on.

“He’s not trained with us yet… he’s going to be a massive player for us, especially without Luke (Wilkinson). He gives us another senior man, another established man and he has real qualities.”

Yeovil Town have a 10-day wait for another competitive game when facing Maidenhead on October 5th, athough there was an indication of a midweek friendly against an unnamed EFL side this midweek.

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Venue: Meadow Park
Saturday September 25 2021, 3pm kick-off.

Conditions: Dry but dull
Ground: Perfect

Scorers: Dale Gorman 15 (1-0), Worthington o.g. 26 (1-1), Rees 60 (1-2)

Attendance: 658

Referee: Scott Simpson

Bookings:
Yeovil: Yussuf 33, 38
Boreham Wood: Evans 52, Smith 85

Sendings off
Yeovil: Yussuf 38
Boreham Wood: None

Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)
Grant Smith
Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Josh Staunton, Jordan Barnett
Charlie Wakefield, Dale Gorman, Matt Worthington, Tom Knowles
Joe Quigley, Adi Yussuf

Subs: Jack Robinson (for Barnett, 71), Lo-Everton (for Worthington, 78), Rose (for Wakefield, 84), Max Evans (not used), Alex Bradley (not used).

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Mendy, Ilesanmi, Evans, Fyfield, Smith, Rees (for Stephens, 90), Ricketts,Raymond (for Smith, 75), Marsh (for Clifton, 86), Boden. Subs not used: Mafuta, Smith.

 

Summary

Ten man Yeovil Town fell to a 2-1 defeat on the road to Boreham Wood this afternoon.

The Glovers took the lead from a Dale Gorman free kick after quarter of an hour, but calamitous goalkeeping saw Boreham Wood equalise after Grant Smith punched the ball into the back of Matt Worthington.

Adi Yussuf saw red in the first half for two bookable offences.

Josh Rees‘ 60th minute header was enough for Boreham Wood as the Glovers chased an equaliser but couldn’t break the Hertfordshire side down.

Here’s how Ian saw it…..

The Glovers made two changes from last weekends match against Chesterfield. Josh Staunton dropped into defence for Luke Wilkinson with Matt Worthington coming in to the midfielder to partner Gorman. Adi Yussuf started up front in place of Sonny Blu Lo Everton.

Smith was called into action in the 12th minute making a good reaction save.

Moments later, Gorman struck a low free kick which snuck under the Boreham Wood wall and through Nathan Ashmore and into the goal.

In the 25th minute Boreham Wood equalised after hapless defending. Smith opted to punch a corner rather than catch it and his punch ricocheted off of Worthington into the goal.

Yussuf picked up a silly yellow card in the 33rd minute and five minutes later he was given his marching orders jumping in recklessly for a 50-50.

Half time: Boreham Wood 1 – 1 Yeovil Town

Smith was forced into a smart one-handed save early in the second half and came close to taking the lead in the 57th minute.

Tom Knowles rode a Boreham Wood challenge and made to the byline before cutting back leaving two defenders on the floor. He struck a decent right footed effort which flew wide of the post.

Moments later Rees put Boreham Wood ahead with a back post header giving the Glovers an uphill task with ten men.

Yeovil pressed on looking for an equaliser and they had their chances.

Knowles hit the post in the 64th minute and with 20 minutes left Joe Quigley drew a save from Ashmore and couldn’t find Knowles with his second bite of the cherry.

Yeovil thought they’d found their goal in the 90th through Quigley. Ashmore and a good stop from Gorman’s strike and reacted well to keep out the oncoming Quigley’s header.

Full time: Boreham Wood 2 – 1 Yeovil Town

 

See our Five Conclusions from Meadow Park – here.

 

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Josh Staunton will line up alongside Max Hunt in the centre of defence for the trip to Boreham Wood.

Matt Worthington returns to partner Dale Gorman in midfield with Adi Yussuf making his first start alongside Joe Quigley up front.


Yeovil Town: Smith, Barnett, Staunton, Hunt,  Moss, Gorman, Worthington, Knowles, Wakefield, Quigley, Yussuf.  Subs: Evans, Bradley, Robinson, Lo-Everton, Rose.

