January 2022 (Page 7)

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Jack Robinson in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

As previously advertised, Jack Robinson‘s loan stay at Yeovil Town has been extended until the end of the season.

Darren Sarll revealed after the midweek defeat at Southend United that the Middlesbrough defender was staying beyond his current spell which ran out on Monday.

The 20-year-old picked up an injury in the FA Cup win at Yate Town at the start of November, but returned for the 2-1 defeat at the hands of Torquay United on January 2.

He was also a substitute in the loss in Essex on Tuesday night.

https://twitter.com/jackrobbo33/status/1481606411532521478?s=20

Following confirmation of the departure of Dan Moss yesterday, meaning we are only waiting on confirmation about Sonny Blu Lo-Everton‘s stay from Premier League Watford, to complete the two out of three loans that Darren Sarll said he wanted to stay.

When Sonny arrived in August, the loan extended until this weekend, January 15 – so expect to hear something soon on that.

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Doncaster Rovers 0 Yeovil Town 4 – Saturday 12th April 2002

On the day that Yeovil were confirmed Conference Champions in April 2002, they were scheduled to play at Doncaster live on Sky, after being ignored for much of the season. Despite Yeovil being top since September, Sky had showed their usual favour towards the ex-league teams and had not shown Yeovil since their first game back at Huish Park against Woking. In other circumstances this might have been a title decider, as Doncaster had probably been the pick of the chasing teams and looked most likely to challenge the Glovers. It is often the way that the two top teams play each other towards the end of the season, as happened when Yeovil hosted Rushden and Diamonds in April 2001.

It wasn’t to be though, as Donny had lost their games in hand and their challenge had fallen away. Yeovil had the chance to seal the title at home to Telford the previous week, but as Chester won they could technically be caught on goal difference, however unlikely that might be. So it appeared that Yeovil would have to beat Doncaster live on Sky in order to win the title, a tough proposition. As it happened, we were confirmed champions before the game started – the 5.30 kick-off meant all of the 3.00 games had finished. Chester dropped points at home to struggling Woking and could no longer catch the Glovers – they had scored two very late goals after going 2-0 down but it wasn’t enough and the game finished 2-2. There was jubilation among the 1000 or so travelling fans on the crumbling Doncaster terrace as the title was won without even kicking a ball. We hoped that the game wouldn’t be an anti-climax after all our hard work being ignored by Sky, and that we could still put on a show.

Fortunately that was exactly what happened, as Yeovil ran away with the game, beating one of their nearest rivals 4-0 on their own ground in front of their biggest crowd of the season. In fairness it had been a tight game until a flurry of goals at the end of the first half gave Yeovil a 3-0 lead. Darren Way barged his way into the box and in the process of falling over accidentally diverted the ball into the net for his only goal of the season. Michael McIndoe scored the second from the penalty spot, and Lee Johnson scored the third in the most unusual circumstances.

Defender Steve Foster blocked a cross in the box, and played it back to Andy Warrington who picked the ball up, giving away a free kick as it was a deliberate back-pass; Yeovil were given a free-kick about six yards out. Although this seems like a good thing it often ends in farce, as when the entire defending team lines up on the goal line it is very difficult to score from an indirect free-kick, as this example earlier in the season against Telford shows.

However, showing determination and speed of thought, Kevin Gall wrestled the ball away from the goalkeeper and took a quick free-kick to Lee Johnson who scored, all while the defenders were continuing to argue about the decision. The entire defence switched off, including the keeper who was still holding the ball but let go of it. Some have pointed out since that it was technically an illegal free-kick as the ball has to be placed at least six yards out even if the offence is on the goal-line so it was taken from the wrong place, but it would not have made any difference and the goal was allowed.

Kevin Gall scored a fourth just after half time and the game ended 4-0. The cherry on the cake came in the 89th minute, when Chris Weale saved a penalty from Conference top scorer Paul Barnes, keeping Kirk Jackson in with a shout of the golden boot at the end of the season.

Lee Johnson’s goal is something that exemplified Yeovil’s speed and initiative which was a big feature of the team around that time. Gary Johnson liked to keep the game moving, ball boys and girls were expected to give the ball back immediately by operating a ‘multi-ball’ system at Huish Park, there was no time-wasting and the game was kept moving as much as possible. This often gave Yeovil the advantage as it is much easier to attack a team which has not had time to set its defence, and it often caught the opposition out in both the Conference and League Two.

