July 2022 (Page 3)

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Josh Staunton believes Yeovil Town’s defensive solidity will provide a platform they can build on as they move closer to the start of the National League season.

The captain was once again in the heart of three central defenders alongside Max Hunt and Morgan Williams for the 2-0 home defeat to League One Plymouth Argyle at Huish Park in today’s final home pre-season friendly.

He admitted the team were disappointed to concede goals to strikers Ryan Hardie and Finn Azaz which saw the game ended as a contest by the hour mark with the visitors dominating possession for much of the game.

Speaking after the game, Staunton said: “The boys defensively looked good, we just need to get more comfortable taking the ball and keep building.

“There are times when we are showing some good patterns and playing some nice stuff, the longer we go, that will hopefully become more and more.

“Any good team tries to build from the back, we have tried to change shape and we are trying to be as solid as we can without suffocating ourselves going forwards, so it’s all about finding a balance.

“Defensively we are trying to build a platform from where we can start progressing up the pitch and playing some nicer football.”

Staunton said he believed his team-mates can learn a lot from watching the Pilgrims, who get their League One season underway next weekend, dominate possession.

The Glovers travel to lower league Dorchester Town and Weston-super-Mare in their final two games of pre-season.

Asked about the challenge of three matches in seven days, Staunton said: “It’s a different kind of experience, today was about being resolute and you will have periods in games where, especially away from home, you have to defend like that and accept that the other team will have a lot more possession.

“The next two games will be different and you would like to think we will be sharper, fitter and ready to have more possession. It is a different test and gives us a chance to build on that platform and work hard with the ball.

“We will learn a lot from today, you only had to look at them, they made loads of simple passes, working hard off the ball to make options for each other and hopefully we can learn from that and take it in to the games we are going to play.”

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Chris Hargreaves admitted his Yeovil Town were “not quite enough” as they went down 2-0 to League One side Plymouth Argyle in the final home friendly of their pre-season campaign.

The home side were forced on the defensive for the majority of the game as the Pilgrims enjoyed the bulk of possession limiting the Glovers to a handful of opportunities the best of which fell to substitue Ollie Hulbert in the second half.

Speaking to the club’s YouTube channel after the game, the manager said: “We looked good defensively with a good structure, I was disappointed in the goals but it was a big lesson in keeping the ball today.

“It’s something we have been working on because when you are playing against better sides, you need that.

“But the final third wasn’t quite enough and we are also working on our creativity, trying to get our wing backs higher, trying to be more of a threat.”

Starting with what appears to be his favoured 5-2-3 formation, Hargreaves stuck with the same XI which earned a 1-1 draw with Exeter City last weekend with striker Malachi Linton and Alex Fisher supported by Tom Knowles.

In the second half, he threw on Hulbert and trialist Stanley Anaebonam, who made his second appearance having featured seven days earlier, but none of his forwards really troubled the Pilgrims’ goal.

The boss added: “It can be frustrating when the opposition have that much possession but today was a lesson in discipline and when you get the ball in the final third, taking an extra breathe to make sure you have your composure to hurt the opposition.

“We had chances at the end, a few crosses flashed across and we had a chance with Ollie Hulbert which maybe on another day goes in the net and it becomes closed.

“But, in the main, I am delighted with the application of the boys.”

The game was marred by a double dismissal for Glovers’ midfielder Matt Worthington and Plymouth wing-back Bali Mumba after 69th minute.

Hargreaves admitted his player needed to learn from the red card: “Both players have to learn from that, it is a local rivalry and tensions are high but you just have to keep your composure.

“From our side we have to keep our composure because we won’t want to lose players early in the season.

“Matty has been excellent, he is up for the fight, but it’s just a case of reining it in when you need to.”

He added that playmaker Lawson D’Ath, who is yet to featured in any of the four pre-season fixtures so far, was “maybe a week” from being ready to play again.

That would put him in the frame for next weekend’s trip to Weston-super-Mare AFC next Saturday.

Hargreaves said: “He will think he is closer, but I just don’t want him to break down again because it is so important to get fitness in before the (league) games start.”

The next friendly fixture see Yeovil make the short journey south to Dorchester Town on Tuesday night.

The Magpies ran out 3-1 winners in a home fixture against Wessex League Premier side Hamworthy United today.

