December 2021 (Page 5)

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Morning readers!

It’s a weird feeling this isn’t it? Unbeaten in 12 (the Somerset Premier Cup counts dammit!) and confidence is running through these players. You have to go back to 2012/13 under Gary Johnson to remember a spell where we exuded such swagger on the pitch which was felt in the stands. The dark days of October are well and truly forgotten and it’s actually quite nice going to Huish Park at the moment – quagmire behind the Thatchers aside.

In my Five Conclusions yesterday, I wrote that Adi Yussuf changed the game when he arrived. He did, but those conclusions were written before undertaking Gloverscast Rule #2 (sleep on it) and it’s fair to say all three of the subs made a difference. Critics will say Sarll got his selection wrong, but he had to give time to Reuben Reid, Alex Bradley and Max Evans. With the little depth we have at our disposal, they deserved a chance. In the case of Reid and Bradley, those two need to get some proper match fitness as we need to take advantage of the limited bodies we have.

Yussuf made the most obvious impact with his two goals, but Josh Staunton was calmness personified (as always) when he was introduced. When we lost Luke Wilkinson against Chesterfield we fell apart but that fear of a team without Wilkinson wasn’t there on Saturday. If and when Luke Wilkinson feels his time at Yeovil Town is up, we have a ready-made leader to take the armband. I think we can all agree that we need this lot all signed up as soon as possible though.

Jaheim Headley enjoyed a strong start to his loan spell in green and white, but it wasn’t until we brought on Jordan Barnett that we saw the best of Headley. Headley’s cross for Yussuf’s first was inviting but the decoy run of Barnett allowed him the time and space to deliver. The on-pitch chemistry he and Barnett seem to have already is surprising given he only trained with the Glovers on Friday.

Today we’ll see the FA Trophy 4th Round draw take place. It’d be good to get a draw against a lower level team, just to keep things interesting more than anything. But with fixtures scheduled for January and with cases of covid rising, it feels like most fixtures the other side of Christmas will be in jeopardy.

At the top of the game, the Premier League are talking about having a round of fixtures off between the 28th and 30th of December. These are clubs with multi million (and some billion) pound assembled squads who have ridiculous depth and talent at their disposal. It’s hard to feel sorry for them when we’ve had four on the bench this season, including Ollie Haste and a keeper. Clubs in our position, especially with our off-field situation, don’t have the luxury of being able to take a game off. If our fixtures against Weymouth and Torquay, which should be box office, are postponed, that’s a massive hole in the finances of the club. Let’s hope we, and our opponents do the right thing and we get to enjoy some festive football.

Have a good Monday and try and hold onto this weird winning feeling!

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After yet another impressive win onSaturday, the Glovers progress in the FA Trophy. Ian and Dave are joined by Sheridan Robins to talk about 3-1 win against Woking.

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.

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Tickets for the FA Cup third round tie with Championship high-fliers AFC Bournemouth have gone on sale to season ticket holders.

You have until Christmas Eve to claim your ticket for the match at Huish Park on Saturday, January 8 (5.30pm kick-off).

Each season ticket holder is eligible to one additional ticket

Ticket prices are:

Seated/Standing

Adults: £20/£18

Senior: £18/£16

16-23 years: £14

Under-16s: £5

Under-12s: £3

If you are a season ticket holder, claim your ticket – here.

All remaining tickets will go on general sale from December 29.

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Adi Yussuf. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Another Yeovil Town fixture, another win. What are these feelings we’re feeling? Here’s Ian’s take on a pleasant afternoon at a chilly Huish Park.

This one’s a bit obvious, but Adi Yussuf changed the game. His arrival just after the hour for Reuben Reid gave the Glovers an injection of ramshackle chaos at the top end of the pitch. He just bumps into to people and wreaks havoc and it’s brilliant to watch – when it ends in goals. He was in the right places and took his chances superbly, a brilliant finish with his left and then one with his right in stoppage time. Sleep well Adi – we need a lot more of them!

