December 2025

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The Glovers finished off 2025 with a 1-1 draw against Eastleigh at Huish Park. Here are Ian’s Five Conclusions from the sub-zero press box.

We’re not creating yet. We showed moments, we saw glimpses in the final third, especially in the second half but if it wasn’t for Eweke’s slip, I’m not sure we would have found the back of the net. Certainly after we scored we didn’t push on. In the second half we looked the more likely to find a second goal, but other than the McCormick and Daly two v one, I never felt confident that there was another one coming. Which is a problem when…

We’re conceding sloppy goals. The way in which we conceded the penalty was entirely avoidable. The goal on Boxing Day was really sloppy, the second goal Forest Green Rovers scored was poor, as was the defending for Maidstone’s equaliser in the FA Trophy. As a defensive unit we’ve shot ourselves in the foot so many times this season and when you’re struggling to score, you can’t afford any slip ups at the back.

Luke McCormick | Pic by Gary Brown

Luke McCormick made the difference again. Yeovil’s number 8 has another man of the match trophy to his name and yet another goal. He finishes 2025 with more goals for Yeovil than anyone else. He’s really made his mark in green and white and without his goals Yeovil would be in a very different position. But, we can’t rely only him.

Eastleigh have a striker in Aaron Blair. If you we’re looking at adding a different kind of striker to bolster the front line, we witnessed it last night. Blair chased down everything, bothered our back line and confidently put away his penalty. He worked hard for his team and reminded me of those strikers Gary Johnson always relied on his teams. If we were looking for another type of striker to bolster the front line, someone of Blair’s ilk would fit the bill.

Billy Rowley | Pic by Gary Brown

It’s clear reinforcements are needed. Billy Rowley said there would be changes ahead his post-match press conference. The loans of James Plant and Andrew Oluwabori are expiring and Rowley has inherited a squad that three managers have had an input on before him so and he needs to build it in his vision. January will be a big month and hopefully the manager has the means to balance out this squad and build some momentum in 2026.

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Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley said he expects there to be changes to the squad after the Glovers ended 2025 with a 1-1 draw at home to Eastleigh.

The boss said he had highlighted areas he wanted to “build upon” and pointed to the recruitment at the club being different to his own philosophy for the game, suggesting there will be incomings at Huish Park in the coming weeks.

Loan deals for both James Plant and Andrew Oluwabori are both due to expire at the end of the year and it seems likely that attacking changes will be Rowley’s priority with Yeovil having managed just 23 goals in their 25 league games this season.

Reflecting on his time at the club so far to BBC Somerset’s Mark Stillman, the manager said: “The thing I have not enjoyed so much is putting as many points on the board as I would have liked to, so that is going to be the aim in 2026. I know we need to continue to help this group, whether that is with ideas or fresh players, there is going to be some changes in the near future. I have really enjoyed working with these lads, they are good pros and there are a lot of good characters in there, so it has been a good start.

“How I see football and how I want to attack teams is obviously slightly different to how recruit has gone in the past which is natural, so I think we are going to highlight some key areas that we want to build upon and that is going to be the work in the next couple of weeks.”

Yeovil Town celebrate Luke McCormick’s opener.

A first half goal from midfielder Luke McCormick, the summer signing’s seventh of the season, put Yeovil ahead after 28 minutes on a chilly night in Somerset, before a defensive lapse gifted Eastleigh a penalty in first half stoppage time which striker Aaron Blair dispatched.

The Glovers’ goal was their only effort on target in the first half, but Rowley said he felt his side controlled the opening 45 minutes.

He said: “When I watch it back I think there will be large parts I enjoyed and there will be parts we definitely need to improve on. I thought we had some good control in the first 20 minutes of the game and found ourselves 1-0 up, but then we went a bit against the game plan because we were not great in our positions in that spell leading up to half-time. The lads know that because a lot of them were nodding (in the dressing room), we turned the ball over too cheaply and it was just poor decision-making. No disrespect to Eastleigh when I say this, but that spell was comfortable for us and what we needed to do was double down and score two or three goals. We obviously didn’t, we took our foot off the gas and then you are dealing with the elements, it’s two degrees, slippery, the crowd are frustrated which I completely understand. The second half I thought the substitutes changed the game and we should score in that second half.”

