Ben Barrett (Page 81)

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Another round of fixtures come and go, and whilst there might not be much to shout about from Huish Park, elsewhere Glovers were in action, and for the most part having some more success.

Firstly, looking upwards, Jordan Maguire-Drew couldn’t play for Barnet on Saturday as they were in FA Trophy action and he is cup tied, but he did manage to get on for the final two minutes (plus added on time) in the Bees’ midweek fixture.

In to the National League South and Malachi Linton was on the score sheet TWICE for… well, you know, them… as they won 2-0 away at Aveley. Excellent work Mal.

The brace comes after being named their Player of the Month for February,

 

Goalkeeper Will Buse was back on Bath City’s bench for their defeat to Farnborough, he didn’t make an appearance from the bench, but it does clarify that he is still on loan at the Romans at least following a spell on the sidelines.

Melksham Town were 1-0 winners over ten man Bishop Cleeve, Benjani Junior started the game and was taken off right at the end as his side looked to hold on to their lead.

He also played, and scored, in their 1-1 draw with Tavistock in midweek, good work, Benji.

 

Dorchester Town won 2-1 over Beaconsfield Town – Ollie Haste put in a solid display for the full 90 minutes in the Magpies’ defence.

Down to Shepton where Charlie Bateson opened the scoring for the Mallet in their 3-1 win over St Blazey. He didn’t quite see the full game out, but was taken off towards the end.

 

Bateson Celebrates
📷 Dean Halliwell

Welton Rovers changed their manager in the week, but the incoming boss still gave Jacob Shore and Max Dyer a go from the start against a strong Bridgwater United side.

Bridgwater won 2-0, Mason Alden was also used from the bench.

Over at Gillingham, they won 1-0 away at Shirehampton, plenty of young Glovers in their squad; Harrison Foster provided the assist for the goal, with Josh Haskett and Jack Bareham both starting alongside him, Harry Lock was also involved from the bench.

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Pictures courtesy of Gary Brown. Please ask for permission before using.

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Yeovil Town Team News

The Glovers are back at Huish Park for a double header of home games following two tough, but profitable away games.

Yeovil remain unbeaten on home soil this season and strugglers Welling will put that record to the test with just one defeat in their last nine games.

Yeovil are looking to extend a six match winning streak at Huish Park with the 2-1 win over Weston-super-Mare back on Tuesday 20th February the last win, on the green, green grass of home.

There isn’t much in the way of new team news from HP, other than Olly Thomas is back with the club to continue his second loan spell, he was injured playing for Bristol City’s Under 23s and has been sidelined for a few weeks whilst recovering back at Ashton Gate.

The other 16 or so players are all deemed to be ‘fresh’ after their quick fire double over the course of last weekend. 

A point of note, this match is the final game where a 10th yellow card would equal a two-match ban, both Charlie Cooper and Matt Worthington are treading the tightrope and “have been told’ by Mark Cooper to keep themselves out of trouble with the officials. 

Jordan Young celebrates his opener after 16 minutes at Welling United.

Welling Team News

Welling sit just outside the relegation spots at the bottom of the NLS, three points ahead of Taunton, although the peacocks do have five(!) games in hand on the wings.

Don’t let their league position fool you though, prior to losing against Farnborough in midweek, they hadn’t been beaten in eight league games and dragged them out of the dreaded bottom four.

Welling have just two wins away from home this season and the second worst defensive record on the road, conceding 37 goals in 17 games.

Welling boss described their midweek match against Farnborough as a ‘more winnable game’ than the Saturday trip to Huish Park (they lost), he also confirmed that the visiting squad will be staying over in Somerset on Friday night.

“We’ll come up against something slightly different [than Farnborough] on Saturday… the boys will work hard and get themselves ready, we’ll train on Friday morning and get on the coach and go down, the club has been good enough to put us up and give us every chance to get something out of Saturday…”

Tristan Abrahams has seven goals for the Wings so far this season, but the former Yeovil man hasn’t been involved for the side since early February and has since moved on to pastures new, they do though still have another former YTFC employee in their ranks, Chiori Johnson who made a long awaited return to the match day squad in midweek.

Chiori Johnson. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

We’ve met before

Sorry to remind you, but yes, we did get an absolute tanking at the hands of Welling back in November.

Former Glover, Tristan Abrahams scored three times in 13 crazy second half minutes as the Wings won 4-1, Jordan Young with the opener on the day.

