March 2022 (Page 2)

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Sarll chats to BT Sport

Yeovil Town have announce the departure of manager Darren Sarll as he takes up the hot seat at Woking.

As expected, a number of Yeovil players and those around the club took to social media to say thanks for his time at Huish Park.

Here are a selection, collated in one place.
This article will be updated throughout the day.

 

Midfielder Josh Staunton on Twitter

Goalkeeper Max Evans on Instagram


? Max_Evans12 on Instagram

Lawson D’ath, who was loyal to Darren Sarll, and vice versa following serious injury;

On loan Middlesbrough defender, Jack Robinson;

Media Officer Sam Collard on twitter;


BBC Somerset Commentator, Sheridan Robins;

 

Former Glovers Defender and BT Sport Co Commentator, Adam Virgo

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Darren Sarll

As Darren Sarll departs Huish Park to take up the First Team Manager’s job at Woking, we’ve crunched some numbers of his time at Yeovil.

1013 – The number of days Darren Sarll took charge at Huish Park.

His appointment on June 19th 2019, just a month before the season started, ushered in a new era following relegation from the Football League

114  The number of league matches Darren Sarll oversaw during his time at Yeovil

The early ending of the 2019/20 season prevented this from being higher, obviously, and doesn’t include any FA Cup, FA Trophy, Somerset Premier Cup games or the play-off fixture against Barnet.

45 – The number of league victories, during his tenure

Including a number of memorable post match celebrations with supporters and some wonderful results along the way (Ben drifts off back to Wrexham away…)

39.47% – Darren Sarll’s win ratio in league matches.

Which is broken down into; 45 wins, 25 draws and 44 defeats. This is the highest win percentage of a league manager since Gary Johnson’s first stint in charge.

153 – Number of league goals scored since the start of the 2019/20 season

It also means that for the first time since Steve Thompson’s reign after the departure of Gary Johnson in 2005, a permanent Glovers manager has a record including a positive league goal difference (+5, 148 goals conceded)

5 – Number of wins masterminded over Woking

… just saying, like.

There are far more moments we could look at beyond the stats and maybe we will over the next few days, but purely from a statistical point of view, the numbers add up to a very good spell as Yeovil Town manager.

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Darren Sarll. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Darren Sarll has stepped away as Yeovil Town’s manager to take up the vacant position at Woking. Here are Ian’s Five Conclusions from today’s shock announcement and Darren Sarll’s time in charge.

He was the man we needed when we were on our knees following relegation. When he came in to club in the summer of 2019, he picked up a threadbare club that had whimpered out of League Two. He brought Carl Dickinson and Craig Alcock back in from the cold after his predecessor’s abysmal decision to exclude them. He reinvigorated Courtney Duffus and turned him from profligate to prolific. And he brought in experienced players we could only have dreamt of recruiting the season before. 

He hasn’t had a fair crack. With just one month to build his first squad, he managed to build a squad of senior, experienced pros who made us dream in that first season before COVID-19 curtailed football. He admitted the recruitment pre-Christmas second season was poor and the only bright sparks were the discovery of Tom Knowles and the loan signing of Josh Neufville. With Scott Priestnall’s attempt to sell the club’s most valuable assets prevented, and his subsequent disappearance, Sarll was left with a shoestring budget to build a squad which has run itself into the ground, in what is now, his final season.

Like us all, he had his faults. When we’ve been in-form, our performances have been electric and results have followed. But when the form drops off, it really seems to drop off. Our run of six without a win after Christmas in 2019 saw us slip down into the play off spots after our bright start had us dreaming of an immediate return to the Football League. It took us 12 matches to pick up a league win in 2020/21 as we struggled repeat the start of 2019/20. Autumn 2021 saw an incredible run which was abruptly ended by Torquay on Boxing Day and with just one win from the turn of the year until March 19th, it was a bad start to 2022. At times supporters have criticised his lack of Plan B during these runs and his unwillingness to try different tactics, although this season he was left with little room for manoeuvre with his small squad.

You can’t blame him for leaving. With just three months left on his contract and a family to look after, he can’t gamble on his future. The uncertainty that wilts the football club off the pitch has infiltrated the dressing room. Certainty and clarity has been provided by Woking and he’s seen an opportunity to grab with both hands, rather than wait for any new regime to make a decision.

