February 2026 (Page 2)

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For the first time since NOVEMBER, Yeovil Town have a home, league 3pm kick off on a Saturday… it just so happens to be the league leaders  Rochdale who come to town.

Our match official for the game is Mr Niall Smith, a referee we’ve already seen this season, in the 3-0 home defeat to Boreham Wood.

On that day, Luke McCormick was the only Glover to see yellow, in the dying minutes.

We also saw him in the 2-1 defeat to Aldershot (away) last season and a 1-0 away win at Taunton in the National League South.

The only two times he’s ever reffed a Rochdale game, they were both draws.

Overall this season, he’s been in the middle 17 times, with plenty of experience in the Premier League 2 division for top sides’ U21s – those 17 games have produced 67 yellow cards (avg 3.9 per game) four reds and seven penalties.

Bailey Walker and James Hooper are his assistants with Lewis B. Smith in the dugouts.

Out come the teams
Pic Gary Brown

Yeovil Town FC (First Team) v Rochdale AFC (First Team)
National League – Premier
Referee: Smith, Niall
Assistant Referee: Walker, Bailey
Assistant Referee: Hooper, James
Fourth Official: Smith, Lewis B.

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We were up, we were down, we were level, we had it taken away at the end – life is a Rowley-coaster! Heartbreak and frustration, pride and disappointment, just a regular Wednesday night in the life of a Yeovil Town fan.

Ed Turnbull was in the away end with 124 other hardy Glovers, here are his Five Conclusions from the defeat to Boreham Wood.

The first hour showed we’ve got a long way to go

I know we went in at the break level, but that was a complete steal. I really enjoyed the way we used the ball at Telford and Altrincham, but in the first half against a stronger opposition we didn’t have any of the ball to use. And when we did get it our quality on the ball wasn’t good enough as we were suffocated by the Boreham Wood press. Right from the first whistle it felt like we were in for a long evening of bus-parking under the cosh, a still all-too-familiar feeling from 2025.

But the last half hour showed how far we’ve come

A goal and a man down away at a top 6 team in a game we’ve been on the back foot thus far, I think even the optimists amongst the hardy travelling contingent were struggling to see a way back into the game. But Billy Rowley did, it seemed. He decided attack was the best form of defence, and so it very nearly proved to be. This was epitomised by James Daly, who scored an excellent goal and very nearly topped it with a goal that would’ve induced comparisons to Gareth Bale’s against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey, albeit from the other side of the pitch (someone out there knows what I’m on about, right?!). It was very refreshing (and long overdue) to see a Yeovil side come out of their shells when up against it, rather than curling up into a ball of damage limitation with minimal success as we’ve become all too accustomed to.

We shot ourselves in the foot

The first 2 goals felt preventable, as did the red card (although I’m not sure I should complain about that, because it seemed to make us better!) – frustrating mistakes, made all the more annoying by the fact they ultimately undid all the aforementioned positives. I’ve generally been a fan of Kyle Ferguson, and still am, but I make that 3 key mistakes he’s made this season which have directly led to goals conceded (after Scunthorpe and Brackley away). Unfortunately for him, they’ve all come in games where we’ve lost by 1 goal.

Kyle Ferguson | Photo by Gary Brown

Credit to Boreham Wood though

Yeovil made mistakes, but Boreham Wood were clinical enough to punish them. And then I have to (through gritted teeth) accept Aaron Henry’s free-kick was worthy of winning the game, especially one where Boreham Wood deserved to win on the balance of chances, territory, possession and probably just about every other metric. How Abdul Abdulmalik isn’t playing in a higher league I am now even more perplexed than I was after the reverse fixture back in October. Mind you, I’m equally perplexed by how the atmosphere at a club pushing for promotion to the EFL can be so non-existent!

We can hold our heads high after that

Maybe it says something about the home support too (sorry, I’ll stop with the needless digs now), but the fact the team that had just conceded a stoppage time winner was the team whose fans clapped them for longer after the full time whistle was a telling reflection of the pride I and many Yeovil fans felt after witnessing that display once we went down to ten. That said, football’s about picking up points not being proud of how you lose. It’s not going to get easier when we welcome table-topping Rochdale 65-and-a-bit hours after the end of this match, and I worry how our smallish squad will cope with the upcoming onslaught of fixtures, but at least I feel we’ve got a team that can give us plenty of excitement (and more importantly enough points to steer clear of danger) along the Rowleycoaster that the next 3 months will be.

