November 2023 (Page 7)

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WWWWWWWWWWWWW.

Ian, Ben and Dave chat about the 13th win in a row, against Dover and look ahead to yet another Tuesday night, this time against Farnborough.

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I’m starting to lose count now, 13 wins in a row! While Yeovil made light work of Dover Athletic (best wishes to Peter Ojemen following his injury by the way), let’s have a look at what else happened in a goal-filled day!

We start on the outskirts of London, where Hampton & Richmond continued their brilliant run of form by ending Maidstone’s 8 game unbeaten run away from home, a Mason Bloomfield hattrick contributing to a 5-2 win to send the Beavers into 4th. Another goal-fest came in the 4-3 win for Welling United over Slough Town, Welling bagging a 91st minute winner to bring them level on points with Slough, who now sit outside the drop zone on goal difference.

The first away win to be mentioned today comes at St Albans City, where Tonbridge Angels recovered from a 2-0 deficit to leave as winners, a Jordan Greenidge double helping the Angels up to 14th. Braintree Town’s impressive run of wins (outside of the customary Yeovil defeat at this point) came to an end at the hands of Eastbourne Borough, who ran out 3-1 winners, while a massive clash at the top end of the table ended up as a one-sided affair, as Bath City inflicted a 3-0 defeat on Aveley. Cody Cooke scored a hattrick, including two penalties, as Aveley went down to 10 men in the 90th minute to compound their miserable afternoon.

Chelmsford City grabbed a 93rd minute equaliser at home to extend their unbeaten run in the league to 7 games, albeit including 5 draws, as they drew 2-2 with Chippenham Town. Meanwhile, Torquay United recovered from their midweek defeat to win 2-0 at Havant & Waterlooville, leaving the hosts 10 points adrift at the bottom of the table. Tuesday’s visitors Farnborough salvaged a point at home to W*ymouth, and in the last match of the day, Hemel Hempstead scored a 90th minute winner to defeat Taunton 1-0.

There were two fixtures that were unable to be played due to the weather, with Truro City v Dartford, and Weston-super-mare v Worthing both being postponed.

 

National League South results – in full

Bath City 3-0 Aveley
Chelmsford City 2-2 Chippenham Town
Eastbourne Borough 3-1 Braintree Town
Farnborough Town 1-1 W*ymouth
Hampton & Richmond Borough 5-2 Maidstone United
Havant & Waterlooville 0-2 Torquay United
Hemel Hempstead Town 1-0 Taunton Town
St Albans City 2-3 Tonbridge Angels
Truro City P-P Dartford
Welling United 4-3 Slough Town
Weston-super-mare P-P Worthing

National League South table (all 3 this week!)

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Yeovil Town is looking to make it 14 wins in a row when they face Farnborough FC at Huish Park under midweek lights.

In what will be Town’s last game at home for a month, they will be hoping to put on a good display for the Huish Park faithful.

The Hampshire side are no pushovers however lying eighth in the league with only one loss themselves in their last five games.

Yeovil Town News

Manager Mark Cooper isn’t expecting an easy match against the part-timers. He said: “We don’t expect any pushovers. As much as we’re thinking it will be a tough game I’m sure Farnborough will be thinking the same thing.”

The 54-year-old will have to make changes to the starting lineup for the first time in a while as well, with him confirming Alex Whittle will miss the game due to suspension and some players picking up “bumps and bruises”.

Alex Whittle.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Cooper’s selection headache will have worsened (or bettered) after a brace from on-loan forward Sonny Cox at the weekend. With all the managers front-line in-form is a nice dilemma to have for the ex-Barrow man.

Alex Whittle misses out after picking up his fifth yellow of the season, with Jamie Sendle-White still out injured.

Farnborough FC Team News

Farnborough boss Spencer Day believes his team are up for the challenge against the Glovers. He said: “We’re looking forward to it, because if you don’t what’s the point in going.

“Everything is up against us, you know with the greatest respect to Yeovil, they’re on a fantastic run great team, but I don’t think they’re going to win 40 straight games, someone’s going to end it so why can’t it be us.”

Day was also very vocal in his opinion on playing in midweek claiming he’ll be “happy once they go back to one game a week.”