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Yeovil Town Under-18s are in cup action this weekend facing their counterparts at Bath City in the Gary Else Memorial League Cup.

The young Glovers will have home advantage at the Alvington Playing Fields, Yeovil with a 10.30am kick-off on Saturday.

The trophy is the cup competition for the South West Counties League and is named after a coach from the Swindon area who died in 2012.

The age group sides of the Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust  from the Under-11s through to the Under-15s are all in Junior Premier League action this weekend.

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Charlie Wakefield has spoken about the challenge laid down to him by Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll to add more goals to his performances.

The 23-year-old was speaking about getting off the mark with the opener in the 3-0 win at $tockport County earlier this week on the latest edition of The Grassroots Guy.

Charlie Wakefield in action against FC Halifax Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

He said: “The first few games we played, I was doing a lot for the team off the ball and still managing to create chances but not having as many goal-scoring opportunities.

“The manager has been on to me saying ‘you have the ability get down the outside and shoot’ and I know I am capable of doing that.

“Fortunately in the ($tockport) game that opportunity came and I was lucky enough to get it on target in the bottom corner.

“Obviously I am still waiting for my first goal at home and there will be no better feeling than to score in front of the home fans, but to win 3-0 at $tockport who people are looking out for this year was a real good feeling.”

The winger also spoke to host Harry Purdy about the togetherness in the Glovers’ squad having joined following his release by National League rivals Bromley in the summer.

Wakefield was one of a number of young players to arrive at Huish Park following the departure of experienced heads such as Carl Dickinson,Charlie Lee and Jimmy Smith.

He said: “When you get a new group of players together, it is always interesting to see if the chemistry is there because it is not always.

“But with this group, everyone gets on very well and we take that on to the pitch and I am enjoying playing with this group of players.

“To win three on the bounce and go to places like $tockport and win 3-0 that is not a fluke, that is everything we have been working on.

“I know when I am injury free and focused I know I can play at the top level, I am confident and back my own ability.

“I can add a lot for this group of players, I have good pace and directness and that is what I am going to continue to do.“

On the podcast, Wakefield talks about his time coming through the academy system at Chelsea where he suffered persistent hamstring injuries which led to the club giving him stem cell treatment.

He said: “I remember them saying ‘we don’t want you to have surgery, we want you to have stem cell treatment’.

“That is basically where they take bone marrow from your hip, grow it in a laboratory, you have a procedure and it is meant to give your muscle a new lease of life.

“So, I flew to Barcelona, had the operation, they flew it to Italy, it grew in a laboratory for a month, then back to Barcelona, had the procedure and then you should not have a recurrence of the procedure.”

But, he then said how shortly after the treatment he suffered a collapsed lung following a holiday to New York which meant he was not able to train or play for two months.

He added: “Everything happens for a reason, because it allowed my hamstring to get the benefits of the treatment, so I look back on it as the best thing that every happened to me.”

You can read more about Charlie’s injury in another article – here.

If you have not listened to any of the other Grassroots Guy interviews with Lawson D’Ath, Matt Worthington and ex-Glover Carl Dickinson, catch them – here.

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Whilst Boreham Wood manager Luke Garrard may have a similarly limited squad to select from as his opposite number Darren Sarll, he certainly has experience on his side.

Our hosts this weekend have the oldest squad in the National League with an average age of 30.2 years, compared with our 24.3 years – and that is including the injured (and older) Mark Little, Reuben Reid and Luke Wilkinson.

In their 3-1 defeat at Solihull Moors last weekend, Wood’s starting line-up had an average age of 29.09 years with Sarll’s XI against Chesterfield weighing in at 23.45 years.

The loss last weekend was their first of the season and they are unbeaten at home after picking up a win over Aldershot Town and then draws against FC Halifax Town and $tockport County.

There’s been some noticeable departures from last season – when we picked up wins home and away against Boreham Wood. Notably the departure of the prolific Kabongo Tshimanga to Chesterfield, who has been replaced by the experienced Scott Boden, who was released by the Spireites in the summer.

