September 2026 (Page 7)

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AFC Fylde came to town yesterday put Yeovil Town to the sword in a 1-4 defeat at Huish Park. Here are Ian’s Five Conclusions…

A bump back to reality. If last week was a ‘well Southend are pretty good’ sort of reaction, this result was a massive bump back to reality. The Glovers were second best from the coin toss and Fylde controlled the game from the moment they turned Yeovil around. They may have only had four shots on goal, but I thought they nullified most of play, unless we went long for Archie Davies.

Olley makes it 4. | Photo by Andy Preston AP Photography

It could have been so different. At 0-1 in the 44th minute Archie Davies found himself with a golden opportunity and hit the post when he looked sure to repeat last weekend at Southend. Moments later Fylde got the second and totally killed our momentum. It was a real sucker punch but shows the fine margins in the National League this season.

I think we need more options up top. Another game of two halves for each of our strikers and it’s fair to say neither of them set the world alight yesterday. Walker was hooked at half time so that Yeovil could “change the press” with Slavi. Both have their strengths but neither could provide the solution yesterday. Could the answer be James Daly? Charlie Lennon? Or are we waiting for Joe Haigh? I think we’re lacking a nippy Adam Stansfield-esque striker.

Fylde were impressive. I think they were the best team I’ve seen at Huish Park this season. Well-organised with an effective press, we really struggled to play out from the back. The visitors were also able to get into that shape which seems to make everyone stand still and do nothing which Joy Mukena seemed to fall victim to when he had the ball. They moved the ball nicely and took their chances when they came. You can they’re a side with momentum following a domination of the National League North last season.

Yeovil Town team huddle |
Photography by Andy Preston AP Photography

We’re still a work in progress. The early results and brief flirt with top spot saw a lot of rational thinking go out the window and the Green Day rule (no league table discussion until September ends) left in tatters. But the last two games have shown how much of a work in progress we still are, and given us a reminder that this group is still in its infancy as a team. Injuries to Ben Radcliffe and Joy Mukena only disrupted things further. There’s no time to dwell on it though, with Aldershot and Solihull around the corner in yet another busy week and a chance to get back on form.

All photography courtesy of Andy Preston – AP Photography

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Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley described his side’s 4-1 defeat to AFC Fylde at Huish Park as a “freak game,” insisting that while the result is deeply disappointing, the overall performance showed promising signs as his side continues to evolve.
The Glovers fell behind in the first half and found themselves trailing despite controlling periods of play and entering the opposition penalty box roughly 20 times before the break. The crucial turning point came just before half-time when Archie Davies hit the post from close range, only for AFC Fylde to break down the opposite end and double their lead seconds later.

“There’s probably two sides of it for me, really,” Rowley told BBC Somerset’s Chris Spittles after the match. “There’s the side where I felt like some of our defensive stuff, particularly in transitions and counter-pressing moments—wasn’t great… But the second part, I actually just think it was a bit of a freak game.”

Rowley likened the clinical nature of Fylde’s performance to the defeat to Solihill on the final day of last season, pointing out that the visitors scored three goals from their first three meaningful attacks, but that a pivotal few minutes just before the break turned the game on it’s head.

“That would have made the game, 1-1 just before half time, we would have had a positive team talk, the fans would have been on our side and we’d probably go on to win the game.

“That’s football, you go down the other end, it goes 2-0 and it’s very different, a slightly steeper hill to climb.”
“We’ve hit the post from two yards. You score a couple of those chances, you’re sitting there thinking this is a really good performance. But you miss those chances and then every shot they hit goes in, and you’re like, ‘Well, this is an absolute shambles.’ It’s easy to zoom in on this result and think it was really bad—it obviously was—but there are parts of the performance I liked.”

Joy Mukena and Ben Radcliffe. Picture courtesy of Indy Pitman/Indy’s Visuals.

Adding to Yeovil’s frustrations on the pitch was the loss of both starting centre-backs. Ben Radcliffe was forced off injured at half-time, while Joy Mukena was substituted in the second half after feeling tightness in his hamstrings.

