January 2024 (Page 7)

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Mark Cooper has said that he felt that his side, whilst not winners by a large margin, were comfortable throughout the 1-0 win over Taunton.

Speaking to Sheridan Robins after the game, he said that his team might not have been at 100% but the game was always within the Glovers’ grasp.

“I thought we were really comfortable, I thought we controlled the game really well without sparking, we got into some really good positions with our play in the wide areas, but it was just one of those nights where our real talismen didn’t really produce until Frank scores a great goal, but that’s fine, that can happen.

We kept another clean sheet and we move on.”

The all important winning goal coming in the second half, it was a patient waiting game for the travelling fans… and team alike.

“I said to the players, ‘no one is going to give you anything, no one is going to make it easy for us’, they’re going to put bodies behind the ball, like they did and make it difficult, we had a couple of really good chances early on, which then changes their outlook, but we didn’t take them, then they get a bit of encouragement because we haven’t scored before half time, but for us there was no panic, it was keep playing, keep moving the ball, and an opening would happen and it did.”

Rhys Murphy rises highest against Hemel Hempstead Town.
Picture courtesy of Dan Finill.

Striker Rhys Murphy started the game on the bench, but was brought on at half time, he didn’t see the game out, however, he was replaced by Jake Hyde shortly before the end of the game after feeling a slight twinge in his hamstring, Cooper said he simply wanted to take no risk with the Bagsman;

“[Murphy] is alright, he tweaked his hamstring, just felt a little tweak in his hamstring, that bottom corner of the pitch was really soft and he just felt his hamstring tighten a little bit, so just precautionary, we had to take him off”

“if there’s ever a time to have a break it’s when you’re caught up on your games and you’ve got a 13 point advantage”

With Aveley’s continued participation in the FA Trophy, this coming weekend is a blank one for the Glovers giving the team a chance to rest and recharge ahead of the home clash against Hemel Hempstead on the 20th.

“Of course you want to keep playing, but if there’s ever a time to have a break it’s when you’re caught up on your games and you’ve got a 13 point advantage, so the players will get a little bit of time now to recover, they’ve been brilliant haven’t they? 

There was never any doubt with us, we kept playing and the boys deserve a little bit of a break and then we’ll attack the Hemel game, as we do every week.”

You can listen to the entire interview with Sheridan and Mark, below

 

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Yeovil Town extended their lead at the top of the National League South to 13 points with a narrow win at Somerset rivals Taunton Town.

It was a fourth goal in as many games from striker Frank Nouble which sealed the points to give the Glovers’ victory in their game in hand over a number of their rivals in the division’s top seven.

Here’s how it went down in the county town….

First half

A bright start from the visitors saw good link-up between Matt Worthington and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton with the latter’s effort cleared off the goal line by former Glovers’ loanee Zac Bell, signed by Taunton on loan from Bristol City earlier in the day.

Soon after, nice passing saw Yeovil break forward at pace with a move involving Jordan Young and Lo-Everton, but it was full-back Michael Smith who the ball broke to on the edge of the box and his effort was easily held by Dan Lavercombe in the hosts’ goal.

Michael Smith fires in to the gloves of Taunton keeper Dan Lavercombe.

With 18 minutes gone, a foul by Jordan Young on Peacocks’ striker Ross Stearn earned him a yellow card. From the resulting free-kick, Lloyd Irish’s ball found Ollie Chamberlain on the left side and he played a dangerous ball in to the box which was headed away Frank Nouble. Nothing much to trouble Joe Day in the Yeovil goal yet, but Taunton certainly not rolling over here.

When they were in possession, Yeovil struggled to shrug off their claret and blue shadows. The home side harried their opponents in a way they were completely unable to in the Boxing Day game at Huish Park. Not a one-sided affair this.

With half-an-hour gone, a nice ball forward by Senior was laid off nicely by Lo-Everton, but Young could not get in ahead of Lavercombe.

There was a heart-in-the-mouth moment on 39 minutes when Joe Day fumbled a long ball in to the box with a number of Taunton players in close proximity. The referee awarded a foul to the keeper who was perhaps a touch fortunate.

The half-time whistle sounded with Yeovil massively ahead in the possession stats, but Taunton’s game of pressing their visitors paid off.

Half time:  Taunton Town 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

A gear change  was required from Yeovil to press home their advantage and manager Mark Cooper introduced top scorer Rhys Murphy in place of the quiet Courtney Senior at the start of the second half.

Following a bitty opening five minutes a lovely ball forward by Matt Worthington picked out Frank NOUBLE who broke in to the box and fired an angled shot past Lavercombe. 1-0 to the visitors.

Frank Nouble celebrates his fourth goal in as many games.

On 63 minutes, a great bit of link up between Lo-Everton and Murphy  saw the midfielder jink his way in to the box, but he could not get a shot away to test Lavercombe.

Moments later a mistake by Zac Bell gifted possession to Murphy who showed all his striker’s instincts who hit it first time and he lashed an effort which Lavercombe did well to turn on to the bar to keep it out. What an effort from the bagsman, deserved a goal.

