December 2021 (Page 11)

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Darren Sarll wants to write another chapter in the Yeovil Town‘s FA Cup history books when he takes on his old club Stevenage in front of the television cameras on Saturday.

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

The Glovers’ boss said he has been looking forward to to facing his old club since the draw was made and admitted he would love to have some Cup memories to share having heard his assistant, club legend Terry Skiverton, talk about his so much!

Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Sarll said: “I want to create history so people stop asking me about the history! Terry has been here and seen all those big games, he still talks about marking (Liverpool striker Emile) Heskey, (Jose) Mourinho coming here with Man United.

“They’re all wonderful memories and the reason he talks about them is because they are good memories for him.

“We would like to create our own and that’s what we are in it for because no-one becomes a millionaire being here, it’s for the memories and attachments you can make for people, supporters and players.”

In team news ahead of the weekend, the manager gave the following updates:

  • Midfielder Tom Knowles “should be available” for selection if he can pass the latest stage of testing after being wrestling slammed to the ground by Dover Athletic defender Danny Collinge in last weekend’s 1-1 draw.
    The manager said that he had been “going through protocols” with the Huish Park doctor, Chris Minton, and had not trained all week and missed the midweek win at Wrexham.
  • A decision will be made today (Friday) on whether striker Reuben Reid is available for the second round tie saying the former Cheltenham Town and Plymouth Argyle man was “very close” to being available.
    The manager said: “If we can get through today training, we have discussion this afternoon whether he feels he’s in a good enough place to contribute.
    “If he’s not, we will leave it one week, if he is, you will definitely see him on the team-sheet tomorrow.“
  • Defender Mark Little was expected to have his first running session on Friday.
    Both  the former Bristol City full-back and Middlesbrough loanee defender Jack Robinson were targeting a return for the Boxing Day match at Torquay United.
    Sarll said: “Hopefully next week we will have him kicking a ball again and then he’s maybe a couple of weeks from joining training.
    “Mark always had Boxing Day in mind to be back in the squad, we hope it’s earlier, and the same for Jack who should be back for that Christmas period.“
  • The absence of midfielder Mitch Rose was “not about injury, but about resources.” Sarll added: “I would love for him to be with us tomorrow, he’s a brilliant player, but he’s not available.“

 

 

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Talks are ongoing with the parent clubs of Yeovil Town on-loan defenders Dan Moss, Jack Robinson and forward Sonny Blu Lo-Everton.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

All three players are due to return to their parent clubs Millwall, Middlesbrough and Watford respectively in January, but manager Darren Sarll said he is keen for them to remain.

He said: “We are constantly in dialogue with Millwall over (Dan) Moss, he would like to stay but that will be dependent on their availability.

“We are quite far down the road with (Jack) Robinson at Middlesbrough who would like him to say.

“(Sonny’s stay from) Watford is a different one because it is Premier League and we can really only do anything once January 1 hits – but we would really love Sonny to be with us.”

Lo-Everton signed on loan in the summer “until January“, Robinson joined until January 10 and Moss’ loan was recently extended until the end of January.

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll has said he would love to be the club’s manager next season – but admits he does not know where his future lies.

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

The Glovers’ boss, who has guided the club to tenth place in the National League table in the first four months, said the ongoing talks about the ownership of the club meant he could not be sure about the future of either himself or his players.

Only striker Joe Quigley and defender Morgan Williams are under contract beyond the end of the current campaign.

Asked about his future by Gloverscast inquistor Ben Barrett in his press conference ahead of the FA Cup tie with Stevenage at the weekend, the manager said: “I don’t know who’s the manager next year. Of course (I would like to be the manager), my family are here, I have got a lovely life, my daughter was born in Somerset.

“I love working with Terry (Skiverton, assistant manager), it’s a brilliant club with unbelievable support, but that is not how football works.

“I do not slap a beating heart on the table and say ‘I love the place’ and they say ‘okay Darren, have another job’, it doesn’t work like that.”

Sarll referred to “rumours” circling the club with takeover talks understood to involve at least two parties, believed to be led by current club director Glenn Collis and Julian Jenkins, an ex-Cardiff commercial director and CEO at Swiss side Servette – see here for more on that.

The manager said: “We all know about rumours of this, that and the other in the background, who knows about that? Is there more money? Less money? Who knows?

“Until the hierarchy is set in stone and this is the board of directors, the manager and what players do you want, nothing is set in stone until then, so we’ll all just have to wait and see.”

Asked if he would like to continue to work with his current squad, the boss was unequivocal in his admiration, adding: “I love working with this group, they have brought me back to life this group of players, I am in a great place now, as is Terry.