“I’m hoping that Joy was just a precaution with his hamstring,” Rowley explained. “I’ll go catch up with those two lads now and hopefully they’re not too serious.”

Luke McCormick pulled a goal back for Yeovil in the 75th minute to make it 3-1, sparking brief hope of a late comeback before Fylde added a fourth on a swift counter-attack to seal all three points.
With two games coming up in less than a week—starting on Tuesday night—Rowley emphasised that senior squad members, including midfielder Brett McGavin, have already rallied the group – and said that the group would be in on Sunday to ensure that the recovery and focus on Aldershot starts as soon as possible.

“We’ve got a game Tuesday. We’ll obviously be really disappointed for the next 24 hours. We’ll review, we’ll improve, we’ll recover tomorrow, train on Monday, and then we’ll go and try to put the record straight.”

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Yeovil Town suffered their first home defeat of the new season as they were undone by National League new boys AFC Fylde at Huish Park on Saturday.

The visitors, who won National League North with 100 points last season, took the lead when midfielder Greg Olley who tapped in a cross before Luca Thomas added a second in first half injury time, set through by former Glovers’ loanee Millar Matthews-Lewis.

Thomas ended the game as a contest when he added a third goal six minutes after the break. Luke McCormick pulled one back with his sixth goal of the season on 75 minutes, but Olley danced through the Yeovil defence to set a seal on the result five minutes later.

First half

The Glovers looking to bounce back after their first defeat of the new season at Southend United last weekend, made three changes. Ste Walker replaced Slavi Spasov up front with Hayden Muller coming in to midfield in place of

From the off, Fylde showed they had no plans to park the bus at Huish Park as they came out flying with a high tempo start. When Yeovil got on the ball in the early exchanges, there was a yellow-and-black wall in midfield preventing the home side from playing it through.

The result was no real chances of either side with the first half-opening for the Glovers came after 14 minutes courtesy of a bit of Ryan Jones magic to pick out Archie Davies and his cross was well cleared by Fylde with Ste Walker lurking. Jones and Davies linked up again for a couple of impressive moves down the right in the next five minutes and that might be the key to unpicking the Fylde lock. Still nothing to test Zac Jones in the visitors’ goal.

With 25 minutes gone, Fylde lost full-back Adam Lewis and perhaps perplexingly replaced him with striker Millar Matthews-Lewis, the man who endured a goalless spell at Huish Park at the end of last season on loan from Burton Albion. It required a reshuffle of Harvey Broad, who switched from right wing to left-back, with Luca Thomas going on the flank whilst Matthews-Lewis took over from him up front. Within minutes of that change, Broad was booked for a foul on the dangerous Jones and five minutes later Ben Radcliffe went in to the referee’s book, his fourth of the season – one away from a suspension.

Ste Walker tries to find a way through Fylde. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The pre-match billing of this one as another game for admirers of football tactics is proving to be true, but it took until 35 minutes for either side to carve out a meaningful chance and it led to an opening goal for Fylde. Broad had time and space down the left wing and he fired in a wicked ball in and Greg OLLEY was there to turn it home. There will be questions about how Broad had such an opportunity to put even an impressive cross in.

Yeovil came within inches of levelling a minute before half-time as Archie Davies got away down the right and really showed his pace, cut inside and side-footed it towards goal, but his effort cannoned back off the post.

The Yeovil defence looked to switch off and allowed Matthews-Lewis to play a perfectly-time through ball to Luca THOMAS who finished coolly to double the advantage. There was maybe a minute between Davies’ chance coming off the woodwork and Thomas’ goal.

The two Fylde goals and Davies’ effort off the post were about all the goal-mouth action there was, but it is fair to say this has been a perfect away performance from the visitors who have held the hosts at bay and clinically taken their opportunities.

Half-time: Yeovil Town 0 AFC Fylde 2

Second half

Yeovil Town boss Billy Rowley made a double substitution with Slavi Spasov coming on in place of Walker and Radcliffe was replaced by Johl Powell. Hayden Muller moved in to the backline to replace Radcliffe, who missed last weekend’s 3-2 defeat at Southend United through injury, whilst there was clear frustration from Walker at the end of the first half.

