Ben Barrett (Page 123)

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Chris Hargreaves admitted his Yeovil Town side were “below par” after they went down to a 1-0 defeat at home to National League newcomers York City.

The Glovers’ boss said he felt his players looked fatigued and cited a strong wind blowing across Huish Park as reasons for the loss which means they have won just one of their opening seven matches.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, Hargreaves said substitutions to bring on Gime Toure and Sam Pearson after an hour did not work.

He said: “We can’t hide away from the fact that a few (players) were below par, I don’t think there’s any getting away from that fact.

“I tried to change it at 0-0 and it didn’t really affect it for whatever reason, and that was disappointing because we try and change it to get more chances, but it didn’t.”

He added: “There’s been some very good performances this season and today wasn’t one, I accept that 100%.

“No-one will be doing anything other than looking at themselves in the Hargreaves household that’s for sure, because that’s my job.

“I’ll review it, I’ll review what I could have done better, we were at home, we were 0-0, I tried to make the changes, I tried to be positive with the changes, didn’t come off and we conceded a very poor goal.”

Goalkeeper Grant Smith pulled off a 70th minute penalty save from eventual goalscorer Lennell John-Lewis and made two other great saves to deny the striker.

Midfielder Matt Worthington missed the game with an injury which the manager said was “not too serious” and there was no place in the squad for new signing Will Dawes, signed for an undisclosed five-figure fee from Stratford Town in the week.

Charlie Wakefield had another frustrating game having started in a more central position and ending the game as a centre forward with strikers Alex Fisher and Malachi Linton both withdrawn before the end.

The manager said: “We’ve seen him play in two or three positions, one of those was late on up front, he didn’t quite have the legs to get away when we did have one chance where he was sort of clean through or one-v-one.

“They are my decisions and I’ve got to stick them, did I see enough before then? No, which is why I made the changes.”

The Glovers’ now have seven days until they travel to Woking, managed by former manager Darren Sarll, for their next National League encounter.

Asked how he would pick up his players, Hargreaves said: “They’re professional footballers, they’ll pick themselves up, they’ll be desperate to train, they’ll be desperate for the next game I’ve got no concerns about that.

“They’re a fantastic group of lads, they know what we want from them – we didn’t quite put the action plan together today for a number of reasons which we need to review very quickly.

“But I’ve got no problem with the morale of the group, they know they’ll be together and be fighting from the first until the last minute next week.”

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Chris Hargreaves has made three changes to his starting line-up to face National League newcomers York City at Huish Park today (3pm kick-off).

Max Hunt, Charlie Wakefield and Lawson D’Ath return in place of Matt Worthington, who is not in the squad presumably through injury, Gime Toure, who drops to the bench after playing the full 90 minutes at Wealdstone on Monday, and Alfie Pond, whose loan was cut short after he joined Premier League Wolves.

It looks like Wakefield will take Toure’s role behind a front two of Malachi Linton and Alex Fisher with D’Ath pairing Sam Perry in midfield.

New signing defender Owen Bevan is named on the substitutes’ bench alongside fellow loanee Sam Pearson who returns after injury. There is no place for winger Will Dawes who joined from Stratford Town for an undisclosed five-figure fee in the week.

Yeovil Town : (3-5-2)

Grant Smith

Max Hunt  Josh Staunton  Ben Richards-Everton

Morgan Williams Lawson D’Ath Sam Perry Jamie Reckord

 Charlie Wakefield

Alex Fisher  Malachi Linton

 

Substitutes: Owen Bevan, Chiori Johnson, Gime Toure, Sam Pearson, Jake Scrimshaw.

York City: Ross, Kouogun, Kerr, Sanders, Fallowfield, Pybus, Dyson, Hancox, Hurst, Kouhyar, John-Lewis. Substitutes: Whitley, Boden, Whittle, Greaves, Duku.

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Just when you thought Transfer Deadline Day didn’t apply to us in the lowly National League…

Alfie Pond. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Just as the Summer 2022 Transfer window was ready to slam shut, yellow ties were being folded away and the Sky Sports News tickers were being ground to a halt, did news begin to surface about a late move from Wolves for Alfie Pond.

The Athletic – and then subsequently plenty other outlets – report a £500k fee has been reached between the Premier League side and Exeter for the defender with Journo Steve Madeley saying that his loan at Huish Park had been ‘cancelled’ to facilitate the deal.

