July 2026

Yeovil Town Under 19s will begin with a tough trip to Dorchester Town in the National League Under 19s Alliance League – Division E.

The youngsters, who will be coached by Glovers’ legend Roy O’Brien will host Weston-super-Mare in their second fixture in early October.

The season is scheduled to conclude with a home tie against both Havant and Waterlooville’s youngsters.

Kick off times, venues and just about all details are subject to change. There will be cup games to add into the schedule too.


DateOpponentKOH/ACompetitionScoreLocationScorers
SEPTEMBER
23.09.26Dorchester Town U1914:00ALeagueDorchester Town FC
OCTOBER
07.10.26Weston-super-Mare U19s14:00HLeagueALVINGTON PLAYING FIELDS
21.10.26Wimborne Town U19s14:00HLeagueALVINGTON PLAYING FIELDS
NOVEMBER
04.11.26Torquay United U19s14:00ALeagueTorquay United Acadamy
18.11.26Eastleigh Yellows U19s14:00HLeagueALVINGTON PLAYING FIELDS
25.11.26Basingstoke Town U19s14:00ALeagueWINKLEBURY FOOTBALL COMPLEX
DECEMBER
02.12.26Havant & Waterlooville U19s14:00ALeagueWESTLEIGH PARK
JANUARY
13.01.27Dorchester Town U19s14:00HLeagueALVINGTON PLAYING FIELDS
27.01.27Wimborne Town U19s14:00ALeagueJ&B'S STADIUM NEW CUTHBURY
FEBRUARY
03.02.27Torquay United U19s14:00HLeagueALVINGTON PLAYING FIELDS
24.02.27Basingstoke Town U19s14:00HLeagueALVINGTON PLAYING FIELDS
MARCH
10.03.27Eastleigh Yellows U19s14:00ALeagueSTONEHAM LANE FOOTBALL COMPLEX
17.03.27Weston-super-Mare U19s14:00ALeagueTHE OPTIMA STADIUM
24.03.27Havant & Waterlooville U19s14:00HLeagueALVINGTON PLAYING FIELDS

Yeovil Town defender Dan Ellison has joined National League South side Salisbury on a six-month loan until January 2027.

The 21-year-old, who started the Glovers’ 1-1 draw in a pre-season friendly at Farnham Town on Tuesday night, returned to Huish Park at the end of last season having had a number of loan spells at Weston-super-Mare at the end of last season.

Announcing the move on Friday evening, the club said: “The temporary move will provide the young defender with the opportunity to gain valuable first-team experience, with regular senior football forming an important part of his continued development.

Ellison featured in Salisbury’s pre-season friendly match with National League South rivals Havant & Waterlooville on Friday night. He played 80 minutes of the match which Salisbury won 5-0.

Despite the departure of central defenders including Jake Wannell, Kyle Ferguson and Finn Cousin-Dawson at the end of last season, manager Billy Rowley has strengthened his backline in the summer transfer window with the arrival of Joe Gubbins, Loick Ayina, Jack Kingdon, Hayden Muller and Jordan Norville-Williams, all who have experience of playing in the centre of defence. Former Arsenal academy defender William Lannin-Sweet had also been trialling with the Glovers during pre-season.

Ellison, who joined to much fanfare from Bristol Rovers last October, returned from his loans at Weston due to a defensive injury crisis and vowed to make an impression to Rowley.

Speaking to the BBC after the 2-1 defeat at Eastleigh on Easter Monday, he said: “It has been a tough season, tough mentally. Moving on from Bristol Rovers and coming here and then going on loan at Weston which was brilliant to actually play. I felt I did really well at Weston and really enjoyed it there, but coming back here is everything I wanted, I have a point to prove and I am getting chance until the end of the season. I am grateful to be back here.

“I feel I deserve (the opportunity). I came in here to be starting in the team but it did not end up happening which is fine, so I have gone to Weston and I feel like I have earned my place, earned the chance so I am going to enjoy playing until the end of the season.”

Yeovil Town boss Billy Rowley says he knows the players in his squad who can perform against different opposition in the upcoming National League season.

The Glovers were held to a 1-1 draw at National League South side Farnham Town in their penultimate pre-season friendly on Tuesday night, a fixture which saw the traditional high volume of substitutions in the second half.

