Gloverscast #162 – “I just want to go down there and hate someone”
It’s only blummin’ Derby Day!
Ben, Dave and Sheridan break down what happened against Aldershot and how we plan on inserting the penultimate nail into the W*ymouth’s relegation coffin on Bank Holiday Monday with 1300 Glovers fans in full support!
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The statistics make grim reading for W*ymouth going in to the Easter Monday visit from their old rivals across the border.
The Good Friday defeat at Maidenhead United stretched the Terras’ winless run to eight games and means boss David Oldfield has just one win from 16 games.
They have also not scored in seven of their last eight matches with their only goals coming in 3-2 defeat at Wealdstone.
Only already relegated Dover Athletic have scored fewer fewer goals (32 to their 31) while their have conceded the fourth most goals with the two they let in against Maidenhead taking them to 71 conceded. Only Dover (85), Barnet (76) and King’s Lynn (72) have let in more.
Oldfield said “In my mind, it’s the next game so it looms right into focus in terms of the importance.
“Obviously, for everybody involved it’s a derby game which is fantastic and we need to make sure we’re looking forward to that.
“But in terms of the reality of the situation it is our next game. We need to get ourselves ready to fight as much as we can.
“We’re aware how big the game is and we need to make sure we look after our supporters as much as we can with a performance that does ourselves justice.”
Following the defeat at Maidenhead United on Good Friday, Terras’ boss David Oldfield admitted his side were now facing an uphill battle to survive, he told the Dorset Echo: “We knew how difficult the task was when I first came in to the group. I haven’t managed to affect the results enough, that’s absolutely plain and clear.
“Whatever happens now is a moot point, we can’t control anything but ourselves. For us to perform as we did is another missed opportunity and a reality check about exactly where we are.
“I can’t comment on other teams, we have to take responsibility, keep working and fighting until the very last kick of the season.”
W*ymouth captain and striker Josh McQuoid is back after serving a two-match suspension.
But winger Tom Blair, who had a trial with Yeovil in the summer of 2021, will miss out serving the final match of a four-game suspension.
Midfielders Ollie Harfield and Omar Mussa are both doubts through injury.
Both Andreas Robinson returned after a foot injury on Good Friday and Xander McBurnie played the full 90 minutes against Maidenhead.
Josh Leslie-Smith (head) and striker Martell Taylor-Crossdale (knee) continue to be assessed.
With the geographical location of both teams, there are a lot of players who have seen service with both these clubs.
However, the only one who is likely to feature in the latest meeting of Somerset-verus-Dorset is Brandon Goodship.
The striker played eight times for Darren Way’s Yeovil in 2017, scoring a crucial goal in a 1-0 win at Dagenham & Redbridge which helped keep us in the League.
He was released at the end of that campaign and dropped down to the Wessex Stadium where he scored 38 goals in his first season and 39 in his second campaign in the Southern League Premier earning him a move in to the Football League at Southend United.
Despite making more than 50 appearances for the Shrimpers, he was released following their relegation to non-League and returned to W*ymouth last summer.
Goodship has been a regular starter for the Terras in recent weeks and would be expected to feature against one of his former clubs.
Charlie Wakefield is looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere of a derby day at old rivals W*ymouth on Easter Monday.
The forward scored when the two sides met for the first competitive fixture in front of fans for 25 years in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round back in October, played 83 minutes of the replay that followed and the full 90 minutes in another 1-1 draw at Huish Park in league action in February.
Speaking ahead of the derby, he asked with a grin whether Yeovil could send their seagull bothering neighbours down with a victory in Dorset. When he was told they couldn’t, he replied: “That’s a shame, that would have been good.”
He added: “I saw our fans sold out the away end and they will be thinking they have to turn up in big numbers, but those are the games you look forward to, the derby games with big atmospheres.
“They are fighting and derby always adds that bit more, as you can tell in the games we played them earlier in the season.”
When he was speaking on Thursday ahead of the Good Friday defeat at home to Aldershot Town, Glovers’ fans had only sold out their initial allocation of seated tickets – but in the days that have followed, we have also sold our standing allocation and almost all of an additional allocation of seats for the Bob Lucas Stadium.
Yeovil Town have launched an internal investigation after Aldershot Town players accused “a member of the coaching staff” of discrimination.
Shots’ skipper Lewis Kinsella posted on his Twitter account on Sunday morning saying that the staff member has been “discriminative towards two of our players and one of their own” before his side’s 2-0 win at Huish Park on Good Friday.
He tagged in the Kick It Out anti-racism campaign’s account to his post.
In a statement, Aldershot confirmed the incident had been included in the report of match referee Steven Copeland.
That post was soon followed by one from Shots’ striker Mo Bettamer, an unused substitute in the match, who added: “After a few days to reflect and initial shock to my system, before the game on Friday a member of the Yeovil Town coaching staff thought it was okay to directly discriminate me and my fellow colleagues.
”To think it is 2022 and this is something we still have to deal with is disappointing but not surprising.”
In response, Yeovil Town posted a statement saying: “Yeovil Town are aware of allegations made by Aldershot Town players following Friday’s National League fixture.