Going forward Shaquile Coulthirst was released while the noticeable presence of Matt Rhead will be less noticeable as he’s joined Alfreton Town. These departures come off the back of the loss of academy product Sorba Thomas who joined Huddersfield Town midway through last season.

Our hosts’ success is built on a solid defence which begins at imposing goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore behind a back three of Jamal Fyfield, Will Evans, a summer signing from Chesterfield, and Femi Ilesanmi, with wing backs Kane Smith and Jacob Mendy Mendy providing pace.

Mendy Mendy, who began his career at Atletico Madrid,  opened his account for Wood in the 3-1 defeat at Solihull having joined from Wealdstone in the summer where he scored nine times for the Stones.

 

FROM THE MANAGER

Speaking to Boreham Wood TV following last weekend’s defeat at Solihull Moors, manager Luke Garrard said:

“We have got a free week now with no midweek game, so we will prepare because we have Yeovil coming to town on Saturday.

“They lost to Chesterfield, so they are going to want a reaction. I imagine it is going to be a nice, tight affair and another tough game in the National League.

“It is frightening some of the results in the National League. Halifax (who we drew 2-2 with on the previous Tuesday) and we were excellent against for large periods having gone and done Stockport 3-0, so they are a side to watch.

“There’s some good sides at this level and it does not get any easier from Solihull to Yeovil, but I just said to the lads that if we won today we would park it and if we lose today we park it and the focus turns to Yeovil.

“The boys know that was not good enough today, they are all talking (in the dressing room) about what should have been better.

“They are experienced professionals and they know what is expected of them on an away day, and we have shown this season at Bromley (3-2 win), away at Dover (1-0 win) and away at Weymouth (2-0 win) that we can perform away.

“Today we were not at the races, I can’t over-analyse it, I’ll wipe my mouth, move on and we’ll prepare for Yeovil.”

TEAM NEWS

There is none. In all seriousness, it sounds as if Boreham Wood have the same squad available to face Yeovil as they did in the 3-1 defeat at Solihull Moors last weekend.

So, expect to see Nathan Ashmore in goal, a back three of Jamal Fyfield, Will Evans and Femi Ilesanmi with Jacob Mendy Mendy and Kane Smith as wing backs.

In midfield, the evergreen Mark Ricketts will line up alongside Frankie Raymond and Josh Rees with Scott Boden and Tyrone Marsh up top.

A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS

Grant Smith has happy memories of his time as a Boreham Wood player. The Yeovil Town goalkeeper was part of the side which reached the National League play-off final in 2018, eventually losing to Tranmere Rovers at Wembley.

Smith spent two seasons at Meadow Park before signing for Lincoln City. He returned to Hertfordshire in the 2019-20 campaign and played in Wood’s play-off eliminator against FC Halifax Town due to a suspension to first-choice keeper Nathan Ashmore.

Adi Yussuf is another player who has stepped out at Wembley as a Boreham Wood player. He was a 79th-minute substitute in the club’s play-off final defeat to Harrogate Town whilst on loan from Blackpool.

Joe Quigley will also be looking to get one over on this old employers. He had a nine-game spell on loan from AFC Bournemouth in 2018.

Glovers’ defender Luke Wilkinson also had two loan spells at Boreham Wood in the Conference South side. He turned out 26 times in the 2010-11 season and 23 times after returning the following campaign whilst on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge.

In the home side’s squad, Connor Smith spent the 2017-18 season at Huish Park, having his contract cancelled at the end of the first campaign. He signed for Wood from Wealdstone in the summer.

Other players with a foot in both camps include Kabongo Tshimanga, who played zero minutes whilst on loan at Huish Park before going on to be prolific with Wood.

Graham Roberts, who managed Yeovil to the Isthmian League Premier Division title and promotion back to the Conference in 1997, managed Boreham Wood to the Isthmian League Division one title in 1999-2000 before his departure saw two of his players, Mickey Engwell and Lee Harvey, take charge.