Midfielder Brett McGavin gave the visitors the lead with a trademark free-kick after 24 minutes before the hosts levelled shortly after half-time.

Asked about how close he was to knowing his starting XI for the opening league fixture at Scunthorpe United in ten days time, the manager said: “You get idea of who is sharp, fit and hungry and I would say a lot of the lads are, but every game looks slightly different. Sometimes you are at home against a team who play with a back five and you need creative players, sometimes you are playing away from home against a team that presses and you might need fast players and sometimes you might be in a local derby and you need lads who will get stuck in.

We try to build a team which can compete in different games and that will change week to week, but I have got a good idea of the players that can help the team win in different conditions. That is going to be the aim in the next few weeks, to find lads who can win games of football and not just look pretty. It is up to the coaching staff to lay out what the game plan looks like and that will look different week to week.”

Trialist Brad de Jesus heads off the pitch after a pre-match warm-up at Farnham Town on Tuesday night. Picture courtesy of Jayden Tate | Tate’s Photography.

One of the Yeovil substitutes was an unfamiliar face, former Fulham right-back Brad de Jesus, who was released by the Premier League side after his contract expired in the summer. He came on for Archie Davies after 68 minutes in Surrey.

Speaking about the trialist, Rowley said: “I had a phone call from a friend who coached him for years. I think he had a move to Portugal which fell through a few weeks ago and he asked if he could get involved. I have known Brad for a couple of years, he is a good player with a good attitude, I felt like he could do us a favour tonight and we could do him a favour and get him some game time. I will be catching up with in the next few days to see what that looks like, but he is a really good player and I was happy to have him with us tonight.

The Glovers take on League Two side Newport County at Huish Park in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday and, whilst Rowley was pleased with his side’s performance at Farnham, he was less complimentary about the state of the pitch.

He said: “One thing that supporters do not see is the pitch. They were not able to water it before the game, so it was really sticky and dry which means you are not able to force balls between lines and split through teams easily. But I thought it was a good test, Farnham are a team on the up, they are only one league below us and have some lads who have played in our division. It was a good test, but I thought for the most part we were in control and dominate, we just didn’t create as much as we would have wanted to.”

Yeovil Town will face Newport County in their final pre-season friendly of the campaign at Huish Park on Saturday. Picture courtesy of Jayden Tate/Tate’s Photography.

A Brett McGavin free-kick in the first half earned Yeovil Town a draw in their penultimate pre-season friendly of the campaign at National League South new boys Farnham Town.

The midfielder bent in a trademark set piece after 24 minutes and went on to dominate the first half creating a number of chances which they did not take and they were punished when Sam Evans turned home soon after the restart.

There was the usual flurry of substitutes from both sides in the second half including one new face in former Fulham youngster defender Bradley de Jesus, and the game petered out in to a draw.

First half

Defenders Joy Mukena and Dan Ellison were both handed starts by manager Billy Rowley who started with striker Stephen Walker alongside fellow attackers Luke McCormick and Johl Powell.

There was no much to write home about in the opening 20 minutes as Farnham quickly made it clear they were looking to contain the visitors and hit them on the break as Yeovil dominated possession in the opening exchanges. An early long range effort from Brett McGavin and then an attempt to loft the ball over James Shaw in the Farnham goal were about as close as either side got to threatening.

When Yeovil were awarded a free-kick slightly to the left of goal and fully 30 yards out, there was only one man who was taking it. Brett McGAVIN range is Brett McGavin range. The midfielder stepped up and bent a(nother) beautiful set-piece in to the corner of the net after 24 minutes. Did anyone doubt he could?

McCormick tried to goal one better with ten minutes of the first half remaining when he tried an audacious scissor kick from a Johl Powell cross. Unfortunately, the Glovers’ captain could not find a connection. Five minutes later, Powell curled one just past the post with Yeovil thoroughly in control and pressing for a second goal as the game pressed towards half-time.

Half-time: Farnham Town 0 Yeovil Town 1


Second half

Within three minutes of the second half starting, Farnham levelled after Trae Appiah-Cook tricked his was past Dan Ellison and got a cross in which found Sam EVANS who got enough on it to turn it in to the net. The hosts had been looking to hit Yeovil on the counter attack in the first half and right at the start of the second half, they did it.

