September 2024 (Page 13)

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One day after departing Huish Park, Jordan Maguire-Drew has appeared 30 miles south at the National League South’s bottom club W*ymouth.

The play-maker, who had not appeared in a Yeovil Town shirt since last December, terminated his contract by mutual consent on Monday having not been given a squad number for this season.

On Tuesday night, he was lining up for the seagull-bothering lot as they prepared to take on Hampton & Richmond at the Bob Lucas Stadium, lining up alongside another former Glover, Brooklyn Genesini.

They are looking to pick up their first point of the new season at the seventh attempt. 

We’d love to wish you all the best with your new employer, JM-D, but we really can’t.

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Jordan Maguire-Drew has mutually agreed to terminate his contract at Yeovil Town, the club have confirmed.

The playmaker has not started for the Glovers since the FA Cup fourth qualifying round win over Didcot Town at the end of September having been out of favour throughout the club’s charge to the National League South title.

He played just 472 minutes of league football for the club last season and had a spell at National League Premier side Barnet in December, making 12 appearances before returning to Huish Park. His last appearance for the club came as a 93rd minute substitute in the 2-2 draw at Dartford last December.

Jordan Maguire-Drew.
Picture courtesy of Dan Finill.

The writing has been on the wall for the former Brighton & Hove Albion academy product after he was not given a squad number for Yeovil’s National League Premier season.

The 26-year-old arrived at Huish Park in December 2022 on a one-month loan period and made a fantastic start with a goal in the 2-0 home win over Torquay United on Boxing Day 2022, followed by an important penalty to set up a win at one of his former clubs, Dagenham & Redbridge, the following January.

He extended his contract by a further 18 months in August 2023 and started last season in the plans of manager Mark Cooper, he quickly fell out of favour and is now in search of the fifth permanent home of his career.

Good luck in the future JM-D – and thanks for the Peter Dinklage!

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In what is absolutely no surprise to anyone who saw the Glovers win 3-1 at Boston – Brett McGavin has been named in the official Vanarama Team of the Week.

But, there’s a second Yeovil Town player in the mix too, with Dylan Morgan making the National League South version for his Man of the Match performance for Weston-super-Mare on loan debut from the Glovers.

Congrats to Brett and Dylan on their inclusions in this week’s mythical line ups.

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Yeovil Town Under-18s will only compete in the midweek Western Counties Floodlight Youth League this season with matches played at Huish Park.

The young Glovers won the competition’s South Division last season and have been promoted to the Premier Division for the 2024-25 season.

That means there will be no Saturday action for the side which also competed in the South West Counties Youth League up until last season.

They begin with a trip to Paulton Rovers on Thursday 12th September before their first home game of the season against Brislington on Thursday 25th September.

With no weekend action, a number of the youngsters have found temporary homes on loan across the Westcountry with the likes of full-back Korey Coerner at Plymouth Parkway and Krystian Woods and Sol Padmore at Street. 

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Cheltenham Town manager Michael Flynn has confirmed Yeovil Town’s interest in bringing central defender Tom Bradbury to Huish Park.

Speaking after the Robins’ 2-1 defeat at Walsall on Saturday, Flynn told Gloucestershire Live reporter Jon Palmer that the interest was the only the club had received on EFL transfer deadline day last week.

Players can still join National League clubs outside of the EFL window and, asked if there was still an opportunity for Bradbury to move, Flynn said: “Possibly. We will have to have a look.”

Bradbury played 13 times for Cheltenham in League One last season but is yet to appear for them in their League Two campaign this year. The 26-year-old spent a season at Huish Park in 2019-20.

Yeovil boss Mark Cooper played ‘a straight bat’ to questions about the 26-year-old after the Glovers’ 3-1 win at Boston United at the weekend, which saw centre-half Jake Wannell sent-off for two bookable offences.

Declining to comment specifically on Bradbury, Cooper added: “We are trying to sign a centre back, we’re trying, but we’ve got to get the right one in, now the [EFL} window is shut and things are settled down, we will see which players are available who can’t go into the league, but can come to the National League.”

Wannell will definitely miss this weekend’s trip to AFC Fylde and there is a good chance Yeovil will also be without Morgan Williams, who sat out the Boston match with concussion suffered in the Bank Holiday Monday defeat at home to Rochdale. On loan Bristol City defender Raphael Araoye, who has been filling in for the injured Alex Whittle at left-back in recent games, also went off in the second half at Boston with a dead leg, making him a doubt for the Fylde game.

That leaves Cooper with only summer signing Finn Cousin-Dawson, who made his first start in the win at Boston, as the only recognised central defender available to him.

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Goalkeeper Will Buse will returning to Yeovil Town when his loan at National League South side Weston-super-Mare expires in a week’s time.

The Yeovil-born stopper has been a regular in the Seagulls’ side having arrived at the start of the new campaign with Weston’s summer signing, Kelland Absalom, suspended for the start of the campaign.

