October 2023 (Page 7)

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The FA Cup Glovers are through to the first round proper again! Ian was in the Thatchers for the 2-0 win against Southend United and here are his conclusions.

This was an impressive result. Despite the ongoing drama at Southend, they’ve been getting results in the National League. They hadn’t lost in four matches, and beat “Darren Sarll’s Woking” 2-0 last weekend. Clearly, they had a depleted squad, bringing on two sixteen-year-olds, but the way they controlled possession showed they have some quality. Yeovil are learning to win in different ways and that’s a good sign. Where we’ve played our strongest eleven we’ve won seven matches in a row (it’s eight first team matches if you include the SMPC penalty win) and the last time I can find that we did that was in 2004/05 in a run of nine that started in the FA Cup against Histon. The scorers on that day, Phil Jevons, Lee Johnson and Yemi Odubade.

It was a different kind of performance. The early goal from Jake Wannell gave the Glovers the early buffer and something to protect. The match quickly became attack vs defence as Southend controlled the ball and tried to break a resilient Yeovil down. Mark Cooper’s side held their ground and restricted Southend to crosses in the box and efforts from distance. Last week saw Yeovil blow away Aveley in the first half and yesterday was a case of Yeovil digging in, holding onto a lead against a higher opposition and getting a second on the break.

Jake Wannell and Charlie Cooper.
Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

That was a breakout game Jake Wannell. Wannell has been ever-present since signing from Taunton and his partnership with Morgan Williams has made him even stronger. His goal was cleanly struck and really set us on our way but what followed was as impressive. He won the ball in the air, he defended well against an in-form Harry Cardwell and he’s clearly enjoying life in green and white. Mark Cooper said he, Chris Todd and Marcus Stewart have been working with Wannell to coach him for the professional game and he’s come on leaps and bounds since joining in the Summer.

Jordan Young is on fire. A great pass from Will Dawes set Young through yesterday but he had a lot to do to get Yeovil’s second. Somehow he bamboozled three defenders before his final toe poke around Hayes in Southend’s goal. At times Young looks unplayable and as soon as he picks up the ball you think he is going to make something happen. He’s showing consistency, having a huge impact in games and I’d argue is more important I’m the attack than anyone else right now.

Mark Cooper press conference

Vindication for Mark Cooper. Through all the carnage of last season and the lingering doubts at the beginning of this, Cooper has been defiant in his belief about bringing success to Huish Park. It’s still early in the season, but we’re top of the league and in the first round of the FA Cup. Even the most green-tinted of Glovers can’t have said they expected that after the opening day defeat at Hemel. He’s strengthened where he needed to with “Super Joe Day In Goal” and Michael Smith, is rewarding players like Owers and Dawes for their performances and is proving that if you let him manage, results and performances will follow. Everyone’s enjoying life at Huish Park at the moment, even the boss!

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Another loan watch round up incoming, Saturday saw a couple of Glovers in action, but we actually want to start in midweek.

Ollie Haste was a last minute hero for Dorchester as he bagged a 97th minute equaliser at Gosport Borough on Wednesday night, sparking wild scenes and some awesome photos – Benjani Jr was an unused sub in the game, just 24 hours after playing, and scoring for the Glovers in the SMPC.

On to Saturday’s action and we start with yet ANOTHER goal for Charlie Bateson.

Shepton Mallet were away at top of the table Falmouth and three first half goals did the damage in a 3-1 win it was Bateson’s opener that got the ball rolling.

Next up, Aidan Skiverton marked his debut for Sherborne Town with a goal, young Skivo scored the Zebra’s first of the game to get back on level terms against Baffins Milton Rovers, but BMRFC fought back to win 3-2. 

 

Finally, Lewis Williams clocked up 90 more minutes for Tiverton, but was left frustrated after his side let slip a 2-0 lead against Walton and Hersham to draw 2-2.

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Yeovil Town opening goal hearo Jake Wannell told the club’s Youtube channel that he was happy to keep contributing with goals as the Glovers’ progressed into the first round proper of the FA Cup. 

“It felt good, they can take the ball home and we can go into the next round, 

On a personal level, I do set myself a target, I am one away – I probably should have had another one last week, missed from two yards, it was harder to miss last week – we go again next week.

I set (a target) five for the season as a centre back, that’s quite high, they’re (the squad) are now all saying they want ten, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Four goals already and the former Taunton man wants more, especially with the group doing so well. 