Just before the the hour mark, James Daly replaced McCormick and Joe Gubbins replaced Mukena before the hosts made a number of changes bringing on five new faces including the experienced midfielder Sam Hutchinson and striker Rakish Bingham.

Bingham almost made an immediate impact when he tried a spectacular chip after Yeovil give up possession, fortunately it goes just wide. Stephen Walker pulled an effort just wide before a flurry of substitutions after 68 minutes.

The new arrivals included ex-Arsenal academy defender William Lannin-Sweet or Will Sweet, depending how formal you want to be, and an unknown face. In his post-match interview, manager Billy Rowley revealed him to be ex-Fulham defender, Bradley de Jesus. To read what Rowley said about the former Portugal youth international – click here.

The 20-year-old was released by the Premier League club after a decade when his contract expired this summer. He joined the academy at Craven Cottage at under-12s level before going on to sign a professional contract in 2024 and played regularly for them at Under-21s level in Premier League B but did not make a first-team appearance.

Trialist Bradley de Jesus departs the pitch following a pre-match warm-up at Farnham. Picture courtesy of Jayden Tate | Tate’s Photography.

Other than Bingham’s audacious effort there was not a huge amount to worry Yeovil goalkeeper Jos Barker, a fairly even affair but probably did not take the chances we created when we were on top in the first half.

Full time: Farnham Town 1 Yeovil Town 1


Teams:

First half – Yeovil Town: Jos Barker, Loick Ayina (for Jack Kingdon, 68), Joy Mukena (for Joe Gubbins, 56), Dan Ellison (for Jordan Norville-Williams, 68), Archie Davies (for Trialist B/William Lannin-Sweet, 68), Mason Obeng (for Trialist A, 68), Zain Westbrooke (for Hayden Muller, 68), Brett McGavin, Johl Powell (for Ryan Jones, 68), Luke McCormick (for James Daly, 56), Stephen Walker (for Slavi Spasov, 68).

Farnham Town: James Shaw (for Michael Eacott, 60), Kai Tanner, Ryan Kinnane, Dan Bayliss (for Jack Dean, 11), Trialist A, Tom Leggett, Billy Clifford (for Darryl Sanders, 60), Trae Cook-Appiah, Owen Dean (for Bobby-Joe Taylor, 60), Miles Obodo (for Sam Hutchinson, 60), Sam Evans (for Rakish Bingham, 60).

Substitutes: Brandon Mason, Erion Zabelli.

Scorers: Brett McGavin 24 (1-0), Sam Evans 48 (1-1)

Defenders Joy Mukena and Dan Ellison both start for Yeovil Town as they take on National League new boys Farnham Town in a pre-season friendly tonight (7.45pm kick-off).

Striker Stephen Walker is paired alongside fellow attackers Luke McCormick and Johl Powell in Surrey in what will be the Glovers’ penultimate warm-up game ahead of the start of the new National League Premier Division season.

Yeovil Town: Jos Barker, Loick Ayina, Joy Mukena, Dan Ellison, Archie Davies, Mason Obeng, Zain Westbrooke, Brett McGavin, Johl Powell, Luke McCormick, Stephen Walker.

There are no substitutes named in for the visitors.

Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley believes their latest pre-season opponents Wycombe Wanderers can set “a benchmark” for his side as they continue to prepare for the new National League campaign.

The Glovers lost 3-2 in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Saturday against a side which included a number of players with significant first-team experience with winger Mason Obeng and Luke McCormick on the scoresheet.

Wycombe’s starting XI including summer signing ex-AFC Bournemouth defender Steve Cook, who has more than 500 League appearances, as well as first-team players midfielders Luke Leahy and Josh Scowen and defender Dan Casey. Their scorers were Leahy, midfielder Caolan Boyd-Munce and striker Bradley Fink, who all played over 30 times in League One last season.

Speaking to the club’s social media after the match, Rowley said: “Every manager says the same after these games, you obviously want to win because there’s two goals and 22 players out there, so naturally we turn up to try to win. But, naturally when you try to share out minutes and build up a programme for all of these lads to be fit come Game 1 (of the new season), these second halves can look a bit broken, some of these boys play in positions they won’t throughout the season. Despite all of that we managed to stay on script, played some really good football and it was a good game for us.