On several occasions this led directly to goals, such as Andy Lindegaard’s first against in-form Morecambe in a very tight game in January 2002 that ended 2-0, the second in the 3-1 win at Rochdale, and the first in the 4-0 home win over Bristol Rovers. Yeovil re-started the game so quickly that the TV cameras often missed goals, including one of their first goals in the Football League at Rochdale. These are the clearest examples but even with corners and throw-ins it gives a huge advantage to attack a team that is not ready. It was noticeable in later years that the Glovers could be quite ponderous coming forward, and no matter how good the players are that you have, if you are slow coming forward then you give the opposition time to line up against you and ensure they are all in formation and marking who they are supposed to mark. Sometimes speed is the best advantage. The quicker you can be, the less prepared the opposition is and the more likely you are to find gaps and force mistakes, which was a big feature of Gary Johnson’s team in the 2002-2005 era.

Team that day: Chris Weale, Roy O’Brien (sub. Adam Lockwood, 60), Terry Skiverton, Colin Pluck, Darren Way, Lee Johnson, Andy Lindegaard (sub. Abdou El Kholti, 65), Michael McIndoe, Gavin Williams, Kirk Jackson, Kevin Gall (sub. Nick Crittenden, 74). Subs not used: Steve Collis, Chris Giles

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Alex Bradley in conversation with manager Darren Sarll.

Have you seen Alex Bradley?

The former Finland youth International turned a loan deal from Lincoln into a permanent one back in January of 2021.

It’s probably safe to say the next year hasn’t quite been what he imagined.

At the time he said; “My ambitions for the rest of the season are to play as many games as I can to the best of my ability and to help the team achieve what we are all capable of.”

“To reach the play-off spots is doable and it’s up to us as a squad to make that happen. I hope we can have a very successful remainder of the campaign and get this club back to where it belongs.”

Those play off spots of course never materialised, and the reasons for that are complex and in no way, shape or form down to Alex.

In total, the defender/midfielder played 24 times in the 2020/21 season for Yeovil, mostly from the start and mostly at right back.

He was rarely absent through injury and only got sent off once right at the end of the season away at Aldershot.

Alex Bradley is sent off at Aldershot Town

Now, this season feels a very different story.

He has played in nine league games so far.

That’s less than half of the matches, what’s more alarming is that’s he started NONE.

Using Soccerbase as a guide his nine sub appearances in the league have come in the following minutes of matches; 89, 76, 89, 86, 87, 88, 75, 81 & 89.

He did get nearly half an hour vs Yate Town in the FA Cup and started the Trophy game against Woking but was taken off after 73 minutes.

All of this means his last completed match was the defeat to Stockport on the final day of last season.

I’ve been scratching my head as to what’s changed and why Bradley has been left out in the cold so often.

…and before you all start screaming “he’s clearly fallen out with the manager”…

I’m not going to putting that forward as an argument, there’s no evidence to suggest that and there might be more to it.

Yeovil signed Mark Little and then Dan Moss both would have been ahead of him in the pecking order for the right back shirt that he occupied so regularly last season.

But at Lincoln, he was predominantly a midfielder, playing as such in an EFL Cup game against Liverpool shortly before heading to Somerset.

The Glovers have moved to a 4-3-3 system this campaign for the most part and with the success of Gorman, Staunton and Worthington as a trio there means there has been little need to tinker with that – despite the little Mitch Rose experiment of which we shall not mention again.

It was suggested that he might be more suited to a standard right side of midfield position, recent talk of a return to 4-4-2 might have fuelled some excitement in the 22-year old of a potential return, but suggestions after the Southend loss are that a tactical switch might be on the scrap heap already have probably quashed that.

Alex Bradley. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Has he just been unlucky then?

He’s done nothing wrong in his mini cameos, but even then he came on in multiple different roles.

He played left wing at Stockport replacing Tom Knowles, he played on the right of the front three for a few seconds against Stevenage in the cup tasked with just killing time and being a nuisance.

He went into a defensive back line made up of about 7 players at Solihull and at Wrexham too.

Maybe he has just been biding his time, a little like Morgan Williams who had to snaffle a chance as an emergency left back when the opportunity came.

Others, like Matty Worthington have had unexplained time out the side and come back to be a mainstay in the team, so I don’t think his time at the club is coming to an end either.