Defensive midfielder Taylor Maloney is the key man for the Boro having played in 15 games for the Hampshire team this season.

The Yellows will be without defenders Edon Pruti (suspension) and Jake Ball (injury). Ex-Glover Sid Nelson is touch and go after illness ruled him out at the weekend.

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The wet weather had an impact again this weekend with games involving Yeovil Town loanees at Welton Rovers and Shepton Mallet falling foul of the weather.

Therefore, we begin at Dorchester Town where Ollie Haste is the lone loanee following the departure of Benjani Junior – and the central defender was a goal-scoring hero.

And, no, it wasn’t a header from a corner, it was a curling shot in to the far corner of the net to put the Magpies 2-0 up in the 18th minute of a 4-1 home win over Basingstoke Town in the Southern League Premier Division South.

Ollie Haste celebrates putting Dorchester Town 2-0 up in their 4-1 home win over Basingstoke Town.
Picture courtesy of Phillip Standfield.

Going a tier down – that’s two below National League South, if you were wondering – Benjani Junior played the full 90 minutes for Melksham Town in a 3-2 defeat against Cribbs Causeway.

Now we go up to National League South and Taunton Town where Malachi Linton made his first league start since returning from injury.

The striker played the first 56 minutes of a 1-0 defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town (where have we heard that scoreline before?!) with the goal coming late in the second half.

Finally, Will Buse put in a performance which was the most significant for the Yeovil first team, keeping a clean sheet in a 3-0 home win for Bath City over Aveley, enabling the Glovers to open up a six-point lead at the top of National League South.

There were starting places for Under-18s striker Josh Haskett and midfielder Jack Bareham in Gillingham Town’s 1-0 home win over Hengrove Athletic with Harrison Foster and Harry Lock both named on the substitutes’ bench for the Western League Division One fixture.

The Gills started well and went 1-0 up in the first before going down to ten men. Haskett was named the sponsors’ Man of the Match.

So, alongside the Welton contingent, Charlie Bateson at Shepton, there was no Aidan Skiverton in the Sherborne Town line-up and at Tiverton Town there is a new loan keeper in Plymouth Argyle youngster Zak Baker. So, we assume Lewis Williams has left and, with no appearance on the bench despite the lack of a back-up keeper for the first team……well, you finish that sentence.

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Yeovil Town extended their unbeaten run to thirteen and went six points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand with victory over Dover. Here are Ian’s Conclusions from Huish Park…

Sonny Cox earned his goals. For all the talk about Jake Hyde being back in the side, it was Cox who really left his mark. After an evening on the wing at Torquay, he was down the middle behind Hyde yesterday and he was in the right place at the right time to take his two goals smartly. He struggled to make an impact in the first half but as Dover’s legs tired and Yeovil found their rhythm Cox found space to get on the ball. For such a young player, he’s showing real versatility and great character.

Jordan Young had an off day. Young has been electric so far this season but it was a classic case of trying too hard from Young yesterday. His set pieces were not that standard we’ve come to expect and in the first half, I lost count of how many times he cut inside and put it over the bar. Mark Cooper talked about his half time word being ‘patience’ and there was definitely a bit of impatience on Young’s part in the first half.

Morgan Williams ? Mike Kunz

The Wannell and Williams partnership continues to improve. It was a solid performance from the Glovers as Dover failed to muster a single shot at Joe Day’s goal. While it was a controlled defensive display from the entire team, Wannell and Williams were cool, calm, and composed in possession. Williams, signed as a centre back in 2021 has played nearly every position other than centre back up until Hampton & Richmond on the 23rd of September. Since then, he and Wannell have forged a dominant partnership that’s handled every single challenge it’s faced. The way Wannell has progressed over the season is remarkable. Right now, he’s winning everything aerially, he’s not giving strikers a sniff and his composure with the ball is superb.

Familiar patterns of play are emerging. Over the past few matches, the work that’s been going in on the pitch is clear. The link up play in the wide areas with the fullbacks high and getting crosses into the box is becoming instinctive now: Young cuts inside, Michael Smith is on the overlap and the cross comes into the edge of the box. We’ve seen that move in every match lately. It took time to get into the flow yesterday and Dover defended resolutely, but those early days of the season with groans of “get it forward” are a distant memory now.

