November 2023 (Page 6)

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Yeovil Town’s Hat Trick hero, Jordan Young spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the Glovers’ 4-2 over Farnborough, there was only one place to start, those three wonderful goals;

“Its obviously amazing, it’s my first (Hat Trick), i’m over the moon, it’s a massive three points, but i”m happy.”

The game itself was an entertaining affair, with six goals, two pretty good penalty appeals, a cross bar rattled and chances galore, Young was happy to get over the line.

“It felt very end-to-end, especially first half, the gaffer said at half time, we need to slow it down a little bit and keep the ball for longer periods and we’ll get chances.

I think that was what we did, when we went 3-1 up, I thought we controlled the game a bit, but they were a good side, they worked on what they did well and caused us problems.”

It genuinely feels like every game we’re going to win at the minute

“It genuinely feels like every game we’re going to win at the minute and we’ve just got to keep that going, I don’t know where we can take it, just game by game.”

“Whitts was suspended and Jake felt him hammy in the first half and that disrupted it, but the boys came in and did really well and saw out the game, which is the main thing”

The former Chippenham man will miss next week’s game against his former club after picking up a 5th yellow card of the season, we get the feeling he’s a bit disappointed about it.

“I was fuming all game, as soon as (the booking) happened, I was like ‘oh my god, what am I doing?’, but it’s part of football, I can’t – in the game, you don’t think ‘don’t make a tackle’, but it is what it is.

“My body is a bit sore, I took a couple of knocks, but it was a tough game, they were good at what they did and made it tough for us”

You can listen to the full interview here… listen in to find out which of the three goals was his favourite.

 

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Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper admitted the season is “going better than anyone imagined” after seeing his side extend their lead at the top of the National League South to nine points with victory over Farnborough on Tuesday night.

A hat-trick from Jordan Young sealed the result after top scorer Rhys Murphy opened the scoring at Huish Park to stretch the club’s winning run to 14 matches in all competitions.

But, the victory came at a price with defender Jake Wannell limping off in the first half, Young picking up his fifth booking of the season meaning he will miss next Tuesday’s visit to his former club Chippenham Town, and the boss also revealed after the game that he expects midfielder Jordan Stevens to be out for an extended period.

Asked about the form by BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins, Cooper said: “It’s probably going better than anyone imagined. To be like that at any level takes some doing and we are really respectful of all the teams we play and I am not sure that went the other way tonight with some of the stuff I witnessed on the sidelines.

“But I will say I thought Farnborough were a really good team and caused us problems and good to them – the players – but nine points clear at this stage of the season. We have a lot of work to do.”

One assumes there’s no love lost between Cooper and his opposite number, visiting boss Spencer Day, with the pair having some ‘exchanges’ on the touchline during a match which saw some full-blooded tackling.

Jake Wannell goes off with an injury which led to his substitution.

The loss of Wannell after 26 minutes meant Yeovil had to re-organise at the back with the experienced Michael Smith moving in to the middle as on-loan Bristol City full-back Zac Bell filled the vacant right-back berth.

Cooper said: “When you break a partnership which has been together for so many games now and been outstanding it is going to be uncomfortable. You are taking (Wannell’s) height, aggression, aerial ability and left foot off the pitch, and of course it’s going to rock us but Michael Smith looked like he had played there at a top level. Of course, it’s a big miss for us because he’s been outstanding.”

Asked why he brought on Bell rather than club captain Josh Staunton, a more natural central defender, the manager said: “We like to defend really high and I wanted to keep us as close to the halfway line as I could when we were out of possession. Belly has got remarkable pace and that meant Michael Smith could get tight and he knew he had Belly’s pace to have him covered.”

Zac Bell.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Cooper added: “You are never going to get your ideal line up every game, players are going to have to be flexible but I think it showed we are a little bit open at times. Some of our play was outstanding again, we went 2-0 up and then gave a rubbish goal away right on half-time which I think was a foul on Michael Smith and I said to the players at half time ‘we need to play with the ball and not make it a basketball game.’

“We needed to control the game with the ball and make sure we do not let them play to their strength which was running in behind with Smith playing centre back and Dawesy at left-back and I thought for 20 minutes we were brilliant. We controlled the tempo of the game unbelievably well and got to 3-1 and then I probably made a mistake and tried to lock it up and went with three in midfield, one up top and two wide and we couldn’t get to their centre half to stop the ball coming forward. We conceded too many chances when it was 3-1, but then we get the fourth one which finishes the game.”

Referee Richard Eley handed out five yellow cards with the first coming to hat-trick hero Young which his manager was less than impressed with. He said: “A ridiculous tackle, that he didn’t need to make, he’s made two horrendous tackles in two games and got booked for both and he didn’t need to do that. We miss a key player (against Chippenham) but someone else gets a chance to step up.”