The first chance of the second half saw the Yeovil midfield and defence carved part by another great move from the visitors as Matthews-Lewis went through, but the striker tried to lob Jos Barker in the hosts’ goal and he did well to claim it. A minute later, good wing play by Mason Obeng picked out McGavin inside the box and Zac Jones saved a weak effort before denying a follow-up from substitute Powell. Neither had enough power on it.

Johl Powell appeared as a second half substitute. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

But on 51 minutes, Fylde added to their advantage and it was so easy again. Olley found his way past Joy Mukena and played in Luca THOMAS whose effort took a wicked deflection past Barker. To add injury to insult, Mukena limped off immediately after to be replaced by Joe Gubbins adding to the departure of Radcliffe at the break.

Fylde are cutting through Yeovil at will with first Olley and then Thomas carving out further opportunities, whereas Yeovil have looked sluggish and devoid of ideas to get their way past Fylde who have completely dominated. Rowley tried to make a change with Muller pushing up in to midfield alongside McGavin with Gubbins, Davies and Jordan Norville-Williams making up a back three, whilst Powell and Jones took up the wide positions.

Charlie Lennnon replaced Mason Obeng on 65 minutes before Zain Westbrooke replaced McGavin on 71 minutes. With 15 minutes remaining, Yeovil got a goal back and it was a great goal with Jones weaving some magic with an excellent run before playing a pass through in to Luke McCORMICK who finished with a trademark cool finish from the edge of the box. It has not been a good day for the Glovers, but that is McCormick’s sixth goal in seven games this season.

But any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished as Greg OLLEY netted his second of the season. The former Gateshead man has dribbled through the Yeovil defence with ease, rounded Barker and slotted home. Great skill from Olley, but it is so soft from us. Huish Park is emptying and it is hard to blame any of the departees.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 AFC Fylde 4

Billy Rowley. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Date: Saturday 12th September, 3.00pm kick-off

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: Greg Olley 35 (0-1), Luca Thomas 45+1 (0-2), Luca Thomas 51 (0-3), Luke McCormick 75 (1-3), Greg Olley 80 (1-4)

Pitch: Arguably the most impressive thing about Yeovil
Conditions: Dry, bright and cloudy

Attendance: 2,792 (34 away supporters)

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Ben Radcliffe 32, Joe Gubbins 54
AFC Fylde: Harvey Broad 27

Referee: Paul Marsden

Yeovil Town

Substitutes: Slavi Spasov (for Ste Walker, 46), Johl Powell (for Ben Radcliffe, 46), Joe Gubbins (for Joy Mukena, 53), Charlie Lennon (for Mason Obeng, 65), Zain Westbrooke (for Brett McGavin, 71) Loick Ayina (not used), James Daly (not used).

AFC Fylde: Zac Jones, Adam Lewis (for Millar Matthews-Lewis, 25), Will Lancaster, Corey Whelan, Aaron Drewe, Chris Merrie, Greg Olley (for Jack Morris, 85), Ethan Mitchell (for Luke Butterfield, 85), Theo Upton (for Tom Whelan, 71), Harvey Broad, Luca Thomas.

Substitutes (not used): Patrick Boyes, Max Taylor, Danny Mayor.

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Billy Rowley has made three changes to his Yeovil Town side for today’s visit of AFC Fylde. Ste Walker, Hayden Muller and Ben Radcliffe are in for Slavi Spasov, Zain Westbrook’s and Joe Gubbins, who are all on the bench today.

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Welcome to another Mini Matchday edition of the Gloverscast! This week, the opposition focus turns to AFC Fylde as they make the long journey down from Lancashire to South Somerset to face the Glovers.

