Glovers Past #11 – Leroy Whale
2022-11-04
On this episode of the Glovers Past, Dave and Ben speak to former Glover Leroy Whale about his time at Huish Park in the mid-nineties. Enjoy!
Smith: Weekend off could be a blessing
2022-11-03
Yeovil Town goalkeeper Grant Smith spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game against Woking on Tuesday and, in a wide ranging interview, spoke about the teams perceived lack of confidence and how they’d be working hard to turn the form around.
“I don’t think it’s confidence, I just think it’s the way games pan out at the moment, we’re trying to hold on, whether it’s for the 1-0 win or just holding on for the clean sheet i just think we’re adding more and more pressure… eventually, teams can’t defend for 90 minutes.”
The “Best ‘Keeper In The League (Barrett, B Nov ’22) told Sheridan that he’s pleased with his own performances but that it counts for little in the grand scheme of things.
“Personally, I feel like I’ve been doing OK, but it’s a team game and at the end of the day if we’re not picking up results, it doesn’t matter how good or bad you do.”
With no First Round FA Cup game this weekend Smith hopes the break between games will serve his side well as they adjust to life under a new manager.
“I think this weekend, not having a game, could be a blessing because now we can spend some hours on the training pitch and hopefully the manager can play and put into shape what he wants from us and we’ve got enough time now before the next game now, we can put it from practice.”
The Glovers host Maidenhead United next Tuesday before Adi Yussuf’s Gateshead visit Huish Park the following Saturday.
Somerset Men’s Premier Cup tie date set
2022-11-02
Yeovil Town will once again host Taunton Town in cup football when the Peacocks come to Huish Park for the second round of the Men’s Somerset Premier Cup.
The tie has been set for Tuesday 15th November with a kick off time of 7.45pm
It marks the first step in the defence of the trophy won by Charlie Lee and his side in the 2021-22 season.
The referee has been confirmed as being Mark Russell who has been a regular with the flag as an assistant in the Championship and EFL competitions.
No ticket details have been confirmed at time of writing.
Five Conclusions: Woking 1 Yeovil Town 0
2022-11-02
It was a first match up against Darren Sarll since he left back in March, and the Glovers’ former manager got one over his old team guiding Woking to 1-0 win in Mark Cooper’s second match in charge of Yeovil Town.
A late Padraig Amond goal was the difference between the two sides in Surrey but only after he had seen a penalty saved by Grant Smith.
BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins was in the commentary box at Kingfield and here are her five conclusions.
It is plainly obvious the issues stem from not scoring goals.
Woking are a good side. They have goals all over the pitch, but Yeovil kept them at bay through some excellent one-on-one defending and a superb penalty save. But, when you have little up front, one mistake and the game is gone.
Sticking your centre back up front when chasing a goal tells you all you need to know about the lack of attacking prowess, but Mark Cooper was right, he was a threat. However, you don’t want to rely on that. The lack of natural goal scorers all over the pitch is the killer.
Grant Smith has had a superb season – but is not getting the plaudits he deserves.
And that is not a criticism of supporters, it is natural because the team are in the bottom four. However, he has continually kept the Glovers in games, and now saved two penalties this season. He did not deserve to be on the losing side last night – and that has been true multiple times this season.
? David Coates
Players will be given a chance under Mark Cooper and Max Hunt being back in the side showcases that.
He mentioned post match that there are still players vying for a place. I think this week is a big week for him to properly assess what he has at his disposal. He also said it is his job to get the best out of this squad which has been assembled. There will be changes and additions – I have no doubt about that – but it is also about instilling belief into the players currently wearing the shirt.
I think this is obvious and has been for a while but Yeovil are in a relegation battle. After Torquay’s storming win last night, things are getting tight at the bottom. The poor start to the season has put them in this position and a change has been made. The priority now has to be to pull away from that drop zone – experience is crucial in this division and the man in the dugout has plenty of that. I felt the fans were behind him last night – that can only be a positive. One game at a time, as they say!
We all wanted to be in the first round of the FA Cup, but maybe with everything that has happened a full week on the training pitch could be just what the Glovers need.
I will be commentating on MK Dons v Taunton, but I imagine Yeovil will be in a lot over the next week and it is a chance for new and fresh ideas.
With two home games in a row coming up – it might be just the reset they need to get results over the line.
Hellier to make “a full offer” for Glovers
2022-11-02
Businessman Martin Hellier has said he will make “a full offer” for Yeovil Town – and walk away if he is rebuffed.
