August 2022 (Page 5)

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Walsall 0 Yeovil Town 2 (AET) – Tuesday 9th August 2016

In August 2016, Matt Dolan scored one of the greatest ever goals for Yeovil, a Beckham-esque 65-yard effort from inside his own half against Walsall in the first round of the League Cup.

Yeovil were in League Two at the time and their opponents in League One, having recently been to Wembley in the Football League Trophy under Dean Smith, so it sort of counts as an upset as well. After a goalless 90 minutes at the Bescot, an Alex Lacey header was deflected in by Bakayoko to give the Glovers the lead in the first half of extra time. Dolan’s spectacular effort sealed the deal in the 111th minute. Yeovil would go on to play Everton at Goodison in the second round, trailing 1-0 to a goal from Aaron Lennon for much of the match, before further goals from Ross Barkley and Kone wrapped up the win. Everton put out a strong line-up in front of just under 25,000 – Lukaku played 90 minutes, but didn’t score.

Hero on that night Matt Dolan was not best-known for his scoring exploits, scoring 9 goals in 103 appearances. He first joined us on loan from parent club Middlesbrough in January 2013 as cover for the injured Joe Edwards. He made his league debut for Yeovil just before his 20th birthday in a 2-0 win against Sheffield Utd that was part of our eight-match winning run on the way to the League One play-offs. His first loan spell was cut short by injury but he made a return right at the end of the season, scoring a goal and assist on his first start back, a vital 2-1 win at Notts County which ended a run of one win in eight and took us back into the play-off places. The winner that day came from a direct free kick, his only goal that season. He played in five of the last ten matches, and came on briefly as a substitute for James Hayter in the play-off final.

Over the next few years Matt had spells at home town club Hartlepool as well as Bradford, before making a surprise return to Yeovil in 2015 after the Glovers were relegated to League Two. Over the next two seasons he was ever-present, making 94 appearances and scoring eight times. Many of his goals were penalties, but aside from that highlights were probably the goal that kick-started the fightback that would end with an injury-time 4-3 win at Barnet, and the free kicks he scored both home and away in wins over Crewe in the same season, the second of which in April 2017 was his last goal for the club.

Refusing a new contract at the end of 2016/17, Matt signed for fellow League Two side Newport, where he still plays today, making over 200 appearances to date.

Team that day: Artur Krysiak, Liam Shephard (sub. Bevis Mugabi, 54), Ryan Dickson, Matt Butcher, Alex Lacey, Matt Dolan, Alex Lawless, Kevin Dawson, Otis Khan (sub. Tahvon Campbell, 101), Ryan Hedges, Tom Eaves (sub. Omar Sowunmi, 115). Subs not used: Jonny Maddison, Joe Lea

By coincidence, this day 18th August back in 2009 also saw another long range effort for the Glovers, this time Ryan Mason’s spectacular volley against Exeter, when the 18-year old was on loan from Spurs.

 

 

 

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Josh Staunton modelling the 2022-23 kit. Picture courtesy of YTFC.net.

Yeovil Town skipper, Josh Staunton is looking forward to returning to Altrincham after guiding the side to a 1-0 win there as Caretaker manager at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Speaking exclusively to the Gloverscast’s Ben Barrett after the game against Barnet he said he has fond memories of his one-game stint as Manager

“We go into Saturday with a clean slate, they’ve gone full time if I’m right, they’ll be a different type of outfit to what they were last year.

Obviously we know what they like, in terms of they like playing football, it’ll be a different test at times to tonight (against Barnet) who were quite direct at times.

I do have fond memories there, it’s a stadium which I’ll never forget, I think if you go into a game with a positive mindset and a visualisation of positivity it can only bode well.”

Staunton said he might have to wait for the dust to settle after the defeat to Barnet before reminding the new manager and players about his 100% win rare as a gaffer, but didn’t rule out making a light hearted comment or two as the week’s training went on.

Yeovil huddle before Altrincham

You’ll be able to listen to the game from Altrincham this Saturday with Sheridan Robins and Ben Barrett on BBC Radio Somerset

 

 

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Young midfielders Sam Pearson and Sam Perry have been challenged to add goals to their performances by Yeovil Town manager Chris Hargreaves.