It wasn’t the return for Reuben Reid we all dreamed of, but people need to show patience. This was Reid’s first start since injuring his hamstring in pre-season and while Darren Sarll may not have helped manage expectations by hyping him as the ‘best back to goal striker’ in the National League and League Two, we do have to remember he’s a 33-year-old returning from a pretty serious injury. I don’t think we played to Reid’s strengths in our first half display yesterday. We know he’s better with the ball in at his feet and we just didn’t give him that service. We’ve been patient with Yussuf as he’s gained fitness and we need to do the same with Reid.

It was a decent debut for Jaheim Headley. The youngster was thrown straight into it on his debut and he grew into the game as it wore on. Yeovil did get exposed on the left in the first half but Headley gained confidence in the second half and showed real intent to get forward and influence the game. He looks to be a powerful runner with energy to spare. It’s early days in his Yeovil career but, once again, Darren Sarll seems to have done some good business in the loan market. Side note: Dan Moss was sensational again. What a tremendous player he is.

Yeovil Line Up vs Weymouth

We had to show character. It’s become a cliché and we do say it a bit tongue in cheek at times, but the first half performance wasn’t great – presumably down to the changes we made. But, after the break we were a different team. Woking resorted to slowing it down wherever they possibly could, but it felt like we were always likely to get something as the game progressed. We got back to doing what we’ve been good at this season, we got the ball down and we played and Woking didn’t have an answer to it.

Don’t Fall In Love With Footballers. Back along, I said this because players always break your heart when they eventually leave. I said it at the start of the 2021 when Tom Knowles was scoring for fun (Nice header Tom!) and just becoming our talisman. This mantra is becoming increasingly difficult with this team. Every single one of them is playing for the shirt and for the club and it’s brilliant to see. As we’ve said ad nauseum, the manager is working miracles with his stretched squad and these players look like they’ll run through walls for our club. It’s painful to see how many could leave at the end of the season. Time for someone to start drafting contracts up, or we’ll all end up with broken hearts.

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Adi Yussuf in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town striker Adi Yussuf has spoken to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following the Glovers’ 3-1 win over Woking in the FA Trophy.

Yeovil, with Yussuf’s second half brace to thank, move into the fourth round of the Trophy and extend their unbeaten run to 12 first team fixtures.

The forward said the manager had a few words at half time which spurred the side into action.

“The team are doing well at the minute, the gaffer’s speech at half time, motivated us to kick on, he reminded us about the start at Dover (Yeovil went 1-0 down inside 2 minutes), he reminded us to push us on, to do what we’re good at which is run, tackle and that’s what we’re good at”

“We didn’t do that first half, but the gaffer’s half time speech – we came out second half a completely different team”

Yussuf now moves onto six goals across the League, FA Cup and Trophy games of which three have come in his last two, the Tanzanian said he knew the goals would come once he was at peak fitness.

“I’ve got absolutely no doubt about the goals, I just wanted to get fitter, so I could do what the gaffer has asked me for, I’ve never doubted myself about scoring, I’ve always believed I would score”

“You can’t buy fitness, it’s the one thing you can’t cheat and I know the hard work I’ve put in, the dedication, the sacrifice I’ve put in, I always know it is going to pay off”

Adi Yussuf celebrates vs Weymouth
Credit: Weymouth Flickr

With four trophies still up for grabs and a small squad, Yussuf – like so many others – has pointed to an immense team spirit in the camp as a reason for the recent success.

“The team bonding is probably the best I’ve seen, and every time we’ve had a team bonding like this at every other club I’ve been at, we’ve always had success, I’ve got absolutely no doubt we are going to be a success this season.”

“I’m a big believer in hard work, dedication will always pay off, no doubt, and self belief, everyone has got to believe we can do it…”

“The way we train, everyone is going to be ready. I’ve never been at a club where it’s that intense, every single day.

“On a Friday, it’s like a Monday, that’s how intense it is, anyone who comes in, everyone is putting a tackle in, every single day, the gaffer demands a lot from us, it’s only going to show on the pitch.”

Yussuf finished off his post-match chat by looking forward to local derbies vs Torquay and W*ymouth over the festive period, but he was adamant the side had ‘enough in the locker’ to keep this run going.

