October 2022 (Page 2)

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Venue: Gallagher Stadium, Maidstone
Saturday 29th October, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Unseasonably hot for late October
Pitch: Fluffed plastic

Attendance: 2,147 (133 away supporters)

Scorers:  Alex Fisher 13 (0-1), Regan Booty 90+6 pen (1-1)

Bookings:

Yeovil Town: Clarke 45, Richards-Everton 60, Worthington 71
Maidstone: Odusanya 23, Barkers 37, Booty 41, Galvin 45, Greenidge 52,

Referee: Jacob Miles

Yeovil Town:

Grant Smith

Morgan Williams   Owen Bevan   Max Hunt   Ben Richards-Everton

Josh Staunton

Matt Worthington (Ollie Hulbert 72)    Sam Perry (Charlie Wakefield 63)

Ewan Clarke (Chiori Johnson 63)                                                           Malachi Linton

Alex Fisher

Substitutes (not used): Gime Toure, Will Dawes

Maidstone United: Sandford, Hoyte, Galvin, Barham, Mensah, Odusanya, Booty, Pattisson, Greenidge, Deacon, Barkers. Subs: Mersin, Ellul, Alabi, Fawole, Gurung

Match Report

A stoppage time penalty from Regan Booty prevented Yeovil Town from recording their first away win of the season at fellow relegation zone residents Maidstone United.

David Coates⁩ (almost inexplicably) travelled from Lancashire to Kent for the match, here’s how he saw the Glovers’ eighth draw of the season.

First half

New Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper watched his first game in charge from the stands in Kent, shielding his eyes as he looked out on the pitch – much like every travelling supporter risking a late October sunburn from behind the goal defended by hosts’ keeper Ryan Sandford.

An effort from Josh Staunton skied high, wide and not so handsome over the bar after just seven minutes was as close as the visitors got in the opening exchanges.

Maidstone were the first to carve out an opening when on nine minutes when a defence-splitting pass from Regan Booty picked out Christie Pattison whose cross evaded everyone.

Five minutes later, Yeovil were ahead. A beautifully struck ball forward from Owen Bevan was met by the head of Alex FISHER who beat his defender Jacob Mensah from the edge of the box to loop a ball over the out-of-position Sandford and give the Glovers the lead.

On 22 minutes, the ball was in the net from the visitors when Ewan Clark’s free-kick was flicked in to the net by Ben Richards-Everton following a scramble, but was adjudged to be offside. From behind the goal with the sun burning my corneas, it did not look offside but I’ll give the official the benefit of the doubt.

In the 40th minute, Yeovil should have doubled their advantage. A deft touch forward by Fisher played Matt Worthington on who didn’t either try to touch it round the susceptible Sandford or leather it and it ran harmlessly through to the keeper.

If there’s one thing the Mark Cooper era brought in that first half, it was more fight. Ethan Clark, quite possible the slightest player in the Yeovil line-up, gave a shove in the back of his marker and sent him flying over a chair on the sideline.  The foul he drew from his marker immediately afterwards told you that this may be exactly what he needed to do a against a Maidstone team low on confidence. [Okay, having seeing this on the highlights, the Maidstone player made more of it than it was, but I will wager the push in the back would not have happened four days earlier].

The first half finished 1-0 but should have been more.

Half time: Maidstone 0 Yeovil Town 1

Second half

A early Richards-Everton header saw Yeovil come close after, but it was Maidstone who came closer on 53 minutes. They were given time and space on the edge of the visitors’ box to work Booty in to a shooting position which was nothing more than routine for Grant Smith, but cue some alarm bells.

Two minutes later, Smith was called in to his first meaningful action of the day to turn Jack Barham’s header from a left-wing cross over the bar.

The home side certainly came out with more of a spring in their step, but they were met by a more resilient response from Yeovil. But, whilst managing to keep their opponents out, the tendency to sit deep which has cost us so many times this season still appears to be there. And, if Cooper’s wild gesticulating was anything to go by, the new manager saw it too.

As the home side grew in confidence, the scars of the season so far on Yeovil’s confidence began to show. Substitute Josh Fawole poked an effort wide and with ten minutes to go Ryan Galvin’s speculative header hit the bar.