The pair have featured in all three of the Glovers’ National League fixtures this season having joined on loan from Bristol City and Walsall respectively.

Sam Pearson, right, in action against Barnet. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Asked about how they stood up to some of the ‘dark arts’ employed by an experienced Barnet midfield in the 2-1 defeat at Huish Park on Tuesday night, the boss told our man Ben Barrett: “They had the bravery to get on the ball and play and they created and looked forward, I can’t speak highly enough of them.

“They need to add goals or a belief they can score. When we are building up our play, they need to have those one or two touches and get the ball quickly out of their feet and get shots on goal, they have to develop that.

“But as far as contribution of effort and moving the ball, they were fantastic.”

Pearson, who is on loan for an initial month from Championship Bristol City, has been a stand out performer having come off the bench in the opening day defeat at Scunthorpe United and then starting the draw with Wrexham and the Barnet defeat.

Perry has started all three games and only not completed the 90 minutes after taking a heavy knock after an hour at Scunthorpe.

Ben also asked Yeovil skipper Josh Staunton for his opinion on the performance of the pair following the Barnet game.

He said: “When you have young lads in their and picking up things. Sam Perry has game time behind him, but for Sam Pearson that is a different type of challenge to what he is used too.

“They will take a lot from games like today and benefit in the long run and it’s important we stay behind them and keep pushing them because the way I see it they are just going to get better and better.“

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Football can be cruel mistress.

Laurie Walker had a night to remember at Huish Park as the Barnet ‘keeper single handedly kept his side in the game long enough to allow for a couple of late suckerpunches as Barnet took a 2-1 win from Huish Park.

Here’s Ben’s five conclusions, he’s slept on it and it hasn’t really helped.

If that game was played out on Football Manager or FIFA 23, you’d rage quit, without saving your progress, throw the controller at the wall and promise you’d never play the game again ever… until next week.

I cannot truly explain just how dominant Yeovil were for 98% of the game across 98% of the pitch.

Some of the football we played, particularly in and around the midfield was genuinely brilliant. Quick, one-touch, confident football  the likes of which we haven’t seen in quite a while.

But… and you knew this was coming.

None of that matters if you don’t put the ball in the onion bag.

I’m not going to have a go at the three chances which led to genuinely brilliant saves from the Barnet ‘keeper, that can happen.

But there were occasions where we’d worked a position but couldn’t convert, Linton fired a shot down the keeper’s throat, Pearson produced a tame effort in the second half when bearing down on the keeper and Fisher did amazingly well to bring a ball down from a free kick only to fire it straight into the waiting arms of the flourescent keeper.

Fine margins, but as the manager spoke about, its time to start being more ruthless… the neanderthalic football fan in me thinks that in some cases that means… just leather the bloody thing.

Sam Pearson

Sam Pearson is the real deal and needs to stay with us beyond his month.

I think the midfield three of Worthington, Perry and Pearson properly excites me.

Perry was right in this game when I felt he went missing in the game against Scunthorpe, Worthy is a new man, he’s the senior man with a licence to get forward – is this the Worthington Dale Gorman was holding back?

But Pearson has all the attributes to go far in the EFL.

Strong, fearless, attacking, needs to add more nous and experience will help some of his decision making but everything he does is exciting, he battled through an injury and some… agricultural opposition to put on. a very good show.

Now, I’ve mentioned him once, but the it was the Ghost of Christmas Past in Dale Gorman who will be the talking point for many.

Yes, he should have been sent off, yes he could of – and arguably tried to – hurt someone, but I wanted to make a wider point.

The contrast of style of play Gorman and Worthington have shows we are very much in a new era of YTFC.

We are no longer the masters of the dark arts, we are no longer trying to worry more about how we rile up the opposition, or trying to slow and break up the game. That’s moved on… quite literally to Barnet.

We’re a football team now.

I’m not saying either is right or wrong, they can both be equally as effective and both as entertaining to watch.

