August 2023 (Page 8)

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Yeovil Town goal-scorer Jake Hyde has said he believes the team will become more ruthless the more they play together.

The frontman opened his account with a third minute goal in the 2-1  home win over St Albans City at Huish Park on Saturday with strike partner Rhys Murphy adding a second just before half-time.

But, both players and fellow forward Frank Nouble spurned a number of opportunities to extend the advantage.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall after the game, Hyde said: “The first half especially I felt we dominated play and there could have been three or four. That ruthlessness will come, the more we play (together) and get to know each other, the more we will start killing teams off.

“You have got to remember we are a relatively new team still, we are still learning how each other play and we have got some fantastic assets in the team.

“It is going to be exciting, we want to play exciting, expansive football and score a lot of goals and we should have gone in two or three up today.”

The former Wrexham and Southend United player, who arrived in South Somerset following his release by the North Wales side in the summer, made it perfectly clear he was not happy to hear the opening goal credited to Jordan Maguire-Drew after he headed home the play-maker’s cross.

It had appeared (from the Thatcher’s Stand at least) that Maguire-Drew’s effort had gone directly in, but Hyde was in no doubt that he had got a touch.

He said: “For me it was very clear. All the boys celebrated with me, it was a cross and a header, there is absolutely not clarification needed. It was very frustrating to hear another name announced because I didn’t even think it was in question.

“Four minutes in to your debut for a football club and you score a goal, that gives you confidence. Jordan who crossed it ran over to me and it was not even up for debate, so very disappointing that they got it wrong.

“Goals change games, so the first one was always going to be massive and with it being my first game I wanted to make an impact and drive us forward from the front.“

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Yeovil Town Mark Cooper praised his forward players as strikers Jake Hyde and Rhys Murphy both got off the mark in the 2-1 win over St Albans City at Huish Park on Saturday.

Hyde opened the scoring turning home a Jordan Maguire-Drew effort after just three minutes and Murphy added a second with a clinical finish from close range after the visitors had levelled following a mistake by keeper Will Buse.

But, the boss admitted to BBC Somerset reporter Ian Randall that the second half was “nervy” with an impressive visiting side continuing to press for an equaliser until the final whistle.

Asked whether he thought Hyde would be credited with the opener – which was initially given to Maguire-Drew – the boss said: “If he (Hyde) doesn’t get that, he won’t sleep tonight, he’ll be crying all night! He’s a goal-scorer he’s selfish and just wants to score goals. That is what we brought these forward players in for, to score goals. Two of them have got off the mark today.”

Cooper added: “We looked more of a goal threat, but I don’t think we will play many teams which are that expansive with their play. I don’t think we will play many teams like that but the three points are the main thing today because we are under a lot of pressure.

“There is a big, expectant crowd, we lost last week, so we just had to win. It takes the pressure off the boys and now we can go and attack (the home game against Truro City) on Tuesday night.”

Having gone ahead early, an error by Buse on the half-hour mark gifted St Albans striker Mitchell Weiss an equaliser. The mistake was the Yeovil-born keeper’s second in as many matches, having been at fault for the only goal in an opening day defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town seven days earlier, but Cooper was not critical of his keeper.

He said: “We don’t have to say too much to him, he will know that it is a mistake where he loses control. It’s just a long ball forward and he misjudges it and they score, but these things happen. We won’t berate him for that.”

Will Buse. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

 

Cooper described St Albans, who made the National League South play-off final last season, as “a really expansive and technical side” and, despite never being in front in the game, they never looked out of it.

The Yeovil boss said: “I thought we should have been further ahead than we were when they scored because we missed some good chances and their goal rocked us a little bit. But then we get our composure back and get another good goal and at the start of the second half we had a couple of great chances and should have killed the game off, but we didn’t and then it gets nervy.”

He introduced midfielder Josh Owers in the 84th minute of the second half – which had an additional ten minutes of time added on for stoppages at the end – to try and close the game out and Cooper admitted the three points were what his side needed from the game.

He said: “We started 4-4-2 and then changed to a 4-3-3 with Maguire-Drew in midfield and I just felt we needed another midfield player in there with Josh Owers (who came on as a XX minute substitute) to give us more legs and put Jordan out wide.

“It was just about the result today, I could have put more strikers on and tried to get a third or fourth and then we could have conceded. Today I was right but we are just pleased with the three points.

“Everyone can enjoy their Thatcher’s tonight and Sunday dinner tomorrow and hopefully they will come and support us again on Tuesday (against Truro City).”

Cooper also spoke with the club’s official YouTube channel following the win against St Albans…..

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First half goals from strikers Jake Hyde and Rhys Murphy earned Yeovil Town a win on their first National League South outing at Huish Park.

The Glovers made a fast start with Hyde turning home an effort from Jordan Maguire-Drew after just three minutes.

