Ben Barrett (Page 144)

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll has vowed to give his squad players time on the pitch in next weekend’s FA Trophy Tie against Woking.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the Glovers 1-0 National League win over Barnet on Saturday, the manager singled out Alex Bradley, Reuben Reid and goalkeeper Max Evans as being in line for some game tie in the tie.

Alex Bradley in conversation with manager Darren Sarll.

“Everyone knows they are going to be used, especially next week when we play Woking.

“Alex (Bradley) thoroughly deserves to start a game, Knowlesy needs to start a game, it is so important Reuben (Reid) gets a minimum of an hour. Max Evans deserves a game.

“I don’t think I can afford to say it is a good time to rotate the squad because there’s not much after the XI that makes it a squad.“

Alex Bradley hasn’t completed 90 minutes in a National League game since the 1-0 loss to Stockport at the back end of last season, but has come the bench in each of the last five games, with three of those appearances lasting less than five minutes.

Reuben Reid has made a couple of appearances from the bench since his return from injury and the suggestion is he could be in line for a longer stint in the side, whilst back-up goalkeeper Max Evans has only played in the Somerset Premier Cup this season.

Tom Knowles has only played 41 minutes since going off having been judo slammed to the floor by Dover defender Danny Collinge a fortnight ago, and the boss also hopes to have left-back Jordan Barnett back from an illness which has kept him out for the last two matches.

Despite the changes, Sarll promised that he still has a desire to go far in the competition, speaking of Terry Skiverton’s desire to try and repeat the Glovers’ 2002 success.

The manager added: “It is a competition Terry speaks so well of, so we will not degrade it, that keeps us making sure we have to keep playing the same group.

“Everyone will be involved and we will try and beat Woking, it is important we keep that winning feeling.

“People can change the team too much, but we will only be able to make two or three changes, but it won’t be wholesale at all.”

Tickets for the game are heavily reduced with under-16s going FREE, to get yours visit the official website – here.

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Morgan Williams. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town defender Morgan Williams has been speaking to the media ahead of the Glovers’ game against Barnet.

The former Coventry man has had to bide his time before getting an opportunity at left-back during the side’s recent upturn in form.

“I’m really happy, the last couple of weeks have been big for me, being back in the side, now I’m just looking to maintain that and put big performances in, 

“When you’re not in the side, but the team are winning, you’re happy for the team. Whatever minutes you get, you want to come on and do what you can do, for the last couple of weeks I’ve been getting 10, 15, 20 minutes… even five minutes, but anything I can do to make the team win, that’s the main thing”

Williams had plenty of praise for the more experienced heads around him, citing Josh Staunton, Luke Wilkinson and Grant Smith as well as Mark Little as being big influences in his progression and didn’t mind having to take his chance at left-back, rather than his preferred central roll.

“Not being in the team for a couple of week, you adapt to whatever position the Gaffer and Tel (Skiverton) want you to play, if it’s right winger, left back, right back, centre back, anywhere on the pitch, I’m going to do my best and show that I can do what I can do”

Williams said he’d be doing all he could to keep clean sheets and in his words “get this club back into the league” starting with the game against Barnet on Saturday.

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Dan Moss. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

No less than three Yeovil Town players have been rewarded with a place in the FA Cup Team of the Round for Round 2.

The Glovers beat Stevenage 1-0 live on the BBC to land a record 21st Football League scalp in the competition as a non-league side.

Goalkeeper Grant Smith, and on loan duo Dan Moss and Sonny Blu Lo Everton have been given a place in the side as voted for by Twitter users.

The mythical XI also includes representatives of Kidderminster, Mansfield and Leyton Orient, but Yeovil are the only side with three entrants.

Smith made a number of crucial saves, whilst Lo Everton slid the ball through to assist the match winner from Charlie Wakefield.

Dan Moss was voted Man of the Match by the BBC team and is rightly listed in the side following a string of brilliant performances.

A huge congratulations to all three.

Yeovil Town will host AFC Bournemouth in the 3rd Round on Saturday 8th of January at 17:30pm

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Yeovil players celebrate Charlie Wakefield’s FA Cup winner in Round 2

Yeovil Town’s FA Cup 3rd Round tie vs Bournemouth has been confirmed as kicking off at 5:30pm on Saturday 8th on January 2022.

In a slightly odd move, the game has been switched from a traditional 3pm kick off despite not being selected for live TV coverage.

No reason has been given in the FA’s announcement, with other games spread out across the weekend, presumably to allow for more coverage at once.

Darren Sarll said in his pre match ‘presser’ that he was “confused” at the TV ties as Premier League clubs don’t need the windfall of the extra revenue.