But this is HargreavesBall starting to take shape. The Poop-house has closed for business at Huish Park.

Now, I’d like to break Rule 1 of the Gloverscast (Rule 1. All refs are rubbish at this level, live with it, don’t moan about it).

But I’m not allowed to tell you it might have been the single most petulant, awful, inconsistent, making the game about himself, loves the sound of his own whistle and gives out more cards than your Grandma at Christmas performance from the worst referee I’ve seen at a Yeovil game in some time…. so I won’t tell you any of that. ?

Instead my final conclusion is this…

Getting the first win is gaining importance quickly.

Not because if we don’t win on Saturday we’re suddenly in a relegation battle, because we’re not – I haven’t even invoked the Green Day clause yet (I’ll judge our position when September ends).

But more because the noise will grow, the same negative voices are already starting to make silly comments, and the best way to shut that up is to win a game, even if we don’t play all that well.

I’m genuinely excited by the football this team is trying to play, when we are heavy in possession 3-5-2 is a real asset of ours and I truly believe we have a squad and team to get behind, but then again, I would, wouldn’t I?

See you at Altrincham

? Photos Courtesy of Mike Kunz unless otherwise stated.

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Captain Josh Staunton admitted his Yeovil Town team-mates had only themselves to blame after a 2-1 home defeat to Barnet on Tuesday night.

The central defender described the two the Glovers gifted to striker Nicke Kabamba as “sloppy” and admitted their failure to finish off a host of first half chances cost them.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, he said: “We’ve only got ourselves to blame, we need to be more clinical in their box and more ruthless and better positioning or decision making in our third and then we won’t concede two sloppy goals.

“That has been the story of the first two-and-a-half games we’ve had this season because the first half (of the opening day defeat) against Scunthorpe was a different matter.

“It is disappointing that we only have one point to show from it because you know how you are playing and we are playing some nice football and you can feel that energy from the fans.

“We have the basis of a very good team and I have to not let the results affect these young lads because we are doing the right things and hopefully when we start putting our opportunities away, we will be fine.”

With three games played, Yeovil are second-from-bottom of the National League table with just a single point with goal difference of minus two – however, Staunton is not planning on hitting the panic button just yet.

He added: “It is three games in and it would be nice to have points on board, but it’s not the end of the season. When those vital moments start going our way, I think the points will reflect our performances.

“I don’t think there is anything to worry about, it’s not the first time I have been in this situation but the signs are there but if we tighten up at the back and get a few more goals, we will be okay.“

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Yeovil Town boss Chris Hargreaves said he was “angry” and “frustrated” after seeing his side concede two soft goals to go down to a 2-1 defeat at home to Barnet.

The Glovers conceded twice to visiting striker Nicke Kambamba in just nine second half minutes having missed a host of first half chances to pull ahead.

Chris Hargreaves talks to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins ahead of the 2-1 defeat at Scunthorpe United.

However, the boss was quick to back the team for their “application and effort” despite the loss and vowed to put it right on the training field ahead of Saturday’s trip to Altrincham.

Speaking to the Gloverscast’s own Ben Barrett, the boss said: “My frustrations lie with us conceding. We haven’t been carved open, it’s just one or two lapses of concentration when you are so on top that suddenly one long ball can undo you and sadly that is the case tonight.

“That will be addressed very quickly on the training ground because it is vitally important.”

He added: “Had one of the chances gone in, the first goal is critical, but they score it with an easy goal and then the second goal gives us a mountain to climb and it’s not something which has taken too much to create which is why I am angry tonight.

“But, the application and effort and desire to play was very good and the creating of chances, we’ve just got to eradicate these errors.”

The first half saw visiting goalkeeper Laurie Walker pull off three impressive stops to twice deny striker Malachi Linton and wing back Jamie Reckord, who pulled a late consolation goal back for Yeovil,

Hargreaves added: “The keeper did well, but we can’t keep saying that. We have to have that ruthlessness to put people to the sword because we could have done certainly in the second half (in the opening day defeat) at Scunthorpe, for most of the game (in last weekend’s 1-1 draw) against Wrexham and tonight it was chance after chance.