He carried himself immeasurably in the wake of Lee Collins’ passing. Darren Sarll’s reign at Huish Park can be split into two. Since the tragic passing of our captain, Sarll was the face and the voice of the club. He carried a grieving club on his back and dragged a team of young men to finish a season in unfathomable trauma. Lee’s passing will forever be a part of Yeovil Town and the way Darren Sarll picked us up in the aftermath will be too. You would not have blamed him for wanting to have a break at the end of last season, but he went about building a third squad in the three years, that embraced the club and memory of Lee Collins as a driving force. For all his faults, the way he carried himself as the ambassador of our club in this tragedy was exceptional and I’ll forever be grateful that we had him when we did.

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Darren Sarll has left Yeovil Town to take up the manager’s job at National League rivals Woking, ending nearly three years in charge at Huish Park.

The club confirmed the departure “with immediate effect” and confirmed assistant manager Charlie Lee will be in charge for “the forseeable future.”

Darren Sarll. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

It is understood senior players were told about the decision following the 2-0 home win over Southend United at the weekend and Woking confirmed his appointment with their own statement.

In a statement, the Glovers said: “Yeovil Town can confirm the departure of Darren Sarll with immediate effect. 

“Sarll, who has been at the helm since 2019, has accepted an offer from another National League side. 

“All at Yeovil Town would like to place on record our thanks to Sarll for all his efforts over his three seasons in charge. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours. 

“Charlie Lee will take interim charge of the football club for the foreseeable future.”

Woking Chief Executive John Katz said that the Cards’ board had received dozens of applications for the job and considered Sarll “a top candidate from the moment we reviewed his CV.”

He added: “We were extraordinarily impressed with his aggressive playing style, budget maximisation, and the table positions he has achieved in his time at Yeovil, including reaching the play-offs in his first season.”

In a statement, Sarll added: “I am very honoured and proud to be offered the Manager’s position at one of the last great Non-League institutions.

“For years Woking has found success at the very top of Non-League, and in tandem with John, Drew (Volpe, the Woking co-owner) and the Board, my ambition is to close that gap that exists right now within what is a very competitive division.

“After 20 years of working in this industry, I hope my experiences can accelerate the professional on-field growth of the football club. I am looking forward to meeting the players and staff and all of you – the supporters.”

Sarll is out of contract at the end of this season and last month he spoke openly about the uncertainty which the on-off takeover was causing.

It is now three-and-a-half months since chairman Scott Priestnall set a seven-day deadline to conclude a deal. However, then, as it is now, it appears no employees at the club have been given any kind of update.

Speaking about the impact on his players and himself last month, Sarll said: “As a father, as a husband, and all the other fathers and husbands in our squad, not having an idea of where you are going to be working in five months time can be unsettling and it can be beneficial to know.”

Sarll has been linked with other jobs during his time in charge having been among the favourites with at least one bookmaker for the job at League Two Carlisle United last October.

The former Stevenage manager was appointed at Huish Park on June 19, 2019 following our relegation out of the Football League and reached the National League play-offs in the first season, cut short due to COVID-19.

Last season, the Glovers finished 16th with the season rocked by the death of captain Lee Collins, and presently sit 12th after 35 matches including three back-to-back victories.

Woking have been without a manager since the start of March when they sacked Alan Dowson and are in 15th in the National League, five points behind Yeovil having played a game more.

Ironically, the Cards have lost three times against Sarll’s Yeovil, twice in the league and once in the FA Trophy.

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It’s three in a row for Yeovil Town and the Darren Sarll’s men put on a good show at home for the second time this week.

Here are Ian’s conclusions from a sun-drenched Huish Park.

This team appears to be out of its sticky spell. They proved that the performance against

Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Bromley wasn’t a one off. This was another confident and energetic from a team that have clearly turned a corner. The passes were slick, the one touch football was joyful, the defending was resolute. In the space of a couple of weeks we’ve gone from hopeless to maybe a tiny bit hopeful. Oh come on, you’re all thinking it. 