But, the boss did have praise for the 24-year-old whose hat-trick included an outrageous second half free-kick which deceived visiting keeper Jack Turner on its way in off the post.

He said: “Some of his play is above the level and that is why I wanted to bring him to the club and pay a small fee for him because I knew that there was real potential there. You can see that he is far and away above the level.”

The Glovers’ attention now turns to the FA Trophy as they prepare to make a quick return to South Devon to take on Gary Johnson’s Torquay United at the weekend.

Cooper admitted that some of the challenges on his players against Farnborough mean he will have to make changes, but insists they will be heading to Plainmoor looking for another win.

He said: “There was a few hefty tackles out there which is football. Frank (Nouble) took a pasting, but he got up and got on with it and he was outstanding tonight. I have nothing but positive things to say about the players, even if we had lost that game I would have been full of admiration with the way we played with an unfamiliar back four. Some of the football we are playing is really good and to be where are at this stage of the season is brilliant for everyone.

“We are going to have to rest some players, but whatever team we pick we want to go and win. We don’t want to throw our winning run away. There will be some players playing that have got a point to prove and need to play, so we will be strong but there will be one or two who will not play.”

Finally, asked specifically about how long he expects to be without Stevens, who injured his hamstring coming on as a 72nd minute substitute in the 3-1 win at Torquay United last Tuesday, the boss said: “Too long. It’s too many now. We have got to make sure he looks after himself, repairs and strengthens himself because we can’t have three or four hamstring injuries in six months. We can’t afford to be losing players like that for that amount of time.”

Jordan Stevens.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Listen to the full interview here:

Watch the Interview with the club here – where Mark Cooper admits he’s trying to ‘bolster’ the defensive ranks at the club.

 

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A superb hat-trick Jordan Young took Yeovil Town nine points clear at the top of the National League South with victory over Farnborough at Huish Park on Tuesday night.

The Glovers took the lead in familiar fashion with top scorer Rhys Murphy bagging his 12th goal of the season after 20 minutes, before a great bit of footwork for Young saw him double the advantage minutes only for Selim Saied to pull one back in first half stoppage time.

Perhaps the most worrying moment of the first period saw central defender Jake Wannell go off with an injury, he was replaced by Zac Bell with Michael Smith going in to the middle of defence.

Just before the hour mark, Young added his second with an outrageous free-kick with deceived visiting keeper Jack Turner, hit the post and went in. Young added his third with some more excellent footwork as second half injury time began and a mistake by Smith gifted Farnborough a consolation second scored by substitute Connor Cullen.

But, with second-placed Aveley losing 24 hours earlier, the Glovers extended their advantage to nine points at the top of the division.

First half

The first chance of the match fell to the visitors when striker Michael Folivi found himself in space on the edge of the box and fired a shot wide. The striker will have been disappointed not to get a shot on target and, if he had been successful, Joe Day might have been struggling.

On the ninth minute, a foul led to a booking for Jordan Young, his fifth of the season meaning that he is likely to miss the visit to his old club Chippenham Town next week, if the FA process the booking within seven days as is the standard.

The first effort of the game fell to Young on 13 minutes when he was found inside the Glovers’ half, but he lifted his shot over the bar. Young then turned provider with a great turn and pass to find Murphy who strode forward and unleashed a shot which fizzed just past the far post.

The visitors showed they were not here to make up the numbers and when Young tumbled inside the box under pressure from Will Dawes referee Richard Eley had to make a decision. Young’s theatrical fall probably did it for him, but put that in ‘seen them given’ territory.

But it was a wonderful team move which led to the opening goal for the home side. The play started with Sonny Blu Lo-Everton bursting forward, he found Nouble who in turn found Young and the forward picked out MURPHY inside the box, the striker turned surperbly and arrowed home an opener.

Yeovil Town celebrate an opener from Rhys Murphy after 20 minutes.

There was a slightly worrying moment soon after when Jake Wannell went down and required some treatment. The central defender, who has been in outstanding form since joining from Taunton Town in the summer, returned to the fray, but very quickly went back down again.

He was replaced by Zac Bell, despite club captain Josh Staunton being on the substitutes’ bench, with Michael Smith reverting to the centre of defence and the on-loan Bristol City player coming in at right-back.

This is a challenge for Yeovil Town with their settled back four, with Wannell and Morgan Williams at its heart, unsettled for the first time. Let’s hope Wannell’s injury is not a serious one.

Jake Wannell goes off with an injury which led to his substitution.

Murphy did superbly to play in Young on the edge of the box and bent a left-footed shot just past the post again.