We’re delighted to be joined by Jack Connor to get the inside track on the opposition camp and how things are shaping up for the visitors.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • The Season So Far: Jack breaks down Fylde’s mixed start to the National League campaign and why early expectations for a top-half finish have had to be recalibrated.
  • The Departure of Danny Ormerod: A deep dive into the massive exit of their goalscoring sensation, who netted 28 league goals and left for a record-breaking fee in the region of £600,000 plus add-ons.
  • Rebuilding the Squad: How the team is adapting after scoring a record 112 goals in their National League North promotion campaign, and the mindset Craig has instilled in the locker room to keep the squad resilient.
  • Players to Watch: A look at the key threats remaining in the Fylde squad and what kind of tactical test they will bring to the pitch this weekend.

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It is a return to home surroundings for Yeovil Town this weekend as AFC Fylde visit Huish Park for the unusual spectacle (this season, at least) of a 3pm kick-off on a Saturday.

FORM…

YEOVIL TOWN

The Glovers got their first taste of defeat this season in their last outing. Having been 2-0 up with an hour played at Southend United, they were blown away by a rampant home side who roared back to claim a 3-2 win with three goals in 19 minutes.

It was a game which manager Billy Rowley admitted his side were second best in. And after a unheralded start to the season the result may have been a bit of a reality check to supporters and staff alike that we do have a long way to go if we want to compete at the very top end of the table.

That being said there are always some bright moments in defeat, and I don’t think it should be overlooked that we were 2-0 up, whilst being second best. The fact we actually scored twice is a positive as well, after a couple of years, with lets say some non goalscoring attacking players, it’s good to see we have got players who know where the net is. The third being Luke McCormick, that’s all I need to say.

AFC FYLDE

If Yeovil’s start to the new season has surprised a few non-League football watchers, AFC Fylde’s will have equally raised a few eyebrows. The Lancashire side arrive in Somerset with an identical record to their hosts – P6, W3, D2, L1 – and sitting in sixth place in the early season table – not that we look at that until the end of the month, of course.

Wins away at Tamworth and Solihull Moors and a home victory over Forest Green Rovers show they will be no pushovers, but there is perhaps a chink in the armour in scoring late. Their only defeat came at Woking when two goals in second half stoppage time was their downfall, and last weekend they were leading fellow new boys Worthing until the 89th minute.

The Coasters returned to the National League Premier Division after one season away in some style, winning the National League North with 100 points and having scored 112 goals. Under new manager Craig Mahon, who joined them having worked miracles at unfashionable Curzon Ashton, they finished five points clear of South Shields in a competitive division.

Their top scorer, Danny Ormerod, who bagged more than 30 goals in all competitions, was snapped up by League One side Peterborough United for a fee of £600,000 plus add ons at the end of August, but there are plenty of goals still in the side in the like of Luca Main, who scored twice against Worthing last Saturday, and full-back turned winger, Harvey Broad, who already has four for the season.

KEY PLAYERS…

YEOVIL TOWN – BRETT MCGAVIN

It’s the turn of another member of the midfield trio with brilliant locks of hair, and that’s Brett McGavin. As much as the praise has been toward his captain and midfield partner, Luke McCormick this season, McGavin is quietly going about his business in a spectacular way.

Even playing with a stomach upset in last weekend’s 3-2 defeat at Southend where manager Billy Rowley said the midfielder was “a bit of a shadow of himself”, McGavin was at the heart of the control Yeovil had on the game and that ebbed when he was substituted after an hour.

The 26-year-old has been as effective as ever for the Glovers and is making his mark on the team once again. Others may get the goals but the former Torquay man has played his role perfectly, providing three assists so far this campaign, and that’s where McGavin has excelled this season in his passing. The midfielder so far this season has been averaging 52 passes a match, 10 more than his closest teammate Ben Radcliffe. Of those 52 passes in a match 1.5 are considered key, the most of anyone in the team.

Defensively he has been just as influential, as he sits back whilst over go forward. This has led to him recovering the ball 8 times a match and is rarely dribbled past. What does this mean in the grand scheme of things? It means Billy Rowley has found his midfield lynchpin, the Mr Reliable, a lower league Rodri if you will.