The fourth round draw of the FA Trophy will be announced on Monday 20th at 1pm with games played on Saturday 15th January 2022. 

 

 

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll was proud of his side’s comeback after the Glovers turned a 0-1 deficit into a 3-1 in the FA Trophy game against Woking.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins he said that he needed to give his players a ‘polite’ word at the half time interval.

“When we went in at half time, I thought about the interview afterwards and have to say I’d picked the wrong team, for the right reason, to try and give some players some extra minutes.”

“I reminded them the amount of balls we had to defend at Wrexham, the amount of commitment we had to show at Bromley, the amount of quality we’ve had to show over the last two months and I said ‘are you ready for that to be all in vein, for all that to end today?’”

“The second half, there was a different energy to us, the body language was different, because first half was absolute garbage”

“The attitude and energy of the players was magnificent second half and their spirit and their fightback – that’s a really experienced side, Woking, good players, good manager and I thought once we built our momentum and speed of our play I thought we became the team we’d become accustomed to seeing.”

Adi Yussuf in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The introduction of Adi Yussuf on the hour mark was a key moment in the game as the Tanzanian international scored a brace to send the Glovers into the fourth round.

Sarll was full of praise for all three subs and the introduction from the start of Max Evans, Alex Bradley and Jeheim Headley

“It’s like a team of misfits and they’re broken pieces of a puzzle, so when any of these lads do well, there’s a real sense of achievement… we like to celebrate their successes and Adi is no different.

(He’s) another one who has done so well for us, it’s taken its time, but he looks so much fitter and stronger now and he made a real difference when he came on.

He was powerful, disruptive and destructive and took his goals well.”

“Young Max (Evans) in goal, didn’t have a lot to do, but I thought he kicked very well, I thought Reuben (Reid) did well – we are a different team to last year, so the service to him was different … Reuben is going to need time, Alex (Bradley) I thought did much better in the second half, I was worried about his booking, so instead of having him suspended and we go to Torquay with one sub, that we save him…”

Sarll also confirmed that winger Charlie Wakefield had a slight injury and had been ill this week and was unlikely to come off the bench, and hoped to have Morgan Williams back in contention for Boxing Day’s trip to Torquay.

 

 

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Venue: Huish Park
Saturday December 18th, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Clear but “chillllly”
Pitch: Good

Attendance: 1493 (30 from Woking)

Scorers: Tahvon Campbell 23 (0-1), Adi Yussuf ’80 (1-1), Tom Knowles ’87 (2-1), Adi Yussuf ’93 (3-1)

Referee: Garreth Rhodes

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Bradley 38, Wilkinson 45,
Woking: Effiong 27, Casey 30, McNerney 33

Sending off:
Yeovil Town: None
Woking: None

 


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Max Evans
Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Luke Wilkinson, Jaheim Headley
Matt Worthington, Dale Gorman, Alex Bradley
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Reuben Reid, Tom Knowles

Substitutes: Grant Smith, Jordan Barnett (for Alex Bradley ’74), Josh Staunton (for Wilkinson ’46) Charlie Wakefield, Ollie Haste, Adi Yussuf (for Reuben Reid ’60).

Woking: Ross, Casey, Champion, McNerney, Effiong, Kretzschmar, Johnson, Annesley, Campbell, Block, Ince.

Substitutes (not used): Smith, Diarra, Allarakhia, Britton, Rumble, Dunne.

 

Match Report

Adi Yussuf. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town’s quest for an unprecedented quadruple continues after late goals from Adi Yussuf (2) and Tom Knowles cancelled out a first half strike from former Glover Tahvon Campbell.

The FA Trophy third round tie proved to be something of a festive cracker with Max Evans and new signing Jaheim Headley making their debuts for the Glovers.

Gloverscast CEO, Top Dog, and all round boss man Ian Perkins was at Huish Park and this is how he saw the game…

First half

On a chilly afternoon at Huish Park it took a few minutes for things to liven up.

A shot from Dale Gorman (who else?) Was deflected over the bar for a corner in the 6th minute.

Moments later, some decent link up on the left hand side, started by debutant Jaheim Headley was nearly finished by Headley, but the new signings tame effort was parried wiwide.