These record breakers deserve the plaudits. That’s thirteen then. It wasn’t the goalfest- I was hoping for, but it was another game where we dominated and found yet another way to win. Confidence is high and the belief of the supporters is there. The team has won thirteen games in a row (nine in the League, beating Gary Johnson’s promotion winning team in 12/13) and has played some excellent football to boot. The fixture schedule is relentless but I genuinely believe we have the squad, the pit-crew and the management to keep this going.  On to Farnborough…

 

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Two-goal hero Sonny Cox admits he is enjoying his time at Yeovil Town after scoring his first goals in green-and-white in today’s 2-0 home win over Dover Athletic.

The 19-year-old signed joined on loan from League One Exeter City last month, signing a deal to keep him at Huish Park until January, and has started the Glovers’ last two games.

He was paired alongside Jake Hyde today and admitted it was tough to break down a dogged Dover Athletic side who cancelled out the National League South table-toppers in the first half.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, he said: “It was a very tough game. In the first half they sat in and made it hard for us, but we stuck at what we were doing and in the second half we broke through and got our chances.

“I was playing just in behind the striker (Jake Hyde) but I obviously I like playing down the middle. Wherever the manager needs me I will play. It was great to score the goals, we had to stay switched on and when the ball dropped luckily I was there. The fans were great today, so I loved scoring in front of the Thatcher’s End.”

The Exeter academy product, who has made 13 appearances in all competitions for his parent club this season, admits playing and training alongside the likes of Rhys Murphy, Frank Nouble and Hyde is really benefiting him.

He said: “All the lads are great, I get on with the Gaffer really well, so I am glad I came here. It is a bit of a difference from League football, but with the team we have got it is crazy where we could go with the kind of quality we have.

“I have to keep learning, going up against different opponents and learning ways to get around them and just keep at it.

“I’m learning a lot (from the likes of Murphy, Nouble and Hyde), they keep giving me little tips as the more experienced players and they have been everywhere. I am picking bits up from all of them.”

Unsurprisingly, Sonny was the player picked for the club’s official YouTube channel interview after the game, you can watch that here.

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Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper heaped praise on goal-scoring hero Sonny Cox as his double strike capped what the boss described as “the most dominant performance of the season for his side.”

The on-loan Exeter City striker netted twice in the second half to seal a new club record 13th consecutive victory with a 2-0 win over Dover Athletic at Huish Park today.

The result moves Yeovil six points clear at the top of the National League South table with at least one game in hand over all but one of the sides in the division’s play-off positions.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, the manager said: “We needed one of the forward players to step forward today. Youngy (Jordan Young) was great in possession, but he didn’t have his shooting boots on today and I think he put more in to the industrial park than he did anywhere near the goal. Sonny stood up today and they were two great finishes and it was a strong performance from him.”

The Glovers did not have it all their own way against a Dover side which sits second-from-bottom of the table, and endured a frustrating first half when they were unable to do much to trouble visiting keeper Billy Terrell.

The opening 45 minutes was punctuated by an 11-minute stoppage following a serious-looking injury to Dover defender Peter Ojemene who was stretchered off after falling awkward during a challenge.

But Cooper believes that despite going in goalless at the break, his side were always in control.

He said: “I thought it was a game we totally dominated from start to finish. The first half we just were not as incisive with our forward players and our end product was slightly off but it was all one-way traffic. We had 16 chances in the first half and probably more than that in the second half but it was a great, dominant performance from us.

“We have kept the opposition away from our goal with control of the ball and it was probably the most dominant performance we have had this season.

“I said to the players before the game that teams are not going to come here and lay down for us. We have to be patient and that was the big thing for us today. We had to concentrate, put the right weight on every pass and I never really felt we would not win the game and I thought some of our football was outstanding.”

With Cox and fellow frontman Jake Hyde, who was handed a start after scoring coming off the bench in recent weeks, unable to find a breakthrough, Cooper also had praise for his defence – goalkeeper Joe Day, full-backs Alex Whittle and Michael Smith, and central defenders Jake Wannell and Morgan Williams.