Farnborough perhaps recognising the change in the back line as a point of weakness, took advantage with a spell of possession and had a great chance to pull the game level. A corner from Olly Pendlebury landed towards Aaron Kuhl, Murphy slipped inside the box and the midfielder on loan from Dorking Wanderers fired over. Golden opportunity.

For the first time, Yeovil looked shaky at the back and Folivi had another strong claim for a penalty as he was bundled to the ground inside the box. Again, referee Eley immediately waved away appeals.

Sonny Cox had a great opportunity when he powered forward showing electric pace from the middle of the box, he could (probably should) have played in Frank Nouble, but having got there he took a shot which rose over the bar.

On 41 minutes, a spell of great possession which began by fine play from the non-stop Nouble ended up with Sonny Blu Lo-Everton having a shot wide but the ex-Watford youngster was the creator for Yeovil’s goal three minutes before half-time.

He played YOUNG in the box and the forward showed fantastic footwork to wriggle his way through a mass of bodies inside the six yard box and the hammered in his fifth goal of the season.

But, I mentioned the visitors were not here to make up the numbers, and they got one back as the game ticked in to first half stoppage time. The ball broke to Selim SAIED who hammered a shot past Day.

Referee Eley, who had let a lot go in the first half, was at the heart of the action again when he missed a full-blooded tackle from Kuhl in the middle of the pitch. He may have got the ball, but – as co-commentator Chris Weale said on BBC Somerset commentary – if you go in with both feet you cannot claim to be in control.

Mark Cooper will have been glad to get his side, definitely unsettled at the back by the loss of Wannell, in ahead at the break, but he will have been telling them to keep doing everything they have been doing going forwards.

Half time:  Yeovil Town 2 Farnborough 1

 

Second half

It was the visitors who started the the brighter after the interval, but the first chance of the second half came for Yeovil on 53 minutes. Nouble played Young in and he was brought down by Norville-Williams right on the edge of the box. If anything it was too close in for the left foot of Young of lifted his shot over the bar.

But, the forward made no mistake six minutes later – the mistake was that of Farnborough keeper Jack Turner. From a position way out on the right side, YOUNG whipped one in to the mixer, the gloveman left the Glovers’ man’s effort to go out of play, it came off the inside of the box and in to the net.

Cox was looking in menacing form and had a good opportunity which he fired straight at Turner on 64 minutes before Murphy was replaced by Josh Owers and then on 71 minutes Jake Hyde replaced Cox.

The former Wrexham man was straight in the thick of the action. First being bundled to the ground after good tenacity inside the box (seen them given, again) but then bundling an effort over the bar from Owers’ ball from the left.

Farnborough had not done anything to really test Joe Day despite having some good possession in the second half, but on 76 minutes substitute Connor Cullen found space inside the box and his effort rattled off the bar and four minutes later Matt Worthington had to clear one off the line. 

To their credit, the visitors are not giving not up and Yeovil were struggling to get hold of the ball here.

But, Young ensured the points stayed in Somerset as he completed his hat-trick as the game ticked in to second half injury time. Worthington picked the ball up down the left and fed the ball in to the box where YOUNG showed superb composure to shimmy it round the keeper and complete his hat-trick.

That was not the final moment of the game – unfortunately for Michael Smith. The usually reliable defender showed he is human afterall gifting Connor CULLEN an open goal to fire in to.

Full time: Yeovil Town 4 Farnborough 2

 

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday 14th November, 7.45pm kick-off

Pitch: Cut up a bit but held up well
Conditions: Clear cool night

Attendance: 3,206 (61 away supporters)

Scorers: Rhys Murphy 20 (1-0), Jordan Young 42 (2-0), Selim Saied 45+1 (2-1), Jordan Young 59 (3-1), Jordan Young 90 (4-1), Connor Cullen 90+3 (4-2).

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Jordan Young 9, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 56
Farnborough: Sid Nelson 34, Aaron Kuhl 49, Norville-Williams 52,

Referee: Richard Eley

Yeovil Town (4-4-2)

 

 

Substitutes: Zac Bell (for Jake Wannell, 26), Josh Owers (for Rhys Murphy, 65), Jake Hyde (for Sonny Cox, 71), Josh Staunton (not used), Jordan Maguire-Drew (not used).

Farnborough: Jack Turner, Jordan Norville-Williams, CJ Fearn, Ollie Robinson, Michael Folivi (for Connor Hall, 74), Reggie Young (for Connor Cullen, 68), Olly Pendlebury, Selim Saied, Aaron Kuhl,  Ricky Holmes (for Taylor Maloney, 68), Sid Nelson.
Substitutes (not used): Adam Mekki, Jaden Perez.

 

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Yeovil Town midfielder Scott Pollock has revealed on Instagram he’s had successful surgery to remove a ‘floating bone’ from his knee.

The former Boston and Hashtag Utd man is – as far as we know – still contracted at Huish Park but hasn’t been seen since the final day of the 2022/23 season.