The owner of Hellier Group, which sponsors the Main Stand at Huish Park, made the declaration in a tweet posted after the Glovers’ 1-0 defeat at Woking on Tuesday night.
The post read: “Tomorrow I will make a full offer for the club and grounds. If I’m refused, I walk. Goodnight.”
In a previous post he had added: “Change managers as often as you want. It’s players you need and there’s only one way that’s going to happen…”
The tweets were responded to by a number of supporters seeking to clarify the businessman’s intentions, he added that he was talking about “a full buy-back” of the club, its Huish Park stadium and surrounding land.
The stadium and surrounding land is now in the ownership of South Somerset District Council following the sale of it by current owner and chairman Scott Priestnall in May, so one assumes Hellier’s offer will be heading to the council as much as the chairman.
Cooper: We have to go to work
2022-11-02
Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper was under no illusions of the main aim facing his shot-shy team after Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Woking.
The Glovers failed to score for the eighth time this season and managed only two shots on goal – with only one being on target – during the defeat which left them in the National League relegation zone.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, Cooper said: “The players in the team to create did not produce tonight.
”We tried to change the system and the personnel to try and gain more territory, but the aim has to be to create more in front of goal.
”We have to try and develop more patterns of play that help create chances.”
He added that “players in the squad that have not featured yet” may get their opportunity soon with striker Jake Scrimshaw not in the squad despite travelling to Surrey.
In the final stages at Kingfield, giant centre half Ben Richards-Everton was moved up front in a desperate roll of the dice to create something to try.
Asked about this, Cooper added: “That might be the way we have to go, stick (Ben) up front and bash balls up to him.”
Match Report: Woking 1 Yeovil Town 0
2022-11-01
Venue: Kingfield
Tuesday 1st November, 7.45pm kick-off
Conditions:
Pitch: Soggy after a pre-match downpour
Scorers: Padraig Amond 84
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Jamie Andrews 30, Ben Richards-Everton 40, Ewan Clark 45, Jamie Reckord 61
Woking: Ricky Korboa 86, Rohan Ince 87
Referee: Lloyd Wood
Yeovil Town:
Substitutes: Gime Toure (for Chiori Johnson, 62), Will Dawes (for Malachi Linton, 62), Sam Perry (for Ewan Clark, 82). Will Buse (not used), Ollie Hulbert (not used).
Woking: Ross, Moss, Cuthbert, McNerney, Casey, Ince, Anderson, Kellerman, Korboa (for Vokins, 90), Clarke (for Roles, 69), Amond (for Bilongo 90+3). Substitutes (not used): Wady Roberts.
Match Report
Yeovil Town remain in the National League relegation zone after a late winner from Padraig Amond saw El Sarllico go the way of the former Glovers’ boss.
It was a case of third time lucky for the Irishman who was denied by the impressive Grant Smith in a one-on-one opportunity and moments later the keeper kept out a tame penalty, but with six minutes remaining the big money summer signing was on hand to tap home the winner.
Another blank in front goal means Mark Cooper’s men remain the lowest scorers in the National League with just 13 goals in 17 games and that was what cost us – again.
First half
The first 15 minutes did not offer much from either side finding out a pitch which was drenched by a downpour just ahead of kick-off, despite it being relatively dry in Surrey come 7.45pm.
Ricky Korboa forced the first save – albeit a fairly routine one – out of Grant Smith in the visitor’s goal after 14 minutes but, against a side on a good run of form, they managed to hold their own and rarely looked like they were being too threatened.
As the game approached the half-hour mark, there was a little sustained pressure from Yeovil, but did not do a great deal to threaten Craig Ross in the hosts’ goal.
Winger Ewan Clark did suffer some rough treatment winning a number of fouls which referee Lloyd Wood not picking up on any…..until debutant Jamie Andrews picked up a yellow for a 30th minute foul on the dangerous Korboa, who we struggled to contain.
Yeovil began to find their way in to the game as it progressed towards the interval, however, there was little in the way of quality from either side. Scrappy to put it politely.
It took a moment of superb defending from Max Hunt to clear from the middle of a sea of Woking players in first half injury time and then again rose highest to had another ball in. For a player who was completely out of favour under previous manager, Chris Hargreaves, he will have got plenty of confidence from that impressive piece of defensive play.