He added: “That is how it had to be. The base of our performance came from our two centre halves whose distribution was amazing and set off play in to midfield, our two full-backs were excellent with the ball, our two midfield players passed a record amount of passes for us today and we got from the edge of our box to the edge of theirs really smoothly. It was the last little bit in the first half was not what it would usually be.”

The win means that Yeovil are now just two points away from matching last season’s 40-point total for the National League Premier season – and it’s not even the middle of November.

On Tuesday night, Farnborough Town – who missed a stoppage time penalty to settle for a home draw with W*ymouth today – come to Huish Park looking to become the first side to overcome the Glovers on home soil.

Cooper is in no doubt as to what his side need to do. He added: “Every time we win a game when I go upstairs (to the boardroom) in a minute people will be saying ‘you’ve got to win the next one’, so it is great. Football is about dreams and we have to keep doing that and dream that we can keep winning.

“I am sure Farnborough will be looking and thinking ‘God, we have got to go to Yeovil on Tuesday’. They have to come here and play in front of a brilliant fanbase and, if we play well, we are a really tough team to play against.”

As is the way this season, the club’s official YouTube channel did a separate interview with manager Mark Cooper – you can watch it here.

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A double from on loan striker Sonny Cox saw Yeovil Town achieve a club record 13 wins in a row with a hard-fought win over Dover Athletic to extend their lead at the top of National League South to six points.

A frustrating first half was punctuated by a long stoppage for a serious-looking injury to visitors’ defender Peter Ojemen, who was stretchered off, and the Glovers huffed and puffed to little effect.

The second half began in similar style against a dogged Dover side belying their status in the division’s relegation zone until Exeter City frontman Cox bagged his first on 58 minutes before doubling the lead on 77 minutes.

A defeat for second-placed Aveley at Bath City means Yeovil extend their lead at the top of the division with at least one game in hand over all but one of the teams in the play-off places.

First half

The visitors started the match with only one win this season and sitting second-from-bottom of the National League South table, but they dominated the opening exchanges at Huish Park, moving the ball quickly especially down the right side.

However, it was on loan Exeter City striker Sonny Cox who had the game’s first opportunity, who showed some good footwork in the box and got his shot away which Dover keeper Billy Terrell was equal to.

On 12 minutes, Michael Smith got on the overlap down the right and put a good cross in which Jordan Young headed wide. After a patchy start, Yeovil slowly finding their groove and Smith and Young linked up soon after but the forward smashed his shot over the bar, an effort matched by Matt Worthington after 17 minutes.

The desire for an early goal seems to have us shooting on sight. The visitors will be happy for us to carry on doing that all afternoon.

Good play by Young saw him beat defender Peter Ojemen and get a ball in towards Hyde who could not get his shot away, it broke to Young who could not do any better.

More worryingly Ojemen stayed down after what looked like an awkward fall and medical teams from both sides quickly got involved and the 22-year-old left the pitch on a spinal board and wheeled stretcher to applause from all sides of Huish Park. Good news was Ojemen returned the applause given to him. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Dover defender Peter Ojemen, far right of shot, lies prone in front of the visiting supporters after an awkward fall.
Picture courtesy of Debs Curtis.

 

Following a delay of more than ten minutes, the game got back underway and Charlie Naylor came on to replace Ojemen for Dover. A strange atmosphere at Huish Park.

On 38 minutes (take at least ten minutes off that number), good play by Sonny Cox and the ball broke to Will Dawes and whether it was a miss or a Terrell save (nice one Terrell?) is difficult to tell, but either way it remains goalless.

Dawes had a better-struck shot with a minute of normal time remaining, but again it was a long range effort and Terrell gathered. The home side are being restricted to those kind of efforts with everything that is good coming from Michael Smith down the right side. You can almost here Rhys Murphy and Frank Nouble in Mark Cooper’s ear asking to be brought on to liven up a performance lacking in urgency.

With three minutes of the 11 added on played, Worthington (you guessed it) from range put a comfortable shot in to the arms of Terrell, who is yet to have a real testing shot. Not enough behind that one.

