Rowley: We have still not hit top gear
Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley believes there is still more to come from his side as they enter October in the National League Premier Division play-off places.
The Glovers were held to a 1-1 draw at home to new boys Worthing on Tuesday night which saw them finish September in sixth place in the table with 19 points from their opening 11 fixtures.
Appearing on the Gloverscast ahead of the start of the season, Rowley and his assistant manager Darren Simpson spoke about how they expected the squad to be finding their feet in the division by around November time.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah ahead of this weekend’s visit from Boston United, the boss said: “I would have definitely taken it. It was only two years ago that I had to rebuild a team at my previous club (Walton & Hersham) and it takes I think four or five months to really, hit top gear and I don’t think we’ve hit that yet. I think we’re closer than than I expected us to be with signing 15 new players, so I am really happy with where we’re at right now. But we know that performances and league table position are the only thing that dictate that, so if we get another couple of wins it is looking excellent, but a couple of bad results and it is not looking so good. We are just going to focus on the here and now, the game Saturday, and hopefully be standing here next week saying we’re we’re looking good.”
The draw against Worthing saw Yeovil create a host of goal-scoring opportunities but only managed to convert one of them when midfielder Brett McGavin’s goal-bound effort was turned home by a visiting defender.
As they prepare to take on a Boston United side which sits two points off the division’s relegation places going in to the weekend, Rowley knows that his side need to find a more clinical edge in front of goal.
He said: “It was definitely an entertaining game and I enjoyed it for the most parts. Obviously there are parts you are always critical of and we have had a meeting this morning where I have reminded the players that we are creating chances and banging that drum (that we need to take more of them). But I’m really happy with how the team’s looking, there’s a real good vibe around the lads.
“On another day, we could have scored maybe three or four goals, they had couple of big chances, but I think we had the better chances. It was a really open game and that was by design, we didn’t win, but we just weren’t clinical enough.”
Defender Loick Ayina will be available for this weekend after completing a three-match suspension for his sending off at Aldershot Town, but Rowley said that defender Joy Mukena was still “four or five weeks” available from being available after suffering a hamstring injury. Meanwhile midfielder Joe Haigh, who has not been seen in green-and-white since signing in the summer, is getting closer to taking part in full training.
Rowley said: “Joe hit his new top speed last couple of days, so his running mechanics are looking really good. He’s looking fit and strong and he’s been in the gym a lot, so he’s been able to build some like robustness that he probably wouldn’t have usually had during a football season. I think he’s going to be maybe two to three weeks away from proper ball work and then maybe four to six weeks away from from game time. But once we get Joe in, I think all the fans will be really excited to watch him play, and he’ll feel like a feel like a new signing for us.”
This weekend’s opponents, Boston United, arrive at Huish Park with only seven points fewer than Yeovil from their opening 11 matches, but sat just two points above the National League relegation places. They were held to a 1-1 draw at FC Halifax Town on Tuesday night having lost 1-0 at home to AFC Fylde last weekend.
Rowley said: “Sometimes teams will will turn up and and scrap what they’ve been doing in previous week weeks and and throw something new at you, so we’ll be prepared for that. I do feel it might be stylistically slightly different, but equally they do have some real threats in their team. They’ve got some excellent players, it’s just another standard National League game, you’ve got to be ready and be at your best, or you’re not going to win.”
Luke McCormick Update
No interview with the Yeovil manager is complete without a question on the status of club captain Luke McCormick and this one was no exception:
Jack Killah: Obviously the Luke McCormick situation is ongoing and you are hopeful that’ll be resolved one way or the other in the near future?
Billy Rowley: Yeah, like I keep saying, as soon as we have a definitive answer for the supporters, they will get it. I’m not trying to pull a pull the wool over anyone’s eyes on that, it’s just we don’t have anything for them right now. As soon as we do, we’ll tell you.
