September 2023 (Page 8)

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Mark Cooper said he felt the better team lost as his Yeovil Town side came from behind to pick up a 3-2 home win over Eastbourne Borough at Huish Park today.

The manager described the sweltering conditions the match was played in as “dangerous” and said his players had to stop him having to make personnel and tactical switches to win games.

Having gone ahead early through striker Frank Nouble‘s second goal in as many games, the Glovers were rocked by a quickfire double from the visitors’ Jack Paxman before Nouble pulled them level with an audacious chip just before half-time.

The boss made changes bringing on midfielder Charlie Cooper and striker Jake Hyde at the break and it was a 69th minute strike from Josh Owers which saw them maintain their unbeaten home start.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Tom Seymour after the game, the boss said: “We started the game well and scored and we just made so many bad decisions. I did not think we played well today, I felt we got the job done but I thought Eastbourne were better than us today.

“They looked like they had more energy than us and they played on Wednesday night, but what I can say about this team is that they keep going and always look like they have a goal in them.

“We have scored so many late goals now and that is becoming a habit and a good one. We keep going, we know we have got work to do and we know we have got to be better.

“I should not have had to make so many changes to the team at half time and the shape of the team which made us miles better in the second half, but the positives are it was three points and we move on.”

On his changes which included the introduction of midfielder Jordan Stevens, who is making his way back from an injury sustained in pre-season, Cooper added: “We looked more solid, we didn’t look like we’d get played through and we had more calmness with the ball. When you put Hydey and Frank together or Hydey and Murph or Frank and Murph, they can ask questions of the defence. Then when you can bring Jordan Stevens on, his pace is electric and it contributed to us getting the winner.”

He was full of praise for goal-scorers Nouble, who took his tally to four for the season with his brace today, and Owers, who started ahead of Charlie Cooper having impressed in the midweek win at Weston-super-Mare. 

On Nouble, the manager said: “He’s been brilliant the last two games playing as a number nine. He can play anywhere across the front, but the last two games he has been a leader, a warrior and scored his goals so really happy with him. He has big respect in the changing room and he led the team today.

On Owers, he added: “Josh has got a good engine. We have four midfield players who could be Olympic athletes with the amount of distance they cover and the pace they cover the ground in. That is a big thing for us and Josh has been great, scored a great goal and he will sleep well tonight.”

The result moved Yeovil up to sixth in the National League South table after nine games, three points behind early season leaders, Bath City, and means they go in to next weekend’s FA Cup second qualifying round tie with AFC Stoneham with back-to-back league wins under their belts.

After the Cup tie, the Glovers travel to Hampton & Richmond, who sit fourth from bottom of the table, and then welcome newly-promoted Aveley, who have had a bright start despite losing 2-0 at Slough Town today, to Huish Park.

Cooper said: “I don’t like looking at the table, someone just showed me it and we are three points off the top, so we are in good shape. But we have some work to do before the next league game.”

As is the case this season, the manager also gave an interview to the club’s press officer, Dan Howell, which was broadcast on the club’s official YouTube channel. 

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A second half strike from midfielder Josh Owers saw Yeovil Town keep their unbeaten home run intact with a 3-2 win over Eastbourne Borough at a sweltering Huish Park.

The Glovers took the lead when Frank Nouble rose unmarked inside the box to power home a 13th minute header.
But, the visitors, led by winger Leone Gravata stunned the home crowd with a quickfire double from Jack Paxman.

Nouble added his second with an audacious goal two minutes in to first half stoppage time, lifting a ball over Eastbourne keeper Ben Dudzinski after he had come racing off his line.

The conditions took their toll in a scrappy second half but it was a moment of quality which won it when Owers lashed an unstoppable winner in on 69 minutes.

First half

A slip from Morgan Williams gave Decarrey Sheriff the opportunity to come forward and Josh Staunton committed what referee Neil Pratt considered a foul. A lot of the rest of Huish Park disagreed.

Two unbelievable saves from Joe Day, at first when he had to get down at the feet of the visitors’ Fletcher Holman to clear it before pulling off a super save to turn an effort from Leone Gravata aside moments later. Absolutely world class saves from the on loan Newport County man.

But immediately at the other end, it was the home side were ahead. A corner from Jordan Young, who did superbly to win the flag kick, found the head of Frank NOUBLE who powered home his second in as many matches.