Talking about his side’s lack of attacking threat, he added: “That is going to be the message to these players for the next few months. We do not want to be predictable when we attack, that was the message and for large parts of the game I thought we executed it well, we found space and we found space when we needed to, got on to second balls, so there were some really pleasing parts of the game. Obviously the scoreline is disappointing.”

Yeovil open 2026 with a home game against Braintree Town on Saturday. The Essex side picked up a valuable 1-0 win at Woking on Tuesday night, but sit just one point above the National League Premier Division relegation zone.

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Yeovil Town goal scorer Luke McCormick has said that the Glovers are ‘heading in the right direction’ after securing a point against Eastleigh.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Mark Stillman he said;

“Obviously, it stops the little rut we were on, and yeah, we would have liked to get three points, I thought we probably deserved it, I thought for the first 20-25 minutes we were brilliant and that’s when you’ve got to put teams to the sword – and we didn’t.”

“We conceded a sloppy penalty and then I thought second half there was only one team that were going on to score, they had a few corners but I felt we dealt with them really well, on another day we score two or three, listen we’re still a work in progress, but to show the resilience to take a point today, move on to the new year and hopefully three points against Braintree”

Yeovil Town celebrate Luke McCormick’s opener.

The former Bristol Rovers man appreciates that results might not have been going the way anyone would have liked, but wanted to stress the bigger picture about a team working with their fourth manager of the season, he stressed that he feels like the club is heading in the right direction.

“[The goal] is your bread and butter as a box-to-box midfielder, getting the timing right and finding the corners, I thought Simsy did really well, it’s nice to have him back and hopefully we can create more chances, I think that’s what we’ve struggled [with] in recent weeks, it’s difficult when the staff come in, there’s a lot of things they want to implement and obviously games come thick and fast in this division, we’re moving in the right direction slowly by surely.”

“We’ve been trying to take on what the manager wants from you, because he’s the boss, his enthusiasm for the game and Dazza (Assistant Darren Simpson), all the boys are buying in but these things take time.”

McCormick’s seventh goal of the season earned him another sponsors’ Player of the Match, which he says his partner will be delighted about to have another trophy for the mantlepiece, but that focusing on earning the points is more important than the prizes.

“It’s all about the team, it’s all about the three points… we just want to keep moving in the right direction and hopefully, by 5:30pm against Braintree we can get three points. There was good elements in the Truro game, emotions are always high after games, so when you pick the bones out of things, there’s always bits that we’re working on behind closed doors, but obviously the result is the main thing and that’s what we’re tying to do… we’ll get there!”

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Yeovil Town played out a draw at home to Eastleigh in their final fixture of 2025 on a cold night at Huish Park.

The Glovers took advantage of a slip by visiting defender Temi Eweka to open the scoring when Luke McCormick fired in his seventh goal of the season just before the half-hour mark, but it was sloppy defending which gifted Eastleigh an equaliser.

Having failed to clear the danger, Morgan Williams, returning to the side after three matches out through suspension, tripped a visiting player inside the area and Aaron Blair stepped up to fire home the resulting penalty.

First half

Defender Morgan Williams returned to the starting XI having missed the past three matches through suspension and was one of four changes for the Glovers. Striker Aaron Jarvis replaced Tahvon Campbell with Josh Sims and Max Jolliffe in for Josh Tobin and Michee Efete, whilst Finn Cousin-Dawson made way for Williams.
The game came to a standstill within just five minutes when Eastleigh defender Richard Brindley went down in a seemingly innocuous incident involving James Plant in the corner in front of the away end. The experienced full-back was replaced by James Waite, who is on loan from Weston-super-Mare, following a long delay.

The first opportunity fell to the visitors after 15 minutes when Sam Pearson, who was weirdly booed by some in the home support, was released by Waite down the right side and found Aaron Blair at the near post, who put his effort in to the Thatcher’s Stand. The striker will be disappointed with the finish and Yeovil manager Billy Rowley will be as upset with the defending.

Jarvis collapsed in the centre circle four minutes later following an off-the-ball clash with visiting defender Aaron Pierre. The pair continued their contest with some verbals after the incident and got a booking each from their troubles.