A 3-2 home win over Hornchurch which saw fellow Glovers’ loanee winger Dylan Morgan among the Weston scorers, signalled the end of Buse’s loan and on Sunday Weston confirmed the arrival of keeper Max Harris on loan from Cheltenham Town.

In a post on Weston’s Twitter/X account, manager Scott Bartlett said: “Our goalkeeping situation has been complicated through a unique set of circumstances, but we have navigated it well as a club.

“Will’s loan is due to expire on the 7th of September. We discussed an extension but couldn’t come to an agreement with Will regarding the length so we took an opportunity to bring Max back once he became available late last week.

“Busey remains with us until after Saturday and has done brilliantly for us. We are grateful for his services and we hope he gets an opportunity at a full-time club in the near future.”

Buse has not featured for Yeovil since being dropped in favour of loanee Joe Day at the start of the 2023-24 season, and was loaned out to Bath City last season.

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Forward Harvey Greenslade has joined the Yeovil Town injury list after suffering a serious shoulder injury in the 3-1 win at Boston United on Saturday.

The former Bristol Rovers’ player collided with the not inconsiderable presence of Pilgrims’ captain Michael Bostwick having come on as a 73rd-minute substitute in the game in Lincolnshire.

The club confirmed on Sunday that he had suffered “a clavicle separation” in the incident which led to him being substituted off again in second half injury time.

In a post on his Twitter/X account, Greenslade said: “Incredibly frustrated to have picked this up. Will work hard to get back playing as soon as possible and do my best to support the lads in the meantime. Special group of players and can’t wait to join back in.”

If you were wondering (and we were), a clavicle separation is when the ligaments between the shoulder blade and collar bone are stretched or torn, leading to the collar bone separating from the shoulder blade.

One assumes it means a considerable period on the sidelines for the 20-year-old, who was Yeovil’s first signing of the summer back in May.

The Glovers are definitely without central defender Jake Wannell for next weekend’s trip to AFC Fylde after he was sent-off for two bookable offences at Boston, and seem likely to miss Wannell’s defensive partner Morgan Williams, who missed the win on Saturday having suffered concussion in last Monday’s 1-0 home defeat to Rochdale.

Forward Dylan Morgan was sent out on loan to National League South side Weston-super-Mare on a three-month loan deal on Saturday. However, FA rules state that a player can only be recalled after a minimum of 28 days.

Speaking after the win at Boston, manager Mark Cooper confirmed he was in the market for a central defender, but his targets may now have widened to a forward player with Greenslade likely to be missing for the forseeable future.

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Yeovil got themselves back on track with a chaotic 3-1 win at Boston United on Saturday. Let’s see how the rest of the division got on, in a day full of drama!

We start at The Hive, where Barnet took on National League North champions Tamworth. It was a one sided affair, in which Zak Brunt scored a hat trick, among other scorers in a 7-0 drubbing of their northern visitors. There was another game with seven goals too, but more evenly spread out, as Aldershot defeated Maidenhead United in a 4-3 thriller, Maidenhead’s Tristan Abrahams bagging a hat trick in vain.

Rochdale continued their good form following their bank holiday victory with a thumping 3-0 win over Woking, dominating for the majority of the game. In a 1st vs 2nd clash, 10-man Gateshead scored a last gasp winner at home against Eastleigh to  leave themselves at the top of the table, and the only unbeaten side in the division. There was further drama at Gander Green Lane in the evening kickoff between Sutton United and Forest Green Rovers, as an 89th minute winner from Charlie McCann handed the visitors the three points in a clash between both of the relegated EFL outfits.

Following their bank holiday defeat, York City bounced back with a win away at Dagenham & Redbridge thanks to Lenell John-Lewis and Ollie Pearce, while in a clash of the locals, it finished 1-1 between Altrincham and Oldham Athletic. It also finished 1-1 between Solihull Moors and Wealdstone.

The difficult start continues for Ebbsfleet United, as they to a 1-0 defeat at home to FC Halifax Town, an early goal from Angelo Cappello rooting the hosts to the bottom of the table with 1 point from their opening 6 games. It finished 0-0 between Hartlepool United and Braintree Town, and in the final… “match” of the day, it was a postponement between AFC Fylde and Southend United, following train issues for the Essex-based side, meaning Fylde will have an extra week of rest ahead of our clash next weekend up north.

National League results – in full

AFC Fylde P-P Southend United
Aldershot Town 4-3 Maidenhead United
Altrincham 1-1 Oldham Athletic
Barnet 7-0 Tamworth
Boston United 1-3 Yeovil Town
Dagenham & Redbridge 0-2 York City
Ebbsfleet United 0-1 FC Halifax Town
Gateshead 2-1 Eastleigh
Hartlepool United 0-0 Braintree Town
Rochdale 3-0 Woking
Solihull Moors 1-1 Wealdstone
Sutton United 1-2 Forest Green Rovers

National League table

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Yeovil Town picked up three points on the road with a 3-1 win at Boston United yesterday and Gloverscast Ben was back behind the mic for BBC Somerset.