Brett McGavin. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

AFC FYLDE – HARVEY BROAD

The ‘defender’ has been by far and away the most impactful player in the Coasters side this season, featuring heavily in the attacking stats. At 20-years-old, Broad is one of the younger players in the team, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the first names on the team sheet.

When looking at Fylde’s goal scoring stats this campaign it’s Broad’s name that sits atop the list with four goals, he currently lies second on the assist chart as well with two to his name. In fact the last time he didn’t contribute to single goal in a game was in the opening fixture vs Tamworth.

Broad is listed as a defender but so far this season has been deployed down the left side of midfield. This role change under Craig Mahon has been effective with his contributions in the final third. If there is one weakness of the youngster that Yeovil may look to exploit is that he doesn’t get back much to do the defensive work, so any balls in behind him could leave Fylde’s defence a tiny bit exposed.

THE GAFFER…

Craig Mahon took over at AFC Fylde following their relegation out of the National League at the end of the 2024-25 season with a strong reputation from his first managerial role at unfashionable National League North side Curzon Ashton.

He brought an attack-minded style of play to the Lancashire club and finished last season as champions of the North with 100 points and 112 goals in their 46 league games. Under the Irishman, Fylde have adopted a possession-based style not dissimilar to that we are seeing at Yeovil under Billy Rowley.

As a player, he made more than 200 appearances at Chester in a career in non-League football before joining the coaching staff at Curzon Ashton. Having briefly held a role in interim charge at the Manchester club, he took the job permanently in 2023 and guided them to the highest-ever points tally in the North in 2024-25 before leaving to join Fylde.

LAST TIME WE MET…

When these two sides last met in the 2024-25 season, both games were memorable for different reasons – but both ended with the Glovers on top.

Striker Harvey Greenslade bagged the only goal in a 1-0 home win for Yeovil in March 2025 when he struck in the sixth minute of second half stoppage time. That match saw Mark Cooper’s side struggle to break down a resilient Fylde before the substitute grabbed a late winner.

But even that drama is topped by the ding-dong encounter the two sides had when they met in Lancashire in September 2024. Having been 2-0 down at half-time, the two sides traded blows throughout a gripping second half with ended with debutant Dom Bernard grabbing an 87th minute winner for the visitors to seal a 4-3 win.

Harvey Greenslade in a Yeovil town shirt
Harvey Greenslade celebrates his late winner against Fylde in March 2025.
Picture courtesy of Gary Brown

DON’T I KNOW YOU?

A Thursday afternoon signing has set up the return of striker Millar Matthews-Lewis to Huish Park. Remember him? Don’t worry, you are forgiven.

The 21-year-old striker played 120 minutes in a six-game loan spell after signing on loan from Burton Albion last March when the Glovers were desperately short on numbers and even shorter on goals. He arrived with an impressive scoring record for Hemel Hempstead Town in National League North which earned him his move to the League.

In fairness, the situation made it an uphill struggle for the player who did made a substitute appearance for his parent club in the League Cup around a month ago – but he was fairly forgettable in green-and-white. Don’t say it!

Miller Matthews-Lewis appears for the game at Gateshead last season, he started and was substituted after 29 minutes.
After MLM, it’s a tale of two Whelans for the Glovers’ old boys returning to Huish Park. But only captain and defender Corey Whelan is expected to start this one with midfielder Tom Whelan expected to miss out through injury.

Corey made 11 appearances during a loan spell from Liverpool in the 2017-18 season whilst Tom is a more recent face having made just eight appearances in Yeovil’s first season back in non-League in 2019-20.

The missing midfielder’s absence is a major blow for Fylde having been one of the stand-out performers in their charge to the National League North title last season.

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…

Paul Marsden is our match official this weekend and……well, we will leave you to find out more about him Ben’s article – here.

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We’re not sure if it was the early kick off or the gut punch of a result, but a low turnout on this week’s Man of the Match vote.

Nevertheless, someone has to take the crown and that honour went to goalkeeper Jos Barker.

There wasn’t much in it, with Archie Davies getting just a couple of votes less and as such taking second spot whilst the Skipper Luke McCormick was back in third.