The early goals killed Southend off. We fell victim to it against Dagenham, and against Southend it was our turn. Goals from Reuben Reid after four minutes (fitting on the day we celebrated the life of Lee Collins) and then Tom Knowles four minutes later put the game to bed. It felt like we challenged Southend to break us down and they just couldn’t do it.

Ben Barclay. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Ben Barclay was imperious. From his crunching tackle on Matty Dennis to his chance to grab our third, it was a complete performance from the Stockport loanee. He’s developed a good relationship with all his defensive partners (and the ever-reliable Morgan Williams) and he had another stellar performance. Good with ball, timing on his tackle and was unlucky not to score. We’re lucky to have him for the rest of the season.

Lawson D’Ath. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Lawson D’Ath was the missing piece of the puzzle. We knew Lawson was good. We knew he was a cut above any other midfielder in the league, let alone the club. But I’ll admit that I’m surprised at how much he has improved us. The way he has helped our midfield bridge the gap between our defence and attack is abundantly clear. We look happier on the ball and our attacking players are freer knowing D’Ath will find them.

It was nice to feel some positivity around Huish Park. Yes, things haven’t been brilliant on the pitch up until last Saturday. Yes, things off the pitch are still uncertain. But on a glorious sunny afternoon, with a Disney-infused playlist chosen by the daughters of Lee Collins, there was positivity in the air. And a very timely reminder that there is more to life than football.

Goalkeeping coaching Craig Wight chats to Charley-Mae Collins, one of Lee’s three daughter of Lee, who w

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Tom Knowles said the team performance Yeovil Town put in to secure a 2-0 win over Southend United typified former captain Lee Collins.

The fixture comes just days before the first anniversary of the death of the centre half and Huish Park marked his passing with his daughters, Amelia, Laila and Charley-Mae, mascots for the game.

Tom Knowles celebrates with Charlie Wakefield after scoring the second goal against Southend. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the win, Knowles said: “He was a leader on and off the pitch. Seeing his little girls and his family here sends a shiver down your spine, so to put in a team performance for him that is so important.

“What this club has gone through, it has connected us so much and we all still feel his presence here and the gaffer constantly reminds us what Lee was on and off the pitch.

“He wants that in our team so I am really happy we have done that for him today.”

Knowles scored his seventh of the season with an eighth minute strike to put the Glovers 2-0 ahead after an opener from Reuben Reid, and said both he and his team-mates are playing with confidence.

He said: “I feel a lot more confident in myself and hopefully I am showing that on the pitch, and we are feeling that as a team, playing with a lot more freedom and confidence.

“The past couple of months we know we have not been at the races and we’ve been disappointed not to get the results, so it is always pleasing when we have played well to get three points and that’s what we are here to do.”

The win saw Yeovil leap-frog Southend in to the top half of the National League table, 11 points off the play-off places, with nine games remaining.

Knowles did not quite go as far as saying they could still make a push for the top seven, but he certainly still has a motivation to pick up wins.

He added: “There’s still 27 points to play for and the more we can pick up, we will always look up and see where we can get too.

“You have to beat teams around you and in the next few weeks we’ll be looking to gain an advantage over other teams.

“We have to go in to every game with confidence because on any given day we can beat any team in this league. We’ve had great performances against teams above us, and we have to go in every game looking for three points.”

 

 

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Manager Darren Sarll said he never doubted his Yeovil Town team would regain their form after watching them make it three wins out of three with a 2-0 victory over Southend United at Huish Park.

Having picked up just one National League win in 2022, the Glovers have now got nine points from their last possible nine and the manager believes the experience will stand his young squad in good stead.

Darren Sarll. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, he said: “I don’t want to be boring and say ‘I told you so’, but they had to learn and young players have to go through tribulations and come out the other side.

“We never stopped working hard and there’s so many of them back in form. Tom (Knowles) has been breath-taking, Dale Gorman and Matt Worthington in midfield, absolutely brilliant.”

He added: “Player form comes and goes, you can normally estimate the level of a player by how many times they can put in an 8, 9, 10 (out of ten performance).

“But these are young players and they had to go through these periods and it looks like they have come out of that troublesome period where they were looking bewildered, fatigued, and now they are looking alive.

“It will be the same thing next year if it’s another young team, that team will have to go through another learning process.

