September 2021 (Page 4)

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Tom Knowles has backed loan signing Lewis Simper to be an exciting attacking force when he returns after a spell on the sidelines.

The 20-year-old midfielder joined on loan from Cambridge United in July but has not featured having fallen ill with COVID-19 followed by an injury which saw him return to his parent club for treatment.

However, Glovers’ boss Darren Sarll confirmed he hopes to have him back with his squad later next week.

Knowles was a good friend of Simper’s from their time together at Cambridge and said the pair spoke about how his game had developed since arriving in Somerset.

Tom Knowles is caught by FC Halifax Town captain Niall Maher inside the box.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

He said: “I have known Lewis from my time at Cambridge, when he knew Yeovil were interested in taking him on loan he was straight on the phone to me.

“I could not sell the club more to him and he was really keen to get down and play and I told him how good it had been for me and my development.

“For him, this is a great opportunity to come here and get some games and play well and I am sure when he’s back on the pitch he is going to excite the fans.

“He is going to chip in with some goals and you will get 100% from him every week, he’s a really talented player and I am sure he will hit the ground running and the fans will enjoy watching him play.”

On Tuesday, Cambridge boss Mark Bonner confirmed Simper was back at the League One club to aid his recovery.

Speaking ahead of the weekend’s visit to Boreham Wood, Sarll added: “I think  Monday at the earliest, I would expect next Thursday he will be back in with us which would be good.”

Knowles added that he hopes to find his scoring form having had a prolific pre-season, but was full of praise for his team-mates Joe Quigley and fellow winger Charlie Wakefield.

He said: “We have a good balance across the front three because (Charlie Wakefield) is a lot like Josh (Neufville) from last year, a great ball carrier who gets down the line and gets crosses in.

“Joe has obviously had great start to the season, chipping in with a lot of goals, and he can do a lot, running in behind or being a target man, he is very technically gifted.

“For me this year, I have played more out on the left, so I like to roll in and link up with Joe and Charlie because I know they are going to be there.”

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Uncategorized

Defender Mark Little has been backed by manager Darren Sarll to be return from his injury sooner than the end of the year.

The right-back was the big name signing of the summer following his release by Bristol Rovers and picked up an injury in the pre-season friendly defeat to Forest Green Rovers at the end of July.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

After that, the manager said he did not expect to see the former Bristol City and Bolton Wanderers player until at Christmas at the earliest.

Speaking ahead of the weekend’s trip to Boreham Wood, Sarll said: “Mark has one more consultation with his surgeon which might be today and then hopefully that will determine his progress from now.

“But once he is out of that boot and weight bearing again, he will fly, the man is a consummate professional with incredible standards.

“He is very different to a lot of other senior players I have worked with because he still sees so much in front of him, so much more to achieve.

“You can get senior players that hold on and hold on, but Mark never sees it like that, he is a real driving force.

“I think once Mark gets his foot down, he will probably exceed timescales (for his recovery).”

The manager suggested that Little’s recovery meant he was not yet back involved with the squad, but spoke about striker Reuben Reid‘s role in supporting the squad and his coaching team.

Reid is also expected to be out until the end of the year after picking up a hamstring injury in pre-season.

Sarll said: “Reuben is one of the most charismatic, influential people that I have worked with and has a huge impact on how people feel and think, even to the coaching staff.

“The first thing Reuben said to me after the game was ‘that is not a weekend ruiner’ and I thought that is a different way of looking at it, so we try and use what we have at our disposal.”

The boss added that the club’s supporters can also play an important role in helping his young squad through the campaign.

The squad has an average age of just 24.3 years, including the likes of injury victims Little, Reid and Luke Wilkinson, whilst their opponents on Saturday have the oldest squad in the division with an average age of 30.2 years.

Sarll said: “It is an important role that supporters play for us because if (the young players in the squad) get a sense of negativity in the ground, that is not going to help us this year.

“They are not Rhys Murphy who would just stick his fingers up and carry on playing, they have not seen that yet, so the role of supporters is huge.