The level of sharpness we have seen from (the Wycombe) boys is a bit of an eye-opener and that is not me talking badly about any of our boys. That is a benchmark for us to get to, some of their organisation from pressing and defending was excellent, so this will be a great game for us to watch back and something we can learn and improve on.

The Glovers’ starting XI was: Jos Barker, Jordan Norville-Williams, Joe Gubbins, Hayden Muller, Jack Kingdon, Mason Obeng, Zain Westbrooke, Johl Powell, James Daly, Luke McCormick, Slavi Spasov. At half-time, goalkeeping coach Matt Gould replaced Barker with Brett McGavin coming on for Westbrooke in midfield, then on 65 minutes defender Loick Ayina, wing-back Archie Davies and striker Stephen Walker replaced Kingdon, McCormick and Spasov.

There were two further changes before the end with Joy Mukena replacing Norville-Williams and Dan Ellison coming on for Gubbins with ten minutes remaining. There was no sign of any of the trialists which have featured in previous friendlies.

Being behind-closed-doors, we obviously had no eyes on the game and therefore the standard details around formations, performances are not possible, but Rowley spoke positively of the experience for his side.

He added: “There was some talk today about me adding some motivation for the lads because there was no crowd here, but I don’t think the game needed that, it had a bite to it. They are top professionals (at Wycombe) so they are never going to not do things properly and from minute one they pressed us aggressively and they looked at different ways to still get in. There’s loads for us to learn and improve on, but I thought it was a really good exercise.

“Both teams were trying to play, both teams left a lot of space behind them and when you do that you need up with other teams in on your goals a few times and they did that, as did we. But there was also some really good spells of control from both teams, it is going to be one of those games where we watch it back and learn loads and try to improve. I think maybe a handful of games in our league will look like this, but it was a really good work out against a side at the level that a lot of our lads want to get to.”

Mason Obeng, seen here in action against Cardiff City Under-21s, scored his second goal of pre-season against Wycombe. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz

There was praise for winger Obeng who has impressed in pre-season since stepping up two levels of the football pyramid having joined from Southern League side Walton & Hersham in the summer.

Rowley said: “The lads have really taken to Mason, he has had a rapid climb in these last few years and he did not look out of place at all today. One things he does not get enough credit for is his work out of possession, he is so sharp and agile, his defensive shape is good, he presses well and that ends up creating a lot of counter attacks for us and him to be involved in. He took his goal excellently and he was one of our better players today, but there was a lot of really good performances.

The pre-season campaign rolls on to National League South side Farnham Town on Tuesday night. They were beaten 2-0 by EFL new boys Rochdale on Saturday and will provide a different type of test for Yeovil as they build up to the opening National League fixture of the new season at Scunthorpe United on August 8th.

Rowley said: “I am really positive about (the new season), as I have been since the first training session, I think we have a really good group, their ability and attributes are exactly what we wanted and their characters are good. Pre-season is a bit fake because you are not having to leave anyone out of squads, you have not lost two games in a row, and that is when you see different parts of people’s characters. For these past four weeks, I think the changing room is a good one and it will get better the more they get to know each other.

Yeovil Town boss Billy Rowley was pleased to see the work his team has been doing on the training ground come to fruition as they picked up a 1-0 pre-season friendly win over Cardiff City Under-21s at Huish Park on Saturday.

Striker Stephen Walker settled the contest with a stunning strike after just two minutes, but the Glovers created a number of other chances and the boss believes this is a sign of their work bearing fruit.

Speaking to the club’s social media after the game, he said: “We did not look like a side which has only been together two-and-a-half weeks or eight training sessions, we were a lot more fluid than we were on Tuesday (in the 2-2 draw at Merthyr Town) but I think the pitch and being at home helps that. Loads of positives, some of our movement, our runs and timing to get in behind was excellent, some of our switches of play, a lot of the stuff we spoke about in training this week which was good.

It is such a great place to play football, the pitch is looking immaculate, even getting the sprinklers on for us during the water breaks and at half-time, which I am a big fan of. The lads really enjoy playing here and the supporters seemed in really good spirits, but that is natural in pre-season, it is a nice time of year when the sun is shining and everyone is seeing new players. We are going to have ups and downs with this group and it is just about sticking together and improving.

