Ben Barrett (Page 131)

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town manager, Darren Sarll spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following the Glovers’ 2-0 win over Woking on Tuesday night and was quick to heap praise on his side.

“They deserve a lot of praise, the players, their energy, their resilience to reproduce a similar performance to Saturday (vs Grimsby) was excellent.”

“I loved their energy and their enthusiasm to the game, the most pleasing thing to me was it stretched longer than just a half, we’ve been very guilty of only really competing for maybe half the game, but that stretched to 75, 80 minutes tonight”

Goals from Charlie Wakefield early in the first half and Tom Knowles early in the second secured the points, something Sarll found especially pleasing.

“To start the second half in that form and in that vein was excellent, these players get a massive feed off the crowd and the vibe tonight in the ground was great, really great and I think they really thrived off of that”

“I’m really please young Tom (Knowles) got his goal tonight… I think he needs to add some consistency, the thing with Tom is that the expectation on him now is a lot higher than it was last year… he was very energetic tonight,very vibrant and much more of a goal threat.”

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Goalkeeper Adam Smith in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Former Yeovil Town Goalkeeper Adam Smith signed for Stevenage this weekend, making his debut only a few hours after putting pen to paper – he would go on to be named Man of the Match in a 0-0 draw with Leyton Orient.

Smith, who played every game during the 2020/21 season also spent time on loan at Huish Park the season before.

Speaking prior to his debut for his new club he said that his time with the Glovers had been difficult following the passing of Lee Collins.

“It was tough, a tough season with everything that happened. Obviously I played everygame which was good, but obviously the unfortunate events of the captain, a good friend kind of put a downer on the season.”

“No matter how good the season was, the overshadowed everything”

Everyone at the Gloverscast wishes Adam Smith all the best at the new club.

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Jordan Barnett
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town’s Jordan Barnett spoke to BBC Somerset reporter Sheridan Robins following the Glovers’ 2-0 defeat to Grimsby.

Despite the loss, and lack of fire power in front of goal, the former Notts County man said that there were plenty of positives to take from the game.

“I think we were all over them for the majority of the game, I think we should have taken our chances that we had throughout the game, and I think we’d have won the game”

“They didn’t cause us much threat, so yeah, it was an all good performance from us today I think”

Both of Grimsby’s goals had elements of luck and misfortune to them, one from the penalty spot and the second late on as the Glovers pushed for an equaliser; Barnett admits this adds to the team’s frustration.

“The first goal has killed us, obviously if that didn’t happen I think we’d have dominated the game, we’d have won that game – two sloppy goals”

Manager Darren Sarll kept faith in the majority of his side who had played a gruelling 120 minutes or more against Weymouth on Tuesday and Barnett admitted that the team felt a little tired but that it wouldn’t be an excuse.

“We are a little drained, but we go again Tuesday and hopefully get the win Tuesday night, we need the win”

The Glovers are now on a streak of eight games without a win in 90 minutes, but Barnett is sure the turn around in form is coming

“We are a young team, we are finding our way in and building a good relationship together, and I think we are playing really well and the results will come.”

 

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll talks to BBC Radio Somerset

Darren Sarll spoke to BBC Somerset following the Glovers’ 2-0 defeat against Grimsby, an eighth consecutive game without a win.

“I thought we were excellent, I’ve just said to them, I dont want them to think playing well, and not winning is ok, but, when you start a game and come to good football club, like this, and you know there’s going to be a big crowd, with really clear instructions to be brave, pass the ball – they dont expect us to come and pass the ball – let’s get on the ball and pass, and I thought we were very good, I thought we were the better side in both halves”

“I thought we worked the goal more, some of our – obviously we all know we are short of a centre forward, that’s going to score or bundle things in or force things in, like  a (Rhys) Murphy type, clever with his finishing”

“I thought Charlie (Wakefield) was a threat, Joe (Quigley) looked a threat, but tired very quickly, and it was a good game for Sonny (Blu Lo-Everton) to be in for his learning, but I would say he’d have to do better next time”

Grimsby’s first goal came from the Penalty spot after a spell of sustained pressure from the hosts, it’s a goal that could have been prevented according the gaffer.

“It was four or five mistakes, the goalkeeper’s kick was one, of course and then we didn’t deal with that kick, in midfield, didn’t deal with that, and then the winger comes rolling in off the side and we switch off, but to come here and give that opportunity away – and only that opportunity away – is testament to our performance”

Despite three changes, Sarll was frustrated that the game didn’t change in the Glovers’ favour, however there was praise for the replacement’s efforts and endeavour.