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Yeovil manager Billy Rowley has said he is pleased with the squad for ‘rolling their sleeves’ up in the second half against Boreham Wood.

In a topsy turvy game, the Glovers were ahead, behind, level before having a point snatched away at the end and the manager has told BBC Radio Somerset’s Josh Perkins, he was full of respect for the way his side turned up a gear in the second half.

“Yeah, I’m… you know, I feel sick for the lads really in there. Look, first half, it was men against boys. We were not good enough with the ball, we were not brave enough, we weren’t playing with enough courage to actually imprint any kind of shape oor structure on the game.

Boreham Wood were miles better than us in the first half and.it was just a personality thing really. It was just a bit more courage needed and I felt like the boys came out and… and showed more glimpses of that. We then obviously go down to ten men. [It] probably is a red card, two yellows.

Made it really difficult for us but that probably brought the lads even closer together and I felt like some of them rolled their sleeves up a little bit higher and grew a foot taller and I respect that massively.

Boreham Wood are doing a, you know, and Luke [Garrard – manager] are doing a great job here, but, we’re Yeovil Football Club and we’ve got to play with more personality and more courage at times and I only really saw that when we went down to ten men.

So that’s going to be the ask for the next, you know, 17 games or so. We want to show a level of determination and aggression to play for the badge and play for their teammates and I felt like we did that and obviously, you know, [Aaron] Henry’s put in… I’m going to say maybe the best free kick I’ve seen in the last few years or five or ten years into the top corner. Jed can’t even get a hand to it and that shows how good that free kick was. So, look, in extra time to lose to that, it’s really tough to take but we’ll move on from it.”

Rowley had a mention for goal scorer and captain Jake Wannell

​”[Jake Wannell’s goal]was against the run of play. It was. I thought Jake was excellent tonight, you know, a massive captain’s performance. I thought he was one of the lads that did play with a lot of personality even in the first half. I’m really pleased for him. Obviously, he’s not going to be happy about this [result] one bit so that is what it is.

But, we scored against the run of play. but that’s sometimes what you do when you come away from home against a team that’s in the playoffs. You have to sometimes understand that you are the underdog from a from a stylistic perspective and we approached the game kind of that way.

I felt like we pressed well in our shape and that was the game plan. But, Boreham Wood have got some really, really good players and in tight spaces and in situations where you think you’ve won the ball, suddenly you haven’t because they’re just that good to get out of it.

It was a tough game tonight, really tough. And I’ll be watching this back with a magnifying glass to try and improve and keep getting better.”

The gaffer also gave us all a little reminder that our heroes in Green and White (or red and black) are still humans, who are giving their all for the cause.

“I say this to the lads inside a lot. It’s so easy for us as pundits, managers, coaches, fans, to sit from the side and say we should be doing this, should be doing that.

You know, they’re human beings out on the pitch. They’re dealing with a lot of emotion, a lot of performance anxiety. Sometimes ref decisions go against you. There’s a lot of things that influence how you play the game and I’m going to keep saying it, we need to find a way to play with more courage and personality because, you know, it is essentially just a game of football.

And there’s only three points on the line. So you might as well play with loads of courage and personality because the worst that’s going to happen is you’re going to lose anyway.

So we’ve got to tap into that. It’s so much easier to say from the sideline. You know, the elements, the pitch was quick today, you know, it was a different environment to play in.

I felt like, I’m not going to say the ref had a bad game but it definitely felt like, you know, you were playing at the Etihad or Old Trafford tonight in terms of some of the small decisions going against you. So no excuses about that though. We got beat by the better team tonight but we’re just going to have to keep improving and keep growing.

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Yeovil Town captain Jake Wannell has said that his side produced a performance of two halves against Boreham Wood, rallying late despite being down to ten men to nearly, come away with a point.