Yeovil Town celebrate Stephen Walker’s opening goal against Cardiff Under-21s. Picture courtesy of Ollie Marsh.

Walker’s goal was his third in as many pre-season games after strikes in the 4-1 win at Melksham Town last weekend and a penalty in the 2-2 draw at Merthyr on Tuesday night.

Of his new striker, Rowley said: “He is a joy to watch, he is such a talent and that finish is a joke, he just took the sting out of the ball and curled it in the top corner which is top level technique. All the lads enjoy his personality as well and I have to say the same for Slav (Spasov) as well, those two are really good number nines for this league and they are going to strike up a decent partnership and fight for that shirt. I am really pleased with both of them.”

The boss added: “We are playing against a possession-based team which wants to play through the midfield and had some good ideas in build up, so we felt in front of our fans we wanted to get more pressure on the ball, defend higher up the pitch. That will change game to game based on who we play and what they do, but we felt it would be a good chance to get after the ball today. I thought the press from Ste (Walker) and Macca (Luke McCormick) and Jonesey (Ryan Jones) and Mason (Obeng) joining in on that was really good, Brett (McGavin) and Zain (Westbrooke) covered a lot of ground in midfield and the backline stepped up and played together really well. We let in a couple of chances, but that is natural against good players and sometimes you have to accept that will happen.

The Glovers kept nine of their starting eleven on the pitch for the first hour of the match before making wholesale changes, but goalkeeper Jos Barker was one of only two players who completed the full 90 minutes.

Rowley said: “When the whistle blows you want to score as many as you can and not let in any and we did that today. We created a lot of chances and I thought defensively we were good. We made some good late blocks, defended some decent set pieces and I thought Jos (Barker) was excellent. He made a decent save at the end with his left foot, so a really pleasing day for the defenders and the defence will be happy with the clean sheet.

Having admitted that he had not learnt much about his squad, which features 12 of his 13 summer signings with midfielder Joe Haigh missing until September following an operation, at Merthyr, the sense was that Rowley was pleased with what he saw from them against Cardiff’s youngsters.

They will now have a full week of training at their base near Bristol before travelling to League One side Wycombe Wanderers for a behind-closed-doors friendly next Saturday.

Rowley said: “We need tests, like Merthyr did on Tuesday on an artificial pitch, today we wanted to defend in a different way which worked. Wycombe, depending on what team they field, there may be spells when we are pinned back and have to defend more set pieces, so every game has its challenges and we will see how we approach that game tonight or tomorrow.

An early goal from striker Stephen Walker earned Yeovil Town a win in their first pre-season friendly at Huish Park on a warm Saturday afternoon.

The frontman, who took his tally to three goals in his three friendly appearances, curled home a beautiful strike with just two minutes on the clock in front of a crowd of 772 in the Somerset sunshine.

There were some impressive attacking moves from the Glovers throughout the performance with Ryan Jones looking particularly effective with many of the starting line-up given an hour rather than the wholesale changes we have seen in the opening two friendlies.

In keeping with pre-season tradition, there was an appearance from three trialists including former Arsenal academy defender William Lannin-Sweet, Bristol Rovers academy player Kian Hill and a new face in Brentford B attacker Kyrie Pierre, who played down the left side for the final 30 minutes.

First half

The Glovers, wearing their new pink away shirt despite being at home, started with a full complement of permanent players – with the exception of loanee defender Loick Ayina, who on loan from Salford City until the end of the season – with trialists left on the substitutes’ bench. Read more about the team news – here.

The game did not take too long to warm up on the pitch with Stephen WALKER opening the scoring with the Glovers’ first attack. Brett McGavin won the ball fed Ryan Jones who picked out the striker and he curled home his third goal of pre-season with a beautiful effort after just two minutes.

Yeovil Town celebrate Stephen Walker’s goal against Cardiff City Under-21s.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz

Mason Obeng tried to get in on the act two minutes later as the winger made a driving run before trying a low effort which went just wide. A bright start in their first pre-season outing in front of their own supporters from the Glovers.

On 16 minutes, Archie Davies went on a run from inside his own half and made it in to the Cardiff area and found Walker inside the six-yard box, but his effort came off the post but was cleared away. We look strong in wide positions with Obeng and Jones particularly dangerous and that was a sign of what Davies can do going down the right side.