With two minutes to go Gavin Hoyte was given a free header from a corner which he should have done better before Fawole was denied by a well-timed tackle from Owen Bevan.

To say the second half was attritional would have been an understatement, but just when you thought Cooper’s reign may begin with a win, the fourth official held up six minutes of injury time. My heart wavered at that, I admit.

And in the fifth minute of time added on, Yeovil paid the price for their defensive second half display when Roarie Deacon tumbled under a tackle from Ollie Hulbert. From the angle I was at it did look like some of Hulbert’s boot connected with Alabi’s but the attacker was on his way down long before the contact was made.

When home supporters outside the ground tell you that it was never a penalty you know your luck is out. BOOTY fire the spot kick expertly in to the corner and the spoils were settled.

Alex Fisher, Chiori Johnson and Max Hunt applaud the fans at Maidstone
? David Coates

Full time: Maidstone United 1 Yeovil Town 1

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New Yeovil manager Mark Cooper spoke to BBC’s Matt Mesiano ahead of the his first match in-charge of the Glovers against Maidstone.

MM: First thing to say, welcome to the club, how have the first day for you been?

“Busy as you’d expect, trying to get to know the players, the staff, how the club works. So, it’s been hectic but enjoyable.”

MM: The fans have been left fr*strated for most of this season, with just two victories from 15 league games and a disappointing exit from the cup. I suppose the questions the fans want to know is can you turn this team around and give the fans something to smile about again?

“Well I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t think I could, which is the first thing. I think the previous manager got a bit unlucky, played some decent football and probably didn’t get what they deserved in some games. So we’ve got to try and get the players to feel good about themselves, get some confidence back and get them on the front foot and get the fans behind them again. And that’s the aim, certainly from the start today.

MM: A bit of baptism of fire today, after just one day with the players. I understand you’ve had an input in todays game but Chris Todd will be actually taking it from the touchline?

“That’s right yeah, I’m going to watch the game from upstairs today so I can get a really good picture of it, a good view and I’ll be on the phone to Chris if need be.”

MM: I think an issue that a lot of the fans had is that they didn’t really feel like the formation was working, they said 3-5-2 didn’t have the suitability for the players. How do you like playing and what have you seen so far that gives you an idea of how you’d like to play with this team?

“I don’t want to get to het up about systems. It’s more of a mentality and intent. Its more about committing to the game plan and how you’re going to play. any system can be adapted within five yards so whatever system we play its about the intent and committing tot he gameplan which is what were going to try and do to today.”

Would you like to try and bring in some new blood to help you go forward with that?

“I think its natural that well add a couple just to freshen the group up, not to replace anyone but to freshen the group up and give us a little bit more depth and bit more competition.”

MM: I suppose on of the big issues is your top scorer is a left back with three and he’s suspended today so where are the goals going to come from?

“Well, I hope you brought your boots, firstly. No, we want the goals to come from all around the team, of course we do. But its about the mentality to get in off the balls in the penalty area for different sorts of goals and for the opposition to make mistakes.”

MM: I suppose today is quite a good chance for you to get back on a winning track because your playing a team in a similar position to yourselves who’ve also not been able to score recently?

“They did brilliant last year to get promoted. And obviously coming into the this league as a part time or hybrid team is tough. Its a tough game obviously, it’s a plastic pitch which is a huge advantage for the opposition. But we have to try and concentrate on us, which is what we’ve tried to do in the last two days.”

Finally from me, what are the realistic aims for this season? Promotion would be fantastic but I suppose sustaining where are currently is the first goal right?

“Promotion, first thing I haven’t got a magic wand. And I think its important that wejust deal with the immediate future and that’s today. If we look too far ahead we can get in a bit of a mess, so it’s importasnt we just concentrate on today and that’s trying to get three points.”

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Yeovil Town have their first starting XI of the Mark Cooper era.

In what looks like 4-3-3 formation, Morgan Williams comes back into the side at Right back. Max Hunt is restored to the starting line up alongside Owen Bevan at centre half with Ben Richards-Everton switching to left back with Jamie Reckord suspended.