As the game closed towards the 90th minute, Murphy went down in what seemed like an innocuous clash, judged by the experts in the home crowd as time wasting. But, worryingly for those in the away end, the top scorer went off shortly after, replaced by Jake Hyde.

Hyde was straight in the action to head home a looping free-kick from Worthington, but his effort went over the bar.

It was a hard-fought win, but a win nevertheless. Job done.

Full time: Taunton Town 0 Yeovil Town 1

 

Match Details

Venue: Wordsworth Drive
Date: Tuesday 9th January – 7.45pm

Competition: National League South

Pitch: Uneven and a bit bobbly.
Conditions:  Cold. Very cold.

Attendance: 3001

Scorers: Frank Nouble 50 (1-0),

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Jordan Young 16, Rhys Murphy 71, Jake Wannell  75, Michael Smith 90+5
Taunton Town: Dan Ball 20, Nat Jarvis 58

Referee: Niall Smith

Yeovil Town (4-5-1)

Substitutes: Rhys Murphy (for Courtney Senior, 46), Will Dawes (for Jordan Young, 76), Jake Hyde (for Rhys Murphy, 87), Jamie Sendles-White (not used), Josh Owers (not used).

Taunton Town: Dan Lavercombe, Zac Bell, Nick Grimes, Dan Ball, Ollie Chamberlain, Lloyd James, Nat Jarvis (for Marley Rose, 61), Rabby Tabu Minzamba, Ross Stearn (for Evander Grubb, 78), Cameron Evans, Marcus Day (for Louie Slough, 70).
Substitutes (not used): Callum Dolman, Lloyd Irish.

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Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper has started powerful frontman Frank Nouble for tonight expecting a physical battle against crisis club Taunton Town.

The 32-year-old plays up front with playmaker Sonny Blu Lo-Everton just behind him with Jordan Young and Courtney Senior on the right and left of midfield.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins ahead of the match at Wordsworth Drive, Cooper said: “Frank Nouble is going to play centre forward with Sonny Blu Lo-Everton just behind him and the rest is the same (as the Bath City win), so we are keeping that consistency but I think we might need a bit more physicality at the top end of the pitch tonight. Then we have (Rhys) Murphy and Jake Hyde to come off the bench later in the game if we need them.

“Frank is a big lad and he can use his physical presence, he has got pace and can turn with the ball and run with it, and then we have got three technicians just behind him in Courtney (Senior), Sonny (Blu Lo-Everton) and (Jordan) Young.”

On the substitutes’ bench, defender Jamie Sendles-White, who has been missing since September with an Achilles injury, returns alongside winger Will Dawes, who picked up a dead leg early in the 4-1 win over Taunton at Huish Park on Boxing Day.

Cooper said: “We’ve got Dawesy back now from a dead leg, Hydey is now training and back on the bench and within a week or ten days Jordan Stevens is back, so it is important we keep everybody motivated.”

Taunton has announced the signings of Bristol City youngsters striker Marley Rose and full-back Zac Bell, who had a spell on loan at Huish Park earlier this season, but have lost a number of players who featured in the Boxing Day defeat due to their well-publicised financial difficulties.

Striker Nick McCootie, who was sent off in that match, and midfielder Joe Guest and have seen defender Jay Foulston and attacking midfielder Dylan Morgan join Yeovil. Foulston is unable to play as he is only on loan with a view to a permanent move, whilst Morgan does not feature

Cooper said his side could not think about their opponents’ off-the-field issues: “It’s about the game. As bad as I feel for Rob (Dray, the Taunton manager) and the troubles they are having at the moment, it is about us trying to do everything we can to get three points.”

Tonight’s match represents one of their games in hand over several of their National League South rivals and provides an opportunity to stretch their lead at the top of the table to 13 points. In other fixtures tonight, FA Cup heroes fifth-placed Maidstone United host Dartford whilst Slough Town visit sixth-placed Bath.

Cooper said: “If you start looking that long term, you can take your eye off the prize. All it is is three points. Our fans will be here and they will be really loud and vociferous and we are going to need that tonight.“

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Yeovil Town have made one change to their starting line-up for today’s all-Somerset clash at Taunton Town in National League South (7.45pm kick-off).

Top scorer Rhys Murphy drops to the substitutes’ bench in place of midfielder Sonny Blu Lo Everton replacing him in the starting XI.

There is a return on the bench for defender Jamie Sendles-White, who has not featured since scoring in the 3-2 win at Weston-super-Mare in September, alongside Will Dawes who missed the 2-0 win over Bath City last weekend.

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Those who pay close attention to Companies House will have seen the update of the termination of Mark Robinson as a Director at club.

Robinson, who was appointed to the board on 25th May following the takeover by Martin Hellier last year, had worked at the club as Commercial Manager since 2019.

The change means the current ‘active’ directors on Companies House are Martin Hellier, Rhys Rosser and Stuart Robins.

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Yeovil Town will take a quick trip down the A303/A358 to Wordsworth Drive on Tuesday evening as they face Taunton Town.