No official confirmation from any of the three parties involved has come through (as of 05:30 on Sept 2nd), but this would mean something ofna shake up ahead of the Glovers’ game against York City on Saturday.

Pond has played in each of the last two games for the Glovers.

More to come if confirmed.

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Ollie Haste in action for Truro City. Picture courtesy of Cameron Weldon/Truro City FC.

Yeovil Town loanee Ollie Haste was back in the starting line up for Truro just 48 hours after hobbling off injured.

He played a full 90 minutes for the White Tigers in their 1-1 draw at Tiverton.

The midfielder has played a pivotal role so far for his adopted side and came close to getting off the mark for his new club in the 51st minute with a shot blocked from close range.

However, the points were shared after a late second half equaliser cancelled out Tyler Harvey’s opener for Truro.

Toby Stephens was an unused substitute in Devon.

Paul Wotton’s remain unbeaten so far this season.

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Josh Staunton. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town captain Josh Staunton has urged his side not to get too downbeat after a frustrating 0-0 draw with Wealdstone.

The part time outfit held the Glovers at bay for more than 80 minutes with ten men, but Yeovil did have their chances, missing a second half penalty and seeing multiple opportunities cleared off the line.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins the skipper praised the Stones’ defensive resolution and backed his team mates to come good.

“I think it’s always a challenge when a team sits in like that, especially when the pitch is quite sticky, and the fine margins didn’t go our way.

It’s very disappointing right now, but at the end of the day it’s one point away from home against a team which are right on form, so as a group we will try and look at the positives.

If someone had said to us at 3 o’clock at the end of the bank holiday we will win the home one and draw the away one I don’t think there would be too many complaints.”

“Obviously the situation makes it a bit more frustrating, but there’s a long season to go.”

Tactical changes and substitutions were all make with attacking alterations in mind, but Yeovil just couldn’t find a way through.

“When you’re chasing a game you’re searching a little bit. In the first half we were three at the back and we were ok, but we probably didn’t utilise the four at the back as well as we probably should have.

As players we kind of shot ourselves in the foot, I think we didn’t get high enough up the pitch.”

Malachi Linton fires in a shot. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Looking ahead the captain urged caution at getting too low at the early season frustration and backed Malachi Linton to come back from the disappointment at missing the penalty.

“It’s a long season so it’s about keeping the group level and not feeling like it’s the end of the world in there.”

“I’m sure Mal is very down in there, I don’t need to sit hear and try and say otherwise, strikers want to score goals, it’s never nice when you put yourself forward to take a penalty in a tight game like that… unfortunately today for Mal, it went the wrong side of the crossbar and he’s a young lad with a great future ahead of him and he’s started the season well.

At times like that it’s about rallying round him and make sure he picks himself up.”

Wise words from the captain, who went on to back up those thoughts, even further.

“Obviously we’re very downbeat right now, but on another day we could have had three or four and if we’d have got one in the first half when we were on top we make it a much easier game.”

“We’re understandably frustrated right now, sometimes when you’re like that it’s a kick for you, because if we’d have got six points out of the bank holiday weekend then it would have been a brilliant return.

In this league if you do well at home and draw your away ones, regardless of the situation, you’ll be OK.

Overall, however disappointed we are, it’s that old cliché of it being a marathon not a sprint.”

The next stop on the 26.2 mile journey that is the National League season is a home game against York City this coming Saturday.

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Chris Hargreaves

Manager Chris Hargreaves and goal-scoring wing-back Jamie Reckord have both said Yeovil Town are looking to put a run together as they travel to in-form Wealdstone on Bank Holiday Monday.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following victory over Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday the pair were unanimous their opponent’s form didn’t matter, it was about how Yeovil could impact the game.

Hargreaves said: “They’ve recruited players of a good standard they’ve obviously pushed the boat out to do that.

“They’re a good team, they’re an attacking threat, they’ve got some pace and we’ve got focus on that and how we can affect them with our football, but our resilience has got to carry on into that next game.

“The lads have just said it in the changing room, that’s their focus now, they know they can defend, they know they can listen to information and play different shapes”

With just under 48 hours between matches, Hargreaves said that recovery was key and that might have to affect their roast dinner on Sunday.