DATEOPPONENTRESPONSES1ST
(Votes / Percent)		2ND
(Votes / Percent)		3RD
(Votes / Percent)
AUGUST
08.08.26Scunthorpe130 JORDAN NORVILLE-WILLIAMS
(91 / 70%)		Mason Obeng
(16 / 12.3%)		Jos Barker
(12 / 9.2%)
15.08.26Carlisle United152JOS BARKER
(71 / 46.7%)		Jordan Norville-Williams
(34 / 22.4%)		Zain Westbrooke
(14 / 9.2%)
22.08.26Gateshead168RYAN JONES
(57 / 33.9%)		Luke McCormick
(42 / 25%)		Archie Davies
(24 / 14.3%)
28.08.26Barrow174JOS BARKER
(114 / 65.1%)		Jordan Norville-Williams
(35 / 20%)		Luke McCormick
(10 / 5.7%)
31.08.26Tamworth156BRETT MCGAVIN
(87 / 55.8%)		Luke McCormick
(24 / 15.4%)		Jos Barker
(10 / 6.4%)
AUGUST PLAYER OF THE MONTH780 VOTES 🥇 JOS BARKER (8 PTS, 2 MOTM)
🥈 JORDAN NORVILLE WILLIAMS
(7 PTS, 1 MOTM)		🥉 LUKE MCCORMICK
(5 PTS, 0 MOTM)
SEPTEMBER--------------------------------------------------
05.09.26Southend United47JOS BARKER
(12 / 25.5%)		Archie Davies
(10 / 21.3%)		Luke McCormick
(8 / 17%)
12.09.26AFC Fylde88RYAN JONES
(47 / 53.4%)		Luke McCormick
(13 / 14.8%)		Archie Davies
(10 / 11.4%)
15.09.26Aldershot110RYAN JONES
(49 / 44.5%)		Archie Davies
(17 / 15.5%)		James Daly
(13 / 11.8%)
18.09.26Solihull Moors127RYAN JONES
(52 / 40.9%)		Zain Westbrooke
(18 / 14.2%)		James Daly
(16 / 12.6%)
26.09.26Kidderminster Harriers157JOS BARKER
(80 / 51%)		Ryan Jones
(17 / 10.8%)		Johl Powell
(15 / 9.6%)
29.09.26Worthing112BRETT MCGAVIN
(38 / 33.9%)		Ryan Jones
(35 / 31.3%)		Jordan Norville-Williams
(21 / 18.8%)
SEPTEMBER PLAYER OF THE MONTH641 VOTES 🥇 RYAN JONES (13 PTS, 3 MOTM)
🥈 JOS BARKER
(6 PTS, 2 MOTM)		🥉 ARCHIE DAVIES
(5 PTS, 0 MOTM)
OCTOBER--------------------------------------------------
03.10.26Boston Utd175JOHL POWELL
(47 / 26.9%)		Jordan Norville-Williams
(37 / 21.1%)		Ryan Jones
(29 / 16.6%)
10.10.26Wealdstone150BRETT MCGAVIN
(136 / 90.7%)		Jack Kingdon
(6 / 4%)		Johl Powell
(3 / 2%)
17.10.26Leatherhead (FAC4Q)62JOHL POWELL
(17 / 27.4%)		Archie Davies
(9 / 14.5%)		Jordan Norville-Williams
(8 / 12.9%)
20.10.26Leatherhead (FAC4QR)112JACK KINGDON
(74 / 55.2%)		Slavi Spasov
(20 / 14.9%)		Ryan Jones
(16 / 11.9%)
24.10.26Altrincham86JOHL POWELL
(35 / 40.7%)		Jordan Norville-Williams
(14 / 16.3%)		Slavi Spasov
(13 / 15.1%)
27.10.26Hornchurch109SEB NAYLOR
(50 / 43.5%)		Jack Kingdon
(16 / 13.9%)		James Daly
(14 / 12.2%)
31.10.26FC Halifax Town56HAYDEN MULLER
(39 / 60%)		Jos Barker
(13 / 20%)		Ryan Jones
(4 / 6.2%)
OCTOBER PLAYER OF THE MONTH750 VOTES 🥇 JOHL POWELL (10 PTS, 3 MOTM)
🥈 JACK KINGDON
(7 PTS, 1 MOTM)		🥉 JORDAN NORVILLE-WILLIAMS
(5 PTS, 0 MOTM)
NOVEMBER
07.11.26Chesterfield (FAC R1)82HAYDEN MULLER
(31 / 37.8%)		Jos Barker
(21 / 25.6%)		James Daly
(16 / 19.5%)
14.11.26Boreham Wood
21.11.26Forest Green Rovers
24.11.26Eastleigh
28.11.26Harrogate Town
DECEMBER
05.12.26Hartlepool United
09.12.26Wealdstone
19.12.26Boston United
26.12.26Sutton United
28.12.26Woking
JANUARY
02.01.27Altrincham
09.01.27Hornchurch
16.01.27
23.01.27Carlisle United
26.01.27Eastleigh
30.01.27Scunthorpe United
FEBRUARY
06.02.27Forest Green Rovers
13.02.27Kidderminster Harriers
17.02.27Worthing
20.02.27Solihull Moors
23.02.27Aldershot
27.02.27Gateshead
MARCH
06.03.27Barrow
09.03.27Tamworth
13.03.27Southend United
20.03.27AFC Fylde
26.03.27Woking
29.03.27Sutton United
APRIL
03.04.27FC Halifax Town
10.04.27Boreham Wood
17.04.27Hartlepool United
24.04.27Harrogate Town