Frank Nouble scored his second in as many matches to give the Glovers a 13th minute lead.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The first of an anticipated many drinks breaks on the UK’s hottest day of the year so far came after 15 minutes when Eastbourne defender Freddie Carter went down injured. He was replaced by ex-Swindon Town man Yaser Kasim four minutes later.

The first of an anticipated many drinks breaks on the UK’s hottest day of the year so far came after 15 minutes when Eastbourne defender Freddie Carter went down injured. He was replaced by ex-Swindon Town man Yaser Kasim four minutes later.

Nouble and Young combined superbly on 23 minutes for the big frontman to power forward by a great last ditch tackle saw his effort blocked. Matt Worthington lifted his effort over the bar from the rebound. Great bit of play from Yeovil.
Another slip by Williams saw Gravata find Holman whose angled effort went wide. The offside flag was up but it was a great opportunity.

Moments later, Holman had another great opportunity as Bell lost possession and Gravata’s ball in from the left found Holman who was denied by a superb block from Josh Staunton.

Following another drinks break (told you there would be a few), Eastbourne exploited space down the left again and this time they got the equaliser their dominance had threatened.

It was Gravata again who had a low drive blocked and it landed to the feet of Jack PAXMAN whose shot from the edge of the area flew past Joe Day after 36 minutes.

And two minutes later he was at it again. Paxman found Holam inside the area, the young striker had an effort blocked and again it was PAXMAN who hammered his second.

The threat down the left was clear with Gravata targeting Bell to good effect and Eastbourne overloaded down that side.

Yeovil were shell-shocked but responded with three minutes of normal time remaining when Nouble fed Young and his effort was saved well by Dudzinski in the visitors’ goal.

But the keeper was beaten when he came racing off his line to try and win the ball ahead of NOUBLE who superbly lifted the ball over him from fully 30 yards out and it bounced in to the net. Big Frank looks a man reborn playing through the centre.

Wow. What a first half.

Half time: Yeovil Town 2 Eastbourne Borough 2

 

Second half

Manager Mark Cooper introduced midfielder Charlie Cooper and striker Jake Hyde at the start of the second half with Bell, who had been given a torrid time by Gravata, and Lo-Everton making way.

That meant a back three of Wannell, Staunton and Williams with Alex Whittle and Matt Worthington given licence to press forward on the left and right respectively.

It was a scrappy opening to the second half, the first chance came for Yeovil as Cooper’s free-kick in from the left found Staunton whose header was superbly turned away by Dudzinski. The flag was up.

The next opportunity fell to the visitors and it was no surprise it was Gravata whose 56th-minute effort was blocked by the face (Eastbourne argued hand) of Staunton.

With neither side dominating possession, Mark Cooper made his third change (he did say pre-match that he expected to use them all) as Jordan Stevens replaced Young during another drinks’ break on 63 minutes.

With his first touch, Worthington and Stevens linked up down the right. The substitute jinked away from his man, but Worthington’s cross was not good enough to find Hyde inside the box.

But the hosts took the lead for a second time on 69 minutes with a goal that was all about Josh Owers.

The midfielder did superbly to pick up a sloppy pass from Hyde, fed Worthington who got away down the right, the ball was cleared as far as OWERS whose shot screamed in to the net. The second the ball left his foot it was going nowhere other than past Dudzinski.

The pace of Stevens was tangible when the ball broke down and the substitute was impacting in all the places we wanted him to be.

The visitors spurned a gilt-edged chance on 83 minutes. Good play between substitutes Emmerson and Vigar found Sheriff in acres of space on the edge of the box, but the forward put his shot wide. A big opportunity.

Eastbourne, a full-time outfit themselves, were not giving up and when seven minutes of stoppage time were put up the temperature rose at a time when it really did not need rising.

Players from both sides dropped to the floor at the final whistle and the Glovers will be pleased not to have a midweek match coming up after a draining performance.

Full time: Yeovil Town 3 Eastbourne Borough 2

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Saturday 9th September – 3pm kick-off

Pitch: Slippy (from watering)
Conditions: Scorching

Attendance: 2,728 (62 away supporters)

Scorers: Frank Nouble 13 (1-0), Jack Paxman 36 (1-1), Jack Paxman 38 (1-2), Frank Nouble 45+2 (2-2), Josh Owers 69 (3-2)

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Charlie Cooper 88
Eastbourne Borough: Scott Leslie 57

Referee: Neil Pratt

Yeovil Town (4-3-3)

Substitutes: Charlie Cooper (for Zac Bell, 46), Jack Hyde (for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 46), Jordan Stevens (for Jordan Young, 63) Jordan Maguire-Drew (not used), Rhys Murphy (not used)

Eastbourne Borough: Ben Dudzinski, Scott Leslie, Archie Proctor, Brad Barry, Jack Paxman, Decarrey Sheriff, Imran Uche (for Billy Vigar, 73), Freddie Carter (for Yaser Kasim, 19) , Fletcher Holman (for Zak Emmerson, 46), Leone Gravata, Sam Beard.