There was another good run from Davies shortly after the first half hydration break which led to Obeng’s effort being tipped wide for a corner which Loick Ayina headed wide with 28 minutes on the clock.

On 34 minutes, Luke McCormick pushed forward and had a deflected effort turned wide by visiting keeper Jake Dennis and Walker had the ball in the net four minutes later, but was denied by an offside flag. McCormick tried a audacious long range effort after spotting Dennis off his line, but he was a couple of feet over the bar and the ball landed on the top of the net.

Cardiff’s first chance fell to Roko Simic with five minutes of the half remaining when some sloppy Yeovil defending from gifted the young Croatian the opportunity who did not enough contact on it, before McGavin’s free-kick was pushed behind by Dennis. Good save.

Half-time: Yeovil Town 1 Cardiff City Under-21s 0

Second half

There were only two changes for Yeovil at half-time rather than the entire change of eleven we have seen in the previous two friendlies. Johl Powell and Slavi Spasov replaced Luke McCormick and goal-scorer Stephen Walker for the second half with Westbrooke taking the captain’s armband from McCormick.

Five minutes after the restart, a beautiful passage of passing from Yeovil saw Jones and Davies link up well for the latter to get a cross which picked out Spasov inside the box, but the summer signing could not get the ball under control. Two minutes later, Jones curled an effort just wide. A bright start for the Glovers.

Goalkeeper Jos Barker, playing his first second half minutes since arriving in pre-season, made a great save with his legs to deny Mannie Barton after a swift break from Cardiff. Powell broke away down the right soon after and found Jones who put it just wide and then (yet) another burst forward from Jones squared it to McGavin on the stretch but his effort was straight at Dennis in the Bluebirds’ goal.

Brett McGavin fires in a shot. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz

On the hour mark the wholesale changes usually reserved for half-time came from Yeovil boss Billy Rowley with only keeper Jos Barker, defender Joe Gubbins and midfielder Zain Westbrooke remaining from the starting XI, the revised line-up is:

Jos Barker, Hayden Muller, Jack Kingdon, Joe Gubbins, Dan Ellison, Zain Westbrooke, Johl Powell, Slavi Spasov, Kian Hill (Trialist A), William Lannin-Sweet (Trialist B), Kyrie Pierre (Trialist C).

Pierre, described as “an attackerby his parent club Premier League Brentford, played down the left wing. He joined the Bees from Aston Villa last summer on a free transfer and played for them in the Premier League 2 last season.

There were a raft of changes from Cardiff and one of them, Hayden Allmark, was denied by a good stop from Barker after 67 minutes and a hydration break which followed saw Gubbins replaced by Joy Mukena.

On 74 minutes, Spasov found Powell whose effort went just wide before Barker was called in to action to keep out substitute Gabriel Keita with ten minutes remaining.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 Cardiff City Under-21s 0


Teams:

First half – Yeovil Town: Jos Barker, Jordan Norville-Williams, Loick Ayina, Archie Davies, Joe Gubbins, Brett McGavin, Zain Westbrooke, Ryan Jones, Mason Obeng, Luke McCormick (for Johl Powell, 46), Stephen Walker (for Slavi Spasov, 46).

60 minutes – Yeovil Town: Jos Barker, Hayden Muller, Jack Kingdon, Joe Gubbins (for Joy Mukena, 70), Dan Ellison, Zain Westbrooke, Johl Powell, Slavi Spasov, Kian Hill (Trialist A), William Lannin-Sweet (Trialist B), Kyrie Pierre (Trialist C).

Cardiff City Under-21s: Jake Dennis, Charlie O’Brien (for Caden Voice, 77), Jesper Daland (for Alyas Debono, 46), Thierry Katsukunya (for Gabriel Keita, 77), Luey Giles (for Logan Cartwright, 77), Issac Davies (for Hayden Allmark, 62), Trey George (for Tiger Tobin, 77), Troy Perrett (for Ellis Yorke, 77), Mannie Barton (for Mannie Barton, 77), Herbie James (for Jake Davies, 46), Roko Simic (for Dan Ola, 46).

Scorers: Stephen Walker 2 (1-0)
Attendance: 772