“Hopefully you get to that point where they can go and do it week in and week out.”

There was particular praise for goal-scorers Reuben Reid and Tom Knowles and playmaker Lawson D’Ath, who played his first 90 minutes since last May.

Of Reid, who opened the scoring in the fourth minute with his second goal of the season, the boss said: “He looks like a new man. He will say it’s because I have not played him for so long, so I deserve some of the blame and I don’t mind that.

“He played wonderfully well, there was maybe 25 minutes at the end of the first half when we didn’t utilise him enough, so the message at half-time was we had to use him.

“His qualities are his receiving qualities and you have to use them and in the second half we did that so much better.”

The goal means Reid has a scoring record of a goal every 2.2 games in National League football (rising to two-and-a-half little more if you include cup appearances) having played 396 league minutes this season.

Knowles took his to seven goals, putting him level with the now departed Joe Quigley as the club’s top scorer, when he doubled the advantage after eight minutes.

Sarll said: “When players are in form, they just see the ball and themselves being confident. That is the first time I have seen Tom enjoying himself and expressing himself and I was so pleased because he works so hard.”

Lawson D’Ath. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

On D’Ath, he added: “There’s a quote in football ‘playing in the future’ that Lawson typifies. He is always anticipating the next moment and I’m not sure how many people see the defensive side of that.

“For such a frail man, he picks up so many regains and it’s a terrific example, I tell Sonny (Blu Lo-Everton) ‘he’s the one to watch’, the way he maximises his athleticism.

“In the second half when he started finding space behind the midfield, you know when the ball comes to him he has time because he plays in the future.”

The club used the fixture to mark almost a year since the death of former captain Lee Collins with the defender’s daughters, Amelia, Laila and Charley-Mae, mascots for the game.

Sarll added: “The way the team played, especially in the second half, was very Lee Collins-like, there were some nice patterns of play.

“But I think about him every day, we have pictures around the club to remind us of him every day and one thing I never want to allow is for him to be forgotten.”

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Venue: Huish Park
Saturday, March 26, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: A clear, sunny day
Pitch: Carpet-esque

Attendance: 2,465 (411 away supporters)

Scorers: Reuben Reid 4 (1-0), Tom Knowles 8 (2-0)

Bookings: 

Yeovil: None
Southend: Clifford 74, Gubbins 78,

Referee: Gary Parsons


Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)

Ted Cann

Mark Little, Luke Wilkinson, Ben Barclay, Morgan Williams

Matt Worthington Dale Gorman  Lawson D’Ath (for Alex Bradley, 90), Tom Knowles

Charlie Wakefield (for Josh Neufville, 61)  Reuben Reid (for Olufela Olomola, 85)

Substitutes:  Josh Staunton, Jordan Barnett.

Southend United: Arnold, Hobson, Bridge (for Cardwell, 58), Dalby, Clifford, Atkinson, Neal, Clark, Davies, Dennis (for Powell, 70), Kensdale (for Gubbins, 46). Substitutes:  Gard, Gubbins, Demetriou, Cardwell.

Match Report

Yeovil Town picked up their third win in a row thanks to a quickfire start against Southend United on a glorious afternoon at Huish Park.

Reuben Reid‘s second goal of the season after just four minutes was swiftly followed by Tom Knowles‘ second in as many matches to see off a Southend side.

Having been given the runaround by the Glovers in the first half, the visitors changed their shape after the break and the second half was a much closer affair.

The win saw Yeovil leap-frog their opponents to take up 12th place in the National League table, 11 points off the play-off places and 24 points off King’s Lynn Town, who take up the division’s final relegation spot.

Here’s how it went down in sunny Somerset…..

First half

Both sides made just one change from their midweek matches with Luke Wilkinson coming in for Josh Staunton, who has been playing with a hernia injury in recent weeks, in the centre of the Yeovil defence.

For the visitors, loan signing Kenny Clark was thrown straight in to the Southend line-up in place of the suspended James Dunne as they reverted to a back three.

Having had success with a fast start in the 2-1 home win over Bromley, Yeovil did exactly the same thing and found the lead after just four minutes.

Reuben Reid opens the scoring in the 2-0 win over Southend. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

A ball in to the box from Lawson D’Ath picked out Reuben REID who turned superbly in the box and got his shot away which squeezed under visiting keeper Steve Arnold to open the scoring.