The Glovers’ boss said: “It is going to be a test (against Dorchester) because they have used a lot of energy up today, but that is what happens in the normal season.

“They would often have to come back from a long game and then having to prepare for another game on the Tuesday.

“It is a different focus for us on Tuesday, a different surface and we have to make sure the players recover properly because they have put an absolute shift in today.”

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Venue: Huish Park
Saturday July 23rd, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Cloudy but warm.
Pitch: Pristine.

Attendance: 1,565 including a significant number of visiting fans

Scorers: Ryan Hardie 47 (0-1), Finn Azaz 60 (0-2)

Sendings off: Yeovil Town – Matt Worthington 69; Plymouth Argyle – Bali Mumba 69.

Referee: Daniel Lamport


Yeovil Town : (5-3-2)

Grant Smith

Chiori Johnson (for Charlie Wakefield, 61), Max Hunt, Josh Staunton, Morgan Williams, Jamie Reckord (for Trialist C, 72)

Sam Perry (for Matt Buse, 72), Matt Worthington

Tom Knowles (for Toby Stephens, 82)

Malachi Linton (for Stanley Anaebonum, 61),  Alex Fisher (for Ollie Hulbert, 61)

Substitutes (not used): Max Evans, Ollie Haste, Toby Stephens, Trialist B, Trialist C, Trialist D, Trialist E, Trialist F, Trialist G, Trialist H.

Plymouth Argyle: Callum Burton, Macaulay Gillesphey (for Endacott, 82), James Wilson, Dan Scarr, Matt Butcher (for Lewis, 74), Joe Edwards (for Craske, 82), Ryan Hardie (for Ennis, 60), Danny Mayor (for Jephcott, 60), Bali Mumba, Finn Azaz (for Whittaker, 60), Adam Randell (for Houghton, 74).

Substitutes: Zak Baker, Jordan Houghton, Niall Ennis, Morgan Whittaker, Brendon Galloway, Luke Jephcott, Finley Craske, Brandon Pursall, Jack Endacott, Alfie Lewis.

 

Match Report

The final pre-season friendly at Huish Park ended in defeat for Yeovil Town as they went down 2-0 at the hands of League One opposition in Plymouth Argyle.

Second half goals from Ryan Hardie and Finn Azaz put the visitors ahead by the hour mark before the game’s other flash point saw Glovers’ midfielder Matt Worthington red carded after a clash with Argyle wing back Bali Mumba. Both players got their marching orders.

Here’s how Marcus Duncomb saw proceedings…..

First half

Cries of ‘green army’ were ringing around Huish Park ahead of the match, but they came from the Devon visitors who had traveled in decent numbers for this pre-season friendly.

Tom Knowles.

After Plymouth completely dominated possession for the first ten minutes, Yeovil then played the ball out from the back perfectly. Starting with Grant Smith, the ball was played around and beat the Plymouth press to find Tom Knowles who drove forward and hit a strike from 25 yards out just wide of the right hand.

The Pilgrims had pretty much all the ball but were struggling to break down the Yeovil defence. Their countless crosses led to nothing but tame Ryan Hardie and, former Glovers’ loanee Matt Butcher efforts in the opening 20 minutes.

Plymouth should have taken the lead in the 26th minute when the ball was played back to Hardie who beat Smith, but Max Hunt used all of his 198 centimetres to block it on the line. Seconds later, Finn Azaz had the ball from six yards out and fired on target, but Smith was back on his feet to smother.

Smith had to deal with a lot of shots from outside the box from Butcher, who was channeling his inner Dale Gorman, but all of them were claimed comfortably.

The final chance of the half came from a corner which Hardie flicked on with the back of his head but it whistled just over the bar.

 Half time:  Yeovil Town 0 Plymouth Argyle 0

Second half

Three minutes after the restart Plymouth finally created the clear-cut chance that their possession deserved. Talisman Danny Mayor ran down the left and played a very simple ball into the area for HARDIE to tap in and take the lead.

In the 55th minute, Malachi Linton won the ball high up in the opposition’s half (not for the first time) and drove forward with the ball. He opted to shoot early but he blazed it over.

Plymouth’s lead doubled on the hour mark when left back Macaulay Gillesphey fired from range and Smith parried right into the path of AZAZ who couldn’t miss.