“If I got any of those new, young players in and said what has been your best experience, they would undoubtedly say either Aldershot away or Stockport away.

“Because of the connection with the supporters and the love and affection they felt from that will stay with them, and they will thrive of those moments.”

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town will play a first-team fixture against an unnamed Football League club next Tuesday to make up for not having a match the following weekend.

We had been scheduled to visit Chesterfield on October 2, but a bit of fixture list musical chairs meant the Spireites visited Huish Park last Saturday instead of Altrincham, whose squad was struck down by COVID-19.

Speaking on Thursday, Glovers’ boss Darren Sarll said: “We’re playing a first-team game against a Football League side next Tuesday night to carry on getting minutes because we can’t get a game next Saturday.”

After the trip to Boreham Wood on Saturday, there is a ten-day wait until the next National League action when Maidenhead United are the visitors to Huish Park on October 5.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Luke Wilkinson will be unavailable for this weekend’s trip to Boreham Wood – but manager Darren Sarll said he is waiting for clarity on how long he will be without his captain.

The centre-half went off after just 28 minutes of the 2-0 home defeat to Chesterfield last weekend with a hamstring injury.

Luke Wilkinson wins a header.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Speaking on Thursday, Sarll said: “I think it is a run of the mill (hamstring strain), we are just looking for a little bit of clarity from the specialist about time spans.

“It looks to be very similar to what Lee Collins had in his spell with us but recovery times differ.

“(Luke) definitely will not be available for Saturday. I wish I could say it is going to be four weeks, three weeks, two weeks, but I just don’t know right now.”

Following the defeat last weekend, the manager said he may have to look to recruit to plug the void left by Wilkinson – however, it sounds like he may have to go with what he has in his paper-thin squad.

Morgan Williams and Max Hunt both played in the Somerset Premier Cup tie against Bridgwater United in midweek and Sarll indicated that Josh Staunton could be an option to drop back from the midfield role he has adopted so far this term.

The boss said he would like to recruit “three or four” players with Football League experience, but said the situation around COVID-19 meant it was difficult to convince clubs to let players out on loan.

He said: “Centre halves are at a premium and when I have gone in to the market at the moment, a lot of Football League clubs are petrified of COVID.

“Therefore letting players out on loan where they could find themselves in a situation where two or three players have COVID, they are potentially leaving themselves short.

“So quite a few managers at the moment are looking at self-preservation and keeping everyone around.

“The most important thing when we’re trying to recruit is trying to get experience, someone who has Football League experience.

“In my time here, we are at the mercy of what is available and what we can afford, so it is a bit of a chancer’s market at the moment.

“You’ve got to be ready to strike and if there’s something out there and something that will benefit us then I think we’ll do that.”

“We’ve got a brilliant guy in Josh Staunton whose trade is in the centre of defence, so we have that option – but there’s so many ifs, buts and maybes you just have to be ready to strike when the iron’s hot.”

By:
On:
In: Green and White Goals, Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town 2 Hereford United 1 – Saturday 2nd March 2002

On Saturday 2nd March 2002, Yeovil played Hereford at Huish Park for the first time since the old rivals ended our title hopes against Rushden with an injury-time winner in 2001. As it happens, we’ve had a pretty decent record against the Bulls since their relegation back to the Conference in 1997, and that one devastating moment represents their only league win over us between then and now.

It was Gary Johnson’s first season in charge, and results had been up and down. General away form was good, and with only two defeats all season was the best in the division. Home form was more patchy, with a number of home defeats arguably the result of a deteriorating pitch in dire need of replacement, and a defence that was vulnerable to the counter-attacking tactics that a lot of visiting teams employed.

The fixture came at the business end of the season in between FA Trophy matches away at Doncaster and at home to Canvey Island. With the Glovers unbeaten in 14 league and cup matches and chasing the slim hope of a title shot with Boston yet to visit Huish Park, it was a dramatic game that had almost everything. In the first half, a penalty was awarded to Yeovil for a push, but Chris Giles’ spot-kick was saved by Matt Baker. Shortly after, Hereford’s Paul Parry hit the underside of the bar with a shot that away fans claimed was over the line, but it was not given.