“At home, we seem to be clicking really well and that shows in the dressing room after, that we’re all together, it’s good times at the minute.

We knew about (Southend’s) squad struggles coming into it, we also knew their strengths and I felt like we dealt with that really well today especially as a back four/back five at some points.

The unit was really strong I felt like tactically today we were we spot on to get a clean sheet against a good team in the National League was was a good bonus.”

 

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Despite seeing Yeovil Town score two fantastic goals, goalkeeper Joe Day has happiest to end today’s FA Cup win over Southend United with a clean sheet.

You can listen to whole interview at the bottom of this article.

The on-loan Newport County keeper made a couple of vital interceptions to keep the visitors out whilst stunning strikes from defender Joe Wannell and frontman Jordan Young booked a place in the competition’s first round.

It is only the keeper’s second clean sheet since arriving at Huish Park at the start of September, with the other coming in the competition’s previous round, a 2-0 home win over Didcot Town.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the fourth qualifying round win, Day said: “As much as the goals were fantastic, for me to see the players in front of me show the maturity of that performance took the pressure of a team that is doing really well in the league above was really pleasing to see us cope with it and cope with us well.

“They had a lot of possession but that was our plan. We wanted to stay compact and defend our box and we wanted to enjoy defending.

“The Gaffer (manager, Mark Cooper) is probably the happiest man here because the work he has put in this week on the training ground really showed today.”

Joe Day, who has been ever-present since joining on loan from Newport County at the start of September.
? Those White Lines

The 33-year-old was not being drawn on who he wants in the next round of the competition with his parent club in the hat when the draw is made at 2.30pm on Sunday.

But, he was pleased to make it seven wins in a row with the victory and had a word of praise for Will Buse, the Yeovil-born keeper who he replaced in the starting line-up, for his contribution in keeping him on his game.

Day said: “Performances have been really strong and results have been really good. All I wanted to do was to bring a bit of experience to the squad.

“Will Buse is a fantastic young goalkeeper and he shows in training how good he is. I hope he can learn a lot from me and vice versa, I always like to pick things up from every goalkeeper I work with.

“With Phil (Osborn), the goalkeeper coach, we have a really good goalkeeper’s union there, a strong bond and hopefully we can keep this run going and keep building on more clean sheets.”

Will Buse, who started this season as Yeovil’s number one. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Here’s the full interview with Joe Day and Sheridan Robins

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper is dreaming of one of the game’s big boys coming to Huish Park in the third round of the FA Cup.

The boss saw his side book their place in Round 1 with a 2-0 win over National League side Southend United and they will be Ball 71 in tomorrow’s draw – televised on ITV1 at 2.30pm – with the likes of Derby County and Portsmouth among the possible opponents.

But, with an eye on progressing in the competition, Cooper admitted his preference would be to one of the smaller sides left in the draw on home soil on November 4, when the tie will be played.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, Cooper said: “You can get your Derby’s or your Portsmouth’s, but I would love to get to the third round and get a real big one.

“For that to happen, we need a bit of luck with the draw. I have not seen any results, but I would like one of those lower than us at home. I’m not taking anything for granted but I would love to get to the third round.”

Having gone ahead after just two minutes thanks to a stunning strike from defender Jake Wannell, the Glovers had to withstand an onslaught from a Southend side which have won seven of their opening matches in the division above and only sit fifth-from-bottom virtue of a ten-point deduction due to their well-documented off-the-field issues.

Cooper said: “We had a really good start and got a goal in front against a really good team who ask questions of you with the way they play.

“So we had to be a bit different structurally with the way we changed three or four times in the first 20 minutes to get us a bit more comfortable out of possession.

“Once we went to a back five and got some help in front of our full-backs so they weren’t one-v-one all the time.
They had plenty of the ball, but I thought we looked comfortably structurally and defensively.”

For the second consecutive week, the boss praised his players for delivering the type of performance he and his coaching staff had worked with them on in training during the week, including seeking to nullify Southend’s top scorer Harry Cardwell, who has eleven goals already this season.

Cooper said: “We did a lot of work on defending crosses because they are lethal with  Cardwell. We had a set way with how we had to defend against him and trying to make sure crosses with in-swingers rather than from the byline that he could attack.

“They were more difficult (crosses) for him to get power on and we gave Joe Day more room to come and work in and I think you saw Joe come and claim or punch a lot of balls in that area we had left clear.

“Defensively as a group we defended deeper, but we always looked at threat (on the counter attack). The second goal was a clinical counter attack.”