“We take accusations of any form of discrimination extremely seriously and the club can confirm it has begun its own internal investigation.
“We will discuss our findings with Aldershot Town over the coming days in order to deal with this situation correctly.”
Later on Sunday, Aldershot confirmed it was aware of the allegations, adding: “Accusations of any form of discrimination will always be received by Aldershot Town with the upmost importance and seriousness.
“We can also confirm the incident has been included in the referee’s report.
“We will not be making any further comment until the FA have concluded their findings.
“Separately to the above, we would also like to place on record that we as a football club are also fully supportive of the personnels involved in the incident too.”
A large number of players, including Yeovil striker Adi Yussuf, have responded to the posts by both Bettamer and Kinsella with likes and messages of support.
Tickets are still available for Yeovil Town’s Easter Monday derby match at W*ymouth – but you only have until 10am if you want one.
On at least two occasions on Easter Sunday, the Terras’ website stopped selling tickets for the Windowman Stand terrace, only for more to come available soon after.
You can buy tickets by visiting the ticketing portal on the Terras’ website – here
Don’t forget it is a 1pm kick-off and there will be NO TICKETS AVAILABLE TO BUY ON THE DAY so if you turn up without a ticket, you’ll have to spend a day by the seaside instead.
If you are heading to the match, don’t forget to check out our Ciderspace Away Travel Guide to W*ymouth, see – here.
On loan Yeovil Town midfielder, Toby Stephens played 90 minutes for Barnstaple Town on Saturday in a 2-1 win.
Stephens helped see his side to just a 7th win of the season as his temporary club came from behind to win against Melksham.
Ollie Haste who has represented the Glovers in the Somerset Premier Cup this season as part of the Yeovil College/Under 18s programme came off the bench in the same game.
Barnstaple remain bottom of the table and have two games left to play.
Charlie Lee’s debut in front of the Huish Park crowd ended in defeat as Yeovil Town failed to take their opportunities and gifted an Aldershot Town side battling against the drop two goals on a sunny Good Friday afternoon.
Coatesie travelled down from his northern home for the match between his hometown team and his adopted hometown team (no, he wasn’t the away fan who needed medical treatment), and here are his conclusions….
Even the glorious sunshine could not hide the cracks at Huish Park. I’m not just talking about on the pitch – although there were some of those, which I’ll come too – but this was my first home game in well over two years and it’s sad to see the state of the place. Even if you can look past the unloved, run down infrastructure, I heard at least half-a-dozen people complain at the lack of a printed programme (not a problem for me, but it clearly it is for some supporters), the tea bars were shut for away fans meaning big queues in the Screwfix Family Stand. Yet again, it’s the same relentlessly cheery volunteers and underappreciated staff who are fronting up, whilst the only sign of our absent owner, Scott Priestnall, were the chants calling for him to go. If I were him, I wouldn’t want to face up to what my lack of interest and investment was doing to more than 125 years of history either……but I’m not the one who bought a football club less than three years ago.
On the pitch, it wasn’t a great day either. We seemed to forget how to score goals again. The freedom we
been playing with in recent weeks deserted us and we were unable to find our way through an Aldershot team who had absolutely no reason to do anything more than keep it tight and hit us on the break. Josh Neufville was paired alongside Reuben Reid in a front two and ran tirelessly but too often in the first half there were aimless balls played up to him. At the start of the second half we got it down better and laid siege to the visitors’ goal but just could not find a way through, and when we gifted Giles Phillips the freedom of the area to head home the opener, it felt like game over. I think we could have stayed out there all Easter and not scored.
Our full-backs didn’t not look comfortable. When I saw Mark Little and Jordan Barnett on either side of defence, I was pleased that we had a recognised right and left back on the pitch. However, from the start, Mark Little did not seem to be running comfortably and had problems containing Aldershot down his side. Barnett looked rusty in his first start in almost a month and, although he can still put in a fantastic sliding tackle when he needs too, does seem more effective further up the pitch. I’d put Morgan Williams back in for W*ymouth on Easter Monday.
Please can we get Dale Gorman off free-kicks with a shot on goal? I know he scored that one at Dover, but surely we have other players who have the potential to get a more meaningful effort on goal. There was one in the first half of this match about 25 yards out which I thought was crying out for a Luke Wilkinson pile driver to test the keeper, but no. Or, to quote my Thatcher’s Stand companion, Chris Fox: “Oh, f*** off, Gorman!” It was funny to start with (tequila and all that) but I’m now starting to see what the Glentoran supporters were telling us when we signed him – he shoots from literally everywhere.
Tom Knowles was a bright spot – again. I feel like I have done nothing but complain in my previous four conclusions….so let me end of at least one positive. There were some bright spots and, as is often the case, Tom Knowles was one of them with his relentless desire to attack. When we got the ball to him, Aldershot didn’t know what to do and when we repeated that with other players (especially early in the second half) the same occurred. You know what you need to do on Monday, boys.
The first relegation from the English Football League has been confirmed with Yeovil Town making plans for a trip to Glanford Park following confirmation of Scunthorpe United’s relegation from League Two on Good Friday.