“Three attacking players, not sure how any of them affected the goal… all of them have got great energy, brilliant attitude, they come on and they try their absolute best. Giles Coke comes on for Grimsby and has more Football League experience than the starting eleven – on his own”

“I was really impressed with every player’s attitude today, I was really impressed with their motivation, courage to take the ball, I like what (Jack) Robinson and (Jordan) Barnett are doing at the moment – I think they are fantastic together, but we build – but we know we have to come out all guns blazing on Tuesday (vs Woking)”

Darren Sarll also confirmed that Exeter loanee Ben Seymour was missing after a delayed result from a COVID PCR test, but said he would be available for selection on Tuesday.

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Sarll and Skiverton
Terry Skiverton, right, alongside Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town Manager, Darren Sarll made a guest appearance on the Early Doors Football Podcast this week and was asked a pretty bold question about the ambitions the Glovers still have for this season.

Sarll admitted that whilst he’s not looking that far ahead, he did admit that he still wanted to be involved in the promotion picture by the end of the season.

“It is a little bit more complex for us now because of the size of the squad and the age of the squad, we have to be a little bit more short term – week to week, game to game”

“The first year I was there, we had a team ready to get promoted, we finished fourth and lost in the play-offs.

The team the following year underperformed and we were struck by tragedy with the passing of our captain, so it was a horrible, horrible season.

“This year is completely… it’s like new ground for everyone, if we can turn the calender year in the top half and can welcome the injured and experienced players back in, like Mark Little, like Reuben Reid and Luke Wilkinson – the three most experienced players in our squad, then we’d have a really good shot at making that Play-Off group and that’s what this group are aiming for”

Bold words from the Gaffer, but he could have told us here on the Gloverscast first!!!

You can listen to rest of the podcast by clicking HERE.… oh and if you want a podcast to come on, Gaffer, you should have said!!

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town Manager, Darren Sarll made a guest appearance on the ‘Early Doors Football Podcast’ this week and spoke about the current sesaon and his career to date.

He and the hosts chatted through his playing and managerial career before the Glovers’ boss was asked what it was like trying to pit wits against some of the league’s biggest spenders and how he and his coaching team were leaving no stone unturned in their quest for success.

“When we hear the rumours of wages, we’re all quite envious, when you look at someone like (Wrexham manager) Phil Parkinson, he deserves all he gets because he’s had a wonderful career…

“I liken the National League to League One, in League One you’ve got Sunderland and Accrington, so the disparity between the very top spenders and the very bottom spenders – i’m not sure if Accrington are the lowest spenders – that type of model, that means that the gap is huge.

The gap is massive in the National League, we all know Wrexham, Stockport are a club of affluance, but because of COVID, how badly we were hit by COVID, we’re now in the bottom third of that division in terms of financial resource.”

That will probably not come as any surprise to Glovers fans, the signing of many loan players and younger talents has made that clear, something which Sarll says was partly down to circumstance, but also a concious decision.

“It’s a brilliant division, anyone who thinks the National League is an amateur division is very much mistaken, it’s a professional division, we’ve spoken about Phil Parkinson, Simon Rusk went in at Stockport from Brighton, my job before Yeovil was in the Premier League with Watford, we’re looking at a certain calibre now in that division.”

“I haven’t had an easy game in two-and-a-half years… what we’ve done this year through choice and a little bit of financial circumstance, we’ve gone very, very young. We’ve got the 2nd youngest squad in the division for a couple of reasons.

This is my 21st season coaching professionally, 15 years of that has been in development. We’ve gone down that route to try and develop”

“We’re going on sheer potential, ambition and desire… we’ve tried to go down that way, I would say my ambition, enthusiasm and thirst to help young people is going to try and help bridge that gap, we rely on the energy, the bravery of the young – and sometimes they’re foolish and naive”

Sarll went on to make the point that it’s not always the biggest clubs that are going up, and that you need a lot to go your way to get promoted but he and Assistant Terry Skiverton have had to beg, steal and borrow their way to getting the best young talents either on loan or on a permanant deal.

“We’ve got a young man called Charlie Wakefield, he played in the Champions League Under 19s final for Chelsea. He now needs a platform, he has to play week in week out and get a senior CV under his belt”

“We heavily reply on my contacts over this many years, we’ve got loans from Middlesbrough, loans from Cambridge, loans from Exeter, players on loan from Luton. Because Yeovil is such a remote spot geographically, you have to call upon every contact possible to get every player possible.”