Skipper Josh Staunton is back in midfield, with Malachi Linton coming in for Ollie Hulbert who drops to the bench.

Charlie Wakefield is also back amongst the Substitutes.

The side in full.

Grant Smith

Morgan Williams – Owen Bevan – Max Hunt – Ben Richards-Everton

Matt Worthington – Josh Staunton – Sam Perry

Malachi Linton – Alex Fisher – Ewan Clark

Subs

Toure, Wakefield, Dawes, Hulbert, Johnson

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Yeovil Town chairman Scott Priestnall has given “assurances” to new manager Mark Cooper, according to the new boss.

He told the club’s YouTube channel that he had received a late night phone call from the owner and had to do “a bit of soul searching” before deciding to step back in to front line having parted company with League Two Barrow in March.

The interview which appears to have been recorded on Thursday when the former Swindon Town and Forest Green Rovers manager visited Huish Park.

Cooper said: “I had a good chat with the owner and decided to go for it. I wanted to get back to work, I have been out now for six months so it was important I got back to work somewhere I can get my teeth in to.

“I knew a few of the players and staff so I am excited and really looking forward to it.”

Asked about his conversation with the chairman, he added: “(It was) pretty detailed in terms of what the job entails, the squad and whether we can add to it and assurances for the future, he gave me those (and told me) he would let me come in and get on with it which was a big thing.

“It’s important you know the level and the players. At the moment, it’s about simplifying things for the players and trying to give them a platform to regain confidence.”

Asked what it was attracted him to want to take over at Huish a Park, Cooper recalled his previous visits to Somerset in charge of Swindon Town and Forest Green Rovers.

“Historically this can be a big club, I think we need to unite the players, the supporters, everybody needs to come together.

“If we can get the supporters on board we can get big attendances here. I think the squad is alright and the fact it is a big club historically is what attracted me.”

Cooper took charge of Swindon for a 1-1 draw in Somerset in October 2014 and a 2-1 win for his Forest Green side over Darren Way’s Yeovil in December 2018. Both games ended with Cooper’s men having ten men and the most recent fixture saw them score twice in injury time to take three points – including a goal from a certain Reuben Reid.

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Businessman Martin Hellier, the owner of Hellier Group which sponsors the Main Stand at Huish Park has spoken to the BBC’s Matt Faulkner about his interest in Yeovil Town and what he would do if he were the owner. Here’s a transcript from his interview yesterday.

MH: “I think in business it would always be a wonderful luxury to be acquiring a very successful, very achieving business but by sheer definition it is probably unlikely to be for sale at any reasonable price for someone like my point of view. One of the main enjoyments of business for me is the challenge of it, taking something that might not be in the best possible condition and making efficiencies and improvements.”

MF: You mentioned your tweet earlier about expressing an interest in the club, you also stated that you wouldn’t be interested in being in a part-owner. So does that mean on some level, you’d actually like to run the club?

MH: “I think in terms of running the club, running it as the chairman of the club, but any successful business does surround itself with some very clever people and that is certainly how we operate as a group.

“I think in terms of consortiums and so on, when suddenly, with eh greatest of respect, everyone’s coming out of the woodwork and saying I’ll run it with this person, we’ll run it together with these people, well I can only look at my history in a sense of without being in the driving seat of being able to make decisions, your voice and opinions and the way you want to take things forward can become very diluted and then you’ve suddenly got multiple directors arguing about how much we should charge for a cup of coffee down there or something.

“That’s not to say I know everything, I have some very clever advisors in our group who will give me the best advice that they feel is right.

“It goes back to how you run a business and how good you are at running a business and how free you are to make those choices and, quite rightly, how you are the only one to blame when it goes wrong.”

MF: Martin, fans will hear you talking about business, and I think will set alarm bells going. We hear on bigger stages of football clubs, we hear fans think that the board is removed from the lcub, they only want to make money, they don’t want to see the club successful, other than to make money. How are you going to convince them that actually there is a proper balance that you can have here that could allow you to do what you want to do and the fans to see what they want to see on the pitch?

MH: “Of many opportunities which have come up to me before, I have never felt so committed to wanting to make this one work and at the same time I have never been more realistic of the unlikelihood of possibly getting very much back from it.