It’s all a bit confusing and this weekend’s game against Needham Market might show us exactly where he stands in the respect of his involvement.

Despite Darren Sarll suggesting not much will change, he’d likely make a slight alteration or two.

We still expect Max Evans to play in goal (well, we don’t think Dillon Barnes is going to play) and with a potential reshuffle of putting Staunton in defence and with Worthington recovering from illness it might give Bradley some space in midfield.

Or will the early departure of Moss and the slow integration of Little back into the side offer him the chance back on the right side of defence?

What do you think? Has Alex Bradley been unlucky? Will he get a chance this weekend? Let us know!

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On loan defender Dan Moss has returned to his parent club Championship Millwall with 12 days of his stay at Yeovil Town remaining, it has been confirmed.

The full-back had been intended to stay until the end of the month but boss Darren Sarll had suggested that 21-year-old would be heading “to pastures new” when he spoke after last night’s defeat at Southend United.

In a message on his Twitter, Moss said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to play for Yeovil, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and can’t thank anyone enough for my time here.

“I wish the boys and the club all the best for the rest of the season. Hope to see you back in the Football League where the club belongs.”

Moss’ early exit suggest we will see Moss appear with an EFL club in the coming days although the Millwall statement on his return suggests he will rejoin the Lions’ under-23s set-up.

His departure leaves our options on the right side of defence with Alex Bradley (remember him?) and Mark Little, who is  on his way back from an injury picked up in pre-season, as well as centre back-turned-full back Morgan Williams, who has played there this season.

Speaking to BBC Somerset the other week, Moss said his time at Huish Park has helped improve his game.

He said: “I feel so much more confident as a player, that’s down to Yeovil. It’s given me the opportunity to play first team football and I can only thank the gaffer and Terry (Skiverton, assistant manager) for that.

“The games in a first team environment, it’s just given me confidence more than anything. My whole game in general has improved whilst I’ve been here.”

From all of us at the Gloverscast and we have no doubt every Yeovil fan – a big thankyou to Mossy! You played like you were one of our own and we appreciate all you gave us.

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It was another defeat for Yeovil Town on Tuesday night as we went down to our fourth loss in a row at Southend United.

Here one-time Gloverscast quiz champion and Glovers’ supporter Ed Turnbull was among the 80 hardy souls in the North Stand at Roots Hall, and here are his five conclusions:

Unfortunately, the most obvious takeaway is the performance level was substantially lower (at least for the first hour) than what we were treated to during our stunning 12-match unbeaten run. The first half in particular, we had very little fluidity in attack and invited Southend onto us, struggling to get anything resembling a foothold in the game. To make matters worse, our defence seemed nowhere near as solid as the backline that stood firm to bombardments from the likes of Solihull, Bromley and Wrexham in previous away games this season – Southend could easily have scored more than two. Various wise heads including Darren Sarll and Ian Perkins have referred to the team looking tired of late, and this was further proof. Mind you, it must be said that Southend seemed a lot better than a team that has spent most of the season battling it out with W*ymuff for 20th place.

Joe Quigley battles for the ball.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Things improved significantly with the introduction of Joe Quigley and Reuben Reid (if you ignore for a second the fact Southend made it 2-0 right after they came on!). Adi Yussuf very rarely, if ever, got the ball to stick to him, and nobody was surprised when the fourth official’s board went up with a red 23 next to a green 10. I think getting the ball under control back-to-goal isn’t one of Quigley’s strengths either, but he’s negated that possible weakness by instead looking to win flick-ons for team-mates to run onto (take his assist for Yussuf’s goal against Eastleigh as a perfect example). Last night I was very impressed how he seemed to win every header against big centre-halfs, and it gave us (often Reuben Reid to be precise) a platform to work off, that saw us become a lot more threatening and gave us a fighting chance of getting something from the game. Quigley was also unlucky not to score himself when he did brilliantly to make space for a shot, which was excellently saved. I’ll be picking Joe ahead of Adi in my next FanHub line-up predictions in the future, for sure (unless Quigley get’s injured, I suppose). 