“If I was a young player, Yeovil is a real good springboard to start to your career, my Assistant Terry Skiverton had Andros Townsend, Luke Ayling, Steven Caulker, Ryan Mason who ended up being really top end players”

You can listen to rest of the podcast by clicking HERE.... oh and if you want a podcast to come on, Gaffer, you should have said!!

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We might have mentioned it once or twice, but Yeovil beat W*ymouth on penalties on Tuesday night…

More than just getting one over on the claret and blue lot down the A37 Yeovil Town actually broke something of an FA Cup record in the process.

It means that, as a Non-league side, Yeovil Town have reached the First Round Proper for a record 52nd time for a side outside of the top-four divisions.

So now you know…

That’s to @FACupFactFile on twitter for bring that to our attention.

 

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It’ll be of no great surprise that Yeovil Town fans and players were quick to take to social media to post their reaction to the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round win over the seagull botherers down the road.. here are some of the best of them, including THAT penalty kick video that James Healey sent viral!

AND Finally…

You mean… this one, Tom

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Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

We at the Gloverscast are pretty sure you’ve heard, Yeovil beat W*ymouth in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round – on penalties.

After the game, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton spoke to the BBC about the topsy turvey game and the Watford loanee couldn’t quite believe what had happened.

“We’ve come to their ground and played the way we wanted to play, we’ve dominated the whole game, we’ve had more chances than them, stopped more chances than them, but the cross in the eighty-something minute (87th if anyone cares) was tough to take, and you can see the charachter of the boys to keep fighting for the extra 30 minutes and for the penalty as well”

The game ebbed and flowed, with the Glovers having, and spurning, chances, penalty claims waved away and yet more ‘was it over the line’ moments for Yeovil attackers, but after all was said and done, it was Yeovil who progressed through on spot-kicks, which led to briliant scenes between fans and players, something which the attacker says he’ll never forget.

“Just to see the fans, the atmosphere was unreal, I’ve never played in a game like it…”

“We have a ‘fight to the end’ charachter in this team… we performed well and got the result, that’s all that matters.
“You can tell that the dressing room we’re buzzing, we needed a win like this to kick back our season again as we haven’t got a result since Stockport away”

“It’s so good playing in from of them (the fans), the noise, the songs, it’s great and when you can celebrate with them like that… it’s so good!”

Yeovil Town will play either Yate Town or Dover in the First Round of the FA Cup

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Yeovil Town secured their place in the 1st round of the FA Cup by beating W*ymouth on penalties on Tuesday night – I’m sure you’ve heard.

However, who the Glovers play hasn’t yet been decided after Yate Town and Dover couldn’t complete their own replay after floodlight failure.

The floodlights were fixed – specifically at 20:34pm (this matters) – but the game did not take place, Dover went home and will have to try again on a date yet to be confirmed – but likely, next Tuesday, 26th of October.

Yate Town were not happy releasing the following statement after the game…

“This evening we suffered a failure of two of the eight floodlight groups.
The facilities manager assisted by Jeff Michael (the manager’s dad) and Shaun Base all qualified electricians, diagnosed the problem and attempted a repair.
Both teams and the referee, in dialogue with the FA, agreed to delay KO as late as possible.
Decision points were initially set for 19:45 and 20:15 at which times the repair was ongoing.
The referee consulted with the FA, and agreed with both teams that if the floodlights could be repaired he would need to allow 30 minutes before KO for the teams and officials to warm up.
It was therefore agreed that if the floodlights could not be repaired and turned on by 20:30 the match would be postponed. At 20:34 the lights were fixed, the referee consulted with the FA to seek agreement that the match could go ahead, the FA confirmed this providing both teams were happy.
With a crowd of over 580 supporters, including some who had made the journey from Kent, the referee spoke to both teams to get agreement for the match to go ahead.
Yate were content to play, however Dover Athletic stated that it was past the 20:30 deadline and therefore they were not prepared to play.
We sincerely apologise to all supporters for the frustration they experienced this evening. We would also like to thank you all wholeheartedly for your patience and understanding and for remaining in high spirits despite the weather and the delay.
The FA direction is that the match will now have to be re-arranged, possibly later this week or next Tuesday.
We will let you all know as soon as a date is agreed. All tickets purchased this evening remain valid for the re-arranged game.”

 

If you don’t love the FA Cup after everything that happened on Tuesday night, then I’m afraid we can’t be friends…