In the final game of ‘El Ciderco’ this season, the Glovers will be looking to take all six points from their local rivals. After a fairly comfortable win against the Peacocks in front of a record crowd on Boxing Day, Mark Cooper’s men will fancy their chances in the return fixture.

6301 People in Huish Park, another NLS record
? Gary Brown

For the “Pride of Somerset” however it has been a difficult couple of months, with off-the-field issues leading to them having to sell/loan their best players, which has seen them drop down the table. Sitting just above the relegation zone, the Peacocks will be looking to show their board level problems haven’t affected the on-pitch performances.

Yeovil Town Teams News

Mark Cooper will be happy with his sides start to the new year. After the postponed game against Taunton, the home fixture against Bath was the Glovers first. In what was tough fought 2-0 win, Yeovil will not be able rest on their laurels when facing another local rival.

The game also saw Frank Noble continue his impressive form, scoring his 8th goal of the season.

Picture Courtesy of Gary Brown

After the game, there was even more good news for the Huish Park side, as top scorer and arguably the player of the season so far, Jordan Young signed a new deal that will keep him at the Somerset club until the summer of 2026.

The game will also see a possible three former Peacocks players in the Yeovil side, with the recent additions of Dylan Morgan and Jay Foulston joining Jake Wannell in the green side of Somerset.

Wannell’s superb performance vs Bath saw him make the National League South Team of the Week.

Injury wise only Jordan Stevens misses out.

Taunton Town

The Peacocks’ Head of Football Rob Dray talked about the upcoming fixture. He said: “I’ve asked them to just go there and have a proper go, all my teams have a proper go, I look forward to it, roll on Tuesday”.

Mark Cooper and Rob Dray exchange pleasantries
? Gary BrownDray, 54, also spoke about how big the fixture is. He said: “If you told someone we’d be playing Yeovil at home in the league, four or five years ago, they would’ve laughed at you. So we’re not just going to turn up to make the numbers up.”

The former Yate boss also spoke about how he is looking to strengthen before the game “with a couple coming through the door”. Louie Slough is now available to play against the Glovers after originally being ruled out for this fixture on New Years Eve.

Some players for the travelling fans to look out for are midfielder Rabby Minzamba and defender Cameron Evans who both had good games against Slough despite losing.

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A huge win over Bath gave the Glovers a healthy lead at the top of the National League South Table, but the clean sheet gained gets an extra boost with Jake Wannell being named in the Official Vanarama Team of the Week.

He kept the prolific Scott Wilson safely tucked in his back pocket and that’s enough for the league’s sponsors to pop him in their mythical XI.

Great work, Jake!

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Ian, Ben and Dave talk through the 2-0 win against Bath City and just how much we believe. We look ahead to Taunton on Tuesday and take your questions…

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What’s better than a 1-0 win over your south-west rivals? Well, a 2-0 win of course! That’s exactly what happened on Saturday as Yeovil extended their unbeaten run to 6 games. Let’s look at what went down on a busy Saturday afternoon.

Before we get stuck into National League South action, I feel it’s right to give Maidstone some well-earned attention. They would’ve faced Havant & Waterlooville, but instead they were in FA Cup action hosting Stevenage in the 3rd Round, and they didn’t disappoint. Stevenage continued their recent poor form against non-league outfits (looking at you 2021 2nd Round tie) as a Sam Corne penalty handed the Stones a famous 1-0 win, booking their place in the 4th Round for the first time in their history!

Back to league action, and we begin in Essex, where Hampton & Richmond’s 16 match unbeaten run finally came to end in a surprising 3-1 defeat away to Braintree Town, Shaquille Coulthirst’s brace proving to be the difference maker. There were two 3-2 thrillers, with the better of the two coming at Hardenhuish Park. George Williams slotted a 90th minute penalty to win the game for 10 man Hemel Hempstead over Chippenham Town; in the other fixture, Chelmsford City left Worthing with all three points, with NLS top scorer Ollie Pearce’s double proving too little too late for the hosts.

Welling United’s relegation worries were deepened with a 3-1 loss at home to Aveley, the visitors leading 3-0 at half-time. Taunton head into Tuesday’s visit from the Glovers with concerning form, as they were easily dealt with by Slough Town, the 3-0 win giving the hosts a serious boost to their season. And in the only other 2-0 win of the day, Truro City left Dover Athletic with all three points, as they registered their 4th win on the bounce.

There were two 2-2 draws to discuss, with two injury time equalisers involved! Decarrey Sheriff got a 93rd minute equaliser for Eastbourne Borough‘s new manager Adam Murray’s first game in charge, taking a point away from Torquay United. In the other game, a 96th minute Reuben Reid goal rescued a point for Weston-super-mare as they hosted a stop-start Dartford side. St Albans City held on for a vital three points in a 2-1 win at home to Farnborough, and in the final game of today’s roundup, Tonbridge Angels climbed to 9th place in a 2-1 win over W*ymouth.

 

National League South results – in full

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

FA Cup 3rd Round results (NLS teams in bold)

Maidstone 1-0 Stevenage

National League South table