Matt Worthington.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

That triggered three changes from either side with Charlie Wakefield coming on for Chiori Johnson, replacing him at right wing back, with Ollie Hulbert and trialist Stanley Anaebonam replacing Linton and Fisher. For Plymouth, Niall Ennis, Luke Jephcott and Morgan Whittaker replaced Hardie, Mayor and Azaz.

Yeovil had their best chance of the game in the 66th minute when a well-aimed kick from Smith was flicked on well by Knowles to Ollie Hulbert who was one-on-one but missed the target.

Moments later, and it looked very unlike a pre-season friendly. Yeovil midfielder Matt Worthington and visiting wing back Bali Mumba clashed and within seconds all 22 players on the pitch as well as both dugouts and coaching staff were engaged in a mass brawl. The referee sent off both Mumba and Worthington.

Looking at the rule book it would appear that, if this friendly is considered to be a “non-first team fixture” it would mean Worthington is suspended for the next three non-first team fixtures. However, with only two more friendlies – at Dorchester Town on Tuesday night and then Weston-super-Mare next Saturday – it would appear the midfielder is unlikely to fulfil his suspension.

The combination of the red cards and the endless substitutes completely killed any momentum this game had and Yeovil couldn’t find a way back into it.

Full time:  Yeovil Town 0 Plymouth Argyle 2

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Yeovil Town are unchanged as they prepare to face League One opposition in Plymouth Argyle in their latest pre-season friendly at Huish Park today (3pm kick-off).

Lawson D’Ath. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz

Manager Chris Hargreaves has stuck with the same starting XI which earned a 1-1 draw against Exeter City seven days ago with the only change coming on the substitutes’ bench where playmaker Lawson D’Ath returns.

He had missed the friendlies at Taunton Town and against Exeter through injury. The official team-sheet states that “a number of trialists” are also on the bench – but what that number is we will have to wait and see.

For the visitors, former Glovers’ skipper Joe Edwards is named as captain as he makes his first return to Somerset since leaving in 2015.

Yeovil Town: Grant Smith, Chiori Johnson, Morgan Williams, Josh Staunton, Max Hunt, Jamie Reckord, Sam Perry,  Matt Worthington, Tom Knowles, Malachi Linton, Alex Fisher. Substitutes: Max Evans, Ollie Haste, Toby Stephens, Charlie Wakefield, Ollie Hulbert, Lawson D’Ath + “a number of trialists.”

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New director Stuart Robins.

If making things official is important to you, you will be pleased to hear Stuart Robins is a director of Yeovil Football & Athletic Limited (The).

The paperwork has been filed with Companies House and Stuart – or Stuart Alan, to be precise – is now listed as a director alongside owner and chairman Scott Priestnall.

Beyond that there’s not a lot to say although it all ties up with what he told us when he joined us on the Gloverscast the other week – so, if nothing else, it’s a good chance for a plug, as you can listen – here.

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Tickets for our opening fixture away at Scunthorpe United‘s Glanford Park (current sponsor name that everyone ignores: The Sands Venue Stadium) on 6th August, kick-off 5.20 p.m., are now available on-line.

Tickets are available on the Scunthorpe website – here – and prices are as follows: 

Adult: £22.00
Senior (65+), Student and 18-21: £15.00
12-18: £6.00
Under 12 (with accompanying adult): FREE

Travelling supporters will be housed at at the southern end of the stadium, in the AMS Stand which is all-seater.
 
Not seen any definite policy confirmation for this season, but previously Scunny has whacked on a significant surcharge for buying on the day, so advice for those going is: buy in advance.

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Yeovil Town 2 Bury 1 – Saturday 17th April 2004

Not many players make the kind of instant impact that striker Dani Rodrigues did when he arrived at Yeovil in April 2004, and his first game was one that all who were there will probably always remember.

Although the Glovers found themselves able to adjust well on the whole to League Two, finding themselves 3rd at Christmas, they experienced a difficult run of form after the FA Cup match against Liverpool, winning only four of the next 16 games which saw them slide down to 9th and out of the play-off picture. With Jackson and Gall both unable to find the net after Christmas, Edwards injured and Stansfield out of favour, goals were getting harder to come by. Gary Johnson brought in loan strikers Lee Matthews from Bristol City and Andy Bishop from Walsall with mixed results, but he was not happy with them and neither stayed long. With fives games to go and hopes of reaching the play-offs fading away, he signed out of contract Portuguese striker Dani Rodrigues (no relation to Hugo), who was a free agent at the time.