Right on half time Crittenden gave Yeovil the lead, but Parry equalised immediately after the break with a shot past the advancing Weale.

What followed was an exercise in gamesmanship and time-wasting, as the visitors continually feigned injury and wasted time to hold on for a point. In the 73rd minute, former Hereford player Michael McIndoe was sent off for the second time that season for an elbow aimed at John Snape – although the player would admit after the game there was no contact before his dramatic fall to the ground, McIndoe was rightly dismissed for aiming the elbow in the first place. There do tend to be a lot of red cards in these fixtures, as both Terry Skiverton and Gavin Williams were sent off when the two met at Edgar Street in 2000, and not only did Hereford have two sent off in 2003, but Gavin Williams was also substituted by Gary Johnson to prevent him from going the same way after some lively tackles. It was possibly for the best that McIndoe had already been sent off in 2002/03, and was suspended for one game which happened to be the away game at Hereford.

Despite the man advantage, Hereford made no attempt to press forward and instead continued to waste time and feign injury to an almost comical degree. Justice was served then, when in injury time as a result of those constant stoppages, Yeovil pressed forward one last time, ignoring a Hereford player who was rolling around wanting the game to be stopped (as can be seen in the footage). Substitute Carl Alford held the ball up for of all players, Yeovil-born Andy Lindegaard to score a left-footed volley from 20 yards out to give Yeovil the victory. It was some measure of revenge not only for 2001, but also for all of the time-wasting and cheating that had gone on during the game, and gave one of the most satisfying wins over Hereford that I have witnessed. And there have been a lot, as they don’t have a very good record against us in recent years.

Although the 4-0 in 2003 was also a good one…

If you want to read the world’s most biased match report (from a Hereford perspective), it can be found on the Hereford Times website.

Yeovil team that day: Chris Weale, Adam Lockwood, Anthony Tonkin, Terry Skiverton, Tom White (sub. Andy LIndegaard), Roy O’Brien, Olivier Brassart, Nick Crittenden, Michael McIndoe, Chris Giles (sub. Carl Alford), Adam Stansfield. Subs not used: Jon Sheffield, Steve Thompson, Kim Grant

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

To many people, the Somerset Premier Cup doesn’t mean an awful lot, a Wednesday night tie against Bridgwater United only attracted a little over 300 supporters to Huish Park.

However, they got to witness a little bit of Yeovil Town history.

For the Skiverton family, a name synonymous with the green and white of Yeovil Town, it was a night of pride as Terry – the legendary Glovers’ player, manager, player-manager, academy manager, assistant manager – signalled for a subtitution, a substitution that would welcome his son, Finlay on to the pitch.

With the number 9 on his back, Skivo Junior not only made his first team debut but scored an 88th minute goal to wrap up a comfortable 4-1 victory.

We here at the Gloverscast are suckers for a statistic, so here are a few numbers we’ve crunched.

Between Skivo Senior and Skivo Junior, they have a combined 384 appearances and 45 goals for the Glovers’ first team, but of course, Terry has most of them!

Terry’s final competitive appearance for the Glovers came on Saturday 21st March 2009 – a 0-0 draw against the MK Dons, he came off after just 36 minutes in a game that included the likes of Chris Weale in goal, Paul Warne and Andros Townsend.

That equates to 4568 days since a Skiverton graced the hallowed turf of Huish Park.

As for scoring, Terry’s final goal in green and white came a few week’s before that on Saturday 22nd November 2008, a 23rd minute goal against Tranmere Rovers (see below) would be the last time the name Skiverton made the goal scoring vidiprinter.

So… with a little maths (and some help from Google…) it’s taken exactly 12 Years and 10 months  for the feat to be repeated – or if you’d prefer, exactly 154 months, or maybe 670 weeks, or 4687 days.

Number one in the music charts was ‘Live Your Life’ by T.I. (featuring Rihanna), in the Premier League that day; Man City beat Arsenal 3-0 thanks to goals from Stephen Ireland, Robinho and Daniel Sturridge.