Engwell was Roberts’ captain at Huish Park and Harvey was a towering centre half in that title-winning side of 1997.

Engwell was replaced as Wood manager by Steve Browne, who was part of that title-winning side under Graham Roberts, and probably better known to younger Yeovil fans as the father of Rhys.

Billy Clifford, who played once in green-and-white in a League Cup win at Southend United in 2013 whilst on loan from Chelsea, spent the 2015-16 season at Meadow Park, whilst Angelo Balanta was part of the side which reached the Championship under Gary Johnson before spending two years at Boreham Wood.

 

If you are travelling to Meadow Park for Saturday’s fixture, make sure you check out our Ciderspace Away Travel Guide – here.

For details of tickets for the match – click here.

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In honour of the appearance of Fin Skiverton in Wednesday night’s Somerset Premier Cup tie, our resident Statto, Nigel Dyson, revealed he knew of at least ten other members of the Yeovil Town Father & Son Club.

The rules were that both father and son had to have made first-team appearances for the club, remembering that in our non-League days the Somerset Premier Cup counts as a first-team fixture.

Having promised faithfully to unveil them on today’s podcast, we forgot (in complete honesty!), here are Nigel’s ten:

  • Rhys Browne and father Steve
  • Neil Housley and father Stuart
  • James Thompson and father Steve 
  • Kevin Albury and father Bill
  • Paul Muir and father George
  • Ian Linney and father Dave
  • Ben Nugent and father Richard
  • Tony Pounder and father Tony (Senior)
  • Ian McKay and father Johnny
  • Barry Dominey and father Gordon 

A few others that have come in from different parts the Gloverscast listeners/readers….

  • Fred and Ken Hayward
  • William and Fred Bond

Can you name any more? Drop us a message on Twitter or Facebook or go crazy and use the comment box below.

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Darren Sarll praised the club’s youth team players for their performances in Yeovil Town‘s 4-1 win over Bridgwater United in the Somerset Premier Cup first round on Wednesday night.

The Glovers’ boss singled out defender Jake Graziano, midfielder Ollie Haste and strike Finlay Skiverton who all featured in a strong side which included a number of first-team players.

The trio are all regulars in the club’s Under-18s side which works in partnership with Yeovil College delivering an Elite Player Development Programme.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.

Sarll said: “I was really pleased with the boys who came out of the college programme.

“Ollie Haste I thought was magnificent, talk about standing up to the opportunity.
In terms of the experience I was able to give him, he will remember that for the rest of his life and the same with young Jake Graziano, they coped brilliantly.

“Obviously Fin came on and scored (the game’s fourth goal) and as soon as the game was out of sight I wanted to give as many of them an opportunity.”

The boss described Skiverton’s goal as “a wonderful moment” for his father, assistant manager and club legend, Terry, but insisted the young striker was in the side on merit alone.

He said: “I can tell everyone now that no-one gets a game because of their surname, they get a game because they can help us win and (Finlay) certainly helped us do that.

“I think he had the two best chances of the game in the last 15 minutes and you have to credit someone for knowing how to get there.

“I was not too impressed with how he knows where to be out of possession but for a centre forward that needs to be the last detail rather than the first.”

There was also some valuable game time for first-team squad members including defender Morgan Williams, midfielder Matt Worthington, who is available after a three-match ban for his red card against King’s Lynn on the opening day, and Alex Bradley who has been out through illness.

Matt Worthington, who returned following suspension in the win over Bridgwater United.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Sarll said: “I thought it was important that we got some minutes in to some legs. Morgan (Williams) has played one 90 minute game in eight months, I wanted to get Max (Hunt) back out there.

“Because of how small the squad is, the opportunity to practice in training is reduced because we do not have the numbers, so I thought that was a better environment for Max to carry on practicing.

“Max Evans deserved a game, Adi (Yussuf), Sonny (Blu Lo-Everton) both needed minutes, as did (Matt) Worthington after his suspension and (Alex) Bradley after missing out through illness.

“So it was enjoyable to see what they can contribute and what they could contribute on Saturday and after that.”