Jake Wannell.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Wannell, who scored his fourth goal with a thunderous early strike, was singled out for praise, with the boss adding: “He was brilliant today. He has never really been coached at any real level and he’s starting to show the work myself, Toddy (assistant manager, Chris Todd), and Marcus (Stewart, striker coach) have done with him.

“He’s starting to pick it up and he looks an accomplished defender now and obviously he has added goals to his game as well.”

Having deservedly gone in a goal up at half-time, Yeovil were faced with another attacking onslaught from the visitors and were indebted to a couple of important stops from ‘keeper Day before Jordan Young added a second on 67 minutes.

Cooper said: “Defensively as a group we defended deeper (in the second half), but we always looked at threat (on the counter attack). The second goal was a clinical counter attack.

“Jordan got his confidence and a bit of arrogance about him, which I love. He has to be like that because he is really difficult to play against, he has such a low centre of gravity and twists and turns and he can be really pleased.

“The pleasing thing with him is he is looking like he can last games now whereas before he was 60 minutes and he got cramp and now he looks really robust.”

Jordan Young now has five goals this season. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

With Huish Park still celebrating the second goal, the manager withdrew top scorer Rhys Murphy and Will Dawes, replacing them with Jordan Stevens and Bristol City loanee Zac Bell, as he sought to close out the game. On 83 minutes, club captain Josh Staunton replaced Frank Nouble to added even greater defensive solidity to the side.

Cooper said: “If you are 2-0 up, until there is a minute left you never feel safe. We put Jordan (Stevens) on because Frank (Nouble) and Murph (Rhys Murphy) had run themselves in to the ground.

“It was important we always a threat and we had Jordan late on to give us that pace and we put Belly (Zac Bell) on to look after their best player, their left winger, Jack Bridge.

“Then we put Michael Smith just in front of him and then Staunts (Josh Staunton) comes on to make sure we don’t concede from any crosses in to the box and he positions himself well in the six-yard box.”

The victory stretched the club’s winning run to seven matches (eight if you count the midweek Somerset Men’s Premier Cup win at Keynsham Town, which is a first-team fixture), a fact which was not lost on the manager.

He takes them to Worthing, who are sat fifth in the National League South table and put second-placed Bath City out of the FA Cup today, next weekend.

Cooper said: “That is seven (wins) on the trot. I don’t care what level you are at, it still takes an awful lot of doing, so full credit to the players and fans and everybody connected with the club.

“Today was the culmination of a lot of things and I think we are starting to show what we are really about as a club.
It is such a strong structural performance we looked a difficult side to play against.”

You can listen to the full interview between Sheridan and the gaffer here

Mark Cooper also spoke to the club’s official YouTube, which you can watch here

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Yeovil Town booked their place in the first round of the FA Cup with two superb goals to see off National League side Southend United at Huish Park.

The Glovers took the lead through a stunning strike from Jake Wannell after just two minutes and had to withstand an onslaught of pressure from their higher division visitors throughout the second half before a superb Jordan Young goal on 67 minutes.

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure but the hosts’ backline stood firm to keep only their third clean sheet of the season.

First half

It could not have been a better start for Yeovil with a free-kick from Jordan Young found Jake WANNELL on the edge of the box who put his left foot through it and it flew in to the corner. It was a finish that any striker would have been proud of.

Jake Wannell puts his left foot through a second minute effort – and you know where it’s going.

Southend responded and looked for an immediate response to going out early, but the next meaningful chance fell to Will Dawes on 11 minutes. Great running down the left by Rhys Murphy, playing against his former side, of course, saw him then feed Dawes whose effort from the edge of the box fizzed over the bar.

Southend centre-half Jason Demetriou tried to match his opposite number (Wannell) with a long-range effort from the egde of the box, but the dive of Joe Day was probably not required.

An inswinging corner from Young on 17 minutes was well claimed by Nick Hayes with a number of Yeovil players lurking inside the box.

On 24 minutes, a foul by Michael Smith on the lively Jack Bridge gave Dan Mooney the chance to fire a ball in to the box which was punched away by Day. Wes Fonguck’s follow up was blocked and the danger was cleared.

Despite the better chances falling the way of Yeovil, it was Southend who were dominating possession and their best chance came on the half-hour mark as Bridge beat Michael Smith and got his shot away which first Day in to a smart save.