“I can understand the suspicion and concern – what’s the hidden agenda? I think you can only portray yourself at this stage to someone who is genuinely committed. There’s several elements to this business and none of which are mutually exclusive to each other in my view, of what the problem is.

“First and foremost, player investment is lacking. From what I have seen recently, players need the confidence to press forward and take opportunities. Recently they are a little stiff on the pitch, partly down to the feeling of low morale throughout the stadium, the general animosity on social media and the pressure they are under when you are hovering around the relegation zone. And that is reflecting the confidence of the players who’ve not got the sort of mavericks.

“I believe also the mechanism of feeding up players from grass roots no longer exists and that need to be addressed along with the heritage, we don’t seem to call ourselves giant-killers so much these days.

“The next point is clearly there is a disconnect between the fan base and the current owner which would need restoring. Retail business is consumer driven and football clubs are fan driven. You have to restore the dialogue between representatives of the fans like the Glovers’ Trust and so on and the club itself.

“The (lack of) matchday experience is a coming through a lot from fans and needs to be addressed. There needs to be a programme of continual improvement of standards for the fans in terms of the amenities, the outdated decor of the bar and catering facilities and so on – it’s not just one thing, it’s many things.”

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New Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said he will “have an input” in to his new side’s match against Maidstone United this weekend.

However, he is expecting Chris Todd, assistant manager to his predecessor Chris Hargreaves, and the club’s Head of Player Development Marcus Stewart to take the team for the National League fixture.

The 53-year-old, who previously managed Forest Green Rovers and Swindon Town, was confirmed on a two-and-a-half year contract on Friday morning following Hargreaves’ exit the previous day.

Mark Cooper on the touchline at Huish Park as Swindon Town manager in October 2014. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

In an interview with the club’s YouTube channel, Cooper said: “Because it’s so close to the weekend, it’s important I trust the staff that are here, Chris Todd and Marcus Stewart, who have a good handle on what is needed. So I will be relying on them picking the right team on Saturday.

“I will have an input, but it’s important that I use their judgement because we will not have too much time on the training pitch.”

No mention was made in the interview about it, however, Cooper appears to still have two matches of an eight-match touchline ban he picked up having been found guilty by an independent FA panel of using “abusive and/or insulting words” towards a female assistant referee which “included a reference, whether express or implied, to gender.” 

Cooper denied the allegations but a panel later found them to be proven and imposed the ban. However, if it is still two matches he has to serve then this would prevent him being on the touchline on Saturday and for next Tuesday’s trip to Darren Sarll’s Woking.

He would be available for his first home match at home to Maidenhead United on Tuesday 8th November.

In his interview, the new boss said he would be focusing on “simplicity” in his instructions to his new squad as he bids to rebuild their confidence after a start to the season which has seen them win just two matches in their first 17 in all competitions.

They dropped in to the National League relegation zone after Tuesday night’s 2-0 home defeat to Aldershot Town which spelled the end of Hargreaves’ reign, and face a Maidstone side two places and one point behind them in the table.

Cooper said: “When players are fragile confidence-wise it is about simplicity. That is going to be the key message, let’s keep it simple.

“Asking players to do what they are good at and play to what their strengths are is really important, that is the message we will be getting across.

“The first thing I ask for is to give everything you’ve got, and that covers a multitude of sins and we can add other things as we go. I am sure from what I have seen and been told, it is a good group that doesn’t lack in effort and desire.”

In a message to fans, the new boss said: “I have been here when it’s been packed and it’s been a hostile atmosphere and we need to get that back.

“I know it’s difficult when you are not winning games and there’s a mistrust between the club (and the supporters).

“I will just say ‘come and back these players, I can’t guarantee you results, but I can guarantee you we will have a real good go and be on the front foot.”

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Mark Cooper has been named as the new Yeovil Town manager just hours after the departure of Chris Hargreaves from the Huish Park hot-seat.

The 53-year-old was confirmed on Friday morning having been at the club on Thursday following the announcement of Hargreaves’ sacking this morning.

He has joined on a two-and-a-half year contract.

Mark Cooper in the stands for Yeovil Town’s 2-0 defeat at Oldham Athletic last weekend.