Dani had started his career in the Portuguese second tier at Feirense, before coming to the UK for a brief loan at Bournemouth in 1998. However, during this loan Southampton had spotted his talent and poached him from their south coast neighbours, signing him on a permanent contract at the age of 19. In his first full season he was top scorer for the reserves and after a couple of appearances for the Saints’ first team, was sent out on loan to Bristol City but broke his ankle, and after breaking the same ankle again before reaching full fitness was released by Southampton in 2002. Signing for Walsall, he stayed for a year making only one substitute appearance. He spent a season in Greece at top flight club Ionikos, which is where he joined us on a short term contract at the end of March 2004.

His debut came as a substitute in the home match against Bury on 17th April 2004. The mid-table Shakers had nothing to play for, but took a surprise lead just before half time through Dave Nugent. Early in the second half Gary Johnson shook things up, bringing on Rodrigues for his debut in place of Adam Stansfield on 49 minutes.

Rodrigues made one of the most spectacular debuts it is possible to make, scoring with an incredible overhead kick just five minutes after coming on, which will stand for many as one of the best goals ever scored at Huish Park. He topped that off by scoring a much less spectacular deflected second goal to put Yeovil ahead just four minutes later. The Glovers held on, as the arrival of the Portuguese striker propelled them into the final strait of the campaign. They won their next two games away at York and again at Southend, as two more goals from Rodrigues in a 2-0 win at Roots Hall pushed the Glovers into the play-off places with two games to go.

Yeovil just fell at the final hurdle, as defeat at home to promoted Hull despite Dani’s namesake Hugo scoring his only goal for the club, was followed by a late win at Lincoln on the last day, but it wasn’t quite enough.

Dani missed the last game through a minor injury, so it was down to substitutes Stansfield and Edwards to get the goals along with Gavin Williams. While many Glovers fans were keen to retain Dani’s services going into the 2004/05 season, there were some doubts about his extensive historical injury problems, as well as our ability to offer the kind of money he would be looking for. In the end, he signed for Bournemouth, who were in League One at the time and were able to offer the money and contract that we could not. He spent two years at Dean Court, where he scored 7 goals from 60 appearances. Yeovil instead signed Phil Jevons, who all things considered worked out fairly well as he was top scorer for the next two seasons.

After that Dani became slightly nomadic again, playing for the New Zealand Knights in Auckland before returning to the south coast again for Eastleigh and Dorchester, and then moving to Cyprus and playing for a number of clubs there. He was never really prolific at any of the clubs he played for, moving fairly frequently, so unfortunately was not able to fulfil the promise he had shown early in his career. Even though his appearance stats for Yeovil may read Played: 4; Goals 4, he will always be remembered for that one spectacular goal in April 2004.

Team that day: Steve Collis, Adam Lockwood, Colin Miles, Terry Skiverton, Hugo Rodrigues (sub. Andy Lindegaard, 52), Paul Terry, Lee Johnson, Nick Crittenden, Kevin Gall (sub. Nathan Talbott, 90), Jake Edwards, Adam Stansfield (sub. Dani Rodrigues, 49). Subs not used: Ryan Northmore, Kirk Jackson

 

 

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Striker Alex Fisher during his time at Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

With the recent signing of Alex Fisher bringing back some memories of times gone by, it got Ben thinking… what ever happened to the side that slept walked out of the Football League?

…and because I know you have been thinking that too (right?) I thought I’d turn the clocks back to Saturday, 27th April 2019.

Avengers Endgame had been in cinemas less than 24 hours, Nick Krygios was celebrating his 24th birthday (by shouting at a line judge, probably) and the only people on the planet who were practicing ‘social distancing’ were the Glovers back four as Northampton turned around a 2-0 half time deficit to draw 2-2 and relegate Yeovil out of the EFL after a decade and a half.

This is how we lined up, and what they’re doing now.

(Oh and by the way, there were no fewer than four ex-YTFC players in the Cobblers’ starting line up that day, Dean Bowditch, Sam Hoskins, Andy Williams and Sam Foley… cheers lads)

12 Nathan Baxter

Water-bottle enthusiast Nathan Baxter has been enjoying loan spells from Chelsea ever since this stint with Yeovil.