“But players don’t intend to miss chances, we work hard in training every day to try and score goals and we are trying to deliver it, so we are back on the training ground on Thursday and we’ll work our socks off to make sure we do make the most of our play.”

The manager gave an update on loan winger Sam Pearson, who went off after 72 minutes with a back injury, saying: “Sam had a bit of a back problem and in the second half he could not accelerate and we might have to. We’ll assess it tomorrow and hopefully he’ll be back for Altrincham at the weekend.”

However, he did say the knee injury to central defender Ben Richards-Everton was “not as serious as it first looked” following a scan. The former Barnet man missed the chance to face his old side having also missed out against Wrexham, although Hargreaves did not offer any indication of when he might be back.

Lawson D’Ath and new signing Gime Toure both came off the bench in the second half, but neither appear quite ready for a start yet.

The manager told Ben: “Lawson is getting closer, I don’t think he’s quite there yet and with Gime, he’s done almost nothing for so long and even after five minutes tonight he was a little tight in his chest.

“He’ll be working hard for sure because there’s a good player in there and we need options. Alex (Fisher) and Mal (Linton) ran their socks off (against Wrexham), it’s difficult to do that every game so it’s our job to get Gime as fit as possible.”

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Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday August 16th, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Damp
Pitch: Green – well, except for the damp bits

Attendance: 2,263 (89 away supporters)

Scorers: Nicky Kabamba 72 (0-1), Nicke Kabamba 78 (0-2), Jamie Reckord 80 (1-2)

Bookings: 

Yeovil Town: Fisher 41, Worthington 50, Reckord 82
Barnet: Gorman 72, Phillips 85

Referee: Gary Parsons


Yeovil Town : (5-3-2)

Grant Smith

Charlie Wakefield, Morgan Williams, Max Hunt, Josh Staunton, Jamie Reckord

Sam Perry Matt Worthington, Sam Pearson (for Lawson D’Ath, 72)

Alex Fisher (for Gime Toure, 58) Malachi Linton (for Chiori Johnson, 80)

Substitutes (not used): Will Buse, Chiori Johnson, Alfie Pond.

Barnet: Walker, Wynter, Collinge, Okimo, Beard, Gorman (for Phillips, 77), Pritchard,. De Havilland, Mason-Clark, Kabama, Shields (for Smith, 62) Substitutes: Callan, Thomas, Hall.

Match Report

A second half brace from Barnet striker Nicke Kabamba earned them a smash-and-grab win on a damp Tuesday night at Huish Park.

After a first half which saw visiting keeper Laurie Walker pull off three fantastic saves to twice deny Yeovil striker Malachi Linton and Jamie Reckord, it took until 72 minutes for the visitors to make their hosts pay for not taking their chances and then doubled it after an error from goalkeeper Grant Smith.

Jamie Reckord pulled one back after 82 minutes which sparked a late flurry of attacks which could not find a breakthrough.

In the words of our own Ben Barrett co-commentating for BBC Somerset, “skullduggery has prevailed” and you’ll not be surprised to hear that former Glover Dale Gorman was at the heart of the dark arts.

Here’s how it went down…..

First half

Chris Hargreaves named an unchanged squad from the 1-1 draw against Wrexham at the weekend with Malachi Linton and Alex Fisher paired up front, whilst Gime Toure and Lawson D’Ath, who both impressed whilst coming off the bench three days earlier, both remained among the substitutes.

The opening 20 minutes were all about Barnet goalkeeper Laurie Walker who made three fantastic saves to deny the Glovers.

After just four minutes, strong play by Fisher saw him win the ball well and then unselfishly play the ball to Jamie Reckord whose shot was superbly stopped by the big keeper, who was at it again four minutes later when good play by Sam Pearson set up Linton whose effort was kept out.

Linton was denied again on 18 minutes when his free header was denied by probably the best of the keeper’s three saves with the ball almost behind the keeper.

That saw Barnet begin to enjoy a bit of possession without doing much to carve out any meaningful opportunities as the game ticked past the half-hour mark. One thing is for sure, former Glover Dale Gorman is likely to spend much of his game in the ear of referee, Gary Parsons.