 

Back in 2019, the two sides met in the FA Trophy at Huish Park, with goals from Courtney Duffus and Chris Dagnall seeing the Glovers progress to the final 16.

 

Around the Grounds

Here’s where the other games are taking place around the NLS for the promotion contender.

Second pace Chelmsford, head to Gloucester (rather than Taunton or Plymouth) to take on Truro in the 7:30pm kick off, Worthing host Taunton, fourth placed Braintree host Slough Town, Hampton and Richmond take on the Glovers’ next opponents Chippenham, Maidstone v St Albans is a potential cracker in the race for a play off spot and Bath City are at home to Farnborough.

It’s also Aveley vs W*ymouth, where I think we’d like them both to lose… 

 

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Yeovil Town extended their lead at the top of the National League South to 12 points on Monday night with a 0-0 draw against Aveley. In a tight game, that lacked many moments of real quality, Glovers boss Mark Cooper was pleased with his squad’s resilience.

Speaking to BBC Somerset and Gloverscast’s Ollie Marsh he said that it was not a result to look at negatively.

“I thought Aveley were really well organised, we just battled, it was a scrap, wasn’t it? A really difficult pitch, difficult weather, difficult wind, their home record on Monday night is exemplary, so for us to come and get a point, is not to be sniffed at.

Credit to the players, the boys that came in, we had to rest some players tonight and we’ve come away with it, with a point and we’re a point further forward.”

Josh Owers
Josh Owers. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz

Cooper made four changes to the starting eleven on Saturday, a heavy pitch and over 100 minutes of football in the legs just two days prior meant that the gaffer wanted to make the best of the numbers he had available.

“What we had tonight was all we had, 17 players, that’s all we’ve got at the minute, Charlie Cooper missed out tonight because he played 100 minutes on Saturday after being out for four weeks with a hamstring [injury] and we couldn’t risk that with ten games to go, Josh Owers came in and got his opportunity, so it was important that we motivated the squad and gave those boys the opportunities to play.”

Jordan Young returned to the squad after missing two games with suspension, Cooper was glad to see him return and to see Josh Owers take his chance from the start too.

“[Jordan Young] has been a top player for us, now he’s got ten games to kick on again and try and get some more goals and assists, 

It was a tough night for players out there, it was a scrap, Josh [Owers] had to scrap and battle, he acquitted himself well, got a booking quite early, it’s a tight rope then, but like I say, it was a real scrap.”

“It was a tough night for players out there, it was a scrap”

It was something of an agricultural performance from the hosts and there will be a fair few Yeovil players nursing some bumps and bruises, Will Dawes and Matt Worthington, both in the thick of it.

“[Will Dawes] has got a sore knee, we’ll asses that tomorrow and see how that is… I think [Matt Worthington] got a knee in the back of his hamstring and a couple of days rest and he should be fine.”

The gaffer admits to having one eye on Chelmsford v Worthing (2nd v 3rd) in the other game on the schedule on Monday night, but focus has already turned to this Saturday’s home game with Welling.

“Only later on, in the second half, once we saw the result [at Chelmsford] we needed to make sure we didn’t lose the game and saw it out which we did pretty comfortably… I think we just need to focus on what we do, if we do what we do, it doesn’t matter about the rest, tonight was just about making sure we got a result and got out of here with something.

We get an extra day’s preparation, the players need some time to rest now after two games in 48 hours, recover well, get back to training later on in the week and get ready for a massive game at Hush on Saturday.”

 

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Ben has been left stranded by Ian and Dave this week, so we’ve called in the cavalry!

BBC Somerset’s Liam McGuinn, Cider Drinker Elliot Watts and Gloverscast Ben are joined by the Goal Scoring Man of the Hour, Alex Fisher.

We chat about the emotion of a first goal for over 300 days, we talk about how the season has been going… and where it’s going, there’s Farnborough chat, there’s Aveley chat, and of course we take your GCQs!

——

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Leave us a review and share the pod with a pal. If you have an idea for the website, want to contribute or just want to send us a message, feel free to email ian@gloverscast.co.uk.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Leave us a review and share the pod with a pal. If you have an idea for the website, want to contribute or just want to send us a message, feel free to email ian@gloverscast.co.uk.

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Yeovil Town’s Away game at Aveley tonight is available to Stream via National League TV.

We were told recently that only select games would be available – and our Tuesday night fixture against Chippenham was one of those selected – well, it appears that so is the trip to Parkside.

Match Passes are available from £9.50 and can be bought HERE for those of you not heading to the penultimate plastic pitch of the season.