It took until the eighth minute of stoppage time for Terrell to get that test, who then got a quickfire second. Smith was in acres of space at the back post from close range and fired it straight at the keeper who did superbly to deny him, before repeating the feat from Cox on the follow-up. The teenager on loan from AFC Bournemouth has done superbly there.

A frustrating first half marred by the injury to Peter Ojemen. You sense Mark Cooper will be ‘having a quiet word’ with his players at the break. 

Half time:  Yeovil Town 0 Dover Athletic 0

 

Second half

Mark Cooper sent the same starting XI out for the second half with Messrs Murphy and Nouble surely not far from his thoughts as they attacked the Thatcher’s Stand in the second half.

But the turnaround certainly did not make an instant impact with a flat start which was lacking in midfield positions, not giving Cox and Hyde up front much to get on the end of.

On 52 minutes, a cynical trip on Will Dawes by Naylor led to a quick free-kick which found its way towards Hyde at the back post, but he could not do anything with it. Soon after another quick one from Worthington found Cox inside the box but his effort was deflected wide and, from the corner, Young found Hyde (there’s a script we’ve heard before) but unfortunately Sonny Blu Lo-Everton got in the way and the effort went over the bar.

You got the feeling a goal was coming and on 58 minutes it arrived. Great play by Will Dawes saw him get his shot in which Terrell turned away, but only as far as Hyde who did superbly to pick up the pieces and fire it back across the face of goal and there was Sonny COX to fire home his first goal in green-and-white.  The announcer gave it to Jordan Young, but we know it was you Sonny!

On 68 minutes, Cox thought he had a second goal. Good delivery from Worthington found Hyde who forced a great save out of Terrell and Cox was on the spot to fire in to the net…..but the flag was up for offside.

The goal had understandably lifted Huish Park and the team and Yeovil continued to press for a second and Cox curled an effort just wide with 20 minutes remaining.

On 71 minutes, Rhys Murphy replaced Hyde and he was almost in immediately. Dawes’ through ball found the top scorer who ran on, but the Dover defence stepped up and the flag was raised.

With 77 minutes gone, it was 2-0 to Yeovil and Cox was in on the action again. Dawes was again involved and it was his ball in from the left which a grounded Dover defender tried to clear, hit Alex Whittle and the ball broke  COX who showed superb finishing to smash home his second. 

As the celebrations continued, Frank Nouble replaced Jordan Young (who did not immediately hear the substitution) and, as if there was not enough to deal with for the Dover defence, the pairing of Murphy and Nouble was re-established. Cox moved out to the right with Dawes keeping on the left. 

On 79 minutes, Murphy forced a fine save out of Terrell and the keeper was back in action six minutes later when Cox had a shot which may have led to more if he’d passed. But he’s on a hat-trick, so who else would have passed? No-one is the right answer.

Zac Bell, who one would imagine will replace the suspended Alex Whittle when Farnborough Town come to Huish Park on Tuesday night, replaced Smith with one minute of normal time remaining, and the three points were confirmed soon after.

Full time: Yeovil Town 2 Dover Athletic 0

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Saturday 11th November, 3pm kick-off

Pitch: Cut up slightly, but held up okay
Conditions: Dry after more torrential rain during the week

Attendance: 3,162 (43 away supporters)

Scorers: Sonny Cox 58 (1-0), Sonny Cox 77 (2-0).

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Jordan Young 50
Dover Athletic: James Dunne 43, 

Referee: Robert Ablett

Yeovil Town (4-4-2)

Substitutes: Rhys Murphy (for Jake Hyde, 71), Frank Nouble (for Jordan Young, ) Zac Bell (for Michael Smith, 89), Josh Owers (not used), Jordan Maguire-Drew (not used).

Dover Athletic: Billy Terrell, Peter Ojemen (for Charlie Naylor, 28), Sinn’kaye Christie, James Dunne, Josh Anifowose, Zidan Sutherland (for Luke Baptiste, 63), Jacob Mensah, Henry Young, Nick Dembele (for Archie Hatcher, 71), John Oyeunga, Paris Lock.
Substitutes (not used): Luke Baptiste, Dontai Stewart, Johl Powell.