In a statement, Cooper said: “It’s good to be here. I already know a few of the players and staff so I’m excited and really looking forward to it.

“If you look historically, this can be a big club. We need to unite; the players, the supporters. Everybody needs to come together and that can play such a big part.”

Chairman Scott Priestnall added: “I’m delighted to welcome Mark to the Club, he is a manager I have admired for a long time.

“Mark has the promotion credentials we are looking for, with a strong background at this level and above.

“I’m pleased to get the deal done swiftly so Mark can get straight to work.”

No details have been given as to the situation with regards to Chris Todd, who was Hargreaves’ assistant, and Marcus Stewart, Head of Player Development, who joined at the same time as Hargreaves.

Cooper was in the stands for the Glovers’ 2-0 defeat at Oldham Athletic last weekend and, since that result a a 2-0 loss at home to Aldershot Town spelled the end of Hargreaves’ 15-match time as manager.

Cooper’s last managerial job saw him leave League Two Barrow by mutual consent in March with the Cumbrian side in the division’s relegation places.

During that spell, he was given an eight-match touchline ban having been found guilty by an independent FA panel of using “abusive and/or insulting words” towards a female assistant referee which “included a reference, whether express or implied, to gender.” Cooper denied the allegations but a panel later found them to be proven and imposed the ban.

By our maths, Cooper served six matches of his ban which could mean he is not available to make it in to the dug out for the Glovers’ match at Maidstone United, who share the National League’s bottom four with them, on Saturday.

However, there is plenty of managerial success on Cooper’s CV having guided Forest Green Rovers to the National League in 2017 and been in charge at Swindon Town when they reached the League One play-off finals in 2015.

As a player he turned out more than 100 times for Exeter City over two spells having started his career in the academy at Bristol City. His father, Terry, who played for England in the 1970 World Cup, managed both Bristol clubs in the 1980s.

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130 supporters shared their views on the month of September and gave now former-manager Chris Hargreaves a score of 2.9 out of 7 and scored the players performance at 3.47 out of 7 – both a drop of the August score.

Off the pitch, with the average score to the question ‘What would score the ownership/board this month?’ dropped from 2.13 to 1.88 out of 7. With regards to communication the score was 2.19 out of 7 and supporters scored the matchday experience 2.6.

Thank you to the 130 supporters who took part, keep an eye out for the October tracker in a couple of days.

Aug 22Sep 22Oct 22Nov 22Dec 22Jan 23Feb 23Mar 23Apr 23Aug 23Sep 23Oct 23Nov 23
What would you score the ownership/board this month?2.131.881.652.352.11.892.133.252.583.915.56.365.08
How has the manager performed this month?3.372.91.935.545.165.094.292.82.494.325.646.345.16
What would you score the communication from the club this month?2.322.191.942.472.21.842.543.51.365.275.385.885.21
What would you score the match day experience this month?2.762.62.13.243.122.93.163.61.225.225.285.435.2
How have the players performed this month?3.603.472.325.344.784.753.293.252.345.55.315.65.35
Responses2191301401481419437401292071507680

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Yeovil Town director Stuart Robins has said manager Chris Hargreaves‘ record of two wins in 17 matches in charge spelt the premature end to his time in charge at Huish Park.

The shareholder said the club was looking to “bring someone in with experience at this level and above” with former Forest Green Rovers and Swindon Town boss Mark Cooper thought to be in the frame for the job.

Stuart Robins, centre, with Martyn Starnes, left, and Scott Priestnall at the match at Altrincham in August.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Matt Faulkner on Thursday afternoon, Robins said the club’s exit from the FA Cup at the hands of lower league Taunton Town was “an incredible disappointment”, but insisted that was not the end for Hargreaves.

He said: “The only way that the fans will get really behind the team is if we produce a winning team, we have got to win football matches.

“That is the disappointment (of Hargreaves’ tenure) because in the some games we played some really good football but didn’t come away with the results.

“Chris often used to say to me ‘I do understand this is a results business’ and it is, we have got to win football matches.

“Even if we win ugly that’s fine because at the moment we just have to climb up that league and if that happens the fans will get behind us.“