However, the FA have confirmed that Yeovil will get a little bonus simply by being pushed out of the 3pm kick off slot.

As per the FA website; “those involved in fixtures that have been moved away from 3pm on Saturday 8 January 2022 will receive £32,500 respectively unless they have been chosen for live broadcast by the BBC or ITV.”

With a further £82,000 on offer to the winner, the Glovers will be hoping for another (record extending) cup upset.

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Toby Stephens claps the Yeovil fans

Yeovil Town loanee Toby Stephens clocked up another 90 minutes for Hemel Hempstead on Tuesday night.

The young midfielder played the full game in the Tudor’s 2-0 win over Birkhamstead in the Herts County Cup

After missing out at the weekend, sitting on the bench for the game against Dulwich Hamlet, Stephens played in midfield for the much changed Tudor’s line up.

Stephens has a week left to go on his initial one month deal having joined from the Glovers on 19th of November.

Loan Stats

Appearances: 3

Minutes: 257

Goals: 0

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Yeovil Town have been handed a grate away tie at Toolstation Western League side Cheddar in the Somerset Premier Cup

The un-brie-leavable draw took place on Tuesday following the conclusion of the Weston Super-Mare v Keynsham tie to finish off the round of 16

The Glovers have been waiting for sometime to find out their Quarter Final opponents after getting the feta of Larkhall Athletic in the previous round.

Cheddar currently sit 4th in their division, but have a gouda amount of  catching up to do to catch the runaway leaders Welton Rovers.

Full details for the Glovers trip to the Cheesemen will be confirmed in fondu course.

It’s a real cracker of a tie as the Glovers continue on the road to an unprecedented quadruple.

 

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Yeovil players celebrate Charlie Wakefield’s FA Cup winner in Round 2

Yeovil Town have been drawn at home to AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup Third Round.

The Glovers’ quest for an unprecedented quadruple continues following their successful path through three rounds including Saturday evening’s 1-0 win over League Two Stevenage.

The draw took place on Monday night before the final tie from the 2nd round, between Boreham Wood and St Albans.

Two Arsenal legends David Seaman and Faye White made the draw from Wembley Stadium.

3rd round winners are rewarded with £82,000 on top of their share of ticket receipts,  with additional TV revenue available for those lucky sides selected by ITV & BBC bosses.

 

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Toby Stephens claps the Yeovil fans

Yeovil Town’s on loan midfielder Toby Stephens had a watching brief for his temporary club Hemel Hempstead Town as he was a unused sub in their 1-0 over Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday.

Stephens has played twice so far during his short stint away from Huish Park, but failed to add any minutes to the tank this weekend.

Glovers’ manager Darren Sarll told the Gloverscast this week that he has been impressed with Toby’s progression and have been in regular contact with the Tudor’s coaching team.

“[We talk to Hemel Hempstead] daily, daily. Mark Jones, who is manager there, worked for me in year one, Mark’s a good friend, a good coach, and we speak all the time, so it’s a very easy one with Toby,”

“I’m sure people will be a bit confused why we can’t fill a bench, but we’ve loaned Toby out, but I thought it was so important, not just for his career, but for his state of mind, that he saw some football. We’re suffering because of that, because of numbers, but Toby’s contribution [to Yeovil} has been 10, 15 minutes and I didn’t think that was enough for a young man, who’s training every day”

“He needed to play, Mark (Jones) had him here in the youth team, Mark knew him really well, and he needed some help in that position and we were more than happy for him to go.”

 

  • Elsewhere, former Yeovil loanee Lewis Simper has joined Concord Rangers again on a short term loan from Cambridge.
    Simper played a total of six minutes in the league for Yeovil in the 2-0 loss away at Grimsby.

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Yeovil Town loan defender Dan Moss spoke to the BBC TV pundits pitch side following the Glovers’ 1-0 win over Stevenage in the FA Cup second half.

He told them he was really enjoying his temporary stint in Somerset and the win was down to the teamwork of those around him.

“I am loving it. It is a massive result, a real team performance, everyone dug in deep and you can see it at the end, everyone just throwing their bodies in to get the win in the end.”

Moss, on loan from Millwall for another month was speaking after getting the television’s Man of The Match nomination, for, amongst other moments, a last-ditch tackle to prevent a ‘Boro equaliser.

“When it was happening, I saw my runner running late and thought I just had to get my body in the way, it looked good on the camera.”
“The other boys are putting them in as well, so it is not just me.”

Grant Smith in goal made a couple of good saves to keep his side’s nose in front, something which Moss appreciated.

“He was quality again, he is a great keeper and he’s helped us out a bit, he’s dug us out. He’s class.”

The 21-year old recieved praise from Darren Sarll this week who said his performances have shown great maturity and his MOTM showing on prime time Saturday night TV will only enhance the young man’s reputation more.