Luke Wilkinson. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Ordinarily, you’d probably say that the phase of play which ended with us scoring our only goal was the best 15 seconds of the match from a Yeovil point of view. But on this occasion I would argue it was the worst, and that’s because Luke Wilkinson went down innocuously immediately before we scored. I didn’t see whose shot it was from the edge of the box (sounds as though it was Wakefield’s) that wasn’t gathered by Southend keeper Steve Arnold, and Reid nudging in the rebound was only in my peripheral vision, because I was more focused on our captain clutching his leg in obviously severe discomfort. If you look at our record in National League games this season, I make it now W7 D1 L2 when Wilkinson has played the whole match, compared to W2 D3 L6 when he hasn’t – I think that’s enough said about how big a miss he’ll be. If anything, I was relieved to hear Sarll’s prognosis of “a good six weeks“, because I feared it could have been even worse.

Rhys Murphy did not get a welcoming reception from the Yeovil fans, it’s fair to say. Perhaps it’s understandable after his absence at the end of last season which did leave a sour taste in the mouth. Murphy later stated this was “due to some personal issues“, and given we’ll probably never know what he meant by that, one could argue he should be given the benefit of the doubt. Personally, I’d rather remember Rhys for his incredible return of 34 goals in 65 games, and for memories such as Torquay away (the 2-0, not the 6-1, if that wasn’t clear). The bloke literally scored a hattrick against W*ymuff, after all! He certainly showed enough quality last night to remind us what we’re missing.

Lastly, and most importantly, I think it should go without saying we need to stick by these players. Yes, it’s four defeats in a row, but it’s also four defeats in our last 16. I fully agree with Darren Sarll when he says this young group needs to be positively supported rather than have fans on their backs if we want them to perform to the really high bar they’ve set in November and December as frequently as possible. These players seriously care about Yeovil Town FC, and that was shown again last night in the way we kept trying our socks off for an equaliser despite being visibly shattered and ending the game with 10 men after Wilkinson went off. On another day, the ref might not have penalised Max Hunt for a hand ball, Reid’s goal would have been an equaliser rather than a consolation, and the lads would have secured a heroic comeback for which we’d be singing their praises.

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Grant Smith. Picture c/o Mike Kunz

Glovers’ goalkeeper Grant Smith spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following Yeovil Town‘s 2-1 defeat at Southend United and said that the game just didn’t get going for the visitors.

“We struggled with their shape, we couldn’t really adapt to certain things they were going, we tried to change it a little bit, but we just couldn’t get going”

The former Chesterfield stopper was back in goal after a two match ban and said on a personal level it was good to be back, but that the team was focused on putting right a poor run of results.

“I think the main thing for us is trying to keep our heads, trying to keep it at 1-0, when we keep it a 1-0 we are always in the game, one chance, like today you never know what can happen, it can quickly change.

“When it goes 2-0 and 3-0, sometimes it’s over.

“Bringing Quigz (Joe Quigley) & Reubs (Reuben Reid) on we wanted the ascendency to go in our favour, but unfortunately we got caught on the break… that’s football

“We gave it a good push at the end, but it wasn’t enough

“Every game we play, we want to win and come Saturday (the FA Trophy match at home to Needham Market), it’s a big, big chance to put it right.”

The ‘keeper said he had only himself to blame for his enforced absence recently and that he’d learn from the experience of missing out on the big games and ended by saying he and the side were “never too high when we win and never too low when we lose”

I’m sure Gloverscast listeners will have spotted that phrase used once or twice.

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Yeovil Town boss, Darren Sarll spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following the Glovers’ 2-1 defeat at Southend United and said that his side looked ‘fatigued‘ both mentally and physically.

The manager said: “It lacked balance, when I think of the story of the game, when I think of the front four first half in the comparison to the opponent’s front three, that part of the pitch looked so unbalanced.

“We actually playing the system better, then we made the changes with the centre forwards as we had no real route to goal… then we whacked it at goal, for a good 20 minutes, everything was ‘whack, whack’ which shows some mental fatigue and shows some players out of form

“For the last eight minutes of normal time, plus the extra time, there was a bit of balance and we found the time when to pass and when to play into the front, and then I thought we looked a threat.”

Yeovil had a goal ruled out through Max Hunt which Darren Sarll said “maybe” could have been given on another day, but despite the late rally, Southend held on.

The second Southend goal, scored by Tom Clifford has left the gaffer with his biggest headache.

He said: “The biggest disappointment is the second goal, it is like a car crash and that probably does show mental fatigue. 

“I don’t want to throw the chaps under the bus, because they’ve been outstanding as we know, but that’s a huge learner.”