With 42 games played, the Iron have amassed just 24 points and can no longer keep their head’s above water and after 72 years in the League will be a non-League side next season.
Sorry Scunthorpe fans, the refs don’t get any better down here!
Yeovil Town interim manager Charlie Lee bemoaned a wasteful Glovers’ performance after their 2-0 home defeat to struggling Aldershot Town at Huish Park on Good Friday.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins, he said that he disappointed with the goals his side conceded.
“The first half was here and there, I think we probably had the better of the chances, then, second half I thought we started really well and we looked like the team that was going score.
Then, when you concede a goal from a set piece, there was plenty of time in the game and they went straight after it, we went gung-ho and we lost our shape and when you concede another goal like that, you’re chasing the game.
“It was two poor goals that we’re really disappointed with, in a game where we were comfortable. We are not going to hide away from it, that’s too many poor goals in the last couple of games.”
Lee admitted frustration seemed to set in after a string of crosses, corners and half chances early in the second half, but said that even when going 1-0 down he was confident of a response.
“There was loads of time, we’ve been coming back from a goal down all the time, we’re confident, we’ve been looking a real threat going forward, then, once they get the second they literally just shut up shop.
“We went for it, we had more attackers on the pitch than we can imagine and probably created less chances… the boys that came on couldn’t help us, the boys the started, we looked for the first time in a few games, we didn’t look like we had that killer instinct in the final third and that’s the real disappointment.”
The caretaker boss said it was good to have centre half Max Hunt back on the bench for his first appearance since mid-January as well as to have Grant Smith back in goal, having been out for a month with a groin injury.
Charlie suggested that there could be more changes to the side with a quick turnaround and the derby at W*ymouth on Easter Monday.
“There’ll be more changes for Monday, there will have to be, they’re tired bodies… everyone who is used needs to give me everything they’ve got.”
The Glovers travel to the Bob Lucas Stadium for a 1pm kick-off against that lot down by the seaside. If you are heading down, don’t miss our Ciderspace Away Travel Guide – click here.
Venue: Huish Park
Saturday, 15th April, 3pm kick-off
Conditions: Glorious sunshine
Pitch: In remarkable condition in mid-April.
Attendance: 2,528 (293 away supporters)
Scorers: Giles Phillips 65 (0-1), Ryan Glover (0-2)
Bookings:
Yeovil: Ben Barclay 45
Aldershot: Ryan Glover 61, Giles Phillips 90+1, Ethan Ross 90+8, Ryan Glover 90+12
Sending off:
Aldershot: Ryan Glover (two bookable offences) 90+12
Referee: Steven Copeland
Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)
Grant Smith
Mark Little (for Adi Yussuf, 81), Luke Wilkinson, Ben Barclay, Jordan Barnett
Tom Knowles, Dale Gorman, Alex Bradley (for Lawson D’Ath, 70), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton
Reuben Reid, Josh Neufville (for Charlie Wakefield, 65)
Substitutes: Morgan Williams, Max Hunt (not used).
Aldershot Town: Ross, Kinsella (for Daniel, 81), Lyons-Foster, Berkeley-Agyepong, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sylla, Ndjoli (for Whittingham, 90), Phillips, Harris, Saunders, Willard (for Glover, 58). Substitutes: Hall, Bettamer (not used).
Charlie Lee’s first league match at Huish Park ended in defeat his Yeovil Town side paid the price for wasteful finishing and sloppy defending.
After a first half lacking in quality from either side, the Glovers’ were laying siege to the opposition goalmouth and then on 65 minutes they gifted Aldershot defender Giles Phillips the freedom of the area to head home.
Then when substitute Ryan Glover smashed home a second four minutes later after Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain took advantage of more sloppy defending, the game was over.
Here’s how Coatesie saw it on a rare appearance (for him, at least) at Huish Park…
First half
The first chance fell to Tom Knowles after five minutes, played in by Reuben Reid, Knowles broke in to the right-side of the box and his shot cannoned off the outside of the post.
Five minutes later, Reid and Knowles combined again with the latter splitting the Aldershot defence to Reid who dragged his shot wide.
At that point it could have been 2-0 to the Glovers, but the possession had largely been dominated by the visitors who passed it nicely in midfield without creating an effort to threaten Grant Smith, who returned between the posts for the hosts.
Defensively the visitors looked shaky and the game was crying out for the likes of Knowles and Josh Neufville to test them.
Knowles was at the heart of the action again with ten minutes of the half remaining, getting away down the right and smashing a ball across the face which was begging for a touch home. No-one was there to do it.
From the following play, the ball broke to centre half Ben Barclay who smashed it wide.
Despite having the better of the chances, the half finished with as many goals as the quality on display. Goalless at the break.
Second half
A number of penalty shouts were voiced by the home side with Knowles, Bradley and then Neufville all going down under pressure in the area. From my position in the centre of the Thatcher’s Stand, none of them looked enough to ask much of a question of the referee.
With Charlie Wakefield coming on for Neufville moments before the opening goal, Lee introduced Lawson D’Ath for Bradley and then Adi Yussuf for Little.
However, there was time for Glover’s day to turn sour as he picked up his second yellow card and a subsequent red in the final minute of time added on.