Charlie Wakefield. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Walker was at it again on 38 minutes when Charlie Wakefield, who was having a quiet game up to that point, got involved and fed the ball on to Pearson who turned on the edge of the box and fired in a shot which the former Stevenage keeper did superbly to deny going in the wrong direction.

Moments later, Gorman fulfilled his role as the pantomime villain when he made the most of a tackle from Fisher earning the striker a yellow card. The home crowd let him know what they thought of him and the Northern Irishman loved it – as you’d expect.

The half ended goalless and Barnet no doubt went in thanking the efforts of their keeper for keeping them in the game.

 Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Barnet 0

Second half

With just five minutes of the second half played, Sam Pearson burst through and lifted the ball over the keeper but fluffed his lines from a glorious opportunity. Fisher kept the ball in play but his effort was cleared off the line. Great opportunity – again.

Fisher brought the ball down well moments later, but his effort was tame and easily held by Walker.

Just before the hour mark, Yeovil introduced Gime Toure in place of Fisher, who was on a booking.

It took until the 65th minute for the visitors to put pressure on Grant Smith as referee Gary Parsons failed (a sentence quite often uttered….Rule 1, I know, I know) to give a free-kick in their favour in the middle of the park. Mason Ephron-Clarke got away and put in a shot which Smith had to deal with.

However, with the chances missed at the other end, you just knew the sucker punch was coming and it came on 72 minutes. Ephron-Clarke was at the heart of it again, firing a low cross in to the box and Nicke KABAMBA was there to steer home to opener.

Ex-Glover Dale Gorman is finally booked by referee Gary Parsons. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Lawson D’Ath was introduced in place of Pearson straight after the goal before Gorman finally found his way in to the referee’s book and was shortly substituted for his own safety.

But, with 11 minutes remaining, the visitors got their second A mistake by Max Hunt led to Smith came for a ball that was not his to come for and he found himself in No Man’s Land allowing KABAMBA to lift the ball over him and his second of the night.

Moments later, Chiori Johnson replaced Linton with Charlie Wakefield moving up front and the substitute soon found Lawson D’Ath whose cross came in from the right and found Jamie RECKORD at the far post and he fired home his second goal for the the club. Lifeline?

Sam Beard sent a free-kick just over the box which had Smith scrambling soon after and the keeper will have been relieved to see the effort go wide.

Toure almost turned an injury time corner home when he smashed an effort in which was blocked by a Barnet player on the line.

The pressure was all from Yeovil in injury time with a penalty shout for a shove on Morgan Williams before Toure and Sam Perry both had chances. However, it was too little, too late for the home side.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 Barnet 2

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Yeovil Town have named an unchanged squad for the visit of Barnet to Huish Park tonight (7.45pm kick-off).

Striker Malachi Linton will be looking to add to the first goal of the season he got in spectacular fashion in the 1-1 draw with Wrexham at the weekend, and he is again paired alongside Alex Fisher.

New signing Gime Toure remains on the substitutes’ bench having impressed when he came on against the Welshmen.

Barnet are also unchanged from their 2-2 draw at newly-promoted Gateshead at the weekend with former Glovers’ midfielder Dale Gorman continuing with the captain’s armband.

Another ex-player Connor Smith is among the visitors’ substitutes whilst Sean Shields scored early for W*ymouth when they held Yeovil to a 1-1 draw at Huish Park in February, three months before he was part of the side which was relegated.

Yeovil Town: Grant Smith, Morgan Williams, Max Hunt, Josh Staunton, Jamie Reckord, Charlie Wakefield, Sam Perry, Matt Worthington, Sam Pearson, Alex Fisher, Malachi Linton. Substitutes: Buse, Johnson, Pond, Toure, D’Ath.

Barnet: Walker, Wynter, Collinge, Okimo, Beard, Gorman, Pritchard,. De Havilland, Mason-Clark, Kabama, Shields Substitutes: Callan, Thokmas, Phillips, Smith, Hall.