He added: “The boys have got to enjoy winning today, cos that’s what this game is about, recover quickly, not have too many pigs in blankets tomorrow and chocolate pudding and relax.

“I can’t quite believe this fixture pile up already, it’s ridiculous, it’s got to stop, it’s dangerous, that’s annoyed me, but we’ve got to deal with, get on with it.”

Jamie Reckord. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Similar thoughts were shared by Reckord whose third goal in five games gave Hargreaves his first win as Glovers boss.

The former Wrexham man said: “Everyone is in the same boat, they’ve (Wealdstone) have played today like us, I just think if everyone recovers well and does the right thing, there’s no excuse on Monday, we just keep going.

“They’ve started well, but it’s not about them it’s about us, we won today, and I’m confident about getting three points on Monday.”

Wealdstone go in to the game full of confidence having hit the top of the National League table with a 1-0 win at Gateshead courtesy of a goal from former Glover Rhys Browne.

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Yes, we’re going to be making Pond/Fish/ based puns whenever we can, we’re not going to apologise for it either.

Alfie Pond. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town’s on loan defender Alfie Pond has been named in the Non-League Paper’s team of the day after his impressive debut performance helped secure a 1-0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge.

Pond joins Wealdstone’s Jack Cook – who he’ll likely face on Monday – and Callum Howe of Solihull in the mythical back line.

The gaffer, Chris Hargreaves also makes the ‘Top Boss’ spot his own after picking up his first competitive victory as Glovers’ boss.

Well done to Alfie and Chris!

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Jamie Reckord scores the winner against Dagenham ? Mike Kunz

Yeovil Town s̶t̶r̶i̶k̶e̶r̶ defender Jamie Reckord has praised the Glovers’ ability to grind out their first win of the season over Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, in which he scored his third goal of the season, he said how happy everyone was to get that first win in the books.

The 30-year-old said: “Both teams started kind of slow, there wasn’t much really in the game, I just felt like there were always going to be opportunities come our way 

“Their back three was gifting us a few chances, Mal [of Fish ‘n’ Mal fame] was running off the back of them and giving them havoc and Gime and I thought Fish [also from Fish ‘n’ Mal] played well and I got my goal. I’m just happy we got the three points.

“Everyone knows it was important for us to get the win today, you could feel it, we could feel it, the last ten minutes felt like it was half an hour but we hung on.

“Everyone needed that, because if you look at the last few games in the season I think we’ve been the better team, and the club looks back and says we could have and should have, but we were the better team in most of the three games and yeah, I’m just glad we got the three points.”

Reckord – who had, before this game NEVER scored more than twice in a single season – was chuffed to get his third in the opening five games…

“I’m delighted to get the goal, of course, three goals in whatever games it is, its the best of my professional career, but most importantly we got the win and the first win on the board and we can look forward to playing Wealdstone on Monday”

Best check that contract for a goal bonus clause, Jamie!

Alfie Pond

There was praise for his 18 year old defensive partner Alfie Pond who made his Glovers debut and put in a rock solid display impressing Reckord, and fans with his performance.

“Pondy is really good, you can tell, he’s good in the air, good on the ball, he’s calm and collected and when you play in a three you need that calmness, he can play the ball out from the back and start moves off, yeah, everyone was impressed.”

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Ollie Haste in action for Truro City. Picture courtesy of Cameron Weldon/Truro City FC.

Yeovil Town’s on loan duo Ollie Haste and Toby Stephens had very different days as their host side Truro City picked up a 4-1 win over Hendon.

Haste started the match but was replaced with just 24 minutes on the clock due to an injury.

After the game White Tigers’ gaffer – and former Glover – Paul Wotton said: “He (Haste) took a knee to the thigh, so he’s got a bit of a dead leg.”

They, like us, have a game on Monday and Wotton said he had a few nursing knocks so players will be assessed over the next 24 hours, but thankfully it doesn’t seem too serious for Haste.

Toby Stephens in action for Truro City. Picture courtesy of Cameron Weldon/Truro City FC.

Stephens was named on the bench for the second game in succession and came on for just over 30 minutes with the game finely poised.

He too, has had a slight injury concern during his temporary spell at Truro but is making a steady return to action.

Keep up the good work, lads !