Substitutes (not used): Daniel Quick, Jay Beckford.

 

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Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper is expecting to use a strong substitutes’ bench as his side prepare to take on Eastbourne Borough at a sweltering Huish Park this afternoon (3pm kick-off).

He has named Charlie Cooper, Jordan Maguire-Drew, Jordan Stevens and strikers Rhys Murphy and Jake Hyde on the bench with temperatures expecting to be pushing 30 degrees Celsius by kick-off.

Speaking to BBC Somerset commentator Tom Seymour ahead of kick-off, the manager said: “If you look at our bench, it is a strong bench, we have not got a lot after that. We have quality rather than quantity, which was always the intention.

“I’m sure I will be using three of those five. The game will be about the weather and who deals with that the best will probably prevail, so we have to make sure we are good, energetic and have good legs in the team as well.

“It is too hot for football, it is not conducive but they are going to make us play. In my opinion, it should be pushed back to an evening kick-off when it is that hot.

“But hopefully we can get a couple of drinks breaks in each half. What we don’t want is for it to become dangerous, so we will try and push for those drinks breaks.”

Defender Jamie Sendles-White has “a sore Achilles tendon” which he felt during the first half of the midweek win at Weston-super-Mare when he was substituted at half-time having scored his first goal for the club.

He was replaced in that match by the on loan Zac Bell and the Bristol City youngster returns to the starting line-up against Eastbourne today with the Glovers looking to maintain their unbeaten home start to the National League South season.

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Yeovil Town make two changes from the midweek win at Weston-super-Mare as they look to maintain their unbeaten home start to the season against Eastbourne Borough at Huish Park (3pm kick-off).

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, who was not involved on Tuesday night, comes in for striker Rhys Murphy whilst on-loan Bristol City full-back Zac Bell comes in for Jamie Sendles-White on the right side of defence.

Murphy is on the substitutes’ bench alongside Charlie Cooper who returns after a one-match suspension which saw him miss the all-Somerset clash.

For the visitors, teenage striker Zak Emmerson, who joined on loan during the week from League One Blackpool during the week, is named on the bench alongside ex-Swindon Town midfielder Yaser Kasim, who played under Glovers’ boss Mark Cooper at the County Ground.

Substitutes: Charlie Cooper, Jordan Maguire-Drew, Jordan Stevens, Rhys Murphy, Jake Hyde.

Eastbourne Borough: Ben Dudzinski, Scott Leslie, Archie Proctor, Brad Barry, Jack Paxman, Decarrey Sheriff, Imran Uche, Freddie Carter, Fletcher Holman, Leone Gravata, Sam Beard. Substitutes: Daniel Quick, Jay Beckford, Yaser Kasim, Zak Emmerson, Billy Vigar.

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Our opponents today are Eastbourne Borough. Ben had a chat with Trevor Fuggle to find out more about the visitors. Thanks to the Eastbourne Borough Supporters Club for putting us in touch!

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

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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 welcome Eastbourne Borough to Huish Park this weekend looking to make it six matches unbeaten on home soil in National League South.

But their opponents, who were the subject of a takeover by travel entrepreneur Simon Leslie, in the summer will be a test having won their last two matches at home to Weston-super-Mare last weekend and then a 2-1 win at Havant & Waterlooville on Wednesday.

Yeovil Town News

Manager Mark Cooper has singled out Eastbourne midfielder Yaser Kasim as one of a number of gifted players who he will be pitting his wits against this weekend.

The Iraq-born player worked alongside Cooper when they were together at Swindon Town around a decade ago and has considerable experience in the EFL.

Speaking about his opponents, the manager said: “They have got a long of young, technically very good players and athletic players.

“They have a wonderful player in midfielder, Yaser Kasim, who I worked with at Swindon, so they have some real ability in their team but they are young.

“The manager (Mark Beard) has gone in there and it is his first job, he’s a terrific young coach and I am sure they will start to climb the table, so it is going to be a tough game for us and we are well aware of that.”