 

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Yeovil Town completed an unbeaten November with a fantastic 2-0 win away at Wrexham, two thirds of the Gloverscast were there, with Ben Barrett keeping up his record this season of not seeing the Glovers even concede, let alone lose!

He was alongside Sheridan Robins in the commentary box and here are his five conclusions from a brilliant night in North Wales!

Five Conclusions: Wrexham 0 – 2 Yeovil

I think I’ve just about made it back down to earth following Yeovil’s 2-0 win over Wrexham, a night that I think will go down as a special night for the 103 Yeovil fans who made the journey.

When we first got the team sheet, there was a look of realisation that hadn’t maybe sunk in properly before, but we are down to the barest bones, and it’s not going to get any easier.

Sorry to start with a negative, I’ll get to the good stuff in a bit, but our bench had a Goalkeeper with nothing more than a couple Somerset Premier Cup games to his name, a 17-year old college student, an experienced pro who was touch and go for a game a couple days ago, was ill overnight and probably shouldn’t have been there and Mr Versatile – Alex Bradley.

Bradley, who has done nothing wrong in his minutes so far, was probably the ONLY option for Darren Sarll. He came on for Adi Yussuf which meant a reshuffle tactically, but we need some bodies in the squad… and quickly.

Right, OK, onto the good stuff.

Morgan Williams, a bit like Alex Bradley has had to wait for his chance, but he got it last night… albeit out of position at left back… and grabbed it with both hands.

Nothing phased him, with Reece Hall-Johnson a constant threat, the ever dangerous Paul Mullin drifting onto his side to avoid Josh Staunton’s back pocket he dealt with everything brilliantly.

Not just defensively either, he took chances to move forward, to play brave passes, to try and start attacks and get involved with Barnett and Wakefield further forward.

This was the best I’ve seen from him, and to have him pushing Wilko, Hunt and co for positions can only be a good thing. 

I think it’s time to add Paul Mullin to the long list of highly influential players Yeovil have kept quiet.

Let’s get this right, he’s a League One striker, he’s better than this division by at least 24 places, but arguably so is Paddy Madden, so is Jordan Slew, so is Matt Warbuton, so is Tavhon Campbell, so is Michael Cheek, so is Joe Sbarra, so is Paul McCallum, you get the picture.

What is it about the league’s best that just cannot get the job done against Yeovil?
The only common denominators are Messrs Wilkinson, Hunt, Staunton, Worthington and Gorman.

At this level, maybe teams have a few stars with everyone else at a similar level, maybe Darren Sarll has cottoned on to that it can be just as simple as keeping those players quiet.

Wrexham fans sung Paul Mullins’ name time and time again almost as if to ask when he was going to do what he ALWAYS does.

But that didn’t happen, and opposition players will know that.

It’s Elliot List of Stevenage on Saturday, Adam Marriott at Barnet followed by… someone… maybe… at W*ymouth. Bring ’em on.

Loan signing Dan Moss in action
Pic: Mike Kunz.

A special word for Dan Moss.

With an elbow to his head, followed a target on his back, the 21-year old Millwall loanee had to play like a 31-year old YTFC veteran for 60 something minutes.

Not only was he in something of a makeshift defence, but he was an attacking outlet with Tom Knowles missing from that right hand side.

He was kicked, pushed, tackled late, shoved over and each and every time, he just got up and kept his cool.

That might have been a new experience for the young lad to be booed by nearly 8000 people and we’ve seen plenty crumble under that pressure.

On a yellow card himself, Darren Sarll could have pulled the trigger and taken him off, but he trusted his man to see the game out.

Dan Moss will have learned more in one night than maybe the rest of his short career combined, he passed every test with flying colours and is quickly rising up the loan-hero ranking at YTFC, he’s got Connor Roberts and Remeo Hutton ahead of him in that right back spot… but he’s closing fast.

Good luck to Mark Little who has to try and get him out the team.

Finally, a look at the table and maybe the future.

Darren Sarll said that as long as his Yeovil side were within touching distance of the play-offs come the turn of the year, we maybe have a chance.

Injuries permitting, we could give it a go in the second half of the season.

At the time of writing, we’re 10th on 28 points. Wrexham occupy the final play off spot in 7th on 30 points having played a game more.

We’ve played EVERY ONE of the top 14 sides so far this season, with Barnet (15th), Torquay twice (17th), Weymouth (19th) and Wealdstone (16th) coming up between now and the turn of the year…

This is an opportunity, none of those games are a guaranteed three points, but…

I’d say with a fair chunk of those next 15 points comes a great chance to be more than just within ‘touching distance’.

I enjoyed that one, I hope you did too.