 

 

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Time to have another scoot around the divisions and see how those out on loan are getting on.

Firstly at Barnet, Jordan Maguire-Drew was back amongst the subs for the Bees, he’s missed the last few games but he made a 15-minute cameo in their 2-1 win over Hartlepool.

Down at W*ymouth, Malachi Linton was used from the start in the Terras’ 1-1 draw with Torquay United.

He was subbed off in the very final few seconds and did have a couple of chances to find the net again after a couple of goals in late February.

For Shepton, Charlie Bateson came on with half an hour to go in their Les Phillips’ Semi Final, the game ended 6-1 to the Mallet, with Bateson laying on an assist for the final goal. – All the best in the final, Charlie!

The final is scheduled for May 12th at Tiverton Town.

 

Mother Nature the winner elsewhere, Dorchester against Sholing was called off due to a waterlogged pitch, Melksham against Cribbs FC was all a bit damp, Welton vs Ilfracombe got a bit too squelchy for the ref, Sherborne vs Lymington was moist beyond reason whilst there was actually too much SNOW for Gillingham vs Bradford Town, which is a clash of teams with town names that sound like an all League Two clash rather than a Western League one. 

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Mark Cooper interviewed after Yeovil Town's 4-2 win at Tonbridge Angels

Yeovil gaffer Mark Cooper said that whilst certain aspects of the Glovers’ win over Farnborough aggravated him, the players deserve all the credit for finding a way to win in tough conditions.

Speaking post match to BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall, Mark Cooper said that the Glovers made a good start, but had some wobbles.

“We made hard work of it, we made some really poor decisions, I must say the pitch was really heavy and difficult, it’s not an excuse, but it was really heavy and I thought in the first 20 minutes we were in complete control, we got a goal, but then we made some really poor decisions with the ball, in the middle of the pitch, where the bodies were and where it was heavy, that led to giving them energy and they had some attacks, they got their throw ins into the box, I was disappointed in the last 20 minutes in the first half.”

“Second half, we came out, we got another goal and then another poor decision, they score from a long throw and then [it’s] game on again, we’re scrambling, but we managed to get a third one to kill it off.”

Farnborough’s goal came from a long throw, something which Cooper said he made the team aware of and had a plan to overcome.

“My instruction and coaching on Friday and Thursday was; when our defenders have the ball deep, or the ball is in the channel, do not kick the ball out of play, I’d rather us take the risk and keep the ball in play because I think the ball is more dangerous out of play – and in the first minute one of our defenders kicks the ball out of play, near the corner flag, they throw the ball in our box.

At the minute, just little things, aggravating, but, it’s probably pressure because of the position we’re in, the games are whittling away and we’re getting closer and closer to where we want to be and it might be feeling the pressure – but, full credit to the players, again, they got it done.”

“Chelmsford came here the other night and drew, we’ve come here and scored three goals and got the three points.”

Sonny Blu Lo Everton and Alex Whittle
Pic : Gary Brown

A couple of nice moments to see the game out towards the end, Alex Whittle’s first Glovers goal and Alex Fisher’s first goal for the season and for nearly a year after his leg break at the end of last season.

“It’s great for Fish, he worked hard for that goal, he’s contributed now, that’ll make him happy, it makes us happy, it got us on the way.

[Alex Whittle] toe poked that one in, I think he got a nose bleed from the first effort and I think he just toe poked it and hoped for the best.

“It’s about picking up points, whenever we’ve lost, we’ve bounced back and we’ve done it again, so full credit to the players, unbelievable following from the boys and girls behind the goal.”

Picture Courtesy of Gary Brown

Looking ahead to Monday and Mark Cooper is fully aware he’ll have to use his squad to the full, the return of Jordan Young will add a bit of depth with a couple of players nursing some bumps and bruises.

“We’ve got some players that won’t be able to play on Monday, so, it’s important now that we use the squad, 

I’ve said to them that tonight, to only have four pints instead of eight, but it’s about trusting them, because, when they leave us today, you don’t know what they’re going to do, do you, but we’ve trusted them all season and they’ve been really good, recovery is key and really important…”

Asked if the squad were in for training on Sunday, Cooper said;

“We’re not sure yet”

On Aveley, specifically the gaffer is under no illusions that his side are in for a difficult 90 minutes.

“They’ve had a terrific season, they’re up and around the play off picture… they’ve done brilliant and we’re expecting a really tough game again.”