Sarll said that the performance in the first 20 minutes was tough to decipher the formation, or the roles of the players and that comes down to him.

“That’s really disappointing as a football coach… I know what they’re trying to do, they’re trying to start a run, trying to get that winning feeling, but that kind of ‘razz’ and that confusion, the chaos in their mind. That leads to silly decisions.”

Ruben Reid comes on vs Bournemouth

Reuben Reid‘s late consolation goal wasn’t enough as the Glovers now go four games without a win and will head in to Saturday’s game against Needham Market searching for that winning formula.

Sarll confirmed that he would be reluctant to make too many changes as the Glovers seek progression in the FA Trophy.

“We have to feel winning again, this isn’t ‘participation football’, this isn’t grass roots football, and we have to try and taste winning again, we will give them the rest they need… and we might need to give them a bit longer, we do need to find that footing now.”

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Captain Luke Wilkinson looks likely to spend six weeks on the sidelines after limping off towards the end of the 2-1 defeat at Southend United on Tuesday night, according to Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll

Luke Wilkinson.

The boss also revealed the he expects full-back Dan Moss to depart when his loan spell from Millwall comes to an end at the end of the month, but Middlesbrough defender Jack Robinson has extended his stay until the end of the season.

Sarll also hopes that the loan of forward Sonny Blu Lo-Everton from Premier League Watford can also be extended until the end of the season.

On Wilkinson’s injury, the manager told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins: “On those nights when you are searching you a goal, you always get that horrible injury and I would have thought that is a good six weeks.”

He added: “I have seen these too many times in my career, when you get that bit of hope and you search and you chase for it, and normally that is the straw that breaks the camel’s back with injury.

“That is a massive one for us because (Wilkinson) is a massive player for us and it looks like he is going to spend a large part on the sidelines now.”

Of the loanees, Sarll said: “Jack (Robinson) is done until the end of the season, so that is a really good one.

“I don’t think (Dan) Moss will be with us til the end of the season, I think he may be going to pastures new.

“Sonny, I don’t think will be a problem, and hopefully he will be with us until the end of the season. We have not really found his consistent space in this team, but there’s definitely one coming out and he will be a big player for us.”

Matt Worthington was missing with “an upset stomach” which the boss said they did not believe was COVID-19.

The departure of Moss would suggest that summer signing Mark Little is close to a return to first-team action.

The former Bristol City full-back has not been seen since picking up an injury in pre-season and speaking on New Year’s Eve, Sarll described him as “very close” to a return.

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Venue: Roots Hall
Tuesday, January 11th, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Damp
Pitch: Slippery

Attendance: 4,845 , 80 away supporters

Scorers: Jason Demetriou 29 (0-1), Clifford 60 (0-2), Reid 90 (1-2)

Referee: Adrian Quelch

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Gorman 76,
Southend United: Lopata 20, Neal 84

 


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith
Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Luke Wilkinson, Jordan Barnett
Dale Gorman, Josh Staunton, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton
Tom Knowles, Adi Yussuf, Charlie Wakefield

Substitutes:  Reuben Reid (for Lo-Everton, 56), Joe Quigley (for Yussuf, 56), Jack Robinson (for Barnett, 80), Morgan Williams, Max Evans.

Southend United: Arnolds, Ralph, Hobson, Murphy (for Rush, 76), Dalby, Clifford, Atkinson (for Ferguson, 46), Neal, Lopata, Demetriou, Dennis (for Kensdale, 85).
Substitutes: Coulson, Davies.

 

Match Report

Yeovil Town fell to a fourth successive defeat at Southend United after putting in a lacklustre performance for much of the match in Essex.

The visitors took the lead through Jason Demetriou after half-an-hour before Tom Clifford doubled the advantage in the second half and it took the Glovers until that second to wake up.

With the game seemingly out of reach, the visitors looked the stronger side in the closing stages with Joe Quigley denied by a fine stop from Shrimpers’ keeper Steve Arnold and Max Hunt having a ‘goal’ ruled out for handball with five minutes to go.

Substitute Reuben Reid got his first goal of the season as the clock ticked in to injury time but worryingly for captain Luke Wilkinson limped off with what looked like a hamstring strain to leave his side to play out the six minutes added on with ten men.

Despite the defeat, we remain in 11th place in the National League table eight points off the play-off places and 16 points off the relegation zone.