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Yeovil Town winger James Daly has said the club’s impressive start to the new season is down to its business in the transfer market over the summer.

The Glovers lost their first game of the new National League season with a 3-2 defeat at Southend United last weekend, but had been unbeaten in their opening five fixtures despite facing heavyweights including Carlisle United, Scunthorpe United and Barrow.

They take on newly-promoted AFC Fylde at Huish Park on Saturday looking to get back to winning ways ahead of a run of three games in six days. They travel to Aldershot Town on Tuesday night followed by a home game with Solihull Moors next Friday.

Speaking to BBC Somerset reporter Jack Killah on Thursday, Daly said he believes the squad is capable of handling the rigours of a hectic schedule: “From the first couple of weeks of pre-season, I think the boys who have been here understood that the group we have this season is full of great characters, with a lot of work ethic, and boys who are really hungry to succeed. It’s been a breath of fresh air coming in this season and seeing the way the lads have taken to it. How well we’ve come together in the first few weeks has been really good to see.

“I think we have proven we have options all over the pitch. Our ability to bring players on to affect games now is a lot greater, and that comes down to the investment in the squad. Now, when we’re in games, we almost have a Plan B. We’ve got boys who can come on and affect the game even more, which is a massive relief, and it really brings the boys together as well.

“The boys who have come in have taken to it like a duck to water because (manager Billy Rowley and his staff have) profiled the positions so well. Everyone probably thought it would take longer to click, and I know it’s only early, but it’s clicked for a reason. They’ve profiled the right players for the right team and that’s why we’re winning. There’s a lot more to do, but we’re in a good spot.”

James Daly. Picture courtesy of Indy Pitman – Indy’s Visuals.

Fylde will arrive in Somerset this weekend looking to maintain a good run of form of their own having returned to the Premier Division after a season away last year. They won the National League North title with 100 points under new boss Craig Mahon and have lost just once all season, matching Yeovil’s record of winning three, drawing two and losing one in their opening six matches.

Daly said: “They look a very high-energy, high-pressing team, so it’s another challenge for us. We’ve done our review pretty well and we’re working on a plan to beat them and hopefully use our strengths to our advantage. They’re high pressing and we’re composed on the ball, so it’ll be a good match down at Huish. It’ll be a clash of styles, but we’ve just got to take confidence and know that our style is good enough.

“We’ve started really well (at home). The boys have come out and the fans have been our 12th man. It really gives us players that added emphasis to do well there and create some special memories, which is what we’re trying to do.“