After just nine minutes, a quick throw from D’Ath caught the visitors napping and fed Charlie Wakefield whose ball found Tom KNOWLES at the back post to slot home the second. What. A. Start.

The non-stop Wakefield (where does he get his energy from?!) were exploiting the back three being employed by their visitors and it was no surprise to see them revert to a back four soon after.

A week ago, we had not scored twice in a National League match since the end of February and we’d won just once in the league in 2022 – but that monkey is definitely off our back!

After such a fast start on a very hot day in Somerset, Yeovil unsurprisingly slowed down soon after with the visitors seeing a lot more of the ball albeit they didn’t do a lot to test Ted Cann in the hosts’ goal.

At the other end, Knowles fed Wakefield on 24 minutes and the winger-turned-striker lifted his shot over and shortly after midfielder Jack Bridge broke in to the box but his effort was not enough to test Cann.

That was the start of a bit of the visitors coming back in to the game with on loan Norwich City striker Matt Dennis put a header just over from Leon Davies‘ cross, and then Clark headed a great opportunity over the bar from a Harrison Neal free-kick.

But three minutes before the interval it should have been 3-0 to Yeovil. A superb through ball from Reid found Knowles who nipped in ahead of Clark his goal-bound effort was brilliantly headed off the line by Shaun Hobson.

Cann made a good stop to deny Dennis moments later, but the home side went in at the break two goals to the good.

Half time: Yeovil Town 2 Southend United 0

Second half

If you needed proof that the back three they started with was not working for Southend, manager Kevin Maher introduced Joe Gubbins, the young QPR defender signed on loan in midweek, in place of Ollie Kensdale at half-time.

But it was Yeovil who started the brighter and on 47 minutes a great delivery by Dale Gorman found Wilkinson who got it across to Reid who appeared certain to score but was denied by a great interception by Hobson.

The quick start continued as Gubbins’ clearance landed at the feet of Wakefield whose effort was volleyed over and soon after Knowles had another effort which was well saved by Arnold in the visitors’ goal.

Josh Neufville runs at the Southend defence. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

On the hour mark, Josh Neufville came off the substitutes’ bench in place of Wakefield, but there was little more to talk about at either end until Southend substitute Harry Cardwell had a shot blocked by Ben Barclay on 70 minutes.

D’Ath put an effort just wide from a tight angle a minute later, but there was nothing much to shout about for either side until Barclay put one just wide on 83 minutes.

With five minutes remaining, Olufela Olomola came off the substitutes’ bench to replace Reid and the on loan striker almost had an immediate impact. He found himself clear on goal after a misplace pass by Clark, who did superbly to get back and deny the striker with a last ditch tackle.

Full time: Yeovil Town 2 Southend United 0

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Luke Wilkinson.

Captain Luke Wilkinson returns to the Yeovil Town starting line-up in place of Josh Staunton in the only change for today’s National League match with Southend United at Huish Park (3pm kick-off).

Staunton, who has been playing with a hernia in recent matches – or, as manager Darren Sarll put it, “a hole in his stomach”, is on the substitutes’ bench with Reuben Reid remaining up front after impressing in the midweek win over Bromley.

The visitors also make one change with Kenny Clark, signed on Thursday from National League rivals Dagenham & Redbridge, coming straight in to a back three in place of James Dunne, who is suspended after being red carded in midweek.

QPR defender Joe Gubbins, who joined on loan in the week, is on the bench alongside striker Harry Cardwell, who has been missing for the past month through injury.

Yeovil Town: Ted Cann, Mark Little, Luke Wilkinson, Ben Barclay, Morgan Williams, Lawson D’Ath, Dale Gorman, Matt Worthington, Tom Knowles, Reuben Reid, Charlie Wakefield. Substitutes: Josh Staunton, Jordan Barnett, Alex Bradley, Josh Neufville, Olufela Olomola.

Southend United: Arnold, Hobson, Bridge, Dalby, Clifford, Atkinson, Neal, Clark, Davies, Dennis, Kensdale. Substitutes: Powell, Gard, Gubbins, Demetriou, Cardwell.