“We will never rid ourselves of the tragic events (of last season) but they have defibrillated us to be fresh and creative again.“

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On this episode, Ian and Dave talk about the unbelievable win in the Hollywood hills of Wrexham. Ian speaks to Matt Farley form the Stevenage FC Podcast ahead of our FA Cup clash on Saturday, plus it’s a quiz night.

Thanks for listening!

Remember to add Gloverscast.co.uk to your favourites and check the website daily for the latest news from Huish Park.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, enjoy some retro content on Instagram. Leave us a review and share the pod with a pal.

Would you like to advertise on the Gloverscast? Do you want to take part in the quiz, have an idea for the website or just want to send us a message, email ian@gloverscast.co.uk

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Yeovil Town 3 Southend United 1 – Saturday 20th November 2004

In our first couple of seasons in the league, Yeovil had some big games against Southend. In the first league meeting of the two teams in November 2003, it was the Lee Johnson show as the midfield maestro scored two goals and three assists in a 4-0 win. The return fixture was the penultimate away game of the season, when two goals from Dani Rodrigues kept Yeovil in the play-off race. In May 2005 of course, the two sides would meet in a top of the table clash with just two games to go, which will no doubt feature in a future throwback.

Southend’s visit to Huish Park in November 2004 was a critical time for both clubs. After a mixed start, Yeovil had briefly gone top of League Two with a 2-1 win away at Shrewsbury in September. However what followed was a run of just two points from five games, including defeat at Scunthorpe and the memorable night which saw a 2-0 lead given away against nine-man Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium. Dropping down to 8th, it was not clear whether the new signings of Jevons, Tarachulslki, Stolcers, Caceres and Rose would be enough to mount a serious title challenge.

In the opposition corner were Southend, who had started slowly after a disappointing season in 2003/04, only just avoiding relegation. With only two points from the first five games, from September onwards their form began to improve and by the time the two teams met they were into the playoff places, with four wins from their last six games. The Shrimpers had been boosted by the arrival of Freddy Eastwood in October, who would go on to score 24 goals in the season.

With the visit of potential promotion challengers in good form, it was a test of Yeovil’s mettle in front of just under 6,000 fans. The Glovers created several chances in the first half with Jevons hitting the bar, and the striker went one better just before half time, giving Yeovil the lead with a deft header from a Gavin Williams cross. Southend rallied in the second half and scored an almost identical equaliser, with former Bristol Rovers defender Adam Barrett heading in a free kick from captain Kevin Maher.

The game remained even before turning in Yeovil’s favour with just a few minutes to go. Gavin Williams, in one of his last games for the club before his move to West Ham, was pulled back in midfield by Maher, who was shown a very soft second yellow and was dismissed on 82 minutes. The resultant free kick was floated in by Lee Johnson and stabbed home by Scott Guyett for his first goal for the club. A minute after the restart Kevin Gall ran almost the entire length of the pitch with the ball and crossed for Bartosz Tarachulski to convert a diving header and give the scoreline a more comfortable look. A tough game against quality opponents who would be up there come the end of the season, had seen Yeovil come out on top.

After an indifferent run of form had seen the Glovers drop down to 8th, the Southend game perhaps gave a boost to the team’s confidence and signalled something of a return to form, as the win took them up to third in the table and began a run of 11 wins in 12 league and cup games over the festive period, which would take them to the top of the League Two table ahead of Scunthorpe early in the New Year of 2005. Southend would lead the table late in the season and also get to the final of the LDV Trophy at the Millennium Stadium. They were eventually promoted via the playoffs.

Team that day: Chris Weale, Paul Terry (sub. Andy Lindegaard, 77), Michael Rose, Scott Guyett, Colin Miles, Darren Way, Lee Johnson, Gavin Williams, Andrejs Stolcers (sub. Kevin Gall, 77), Bartosz Tarachulski, Phil Jevons. Subs not used: Steve Collis, Roy O’Brien, Adrian Caceres

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A pair of Yeovil Town heroes of the late 1990s have spoken about their memories of playing for the club on its way back from its lowest ebb in recent years.

Striker Howard Forinton and captain Micky Engwell were part of the side which won promotion the ICIS League, the sixth tier, back in to the Conference in 1997 after two seasons away.

In the first of a new series, Glovers Past from the Gloverscast, at the request of some of our listeners (and one of our regular contributors!), the pair have relived their memories of that time.

Yeovil Town with the ICIS League trophy at the end of the 1996-97 season.
Picture courtesy of Tim Lancaster.