Josh Lundstram put one over the bar shortly after and Yeovil are looking either a bit rattled by a feisty start to the game or a little unsure as to their roles.  But, the first attack of the game for Yeovil led to an opening goal. A slip from the visitors Temi Eweka allowed Jolliffe’s ball to release Josh Sims, who burst in to the box and fired a pass in to Luke McCORMICK who side footed it in to the net.
Yeovil Town celebrate Luke McCormick’s opener.

But with eight minutes of first half injury time put up due to the earlier stoppage time, Yeovil conceded a penalty. A lack of ownership from anyone in the Glovers’ defence saw Jed Ward sprawl underneath Blair to clear the ball as far as Saunders who went down under a clumsy tackle from Williams. Aaron BLAIR stepped up and fired it home.

You can’t say Eastleigh do not deserve it, they have not had too many opportunities but they have certainly been in the ascendency since they went behind. There were two or three opportunities to clear the ball before it got in to the danger area. That’s another sloppy goal we have conceded. Ugh.

Hopefully attacking the Thatcher’s Stand can bring some of the energy going forward which Billy Rowley spoke about ahead of the game.

Half time: Yeovil Town 1 Eastleigh 1

Second half

The visitors started the second half as they finished the first in the ascendency. On 51 minutes, a corner was not dealt with by the Yeovil defence and Lloyd Humphries was given time to do keepy uppies inside the area before hooking a shot which fortunately went in to the hands of Jed Ward. We were so passive inside the box again which is what cost us at Truro on Boxing Day.

Shortly after Luke McCormick flashed an effort just past the post after good play by Jarvis and then Plant played a great pass to set McCormick free to fire a ball in to the box but Eastleigh were there to defend. That’s more like it, moving the ball quickly and the Thatcher’s is responding. Not rocket science, is it?

On 56 minutes, Michee Efete replaced Max Jolliffe and the defender, who played as part of a back three in the defeat at Truro, took a position on the right.

There was a heart in mouth moment when a terrible pass from Josh Sims went straight to Blair who thundered forward and Yeovil were grateful to some cool defending from Efete, who did not jump in with a tackle when he could have. Sims owes Efete a spud if he’s got any left!

Just after the hour there was another great opportunity when Pierre won a header at the back post from a corner, before Yeovil had two on one as McCormick thundered away down the left side, he squared it to James Daly whose shot was turned aside by Nick Townsend in the visitors’ goal.

With 73 minutes played, Yeovil made two changes with Josh Tobin and Andrew Oluwabori replacing Josh Sims and James Daly, and six minutes later Tahvon Campbell replaced Jarvis whilst Finn Cousin-Dawson coming on for Kyle Ferguson.

There was a minute of normal time remaining when an opportunity came Yeovil’s way with when Wannell’s ball in from the left went in to a crowded area when Tobin could only prod it wide.

We huffed and puffed in the second half but the quality in the final ball in the final third was still missing against an Eastleigh side which defended well. All in all, a draw was a fair result, but we are finishing 2025 the same way we started it – struggling to score.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 Eastleigh 1

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Date: Tuesday 30th December, 7.45pm kick-off

Competition: Enterprise National League Premier League

Scorers: Luke McCormick 28 (1-0), Aaron Blair pen 45+2 (1-1)

Pitch: Looking okay, a few slippy spots.
Conditions: Cold. Very cold.

Attendance: 3,102 (238 away supporters)

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Aaron Jarvis 19, James Plant 45+6, Morgan Williams 56, Jake Wannell 62
Eastleigh: Aaron Pierre 19, Aaron Blair 62, Josh Lundstram 83, Kieron Evans 90+5

Referee: Harrison Blair

Yeovil Town (3-4-3)

Substitutes: Michee Efete (for Max Jollifee, 57), Josh Tobin (for Josh Sims, 73), Andrew Oluwabori (for James Daly, 73), Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Kyle Ferguson, 79), Tahvon Campbell (for Aaron Jarvis, 79), Harvey Greenslade (not used), Matt Gould (not used).

Eastleigh: Nick Townsend, Richard Brindley (for James Waite, 10, for Angel Wariuh, 88)), Lloyds Humphries, Temi Eweka, Kieron Evans, Aaron Blair (for Paul McCallum, 88), Harvey Saunders (for Tommy Whitehead, 90+2), Aaron Pierre, Josh Lundstram, Sam Pearson (for Luis Fernandez, 88), Archie Harris.