Speaking to BBC Radio Somerset’s Josh Perkins, he said the team didn’t show enough courage in first 45 minutes.
“Obviously, the feeling in the dressing room is disappointed. Two sloppy goals that we’ll have to look back on, but ultimately that’s cost us the three points or at least a point away from home.
I thought, it’s hard though because we conceded three goals, so it’s hard to look back at it and think you played well. But I think it was a game of two halves for us personally. I thought the first half we didn’t show enough courage, didn’t get on the ball enough like we planned to. Second half was much better, showed a lot of character and I was proud of the boys’ second half. I think they’ll even mention it that we come out a different team in the second half. We’ll look at the positives from the second half and try and take it into Saturday.”

Wannell opened the scoring for the Glovers with his first league goal of the season, but his defence took a blow when Kyle Ferguson was sent off for a second bookable offence in the second half;

“I can’t really remember [the goal]. I think it was just a little duel at the back post and then, but yeah, that one’s for my dad who I lost at the beginning of this season, so I hope he’s proud for that one.

I can’t remember [Ferguson’s] first [yellow card], but I think the second one wassoft, yeah. It’s at a crucial time in the game as well, which put us on the back foot, but I thought the boys galvanized themselves pretty well and we actually kicked on and I thought we could have probably nicked a point or maybe even three with JD’s effort at the end, but I think ultimately they were the stronger team over the 90 minutes.”

“We’ve played them twice now home and away and I think they’re a strong outfit. They’ve got some great patterns that are hard to deal with, so credit to them and we’ll have a day off tomorrow and then review it on Thursday and then Rochdale at home on Saturday.
​Apart from the first half, that’s not a Yeovil performance. So, like I said in the press last week, I think Billy’s style and Daz’s style is starting to really come through now and I think the players are flourishing. It’s just more time.”

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Ten-man Yeovil suffered a sickening 3-2 defeat to Boreham Wood, with a 92nd-minute goal for the hosts proving decisive.

Jake Wannell had given us the lead – albeit against the run of play – but the advantage was cancelled out by two Zak Brunt goals either side of the break.

Kyle Ferguson was given a second yellow on the hour mark, but substitute James Daly’s beauty looked to have earned the Glovers an unlikely point. That was until Aaron Henry stepped up at the death to steal the win with a fantastic free-kick.

First half

Billy Rowley made four changes from the weekend’s win over Altrincham, with Luke McCormick flanked by Terrell Works and Ryan Jones at the top of the pitch. Finn Cousin-Dawson came in for Josh Tobin in midfield.

The Wood started strongly, and the first of many attacks came inside the opening two minutes. A long throw into the box was recycled and Marley Marshall-Miranda’s shot had to be headed behind by Brett McGavin.

Moments later, Abdul Abdulmalik was left free and when Jed Ward pulled off the save, only the woodwork denied Lewis Richardson from tapping home.

The dampened Yeovil fans on the away terrace could have been forgiven for thinking a long night was in store, but when Rowley’s side finally got forward just before the half-hour mark, they made it count.

McGavin did well to keep hold of the ball in and linked up with Terrell Works, who worked the shooting opportunity and saw his low strike deflected behind. From the resulting corner, the hosts failed to clear and Wannell took advantage with a fine finish.

However, the lead lasted just five minutes. Jed Ward managed to get a hand to Matt Rush’s attempted Peter Dinklage, but with every red and black shirt seemingly in a different postcode aside from Wannell on the goalline, Brunt managed to tap home the rebound anyway.

Ward was tested twice more before the break, first when Abdulmalik pounced on a loose pass and fired across goal. Our number one then had to be alert when a clever free-kick slipped Rush through.

Half time: Boreham Wood 1 Yeovil Town 1

Second half

In truth, Ferguson’s second half was one the defender will want to forget. When he wiped out a Wood player and received his first caution, there was an air of inevitability about the second one soon following.

He did indeed receive his marching orders for a foul on Rush, but not before our back line was robbed again, and Brunt swept home to bag his brace.

Strangely, falling behind in terms of scoreline and number of players actually seemed to awaken Yeovil. When Daly, fresh from the bench, got on the ball, he ran and ran until the shot was on for him, and he dispatched a beauty of a finish in off the far post.