Forinton, who came back for two further spells in the early 2000s, scored 23 goals in 21 appearances that season.

He spoke about the supporters who would follow the team across the country, saying: “We were turning up at places not expecting to get beaten against decent opposition, but there was so much confidence in the side. I just could not see us ever losing.

“When we went away, the away support would sometimes outnumber the home fans two to one and just coming out and seeing those numbers was just inspirational – we knew we could not let them down.”

Engwell said he could not turn down the opportunity to travel from his home in Essex when then-Glovers’ boss Graham Roberts contacted him following the club’s relegation from the Conference in the summer of 1995.

The full-back said: “When the Yeovil job came for Graham, he contacted me and asked if I would be interested in the travelling and I knew the fan base and the history.

“I was only too pleased to join him and travel down there for the seasons I had there, it was the best and most enjoyable football I have played in my career.

“Yeovil is a massive club, when someone offers you the opportunity to join a club like that you jump at the chance.”

The pair also spoke about their memories of a night at Huish Park where 8,007 fans packed in to the ground to watch a 2-2 draw with title rivals Enfield in March 1997.

Forinton revealed that it was that then-Birmingham City manager Trevor Francis was in the crowd that night at the invitation of his former Rangers’ team-mate, Yeovil manager Graham Roberts.

At the end of the season, Forinton went on to join the Blues along with full-back Jerry Gill.

Engwell scored the opener after just five minutes, but admitted he may not have meant it: “I have never said anything, but I think I was crossing it to Warren (Patmore), but I told everyone I chipped the goalkeeper!”

Courtesy of the Green & White Goals archive, here’s that match and the goal – make up your own minds!

 

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Venue: The Racecourse Ground
Tuesday November 30th, 7:45pm kick-off

Conditions: Not quite ‘hand warmer’ cold, with a fair breeze.
Pitch: A lovely, if slippy, carpet

Attendance:  8057 (103 away supporters)

Scorers: Josh Staunton 64, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 82,

Referee: Scott Tallis

Sending off:
Wrexham: McAlinden 34

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Moss 44
Wrexham: Lennon 36


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith
Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Josh Staunton, Morgan Williams
Matt Worthington, Dale Gorman, Jordan Barnett
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Adi Yussuf, Charlie Wakefield

Substitutes: Luke Wilkinson (for Lo-Everton, 88), Alex Bradley (for Yussuf, 81), Ollie Haste, Max Evans.

Wrexham: Lainton, Hall-Johnson, Hayden, Tozer, Lennon (Jones, 69), Hosannah (Green, 78), Young, Davies, McAlinden, Ponticelli (Hyde, 78), Mullin

Substitutes (not used): Dibble (GK), French,

Match Report

Yeovil players celebrate with fans at Wrexham

Yeovil Town finished off a sensational November by beating Wrexham away at Hollywood Boulevard, aka, the Racecourse Ground.
Luke Wilkinson dropped to the bench after an overnight illness whilst Tom Knowles was absent following the body slam he received a the hands of ‘Hulk Hogan’ on Saturday.
Sonny Blu Lo Everton and Morgan Williams replaced them in the now customary, 4-3-3 line up.

Make sure you record this episode of the Netflix documentary, it’ll be one to savour, but only if you’re a Glover

First half

Yeovil Town started this game brightly, knowing a quick start would not only banish the demons of going behind early against Dover, but also prove as to be the only way this star studded Wrexham side were likely to be got at.

Within a few minutes of the start, Yeovil were whipping in multiple corners as the Wrexham defence hastily cleared their lines, the deliveries weren’t great, but Jordan Barnett was just getting his eye in for later.

The game always had something of a tense edge to it, Adi Yussuf getting booed every time he touched the ball as an ex-Dragons player.

A side of Wrexham’s quality were never going to kept quiet for long, Ben Tozer, a former Glover of course, was launching his Delap-esque throws whilst the attacking intent of Liam McAlinden and Luke Young to race beyond the home side’s front duo was always a tactic.

Dan Moss in action vs Grimsby. Pic Credit @leeblease

Neither ‘keeper had much in the way of a proper save to make by the time the main talking point of the match came around, a needless, reckless challenge on Dan Moss saw McAlinden shown a straight red.

He was adjudged to have led with an elbow long after Moss had cleared his lines and the Irishman was off.

Even with ten men Wrexham had chances to create openings, they had a penalty shout of their own turned down, but the all too familiar sight of a Yeovil defence standing tall took the game through to half time… a moment, finally, for some calm.