An error from goalkeeper Will Buse gifted the visitors an equaliser after half-an-hour before Murphy pounced to grab the winner just before half-time.

Here’s how Dave saw it from his position on the Thatcher’s…..

First half

If a fast start was what was needed, it arrived after just three minutes. A first foray forward involving Matt Worthington and Rhys Murphy saw the latter tumble in the box under a tackle, only for the ball to break to Jordan Maguire-Drew whose lashed effort rebounded off of JAKE HYDE to open the scoring. 1-0

But if anyone thought that was that (and a few at the back of the Thatcher’s Stand certainly said they did) then St Albans quickly proved them wrong. Mitchell Weiss broke away on the counter attack, switching the ball to James whose powerful effort was superbly turned away by Will Buse after five minutes.

On seven minutes, Murphy dragged a shot wide soon after Maguire-Drew tried to pick out Frank Nouble at the back post but the cross was just too high for him.

The visitors enjoyed a lot of possession and were finding a couple of gaps in the Yeovil midfield. Andronicos Georgiou put a pot shot straight at Buse before another dangerous effort saw Dylan Fage combine with Giorgio Rasulo. This time it was Josh Staunton who was there to block it allowing Buse to claim.

On 21 minutes, a lung-busting run from Nouble down the left wing, he drilled the ball in to Hyde but Saints’ keeper Michael Johnson was equal to it.

But on the half-hour mark the visitors found an equaliser and, for the second week running, it was an error from Buse. A long ball over the top saw the keeper caught in no man’s land as he came out of his area to meet WEISS, but the striker got the better of it and was able to slot in to an unguarded net. 1-1

Two minutes later, Murphy has an opportunity to do exactly the same as Johnson came out of his area to meet him. The striker got the better of that contest, but his effort was high, wide and not so handsome in to the away terrace.

With five minutes of the half remaining Charlie Cooper came within the width of a goalpost from scoring. A nice move in from the left saw it break to the midfielder on the edge of the box and his effort had Johnson beaten…..but not the woodwork.

A minute before the end of normal time in the first half Yeovil restored the lead. A cross broke in the box to MURPHY who brought it down and drilled the ball home. The type of clinical finishing inside the box which was so sorely lacking last season. 2-1

Half time:  Yeovil Town 2 St Albans City 1

Second Half

St Albans said started the second half taking game to their hosts. After Staunton had cleared a dangerous ball in to the box away, the resulting corner landed to Ryan Blackman who took a swing at it but his effort was well stopped by the diving Buse.

A midfield two of Cooper and Worthington certainly didn’t offer much in the way of protection, seemingly wanting to both go forward at the same time as JM-D and our front three, and the visitors were happy to pick up the pieces.

Chances were fewer and farther between this half but one dropped to Maguire-Drew on the hour mark, but he lifted it in to the Thatcher’s Stand. Three minutes later Hyde had a gilt-edged opportunity as the ball broke to him inside the box, but he pulled it wide with just Johnson in the visitors’ goal to beat.

Nouble broke down the left again on 65 minutes, nutmegged his marker but his effort was turned aside for a corner.

The next opportunity on 71 minutes came to Murphy who took advantage of a misjudgement by Johnson but fluffed his effort inside the box. He claimed he’d been pushed by the keeper and even went off for treatment. Rhys Murphy doing Rhys Murphy things.

Josh Owers replaced Nouble and Olly Thomas came on for Hyde before the end, but the second half was certainly more fragmented.

With four minutes of the ten added on played, a free-kick in to deep was nodded down by Williams to the edge of the box where Thomas struck it towards goal by Johnson was level to it

Full time: Yeovil Town 2 St Albans City 1

 

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Saturday, 12th August, 3pm kick-off

Pitch: Perfect
Conditions: Sunshine and sideways showers

Attendance: 3412 (86 away supporters)

Scorers: Jake Hyde 3 (1-0), Mitchell Weiss 30 (1-1), Murphy 44 (2-1).

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Will Buse, Morgan Williams, Alex Whittle, Josh Staunton, Jake Wannell, Charlie Cooper, Matt Worthington, Jordan Maguire-Drew, Frank Nouble (for Josh Owers, 84), Ryan Murphy (for Jamie Sendles-White, 90+5), Jake Hyde (for Olly Thomas, 87). Substitutes (not used): Lewis Williams, Jordan Young.

St Albans City: Johnson, James, Brown, Smith, Bowry, Blackman (for Hoddle, 61), Rasulo, Weiss, Georgiou (for Dunn, 77), Fage (for Jeffers 86), Carlyle. Substitutes (not used): Clark, Da Silva.