Substitutes (not used): Josh McNamara, Niall Maher.

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Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley has said he has gone back to basics on the training ground ahead of tonight’s home match with Eastleigh.

The Glovers picked up three wins in the boss’s first three matches in charge, but have lost their last two National League Premier Division matches including a 1-0 defeat at bottom club Truro City on Boxing Day.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Mark Stillman ahead of the Eastleigh match, Rowley said: “I feel the messages against Boston and Hartlepool were really simple and we worked on some really clear ideas and patterns of how to make that happen and the boys executed it brilliantly. I think potentially me and Darren (Simpson, assistant manager), I’m not going to say we overcomplicated things in the last two or three games, but I am really mindful the players have had four managers this season and have heard multiple different ideas.

“We maybe should have slowed down a little bit because footballers are eager to impress a new manager and if you ask them to do one thing they will do that, so we should have stayed on course to be a bit more front foot and attack instead of slowing games down at certain moments, but I feel that is still going to be a massive part of how we attack teams. It is knowing what they are giving us and how we expose it, but we want to put Eastleigh on the back foot and play over them.”

Defender Morgan Williams, who has missed the last three games through suspension following his red card in the win at Hartlepool United, returns to the starting line-up against Eastleigh.

Rowley revealed he suffered an injury in training in the past 48 hours, but said he was pleased to have Williams available for selection again.

He said: “I was really worried he was not going to feature, but credit to him and the medical team, they have worked wonders in the last 48 hours not only with the injury but dealing with him mentally. He got a slight knock in training which he was worried about and it looks like he is going to play, so that is great.”

Morgan Williams has been missing for the past three matches through suspension. Picture courtesy of Frank Reid.

Williams is one of four changes from the side which started at Truro with striker Aaron Jarvis and midfielders Max Jolliffe and Josh Sims all returning. Defender Finn Cousin-Dawson and Michee Efete, midfielder Josh Tobin and striker Tahvon Campbell, all drop to the substitutes’ bench.

The boss said: “We have freshened things up, but it is all based on merit and how we think we can score and create, it is not just going to be someone’s turn to play. I think Max and Simsy will come in to the team and that is based on what we think they can bring to the game.

“I want us to be really united in getting after teams and I am going to urge all of us connected to Yeovil to support the players, there is going to be ups and downs along this road. The boys are learning new ideas every day and it is not always going to be a smooth process all the time, but if we show good character and determination we can score some goals.“

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Defender Morgan Williams makes an immediate return to the Yeovil Town starting XI following suspension to face Eastleigh at Huish Park (7.45pm kick-off).

The centre half has missed the last three games following his sending off after the final whistle in the 2-0 win at Hartlepool United earlier this month.

He is one of four changes from the 1-0 defeat at Truro City on Boxing Day with striker Aaron Jarvis and midfielders Josh Sims and Max Jolliffe, who is on loan from Colchester United, named from the start. Striker Tahvon Campbell, defender Finn Cousin-Dawson and midfielders Josh Tobin and Michee Efete, who all started in Cornwall, all drop to the substitutes’ bench.

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Defender Dan Ellison has joined National League South promotion hopefuls Weston-super-Mare on loan until the end of February.

The 20-year-old has made just two substitute appearances since joining from Bristol Rovers at the end of October, totaling less than an hour of football in a green-and-white shirt.

He could make his debut for the Seagulls against Salisbury on Tuesday night.

Dan Ellison seen here in a Bristol Rovers shirt during a pre-season friendly because there’s not been many opportunities to photograph him in a Yeovil Town one. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

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Yeovil Town will be looking put their festive faux pas against Truro City behind them as the face Eastleigh under the lights on Tuesday night.

FORM…

YEOVIL TOWN

The Glovers have come unstuck in recent weeks with two losses on the trot, bringing an end to the good start under Billy Rowley. We all knew the good form would end at some point, but it seems the players have slipped into some of the same bad habits that were present in the Mark Cooper era.