Cooper will have midfielder and son, Charlie, available after missing the midweek 3-2 win at Weston-super-Mare through a one-match suspension, but defender Jamie Sendles-White is an injury doubt having gone off in that match.

The performances of the midfielder Josh Owers, who made his first start since signing permanently in the summer on Tuesday night, and substitute Zac Bell has given the manager “one or two decisions to make” ahead of the weekend.

Read more about Mark Cooper’s pre-match comments – here.

Eastbourne Borough News

Blackpool striker Zak Emmerson has arrived at Eastbourne Borough on a season-long loan deal as they prepare to make the trip to Huish Park.

The 19-year-old, who has been capped by England at youth team level, played under manager Mark Beard when he was Under-18s coach at Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion were Emmerson’s form earned him a move to the North West last summer.

Speaking of the new arrival, Beard told the club’s website: “In the two seasons we worked together, he scored almost a goal a game and earned a call up to the England youth sides before his move to Blackpool.

“He will add fire to our front line, and has the right character to fit in well with the rest of our squad.

“He’s a different type of forward to what we’ve got, he’s a natural finisher and has that aggression in the air that we’ve perhaps missed so far.”

Since the takeover by Leslie, taking over from a Community Investment Company (CIC) which remains a minority shareholder, there has been a focus on youth.

The arrival of youth specialist Beard, who replaced  Danny Bloor who departed and eventually joined National League South rivals Welling United, has seen a fit, strong-running style adopted from the full-time outfit.

One familiar face is Jack Clarke, who had his second spell on loan at Huish Park last season and joined Eastbourne following his release by Chesterfield in the summer. He has been a regular starter this season but missed the midweek win at Havant having picked up a knock against Weston last weekend. 

The manager’s son, Sam Beard, is playing in midfield (sounds familiar as well) after joining on loan from Barnet. But one player definitely missing for the visitors is forward Stefan Vukoje, who suffered an anterior crucial ligament injury last month which has ruled him out for the season.

Beard Senior, who was a midfielder for Millwall and Sheffield United in his playing days, praised goal-scorers Fletcher Holman and Decarrey Sherriff in his post-match comments after they made won 2-1 at Havant & Waterlooville on Wednesday night.

Holman came off the bench to give them an 80th minute lead against a Havant side which had been reduced to ten men six minutes earlier, only for the home side to equalise through a penalty in the 90th minute – before Sherriff struck deep in to injury time.

Beard said: “ I was a little bit disappointed that once we scored that goal and they are down to ten men as well, we start trying to play like the Harlem Globetrotters, doing stepovers and all sorts.

“I would have been so disappointed if we had lost or drawn that game because they then got a penalty, but the character of the boys was a different class.

“They kept going and again and, as much as I am pleased for Fletch, it is the same for Decarrey who has worked so hard.”

If you want to find out more about Eastbourne, listen to Ben’s chat with supporter Trevor Fuggle on our latest ‘A foot in the opposition camp’ edition – listen here.

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The arrival of Morgan Williams as an anchor in midfield has created even greater competition for places in Yeovil Town’s engine room, according to midfielder Matt Worthington.

The defender has played the past two matches – the 1-1 draw with Chelmsford City last weekend and Tuesday night’s 3-2 win at Weston-super-Mare – in that position and has impressed even in unfamiliar surroundings.

But, the ability of the ex-Coventry City youngster to take up the role has not surprised Worthington.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s home match with Eastbourne Borough, he said: “I’m not surprised, (Morgan is) one of those players who will do a job anywhere. On the defensive side, he anchors that midfield really well as does Coops and it’s competition in the middle.”

Worthington returned to the starting XI in midweek having missed out last weekend – an experienced it is fair to say he did not enjoy – and admitted that playing two games in 48 hours over the August bank holiday worked against him.

He said: “When you get on the bus at the end of games or you wake up the next morning, you definitely feel it.
I am not too bad because getting around the pitch is a big part of my game, but the Saturday-Monday came a bit too quick. But fortunately the injury was not too bad.”

Asked about missing out against Chelmsford, he added: “I hate it, it’s awful. The whole build-up of the game, I turn up knowing I can’t play and watch the lads get ready for a game. It is awful, knowing you can’t effect the game.

“It’s nice to watch the lads and know what the Gaffer will want in the next game. I did not really enjoy it though!”

The Glovers welcome Eastbourne Borough to Huish Park this weekend looking to extend their unbeaten run on home soil against a full-time side which was the subject of a takeover by businessman Simon Leslie, who owns travel firm Ink, in the summer. Sound familiar.