He wasn’t given a squad number at the start of the current campaign.

Pollock says he expects to be back playing in the early new year… quite where, is anyone’s guess.

Get well soon, Scott.

 

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Midfielder Charlie Cooper will be available for selection for this weekend’s trip to Torquay United in the FA Trophy, according to Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper.

The midfielder has not featured since since the 2-0 FA Cup win over Didcot Town at the end of September and is not involved for tonight’s National League South fixture with Farnborough.

But, with top scorer Rhys Murphy, forward Jordan Young, and midfielders Charlie Cooper and Matt Worthington all on booking away from a suspension going in to tonight’s game, the boss knows the importance of getting players back in to the squad.

He said: “Charlie Cooper is back now and pain free and will be back involved at the weekend and hopefully we can get him some minutes.

“We are going to have to try and be tactical with the players who are on bookings, but it’s all good fun.”

The manager confirmed defender Jamie Sendles-White was “still a way off” since suffering an Achilles injury, but club captain Josh Staunton returns on the bench against Farnborough.

Will Dawes will play at left-back against Farnborough tonight.
Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

One player who has already picked up five bookings is left-back Alex Whittle who sits out tonight’s match and is replaced by Will Dawes.

Cooper said: “Alex Whittle has been incredible but when you are an aggressive full-back you are going to pick up bookings in today’s game. Will Dawes is going to play left-back, he has played there before, we have done some work with him defensively, so he should be fine.

“It is very rare you get your strongest eleven on the pitch all season without suspensions and injuries, so players have to be adaptable and Dawesy will be fine there.”

The other changes see Murphy and strike partner Frank Nouble come back in to the starting XI with Jake Hyde, who started last weekend’s 2-0 home win over Dover Athletic. The two-goal hero in that match, on loan Exeter City striker Sonny Cox, starts out on the left with Jordan Young on the right.

The manager added: “Hydey gave us a good 65 minutes on Saturday. We have another game this Saturday (at Torquay United in the FA Trophy) and then another game next Tuesday (at Chippenham Town) so it is important that we have a really fresh front four.

“We have got to be relentless in our pursuit of our goals and we know what that is. We will have to start really well, start quick and ask some questions of them.

“There’s going to be all types of adversity in our games and we are going to have to be prepared to be patient. I said to the players at half-time on Saturday that it might take us 90 minutes, but we will get really good chances because of the way we were playing and the way Dover retreated and defended the box, we were always going to get chances.

“If you look at the data we could have scored ten on Saturday, but you still get three points.

“We can’t take our eye off the ball for one minute for every minute of every game because the tiniest detail could derail us or could keep us going on the run and we want the latter.”

 

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Will Dawes will fill the left-back spot vacated by the suspended Alex Whittle as Yeovil Town goal in search of a 14th consecutive win in all competitions against Farnborough Town at Huish Park tonight (7.45pm kick-off).

Up front, top scorer Rhys Murphy and Frank Nouble return alongdide last weekend’s two-goal hero Sonny Cox  with Jake Hyde dropping to the substitutes’ bench.

There is also a place on the bench for club captain Josh Staunton, his first involvement in a National League South squad since the 2-0 home win over W*ymouth three weeks ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yeovil Town boss, Mark Cooper has been named the National League South Manager of the Month for October.

13 wins across League and FA Cup will get you that kind of recognition with Braintree, W*ymouth, Worthing, Southend and Aveley all trying and failing to stop the Green and White juggernaught.

Congratulations to the gaffer and all his coaching staff!

 

 

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Yeovil Town Chairman Martin Hellier and the Jolly Green Giant have been tasked with pushing the all important Christmas Lights button in the town centre.

Love Yeovil, who run the event, have said they’re welcoming the Glovers’ mascot alongside the owner this coming Saturday 18th November.

The website states that “With acts starting from 4.30pm there will be live music and dance from local and professional groups, family-friendly creative activities in Yeovil Art Space, seasonal delights at EPS Yeovil and a craft market offering you the chance to start your Christmas shopping early with local produce and hand made crafts from local artists.”

So, if you’re not in Torquay for the FA Trophy game, or back nice and early, you could pop along for a spot of Xmas shopping! 

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It’s a weekly occurrence these days, but another Yeovil star has impressed official league sponsors Vanarama to make their team of the week.

Sonny Cox got his first (and second) goals of his loan spell from Exeter as the Glovers won their 13th game in a row across League and FA Cup.

Quite what formation this week’s mythical side takes up is anyone’s guess, a lesser spotted 3-3-1-3 formation appears to be what they’re going for…

Either way, nice one, Sonny.

Sonny was also named in the Non League Paper Team of the Day too… Spot the GloversPast guest who also gets a name check