Last time out, was probably one of the most disappointing performances this season losing 1-0. With respect to Truro City, Yeovil were very much the favourites going into the match, but Rowley’s men showed their frailties. The Tinners just felt more up for the match with their West Country counterparts.

The Glovers looked a lot stronger for their substitutes, especially once striker, Aaron Jarvis came on, but ultimately could not get back into the match.

Yeovil captain Jake Wannell raises a hand in apology as he leaves the pitch at Truro.

Eastleigh

The Spitfires sit one spot above their opponents in the league in 14th and have shown decent form over the last five games. After losing to both Hartlepool and Rochdale 2-0 at the end of November, things have got back on track. First of all in the FA Trophy, when the beat Aldershot 2-1. That win then followed into the league as the South Coast side brushed aside Gateshead 1-3.

On Boxing Day, the Spitfires went up against Woking, as they drew 1-1 at home.

KEY PLAYERS…

YEOVIL TOWN – AARON JARVIS

I have been very critical of our front line this season, with the feeling they should be providing more goals than they do. Jarvis especially has been somebody I thought was adding much when on the pitch. However, since Rowley has come in, the 27-year-old seems to have found his role in the team.

Aaron Jarvis goes up for a header – Pic Gary Brown

Although he has only found the net twice this season, with his second coming under the new regime, Jarvis showed his importance to the system on Boxing Day. The striker didn’t start the game and only played 25 minutes, but when he came on the Glovers looked a different side.

As one of taller, more physical forwards Jarvis adds a different dynamic for defenders to deal with. His hold up play last time out was the most notable of his attributes which helped bring over players into the game.

EASTLEIGH – NICK TOWNSEND

The Antigua and Barbuda man joined from Newport in the summer, with a good reputation having won PFA Fans Player of the Month for League Two in March. He was also awarded the clubs player of the season award as well. The shot stopper was even offered a new deal at the Welsh side but turned it down in favour of a move to the Silverlake Stadium.

The 31-year-old has shown his worth this season, keeping his side in tough fixtures, arguably making him one of, if not the best Eastleigh player this season. Although he only has three clean sheets to his name this campaign, Townsend has made 83 saves this season with a 73% save rate each game. According to Sofascore’s match rating system he has been invaluable, with an average rating of 7.21.

THE GAFFER…

Eastleigh have a man that should be recognisable to most Glover fans, with Scott Bartlett in the dugout. The 46-year-old will be most known for his time as manager of Weston-Super-Mare, where he spent the last six years as gaffer. During his time on Somerset’s north coast, Bartlett would be known for playing an attractive style of football, which got him noticed by the likes of Yeovil for managerial jobs.

The former Forest Green player, made the switch to the South Coast in September of this year and has overseen nine games to date. With two wins, two draws and five losses to his name.

Bartlett has met Yeovil twice in his career, losing both games.

LAST TIME WE MET…

This will be the first time the two sides have met this season, so we have to go back to last season for their previous fixture. When they last met, the Spitfires ran out 1-0 winners, thanks to a goal from Chris Maguire.

When the pair met at Huish Park in the same season, it was an entertaining 2-2 draw that was played out. That day a goal from Sean McGurk looked to have sealed the Glovers a win, until the last 10 minutes, when the game burst into life. Lloyd Humphries got an equaliser for Eastleigh, before Morgan Williams looked to have again secured Yeovil the three points in the 89th minute. Richard Brinkley then got the Spitfires second equaliser in the 90th +3 minute.

Morgan Williams celebrates goal against Eastleigh.

DON’T I KNOW YOU…

Two former Glovers have made their way to the South Coast’s with one being Sam Pearson. Pearson starred for Yeovil whilst on loan from Bristol City in the 2022/23 season. The winger then joined the Glovers on a free in 2024 before being underutilised by Mark Cooper (like many others). Pearson then joined Bartlett at Weston-Super-Mare nine months later.
Sam Pearson charges forward
📸 Gary Brown

Ciaran McGuckin is the other of the former Glovers in the Spitfires squad. The Northern Irish man first joined on a one month loan at the start of the 2024/25 season, from Rotherham. He then returned on loan in the January of the same season. McGuckin would make 26 appearances for the Glovers scoring four goals.

Photo: Gary Brown

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…

Harrison Blair takes charge of the fixture, and as usual read Ben’s full article here.