Here are his five key takeaways from the game in Lincolnshire……

Red Cards Change Games.

Both Jordan Richards and Jake Wannell can have little-to-no complaints about their red cards. Wannell had a rush of blood to the head, made a silly decision and will now sit out next weekend’s game at AFC Fylde.

I won’t be throwing him under a bus for it, the reigning Glovies’ Player of the Year has got us out of far more sticky situations than the ones he’s got us in during a season and a bit. Don’t do it again, Jake. 

I was amazed that so many people in the Boston crowd (which I was sat amongst) did not think the Richards challenge warranted a red. It’s a bog standard reckless challenge for me and it’s a red card all day long. The amount of contact is almost irrelevant, if Charlie Cooper’s foot is planted in the ground at point of impact you’re looking at a leg breaker. The Boston manager said they’ll consider appealing the three-match ban. I’m fairly confident in saying he’ll sit those games out. 

Red cards do change games, and both of Saturday’s certainly did, it was a chaotic affair which was only exaggerated by a couple of crazy moments.

Jake Wannell sees Red

Anyone got any defenders?

Raphael Araoye has a dead leg and went off yesterday, Morgan Williams has a concussion from Monday, and now Jake Wannell has next weekend off.

Alex Whittle was in Boston, in kit, but not named on the bench, Finn Cousin-Dawson looked good for the most part and Michael Smith was.….well, he’s Michael Smith, of course he’s spectacular.

But we had, at different points in the game, Matt Worthington, Charlie Cooper, Sam Pearson (!) and from the bench, Jordan Thomas as part of the defensive unit. It might just be one game were we look eye-catchingly short, but I don’t fancy going to Fylde with a Thomas-Smith-FCD-Pearson back four.

We have seven days to find a defender or two, maybe just for a month. We need some bodies at the back, preferably someone who can play left back too in case Whittle isn’t quite ready to do a full 90 twice in a couple of days. 

Does it end up being ex-Glover and now Cheltenham Town defender Tom Bradbury who was linked with us this week? I don’t know, but I do know, we need some depth in there and it needs to come from someone with some experience and quality.

We played the game, not the atmosphere.

I really liked the fact that – aside from Jake Wannell’s “moment” – we didn’t fold under pressure against a physical and riled up Boston.

Charlie Cooper was the perfect player to play pantomime villain in the game. He took the shocker of the challenge which led to the red card and then proceeded to walk around with a target on his back where the number 24 once was.

Cooper was cool headed throughout, he took the kicks and knocks and play acting from those who he so much as breathed too heavily in the vicinity of and let it all brush past him and I really think we’re going to need more of that as the season goes on.

He has the nous, experience and je ne sais quoi in the tough moments and he led the way with that yesterday. Cooper was my Man of the Match, we’ve spoken about needing a bruiser in the middle of the park to compliment McGavin and Worthington, and Cooper can do that.

Furthermore, I was impresssed with the way that some of the younger players handled those moments, not afraid to put their body on the line, in harms way and get it done a touch ugly. Harvey Greenslade, Jordan Young and Sam Pearson will all have bumps and bruises on Sunday morning, but they kept their heads and that, I think, was vital in seeing the game out.

Urgency, Urgency, Urgency.

Eurgh, I hate to do a negative one when we’ve won a game, but I have to mention something which I spotted against Gateshead and Rochdale… and then again against Boston.

Get. On. With. It.

I like the fact that we keep the ball so well, I don’t mind that sometimes the ball goes backwards, I don’t mind that it goes sideways.

What I do seem to mind, is that when the ball goes dead, it can take 30-40 seconds for someone to trundle over, pick the ball up and think about maybe throwing it to a friend.

In that same 30 seconds, every one of the opposition players have tracked back, got into position and immediately cut off the routes to goal which our players are more than capable of going through. That then leads to the ball going backwards or sideways as we look to find another way through.

I do wish we’d hurry up a bit when the ball stops. Free kicks, get it moving, get someone running down a line and be brave enough to get the ball up there. Throw ins, go and grab the ball and be ready to get going – ideally forward – quickly. I truly believe it will give us better positions to get that final ball right more often. 

We’ll end on a positive though.

Brett McGavin Saturdays.

When Yeovil were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box, I proclaimed on air, it was “Charlie Cooper Territory”, I’m afraid there’s a new Territorial Kingpin in town.

Brett McGavin has a famed long shot on him as his YouTube reel will testify. We saw that with his second goal later on in the first half, but the free-kick goal was one of the purest strikes, I think I’ll ever see of a set piece.

It could not have been placed any better, any more fierce or any more pin point perfect.

Boston’s Cam Gregory is not a small goalkeeper, he had a large wall, and he got nowhere near it, on his side of the goal. Absolute “Top Bins” (that’s what the cool kids say, right?). I feel like we’ll watch that goal a few times this season, it’s probably already earned its spot in the Glovies’ Goal of the Season nominations.

My challenge to you Brett is… before the end of the season, score an even better one. I dare you.

We’ll be here watching this clip on loop until you do. Cheers.