He’s been at Accrington and Hull City twice. Very good goalkeeper

Matt Worthington in action vs Dover

8 Matt Worthington

Yeah, we had him at Right back that day.

And prior to Fisher’s return the only member of this squad still with us, well over a hundred games in green and white, a stalwart of our midfield, its safe to say we’ve got far more out of him since that season.

6 Omar Sowunmi

Club captain. His second half own goal started the second half crumble. He left that summer after a few choice words and disagreements with supporters on social media, went to Colchester, then Bromley and has signed a new deal with them.

5 Bevis Mugabi

Now a fully fledged international defender and SPL regular with Motherwell.

Left the club that summer for the top flight in Scotland and has gone from strength to strength ever since.

23 Tom James

Loved a free kick. Scored a couple of worldie, West Ham U23s and Notts County I seem to recall.

Also scored a magnificent Own Goal too.

Been around the block a bit, Hibs in Scotland, Wigan, Salford, Leyton Orient where he kept Dan Moss out the team in the second half of last season…

10 Jake Gray

I was never comfortable with him wearing the number 10, but after leaving us he went to Woking before moving to Hampton and Richmond where he still plays and runs the show there by all accounts.

20 Sessi D’Almeida

Not many players from Benin find their way to Yeovil do they?

He was alright, wasn’t he? Was he?

Hes played for Toneldo in Portugal and Valencienne and Pau FC in France since leaving Huish Park

17 Alex Pattison

Firstly, I was convinced he was called James. Apparently not.

Joined us on loan from Middlesbrough, looked lively at times. Do I recall some discontent after the now infamous ‘night out’ after the final day?

Now at Harrogate and has been linked to some Championship clubs this summer

Tristan Abrahams during his loan spell at Huish Park in 2019.

16 Tristan Abrahams

Scored a penalty in the game to get us all excited.

Newport, Leyton Orient, Carlisle all in the bag before helping Grimsby get promoted this season just gone.

Courtney Duffus in action for Yeovil Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

11 Courtney Duffus

A sore subject. Pushed out, pulled back in, part of the Non League reset with Rhys Murphy before departing to free up funds for *checks notes* Reuben Reid.

Bromley, then Morecambe, bit of time at Stockport too… shouldn’t have let him go should we?

25 Alex Dobre

Nope, me neither.

Turns out, he’s half decent. Went to Dijon in France for the best part of a Million quid from Bournemouth.

He has clearly cut the mustard (sorry) enough there to attract interest from Serie A sides… apparently

On the bench that day were…

Stuart Nelson

Stayed with the team for one season, left after play off defeat to Barnet, now at Dover.

Daniel Ojo.

Remember we released him mid season and were expecting him to show up at one of the London clubs… did that ever happen?

Gabby Rogers.

? We don’t talk about Gabby.

Francois Zoko.

Uncle Zokes, departed Huish Park that summer and called it a day from playing.

Yoann Arquin.

Scored that one worldie, then urm… didn’t do much else. Now plays for Le Havre in France.

Ryan Seager.

Scored 700 goals per game (give or take) in the Conference South and earned a move to Dorking this season.

…and Alex Fisher.

One of the few who actually seemed to give half a damn that we got relegated.

He’s back for the next two years at Huish Park after stints at Exeter and Newport and will be hoping those around him can ‘Feed the Fish’ a bit more this season.

What a story it would be if Alex Fisher, could right the wrongs of 2019 and take Yeovil back up to the EFL…

Alex Fisher. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

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Chiori Johnson

Yeovil Town have announced the signing of Chiori Johnson on a one-year deal.

The 24-year old has made starting appearances against both Taunton and Exeter during pre season as a trialist and now puts pen to paper on a contract which will keep the former Arsenal and Torquay man at Huish Park for the upcoming season.

Speaking to YTFC.net,Yeovil manager, Chris Hargreaves said; “Chiori has really stood out and impressed us during his time on trial.

“He boasts a strong background, having spent such a long period of time at an elite club like Arsenal, it has given him a great grounding.

“Having spent the last few weeks with the squad, he is ready to hit the ground running and I’m really pleased to have him on board.”

Welcome to Huish Park, Chiori!