Referee: Thomas Green

Yeovil Town (4-3-3)

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St Albans City visit Huish Park today for the first home game of the season. We learn all about today’s opponents from Lee Wood off of the Pod Full of Saints podcast.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Leave us a review and share the pod with a pal.

We’d love to welcome some local businesses into the Gloverscast family through advertising. If you’re a business that would like to speak to a dedicated audience of more than 1000 monthly listeners, please get in touch. Find out more about advertising with us here.

If you have an idea for the website, want to contribute or just want to send us a message, feel free to email ian@gloverscast.co.uk.

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Playmaker Jordan Maguire-Drew has extended his contract with Yeovil Town by a further two years.

The 25-year-old signed an 18-month deal with the club when he made an initial loan period from League Two side Grimsby Town permanent in January.

He scored three times in 19 appearances in National League Premier last season.

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Yeovil return to Huish Park this weekend with St Albans City the visitors. Ahead of the game we’ve caught up with club Director Rhys Rosser about his journey from supporter to Director and how the last 3 months have been. We take your questions and find out if Rob Manley can retain his crown as the Gloverscast Quiz Champion.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Leave us a review and share the pod with a pal.

We’d love to welcome some local businesses into the Gloverscast family through advertising. If you’re a business that would like to speak to a dedicated audience of more than 1000 monthly listeners, please get in touch. Find out more about advertising with us here.

If you have an idea for the website, want to contribute or just want to send us a message, feel free to email ian@gloverscast.co.uk.

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Yeovil Town will be looking to put a poor opening day performance behind them as they face St Albans in the first game at Huish Park this season.

After what has been a turbulent week off the pitch for the Glovers, the playing staff will be hoping they can right some of the wrongs of the last week with a win.

The Saints however come in to the game off a 2-1 win against Towns bitter rivals W*ymouth.

Yeovil Town News:

Manager Mark Cooper expressed his desire to show what his team are “really about”. He said: “We were miles away from where we need to be and I know that and the work this week has been trying to refocus and get the boys in to a place where they can have a platform to showcase their ability.”

Cooper was not happy with his teams decision making in the final third last week. He said: “We picked so many wrong selections of passes and crosses last week that it was always going to be difficult for us to score.”

 

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper speaking to the media.

The former Forest Green Rovers boss referenced the fact “Jake Hyde was available for selection” as a reason for a turnaround in his sides attacking play against St Albans.

Cooper also backed local boy Will Buse, “to thrive off the home crowd” this weekend after his mix up with Zac Bell led to the Hemel Hempstead goal.

Jordan Stevens is the only player unavailable for selection through injury.

St Albans News

Speaking to St Albans YouTube after their win against W*ymouth, manager David Noble spoke about the up coming match against the Glovers. He said: “We will go watch their game from today and go from there. We’re just focusing on ourselves, it’s a tough, but we have to play everyone at some point.”

Noble, who had a loan spell at Yeovil in 2009, has another former Glover in Shaun Jeffers at his disposal. However, after scoring 27 goals last season for the Saints, he has found himself on the bench for the opening game and most of preseason. This is down to Noble preferring players who “run rather than score goals” according to the “A Podful of Saints” podcast.

The Hertfordshire side have quality in their ranks outside of Jeffers, with central midfielder Ryan Blackman a key player for the Saints. After joining in January, Blackman quickly became a fan favourite helping guide his side to the playoffs last year.

Left Back Ben Wyatt, is touch and go after picking up a slight knock.

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Frank Nouble wants his Yeovil Town team-mates to rid themselves of the “nervous energy” to help lift the losing feeling around the club.

The experienced striker, who joined in the summer following his exit from Torquay United, said he felt the feeling of “here we go again” after the opening day defeat against Hemel Hempstead Town.

Speaking on Thursday ahead of the opening home match of the season against St Albans City, he said: “On Saturday I felt it ‘oh not another defeat’. I just want to dismiss this feeling of ‘here we go again’, I don’t want to swear but that is how it felt.

“We have another game now and another chance to prove ourselves again and whoever we play Saturday and in the games coming up, they will feel a much different Yeovil Town to the one I saw last weekend.”

He added: “There was a nervous energy which you have to turn that in to a fearless attitude, whatever happens, happens but I am going to give everything.

“You can still give everything and still be nervous and it takes voices in the dressing room to change that as the game goes on.

“Nothing is going to go perfectly, but we want to make sure that next time there is an away following like that we have to make them proud of our performance – win, lose or draw.”

Frank Nouble.
Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

The 31-year-old started up front last weekend alongside Rhys Murphy and Jordan Maguire-Drew and admitted he was not happy with his own performance.

He said: “I did not think I got to show the physical aspects which I can show in a game or my dribbling, so I know I was not as effective as I could have been in the game.

“Hopefully that will change on Saturday and hopefully the style of play that we approach the game with will be a bit more like how we want to do things here.”