Half time: Wrexham 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

Wrexham made a tactical change at the break, a back four saw Tozer move into a defensive midfield role, whilst Yeovil knew calm heads and a patient approach would be the best way forward.

Jordan Barnett in his advanced role was proving a nuisance for the home side, he, along with Dale Gorman and Matt Worthington harried and hustled their hosts into countless errors.

Paul Mullin became more anonymous and Max Hunt kept Jordan Ponticelli quiet.

At the other end, gaps were starting to show and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Charlie Wakefield combined on a couple of occasions to create chances, the final ball often just lacking an extra ounce of quality.

With an hour gone, Yeovil had another chance to put the ball in the box from a Jordan Barnett free kick, whilst initially cleared, he delivered a second cross beyond the Dragons’ back line, unmarked, with the freedom of Wales Josh Staunton was on hand to neatly apply the finish.

A tricky volley that squirmed beyond the ‘keeper who will feel he should have kept it out.

Wrexham made changes almost immediately and it bring a spell of pressure, for Yeovil to deal with, Bryce Hosannah was a constant threat and Cameron Greene was creating plenty of space with fresher legs than most.

The game was put beyond doubt with ten minutes left, when Alex Bradley delivered a wonderful ball to Max Hunt following another Yeovil set piece.

Hunt’s shot was wonderfully saved, Wakefield saw his follow up blocked, but Sonny Blu Lo Everton didn’t miss the third time, hammering the ball home from 10 yards.

The final few moments were relatively untroubled for Yeovil with the 8000 home fans streaming for the exit, Darren Sarll’s side saw the game out and recorded a fourth successive away win in November.

Full time: Wrexham 0 Yeovil Town 2

 

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Yeovil Town completed an unbeaten November with a fantastic 2-0 win away at Wrexham, two thirds of the Gloverscast were there, with Ben Barrett keeping up his record this season of not seeing the Glovers even concede, let alone lose!

He was alongside Sheridan Robins in the commentary box and here are his five conclusions from a brilliant night in North Wales!

Five Conclusions: Wrexham 0 – 2 Yeovil

I think I’ve just about made it back down to earth following Yeovil’s 2-0 win over Wrexham, a night that I think will go down as a special night for the 103 Yeovil fans who made the journey.

When we first got the team sheet, there was a look of realisation that hadn’t maybe sunk in properly before, but we are down to the barest bones, and it’s not going to get any easier.

Sorry to start with a negative, I’ll get to the good stuff in a bit, but our bench had a Goalkeeper with nothing more than a couple Somerset Premier Cup games to his name, a 17-year old college student, an experienced pro who was touch and go for a game a couple days ago, was ill overnight and probably shouldn’t have been there and Mr Versatile – Alex Bradley.

Bradley, who has done nothing wrong in his minutes so far, was probably the ONLY option for Darren Sarll. He came on for Adi Yussuf which meant a reshuffle tactically, but we need some bodies in the squad… and quickly.

Right, OK, onto the good stuff.

Morgan Williams, a bit like Alex Bradley has had to wait for his chance, but he got it last night… albeit out of position at left back… and grabbed it with both hands.

Nothing phased him, with Reece Hall-Johnson a constant threat, the ever dangerous Paul Mullin drifting onto his side to avoid Josh Staunton’s back pocket he dealt with everything brilliantly.

Not just defensively either, he took chances to move forward, to play brave passes, to try and start attacks and get involved with Barnett and Wakefield further forward.

This was the best I’ve seen from him, and to have him pushing Wilko, Hunt and co for positions can only be a good thing. 

I think it’s time to add Paul Mullin to the long list of highly influential players Yeovil have kept quiet.

Let’s get this right, he’s a League One striker, he’s better than this division by at least 24 places, but arguably so is Paddy Madden, so is Jordan Slew, so is Matt Warbuton, so is Tavhon Campbell, so is Michael Cheek, so is Joe Sbarra, so is Paul McCallum, you get the picture.

What is it about the league’s best that just cannot get the job done against Yeovil?
The only common denominators are Messrs Wilkinson, Hunt, Staunton, Worthington and Gorman.

At this level, maybe teams have a few stars with everyone else at a similar level, maybe Darren Sarll has cottoned on to that it can be just as simple as keeping those players quiet.

Wrexham fans sung Paul Mullins’ name time and time again almost as if to ask when he was going to do what he ALWAYS does.

But that didn’t happen, and opposition players will know that.

It’s Elliot List of Stevenage on Saturday, Adam Marriott at Barnet followed by… someone… maybe… at W*ymouth. Bring ’em on.