Echoing manager Mark Cooper’s mantra of their being no easy games in football, Worthington admitted the team are having to find different ways to beat their opponents.

He said: “A lot of teams will sit behind the ball and we have to find different ways to score goals which we are doing very well at the moment, so it is a new challenge.

“We have to find ways to break down teams but I think we are doing well at that, we have scored a lot of goals recently.”

On the subject of full-time fitness, he added: “Towards the end of the game, you can feel (a difference in fitness levels), especially as a midfielder if I am running off my man and he is not tracking me, that is when (fitness) comes in to play.

“It is more of a mental thing, if we turn up for a game and we are not mentally right any team will give us a good game.”

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said he will not change his style as he aims to continue his side’s unbeaten home form against Eastbourne Borough on Saturday.

The boss has come in for criticism from some quarters on the club’s fanbase for taking a patient approach against teams this season which he insists he believes is the best way to “draw teams out“.

Speaking on Friday ahead of the match, Cooper said: “Most teams change the way they play when they come to Huish Park and it’s not easy. I keep talking about us being all in it together and that includes the fans.

“Sometimes we have to go back and sideways to draw them out and if teams are camped on the edge of their box and they have nine players there and we just smash the ball at them it is the toss of a coin.

“So we have to be a bit more structured and I will not deviate from that. I think it is the best way for us to play, certainly at home, to try and get around teams. We are unbeaten at home and we have to keep that going.”

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

He said there were no new injuries from the midweek 3-2 win at Somerset rivals Weston-super-Mare with striker Jake Hyde, who was left out of the squad, shown in training ahead of the weekend.

Cooper said he thought midfielder Josh Owers, who impressed in his first match since joining permanently in the summer at Weston, had done “fine” and also pointed out he had Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Charlie Cooper available. Cooper Junior missed Tuesday night through suspension after his late red card in the defeat at Havant & Waterlooville on Bank Holiday Monday.

Jordan Stevens celebrates his goal in the 4-0 pre-season friendly win at Buckland Athletic.
Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

Jordan Stevens appeared off the bench at Weston as he continues his reintegration in to the squad after suffering an injury in pre-season.

But Cooper was coy as to whether the former Leeds United player could make his first start of the season against Eastbourne.

He told our man Ian Perkins: “He’s close. You can see with his cameos he can cause real problems with his pace, but he still looked a little rusty in his possession of that ball.

“That is coming from him being out for a while, he has to make sure he is right in training and we have to make sure we don’t go back to Step 1 with his injury. So whether tomorrow is the day we will have to wait and see.”

He added: “When you have 15-16 players that can all play, it is good to try and keep them on their toes. We have stumbled on to a 4-3-3 which makes us look more solid.

“I think we have looked better than when we had two up front, we attack more from deep and also we have an extra body in midfield if the ball turns over. We have stumbled on that, but I think we look a lot better.”

In other bits of news from the pre-match press conference:

  • Full-back/Winger Will Dawes has been suffering with glandular fever in recent weeks and has been unable to train until recently. Cooper said: “Dawesy has had glandular fever, so he’s been out of it for a few weeks. He contracted that before the St Albans game and he still has to have tests to see whether he can do contact training again.“
  • The manager has spoken to goalkeeper Will Buse about his situation following the arrival of on loan keeper Joe Day. Buse started the club’s opening six National League South matches before being replaced by the experienced Newport County player for last weekend’s 1-1 home draw with Chelmsford City. Cooper said: “Busey now has to be a good supporter to Joe (Day). I have had a conversation with Will and as a manager I had to do what I thought was the right thing in that department. It does not change Will’s development plan, I still think he has a place here.“
  • Cooper praised the performance of defender-turned-holding midfielder Morgan Williams in recent matches – but said he thought he scored two own goals in the the win at Weston. The boss said Jamie Morton’s 38th minute strike and the late header from substitute Jason Soule both came off Williams: “When was the last time a Yeovil player scored two own goals? There’s a question for you.” One for the Historical Oracle Nigel Dyson, we think. But on Williams’ new role, the manager added: “If Morgan plays there it gives us the opportunity to play midfielders further forwards, which is why I think it has helped us. I think it is a really good position for Morgan.“

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Yeovil picked up the three points against Weston on Tuesday night. On this episode the plebs (who all watched) talk about the match and look ahead to Eastbourne Borough. Plus your questions and the quiz…

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.