(Feeling old yet? Me too)

Who knows what the future holds for Finlay at Huish Park, but everyone at the Gloverscast congratulates Skivo Junior for his debut appearance and goal… here’s to many more!

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Match Reports

Yeovil Town progressed to the second round of the Somerset Premier Cup with a 4-1 home win over Toolstation Western Football League side Bridgwater United at Huish Park.

The home side fielded a strong starting XI included defenders Morgan Williams and Max Hunt  and forwards Adi Yussuf and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton appeared having turned out in the National League against Chesterfield four days earlier.

The visitors went in front in the second minute as striker Jack TAYLOR fired home a 25 yard free-kick to stun the home side.

Yussuf came close soon after before WILLIAMS brought the sides level after 28 minutes when Yussuf’s effort came back off the crossbar and the defender was on hand to put in the rebound.

Hunt came close to putting Yeovil ahead on the stroke of half-time but his effort from Alex Bradley‘s ball in was cleared off the line.

Lo-Everton came close to putting his side ahead soon after the restart putting an effort just wide and then was denied by Jake Viney when he burst through shortly after the hour.

But the Watford loanee was not to be denied on 64 minutes when LO-EVERTON broke through to get the second.

Ollie Haste had a chance cleared off the line on 73 minutes before a special moment when Finlay Skiverton, the son of Glovers’ assistant, Terry, replaced Jake Graziano on the 74th minute.

Three minutes later, YUSSUF completed the scoring after being played in by Jack Robinson, playing making his first start since joining on loan from Middlesbrough.

But, the biggest cheer of the night came for Finlay SKIVERTON who made it four with two minutes remaining.

Yeovil Town: Evans, Graziano (for Skiverton, 74), Robinson, Williams, Hunt (for Andrews, 90), Worthington, Bradley, Lo-Everton, Haste, Stephens, Yussuf (for Borges, 90). Subs: Smalley,  Lye.

Bridgwater United: Viney, J. Llewellyn, Greenwood, Sturdy, Williams, Taylor, Woodrow, T. Llewellyn, King, Horton, Edwards. Subs: Armstrong, Jimenez, Hiroli, Brereton, Reed.

Attendance: 327.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town have named a strong starting XI for the Somerset Premier Cup first round tie against Bridgwater United at Huish Park.

Defenders Morgan Williams and Max Hunt, midfielder Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and striker Adi Yussuf all start having featured in the 2-0 home defeat to Chesterfield in the National League at the weekend.

Finlay Skiverton, the son of Glovers’ assistant manager, Terry, is named on the substitutes’ bench.

Yeovil Town: Evans, Graziano, Robinson, Williams, Hunt, Worthington, Bradley, Lo-Everton, Haste, Stephens, Yussuf  Subs: Smalley, Borges, Skiverton, Lye, Andrews.

Bridgwater United: Viney, J. Llewellyn, Greenwood, Sturdy, Williams, Taylor, Woodrow, T. Llewellyn, King, Horton, Edwards. Subs: Armstrong, Jimenez, Hiroli, Brereton, Reed.

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Loan midfielder Lewis Simper should be back in training with Yeovil Town next week, according to Cambridge United first team coach Mark Bonner.

The Us’ boss confirmed the midfielder, who signed on a season-long loan in July, has picked up an injury after being one of a number of Glovers’ players who suffered COVID-19.

Speaking after his side’s EFL Trophy win over Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s on Tuesday night, Bonner said: “(Lewis) had COVID and he was off for a while with that, then he came back from COVID and picked up an injury which is quite common at the moment with people working too hard after 10 days of nothing.

“He had a small problem with knee so he is back in with us at the moment for treatment and rehab, so he trained on Monday and Tuesday and will train Thursday and Friday and be back with Yeovil next week.

“Hopefully he will be back in their squad for the following week.”

A big thankyou to Alex Jones of Prost International for asking the question on our behalf.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

The Under-12s team representing the Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust picked up a win the Junior Premier League last weekend.

The three other teams which turned out for the Trust suffered defeats in their respective age categories in the JPL.