Loan signing Dan Moss in action
Pic: Mike Kunz.

A special word for Dan Moss.

With an elbow to his head, followed a target on his back, the 21-year old Millwall loanee had to play like a 31-year old YTFC veteran for 60 something minutes.

Not only was he in something of a makeshift defence, but he was an attacking outlet with Tom Knowles missing from that right hand side.

He was kicked, pushed, tackled late, shoved over and each and every time, he just got up and kept his cool.

That might have been a new experience for the young lad to be booed by nearly 8000 people and we’ve seen plenty crumble under that pressure.

On a yellow card himself, Darren Sarll could have pulled the trigger and taken him off, but he trusted his man to see the game out.

Dan Moss will have learned more in one night than maybe the rest of his short career combined, he passed every test with flying colours and is quickly rising up the loan-hero ranking at YTFC, he’s got Connor Roberts and Remeo Hutton ahead of him in that right back spot… but he’s closing fast.

Good luck to Mark Little who has to try and get him out the team.

Finally, a look at the table and maybe the future.

Darren Sarll said that as long as his Yeovil side were within touching distance of the play-offs come the turn of the year, we maybe have a chance.

Injuries permitting, we could give it a go in the second half of the season.

At the time of writing, we’re 10th on 28 points. Wrexham occupy the final play off spot in 7th on 30 points having played a game more.

We’ve played EVERY ONE of the top 14 sides so far this season, with Barnet (15th), Torquay twice (17th), Weymouth (19th) and Wealdstone (16th) coming up between now and the turn of the year…

This is an opportunity, none of those games are a guaranteed three points, but…

I’d say with a fair chunk of those next 15 points comes a great chance to be more than just within ‘touching distance’.

I enjoyed that one, I hope you did too.

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll admitted he was nervous about putting out a reconfigured defence in the 2-0 win at big-spending Wrexham on Tuesday night.

The Glovers’ boss took out club captain Luke Wilkinson due to illness and replaced him with stand-in skipper Josh Staunton and brought centre half Morgan Williams for only his second league start – at left-back!

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

Speaking with BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match in North Wales, he said the addition of Williams in place of Jordan Barnett, who played further forward, was to deal with the dangerous long throws of former Glovers midfielder Ben Tozer.

Sarll said: “I was a little worried about how it would look playing Jordan  in midfield and and a centre half at left back (in Williams).

“I thought can that be explained and maybe excused if it doesn’t go right?

“I thought with the ball coming (from Tozer’s long throws) to the back post, Morgan would deal with it better than Jordan, but I thought Jordan would collect the ball far higher up the pitch

“And I didn’t want two young ones at the back, I wanted Staunton’s voice, and we got away without playing Wilkinson.

“I said to Terry (Skiverton, assistant manager) ‘we got away with that one’ and he said ‘we haven’t got away with anything, we’ve been very good’ and he was quite right.”

Of Wilkinson, the boss added: “He was a little bit poorly and under the weather last night and normally when these things happen with Luke, that is when he normally breaks and I didn’t want to do that with such an important game coming up on Saturday.

The other change saw Sonny Blu Lo-Everton come in as part of the visitors’ front three in place on Tom Knowles, who dropped out having been dazed by being slammed to the floor by Dover’s Danny Collinge in a 1-1 draw at the weekend.

The Watford loanee got the second with seven minutes to go and was praised by his manager.

He said: “(Sonny) only came out of the side because he got his injury (in the 2-0 defeat) at Grimsby and then we’ve gone on this run, so he’s had to wait which is what you have to do as a young footballer.

“He has great character, very low maintenance and he has good quality, my only criticism of him at the moment would have been his return with goals.

“But, in that moment, he’s got the slowest brain on the pitch – I don’t mean ‘thick’, I mean calmness and composure – and that is why he looks so graceful and balanced all the time.

“He took it very well, but we had two misses before that so it was good technique from Sonny.”

The win moves Yeovil up to tenth in the National League table, two points off the play-off places and 14 away from the relegation zone, and means they have taken 17 points from the last possible 21.

Sarll again praised the character of his side saying: “October was not a particularly great month for us, but (these players) are great.

“They know what we are doing with them, we know their characters and the uniqueness of the team is that they are willing to sacrifice for everyone and the management team are willing to sacrifice for them.

“When you get that nice dynamic, it can be a powerful tool to use, but we are what we are and we’ve got what we’ve got (in terms of players) and they are all performing at their optimum and they should be very proud of themselves.

“There’s no quality better than being a trier and they are certainly doing that.”