11 minutes in, Woking has a good sight at goal through Max Kretzschmar who was played in by former Glover, Tahvon Campbell. Woking’s number 10 pulled his effort wide of Max Evans’ right hand post.

Somehow the visitors didn’t get the ball in the net in the 18th minute. A great delivery from Kretzschmar was flicked on by McNerney right on top of Evans and it slipped through the goalkeeper’s hands onto the bar and almost in before Yeovil cleared their lines.

It wasn’t long after that the Cards did take the the lead though. The ball broke through to Campbell on Yeovil’s left and his low drive found the far corner to put Woking 1-0 up. Campbell soaked in his moment in front of the Thatchers against his former club.

Yeovil nearly hit back in the 24th as Max Hunt got on the end of a good delivery from Gorman. Hunt couldn’t wrestle off his marker to get a header on target, though.

Alex Bradley had a speculative effort from distance which had Craig Ross scrambling to his right. The Woking keeper got a strong hand behind the strike to keep the ball out.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton danced through the Woking defence to get a nice right footed strike at goal which was deflected wide for a corner.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Woking 1

Second half

Luke Wilkinson made way for Josh Staunton at half time, in a like for like change at centre back.

As with the first half, the first effort on goal fell to shots shots shots himself, Gorman. He scooped his shot into the Thatchers though.

Space opened up nicely for Bradley a few minutes into the second half and his low effort was spilled by the Woking stopper who quickly reclaimed the ball.

Reuben Reid was replaced just past the hour for Adi Yussuf, as Sarll chased an equaliser.

A finger tip save from Ross denied a spectacular goal for Gorman. The midfielder lined up a freekick from from left side ofnthe box and struck through the crowd with terrific pace.

Yeovil looked the likelier to get a goal and Yussuf delivered the goods again. A cross from Headley found the sub in the box and he got free of his marker to smash it in the bottom corner.

Momentum was with the Glovers after Yussufs equaliser and four minutes from time Tom Knowles headed Yeovil’s second in from Lo-Everton’s cross in front of the raucous Thatchers.

Yussuf grabbed his 2nd on the break in stoppage time with another composed finished past Ross.

The Glovers are through to the next round of the FA Trophy… the hunt for the quadruple continues…

Full time: Yeovil Town 3 Woking 1

 

 

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Injured midfielder Lawson D’Ath has clarified comments from Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll about him being back involved in training.

The Glovers’ boss spoke about the former Reading man being involved ahead of today’s FA Trophy tie with Woking.

Lawson D’Ath suffered a knee injury in the final game of last season.

But speaking to Sheridan Robins on BBC Somerset‘s match commentary, D’Ath said he had assisted a possession game in training.

He added: “It was nice to be back in and amongst it, but I am still a little bit away from fully training.”

D’Ath suffered a knee injury on the final game of last season and has been training with the Glovers despite his contract with the club expiring.

In August, Sarll said he hoped to be able to re-sign the midfielder in the New Year.

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Loan signing Jaheim Headley is given an immediate debut in changed Yeovil Town side for the FA Trophy third round match at home to Woking today (3pm kick-off).

The 20-year-old, who has arrived on a short-termdeal from Huddersfield Town, appears to fit in at left back in front of goalkeeper Max Evans, who starts in place of regular number one Grant Smith, who is on the bench.

Alex Bradley comes in in midfield with striker Reuben Reid given his first start since pre-season with Tom Knowles also back in the starting XI.

Jordan Barnett returns on the bench having been out of the squad through illness with Josh Staunton, Charlie Wakefield and Adi Yussuf dropping out from last weekend’s 1-0 win over Barnet.

Ollie Haste is back on  the bench after featuring for the English Colleges FA in midweek, while defender Morgan Williams misses out having tested positive for COVID-19.

Former Yeovil loanees Tahvon Campbell and Rohan Ince both start for Woking.

Yeovil Town: Evans, Moss, Wilkinson, Hunt, Headley, Staunton, Gorman, Worthington, Lo-Everton, Reid, Knowles.

Substitutes: Smith, Barnett, Staunton, Haste, Wakefield, Yussuf.