Here’s how it went down at Roots Hall……

 

First half

The team news saw Grant Smith returned between the posts in place of Dillon Barnes who dropped out of the squad after appearing in the home defeats against Torquay United and AFC Bournemouth in their last two outings.

There was no place in the squad for Matt Worthington who was replaced by Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in an attacking looking Yeovil side who also pushed Jordan Barnett to left-back and brought Charlie Wakefield in the front three alongside Adi Yussuf and Tom Knowles.

Having spoken of our relief to see Smith back in goal, the gloveman fluffed a tenth minute clearance under pressure from the hosts’ striker Sam Dalby who was unable to get the ball out of his feet and the visitors were able to clear.

Smith was in action again on 16 minutes when he was equal to the effort from Southend’s on-loan striker Matt Dennis.

There was not a huge amount to threaten either goalkeeper in the opening 25 minutes, but it was certainly the home side who had the upper hand and took the lead shortly before the half-hour mark.

It was former Glovers’ favourite Rhys Murphy who brought the ball forward and fed it to Jason DEMETRIOU whose effort from the edge of the box took a deflection on its way past Smith.

Murphy has an effort blocked soon after and he rattled the visitors’ woodwork soon after with Yeovil’s defence looking rattled and out of sorts.

The first visitors’ first meaningful opportunity came on 35 minutes when Yussuf connected with Dan Moss’ cross but hosts’ keeper Steve Arnold made the save when the Tanzanian should have given him not chance.

Going the other way the home side looked increasingly menacing with every attack and Murphy had another chance to put his old employers to the sword with four minutes of the half to go, but Smith was equal to it again.

But, the final chance of the game fell to Yeovil with Dan Moss again finding Yussuf but his shot was blocked as the clock ticked over to 45 minutes.

The home side will be wondering how they were not further ahead at the break. Luckily, they weren’t.

Half time: Southend United 1 Yeovil Town 0

 

Second half

It was a brighter start for Yeovil with Barnett getting forward more in the opening five minutes after the restart than he had in the previous 45 minutes.

But, aside from a header from Dalby and a pot shot from Murphy in the first 15 minutes there was not a huge amount of threat from either side and on 56 minutes Yeovil introduced Joe Quigley and Reuben Reid to make a difference.

The switch was made to 4-4-2 and the there were signs of some good link-up between the two frontmen………but on the hour mark the home side doubled their advantage.

Dennis was allowed to bring the ball forward from deep inside the Yeovil area and laid the ball off to Tom CLIFFORD who was at the back post to tap the ball in.

The home side’s tails went up, the visitors’ heads dropped and it could have got worse when substitute Nathan Ferguson‘s was blocked inside the box.

Reuben Reid. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

On 73 minutes, Luke Wilkinson hammered a free-kick in to the hands of Arnold and five minutes later Quigley twisted and turned and force a good save out of Arnold.

The feeling was that it not going to be our night and, if you needed proof, we had the ball in the net through Max Hunt – only for it to be ruled out for handball. Was it? Let’s wait for the highlights.

There was time for REID to pull a goal back with his first of the season in the final minute of normal time. The substitute was at the back post to poke home a ball after Wakefield’s long-range was spilled by Arnold.

But, even more worrying was an injury to Wilkinson, who limped off the pitch to leave the Glovers to play injury time with ten men.

There was a final flurry to action from the visitors, but where was that last 20 minutes for the entire match.

 

Full time: Southend United 2 Yeovil Town 1

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Yeovil Town goalkeeper Grant Smith. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Grant Smith returns in goal for Yeovil Town for tonight’s trip to Southend United in the National League (7.45pm kick-off).

The keeper replaces loanee Dillon Barnes who is not in the squad with regular back-up keeper Max Evans on the bench.

There is no Matt Worthington in the squad for the trip to Essex whilst Adi Yussuf and Charlie Wakefield return in place of Joe Quigley and Morgan Williams, who both drop to the bench with Jordan Barnett coming in at left-back.

There is no Alex Bradley or Jaheim Headley, the defender on loan from Huddersfield Town, in the visitors’ squad.

Yeovil Town (4-3-3): Grant Smith, Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Luke Wilkinson, Jordan Barnett, Dale Gorman, Josh Staunton, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Tom Knowles, Adi Yussuf, Charlie Wakefield.

Substitutes:  Max Evans, Jack Robinson, Morgan Williams, Reuben Reid, Joe Quigley.