Half time: Woking 0 Yeovil Town 0
Second half
The scrappiness continued as the second half got underway along with the lightweight feel to the Yeovil frontline alongside
But, with ten minutes of the second half gone, the game sprang in to life. Woking striker Padraig Amond found himself one-on-one with visiting keeper Smith, who got a leg out to deny the Cardinals’ big money summer signing. Once again, Smith showing the quality he has displayed all season.
The defensive slip was the first blip in an otherwise controlled display from the visitors, but on 59 minutes a clumsy tackle by Owen Bevan on Jermaine Anderson saw a second penalty in three days awarded against the Glovers. It looked as if Anderson was going to take it only for Amond to grab the ball off him and his poor spot kick was saved by Smith.
With FC Halifax Town, the second lowest scorers in the National League, postponed due to the poor weather, Mark Cooper chucked on Gime Toure and Will Dawes in place of Chiori Johnson and Malachi Linton in an attempt to improve his side’s woeful attacking performance this season.
The response saw the game turn in to a real end-to-end affair but without much to trouble either Smith or Ross in the opposing goals.
But, with six minutes remaining, the defensive solidity which had been a hallmark of the visitors’ performance deserted them and gifted Woking the lead. They hesitated as Jack Roles’ ball fizzed in to the box and AMOND was at the back post to turn the ball home. When your luck’s not in, it’s not in.
Smith, a player who didn’t deserve to be on the losing side if ever there was one, pulled off a smart stop to deny Jim Kellerman in second half injury time.
Don’t score goals, you don’t win football matches.
Full time: Woking 1 Yeovil Town 0
Mark Cooper speaks to BBC Somerset ahead of Woking
2022-11-01
Ahead of El Sarllico at Woking, Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins. He’s what he had to say…..
SR: You have made three changes, but I understand a couple of those are enforced?
MC: That’s right. Morgan Williams is out with an ankle problem, Matt Worthington is out with a heel problem, so we have had to rejig a little bit. We managed to get Jamie (Andrews) in from West Brom, so he will come in and make his debut in midfield. Staunts (Josh Staunton) was touch and go, but he’s going to play.
SR: I suppose you don’t have a game at the weekend (due to the lack of FA Cup involvement), so the players just have to put their bodies on the line tonight?
MC: That’s it. They have got a week from tonight until the next game, so they have a week after today to get rested and I am hoping the majority of the injured boys will be back for the Maidenhead game (at Huish Park).
SR: What are you expecting from Jamie Andrews tonight?
MC: He’s an elegant, 6’1″, 6’2″ left-footed midfield player and he can run as well. I think he will give us a little bit of quality in the middle of the pitch and some good set-piece delivery as well, so I am excited to see him play.
SR: Both Jamie Reckord and Chiori Johnson are natural wing-backs, so it must be good to have them back in the side.
MC: With the personnel we have got available, it makes sense for us to play wing-backs. I am not massive on formations, it’s about the mentality. But with the players we have got available, that is the best balanced team we can pick at the moment.
SR: Woking are on a good run and fifth in the table, but they have a few injuries as well. It must all be about your players proving themselves to you tonight, isn’t it?
MC: I think it’s important that we concentrate on ourselves. We know against Darren Sarll’s team we have to compete and stand up, man for man, win our duels and the bits and pieces of tactical stuff we have worked on we need them to come to the fore. But first and foremost we need to compete.
SR: There seems to be a good following tonight, it’s not far from Yeovil, it must be good to see them tonight.
MC: I think when you come to a London club there’s always a few fans who lives in London that have moved away from Yeovil, so I am sure it will be a good following.
Team News: Woking (away)
2022-11-01
Welcome to the ‘box midfield’, sports fans! Mark Cooper‘s first team selection – if we assume the draw at Maidstone United on Saturday was a Chris Todd affair – has displayed the formation we heard all about* on his arrival.
There’s an immediate start for Jamie Andrews, the 6’0″ midfielder signed on loan from West Bromwich Albion on Monday, alongside captain Josh Staunton with Ewan Clark and Malachi Linton in being Alex Fisher up front for tonight’s visit to (Darren Sarll’s) Woking (7.45pm kick-off).
No place is found in the squad for Matt Worthington, who went off after taking a knock at the weekend, or Charlie Wakefield. The pre-match video released by the club shows both Jake Scrimshaw and Benjani Junior travelled to Kingfield despite not making the matchday squad.
Yeovil Town (3-4-2-1)
Substitutes: Will Buse, Sam Perry, Gime Toure, Will Dawes, Ollie Hulbert.