There were even signs that there was more in the game for the Glovers. Wannell’s volley from the edge of the box wasn’t too far off target, and when Daly ran the length of the pitch, skinned his man and touched past goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore, the ball trickled agonisingly wide.

In the final ten minutes, Ashmore – who I think has been Boreham Wood’s goalkeeper since their inception in 1948 – was called into action. Tahvon Campbell’s excellent hold-up play set up Troy Perrett to test the shot-stopper, with Ashmore getting down well to smother the low effort.

Despite the promising signs, when the hosts were awarded a foul right on the edge of the box in added time, there was an almost immediate sinking feeling amongst the travelling support. To be fair, Henry’s free-kick was as well-struck as they come, leaving Ward no chance.

There was no shame in the loss, especially in the circumstances, but that doesn’t make the result feel like any less of a gut punch.

Full time: Boreham Wood Yeovil Town X

Match Details

Venue: Meadowbank
Date: Wednesday 11th February, 7:45pm

Competition: Enterprise National League

Scorers: Jake Wannell (0-1, ’27), Zak Brunt (1-1 ’32), Zak Brunt (2-1 ’52), James Daly (2-2 ’71), Aaron Henry (3-2 ’92)

Pitch: “Like running on ice” according to Billy Rowley pre-match
Conditions: Damp

Attendance: 923(!), [125 Yeovil fans]

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Jake Wannell ’45, Kyle Ferguson ’49
Boreham Wood: None

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Kyle Ferguson ’64 (Second bookable offence)
Boreham Wood: None

Referee: Harrison Blair

Yeovil Town (3-4-2-1? 3-1-3-3? 3-7-0?)

Substitutes: Matt Gould, James Daly (for Sims ’66), Troy Perrett (for Jones ’66), Josh Tobin, Aaron Jarvis, Tahvon Campbell (for McCormick ’83), Harvey Greenslade (for Works ’74)

Boreham Wood: Nathan Ashmore, Cameron Coxe, Femi Ilesanmi (for Joe Newton ’85), Chris Bush, Charlie O’Connell, Zak Brunt, Abdul Abdulmalik, Lewis Richardson (for Luke Norris ’66), Marley Miranda, Ollie Kensdale (for Aaron Henry ’77), Matt Rush

Substitutes (not used): Ted Curd, Jack Payne, Junior Robinson, Erico Sousa.

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Here’s how the Glovers line up for the Wednesday night clash against Boreham Wood…

There are a number of changes with match winner Terrell Works coming in up front with Ryan Jones and Luke McCormick both coming in to the attacking line up.

Finn Cousin-Dawson replaces Josh Tobin at the base of the midfield.

As ever, take the formation here with a pinch of salt – it’s, at best, a guess!

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Tickets are finally on Sale for our trip to Carlisle United… next week! Saturday 21st of February.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

The Glovers fans will be situated in the uncovered Petterill End, which is a standing only terrace.

Ticket prices can be seen in the image above – Adults, £20, with concessions staggered below that price.

Under 14s, Under 11s, Family Junior and Under 7s all require purchase with an Adult Ticket.

Pre & matchday sales – adult, senior and young person tickets are £3 cheaper when bought in advance of matchday. The pre-sale period expires at midnight on the last working day before the game, unless otherwise stated.

Very little information on their site about away fan accessibility – they simply suggest that you contact….

a dedicated Supporter Liaison Officer, Simon Clarkson, who can be contacted on slo@carlisleunited.co.uk.

Furthermore, our Disability Access Officer, Teresa Mulholland, can be contacted on edi@carlisleunited.co.uk.

The open terrace of the Petteril End.
Photo © 2004 Ciderspace

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An away game under the lights for Yeovil Town on Wednesday night as they face Boreham Wood in league action.

FORM…

YEOVIL TOWN

The Glovers have had a very productive last five games with four wins and just the one loss in that time. Two of those wins have come in the FA Trophy, which will have offered a reprieve from a disappointing league campaign. Those four wins however should give Billy Rowley some encouragement heading into the back half of the season.

In fact last time out against Altrincham, the Glovers didn’t show their best stuff but ground out a win against a side who sat one place below them prior to the fixture. The game looked a to a tough 0-0 draw but with three minutes left of regulation time up stepped loanee Terrell Works to win the game 0-1.