This was one for the football purists with both sides keeping the ball on the surface and playing it nicely with the visitors leaving no-one in any doubt their small squad is filled with quality.

Having been made look a mere mortal by Bridge moments earlier, Smith did superbly to get something on a Jack Wood effort to turn it wide for a corner. From the following flag kick, Mooney found himself in space on the edge of the box, moved past a couple of tackles and unleashed an shot which flew just the wrong side (or should that be the right side?) of Day’s post.

A major blow came for the visitors with four minutes before the break when midfielder Dan Mooney came off with an injury, having just recovered from one. With just three players on the bench, it was youth teamer Beau MacDonald, just 16 years old, who replaced him.

If you want to make a manual of how to deliver a free-kick, just replay Young’s deliveries which have all been superb. 

 

Half time: Yeovil Town 1 Southend United 0

 

Second half

Southend came out for the second half with their tails up (or should that be with a flea in their ear?) and Day was forced in to action first to gather Jack Wood’s tame effort and then do superbly to keep out Ollie Kensfdale before Harry Cardwell headed a corner from Bridge over the bar. This tie ain’t over…..if anyone thought it was.

A beautiful move almost found a breakthrough for the visitors. A great through ball by Oli Coker found Bridge on the left side of the box and Day was forced to make a fine stop with his legs. It’s all Southend at the moment, Yeovil somehow holding on.

A mistake by Kensdale gave Murphy the run on the Southend defence and their was a very clear push in the back from Demetriou who made the mistake. Referee James Durkin, born and raised in Portland (not prizes for guessing his local team), gave nothing. Another referee happy to hand out pointless bookings for alleged time-wasting but bottling big decisions.

Murphy got booked for voicing his view about Mr Durkin’s decision. Fear not, it’s not a fifth booking and a ban as bookings are competition specific.

But, a minute later there was plenty stuck in the referee’s pipe for him to smoke. Dawes and Young found themselves two on one with the visiting defence and Dawes fed YOUNG who broke through the visiting defence and seemed to have lost his opportunity before poking it under Hayes to double the lead.

The goal was harsh on The Shrimpers who had been thoroughly in charge up until that point. But, up yours, Mr Durkin!

Immediately after the goal, Mark Cooper replaced Murphy and Dawes for Jordan Stevens and Zac Bell.

The second half had seen Nouble ploughing a lone furrow up front on his own with Yeovil packing people behind the ball with the hosts’ defence playing deep and the midfield dropping even deeper.

On 83 minutes, Nouble was withdrawn in place of Staunton. So that’s even deeper. 

Two minutes from time, a rare break away by Young – the man now playing up front – and another push inside the box. No surprises for guessing what Portland’s finest thought of it.

But, that said, a three-goal deficit would have been harsh on the visitors who dominated possession and it was only thanks to some gallant defending from the hosts that they were kept out.

In. The. Hat.

Southend piled on the pressure in the second half but the Yeovil defence stood firm.

Full time: Yeovil Town 2 Southend United 0

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Saturday 14th October – 3pm Kick Off

Pitch: Wet from the previous night’s rain and cut up badly in front of the Thatcher’s Stand
Conditions: Glorious sunny day with a blustery wind which didn’t really benefit either side

Attendance:  2,697 (301 away supporters)

Scorers: Jake Wannell 2 (1-0), Jordan Young 67 (2-0)

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Will Dawes 40, Michael Smith 45, Rhys Murphy 66, Frank Nouble 75.
Southend United: Dan Mooney 21.

Referee: James Durkin (of Portland, just outside W*ymouth)

Yeovil Town (4-3-3)

 

Substitutes: Jordan Stevens (for Rhys Murphy, 68), Zack Bell (for Will Dawes, 68), Josh Staunton (for Frank Nouble, 83) Will Buse (not used), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (not used), Jordan Maguire-Drew (not used), Jake Hyde (not used).

Southend United: Nick Hayes, Gus Scott-Morriss, Kensdale, Jack Bridge, Harry Cardwell, Dan Mooney (for Beau MacDonald, 41), Jack Wood (for Ronnie Blake, 90+1), Harry Taylor, Wes Fonguck, Jason Demetriou, Oli Coker. 
Substitutes (not used): Nathan Ralph.

Referee: James Durkin (of Portland, near W*ymouth)

 

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Yeovil Town name an unchanged side for the visit of Southend United in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round today (3pm kick-off).

The only changes come on the substitutes’ bench where Jordan Stevens, who has missed the past two matches through injury, returns.