The Glovers in action against Altrincham.

The goal came about after Jed Ward played a long ball up top, which got a fortuitous bounce off Ryan Jones. The ball fell to James Daly who found Luke McCormick through on goal but was denied by The Robins keeper. Luckily for the Glovers, Works was in the right place and tucked away the rebound.

The travelling support will be hoping for another three points on Wednesday evening.

BOREHAM WOOD

It will be just over a week since The Wood last played a game after their match against Woking was postponed (that pitch has had a battering). But before we get to Boreham Wood’s last match, let’s take a look at their previous five games. Some good reading for Glovers fans here as although they sit sixth in the league The Wood have only won one of their last five and have lost four. That one win was at Braintree Town on the 17th January, with the London side losing heavily in their next four.  A particular worry will be the 1-3 loss to Altrincham.

When The Wood last played, they got beat 4-1 by Rochdale. That result isn’t really an anomaly for anyone who’s played Dale as they have dismantled most sides at The Crown Oil Arena. Wood fans will be hoping to put an end to this poor vain of form to put them back in the promotion hunt.

KEY PLAYERS…

YEOVIL TOWN – TERRELL WORKS

At 21 this is the Fulham loanee’s second spell in professional football after spending the first half of the season at Braintree. And although he may have only played a handful of games for the Glovers to date, there is something that stuck out to me about the youngster, his attitude.

Loanee Terrell Works playing for Yeovil.

In his post match interview, Works stated that Billy Rowley had asked him to go and score and “that’s what he did”. Some may perceive it as arrogance, I see it as confidence. And ultimately that what separates good players from average players, they believe in themselves no matter what. It’s too early to say what kind of player Works will go on to be but the early signs are good, lets just hope he can carry on doing what he does.

BOREHAM WOOD – MATT RUSH

I mentioned the forward as the man to watch in the first encounter this season and it’s no different four months later. Rush, went on to score in that game, which has helped push to 15 goals this season. The 24-year-old has been quiet in recent games compared to earlier this term but he still poses a threat for the out of sorts London side.

Rush’s last goals came as he bagged a brace against Brackley Town at the end of January in the National League Cup and will be looking to put the last two games behind him.

THE GAFFER…

Luke Garrard is the man who will be welcoming Yeovil to Meadow Park on Wednesday night. The 40-year-old has only ever managed Boreham Wood in his nine year managerial career. First of all between 2015-2024, before the former midfielder was sacked after seeing The Wood get relegated from the National League. Garrard was quickly reinstated as boss at Meadow Park however after the sacking of Ross Jenkins.

As a player Garrard, had spells at Swindon, a first stint at Boreham Wood, Bishops Stortford and AFC Wimbledon before rejoining The Wood on loan in 2009. The Londoner then made the loan spell permanent the following season before retiring to take over as manager in 2015.

Garrard has faced the Glover nine times previously winning four, drawing three and losing two.

LAST TIME WE MET…

When the two sides lat met in October, The Wood ran out 0-3 winners at Huish Park. Goals that day from Abdul Abdulmalik, Matt Rush and Oluwafemi Ilesanmi sunk a then Richard Dryden side.

Tahvon Campbell in action against Boreham Wood for Yeovil Town.
Tahvon Campbell in action against Boreham Wood. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The result was the same when they last met at Meadow Park at the back end of the 2022/23 season. The home side taking all three points in 1-0 win. Tyrone Marsh grabbing the only goal that day. The Glovers haven’t beaten The Wood since 2021.

DON’T I KNOW YOU…

Boreham Wood are one of the few teams not to have at least one former Glover in their side. Well it is a long way from Yeovil (or Bristol).

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…

Harrison Blair is the man in charge for this fixture. For more information on him and his team for Wednesday night check out Ben’s article – here.

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Yeovil Town’s clash with Southend United has been rescheduled for Tuesday March 31st – with a 7:45pm kick off.

The game at Roots Hall had to be postponed as both sides progressed into the FA Trophy Quarter Finals, which takes precedence on the original date.

Anyone who purchased tickets for that game, those tickets are still valid.