Courtney Senior has returned to parent club Barnet.
The winger joined the Glovers at the same time that Jordan Maguire-Drew went in the other direction but after a single month, the deal has expired and Senior heads back to the Hive.
With the addition of Sam Pearson, Senior was expected to drop down the pecking order.
Senior made four appearances for the Glovers.
The Glovers might have been enjoying a short winter break with a gap in the fixtures, but the plethora of Loanees we have out and about have still been in action.
Starting with the headline news that Bath City have reported that Goalkeeper Will Buse has suffered a broken finger in training.
The Romans had to get in an emergency loan from Bristol City for their FA Trophy defeat to Coalville, speaking after the game, Jerry Gill said that “late on Thursday night in training, Will Buse breaks his finger and we have until 12 o clock on Friday to get someone in”
Obviously, we hope it’s not too serious and Will can get back between the sticks as soon as possible.
? The Gaffer has confirmed that Will Buse suffered a broken finger in training on Thursday.
As a result, we’ve moved quick to secure the loan services of Bristol City youngster Josey Casa Grande.
⚫️⚪️ #Romans pic.twitter.com/vFymWA03VL
— Bath City FC (@BathCity_FC) January 13, 2024
No game for Oxford City, they had a blank weekend having already dropped out of the FA Trophy, so no action for Alex Fisher.
Nothing for Jordan Maguire-Drew either, Barnet did have an FA Trophy tie, but because of his game time for Yeovil against Torquay earlier in the competition, he was cup tied. – He did however play the full 90 in midweek as the Bees beat Dagenham.
JM-D’s left footed cross set up Nicke Kabamba for the first Bees goal.
1⃣8⃣ National League goals this season for Nicke Kabamba!#BarnetFC? pic.twitter.com/Uxx3lBb0rF
— Barnet FC ? (@BarnetFC) January 11, 2024
W*ymouth picked a huge three points in the relegation dog fight at the bottom of the National League South, Malachi Linton played for two whole minutes at the end of the 90.
88’| Final change for the #Terras
➡️ Linton
⬅️ Goodship
?2-0 ?? | #TerrasTogether— Weymouth FC (@theterras) January 13, 2024
Dorchester picked up a vital three points away at Harrow Borough, the Magpies won 2-0 with Ollie Haste playing the full 90 ninety – he was influential at both ends.
54 | Low cross in from Haste finds Koszela however his strike is saved by the Harrow keeper (0-0)
— Dorchester Town FC (@DorchTownFC) January 13, 2024
Benjani Jnr started for Melksham and provided an assist for their solitary goal in a tough 6-1 defeat to Bishops Cleeve.
Shepton Mallet drew 2-2 with Ilfracombe, Charlie Bateson played the full game helping his side come from 2-0 down in a game they could have snatched all three points in at the end.
Over at Gillingham, the Gills went down 2-0 to Hallen FC. Harrison Foster and Josh Haskett started, Harry Lock and Jack Bareham were both named as subs.
Aidan Skiverton was named on the bench for Sherborne in their 1-0 defeat to Brockenhurst.
Two matches for Welton Rovers this week; on Tuesday, Rovers lost 2-0 to Oldland Abbotonians.
Max Dyer and Jacob Shore played the full 90, Mason Alden a second half sub.
Fast forward to Saturday and sadly Street ran out 3-0 winners against a Young Welton side.
Again, starts for Jacob Shore and Max Dyer with Alden used from bench once more.
Goal scoring hero Frank Nouble spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the Glovers’ 1-0 win over Taunton on Tuesday night, you can listen to the whole interview below.
The forward said how whilst the game wasn’t easy, they knew that sticking to their game plan and trusting their play would come good eventually: “Everything we are doing is working and is going to plan, we work on these things in training, so when it comes out, you get the rewards especially when we get support like that every week.
“It’s a good goal, I think we won it, honestly it’s a blur, I think Worthy played the ball to me. We tried to play the ball in behind, but it was quite hard in the first half, they were very resolute, similar to the Bath game, a team that really wanted to beat us and do well, we’ve just got to find that way and obviously we’ve got the quality, particularly at this level to create chances, it’s about taking them and we did.”
Taunton, who have struggled with off field issues for the last month or so, set their stall out to frustrate and keep Yeovil back. But, Nouble was adamant that it won’t get easier, but to trust the process.
“It gets harder as the games go on, teams are watching clips of our games previously and trying to find ways to beat us, so long as we keep playing our football, we keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll get chances to put chances away and at the moment, it’s been me that’s been putting them in, so long may that continue. I’m sure in the next couple of weeks, it’ll be Murph and Youngy and then whoever it is, we’ve just got to keep winning.”
The former Torquay man praised Mark Cooper and the togetherness of the group and the support that has continued to follow the side this season, but admits even he didn’t think the Glovers would be 13(!) points clear at this stage… he wants to get things wrapped up as soon as possible.
“[It’s a] great group, everyone that’s been here all season really, they’ve been brilliant, the manager is trying to build a little culture of everyone sit together, tight knit and make sure we produce for the supporters, because they’re the most important people here, we’ll come and go as players and staff, but they just want to see a team that’s fighting for the shirt.”
“Not 13 [points clear], but I did expect us to be at the top, I expected a team like Torquay to be challenging, if I’m being honest, but yeah, we just take it as it comes really, we deserve to be where we are, if anything we might have dropped points in the first 20 games of the season, so we could have been 15, 18 points clear, so hopefully we can get this league wrapped up by the end of February”
You can listen to the entire interview with Sheridan and Frank below
Mark Cooper has said that he felt that his side, whilst not winners by a large margin, were comfortable throughout the 1-0 win over Taunton.
Speaking to Sheridan Robins after the game, he said that his team might not have been at 100% but the game was always within the Glovers’ grasp.
“I thought we were really comfortable, I thought we controlled the game really well without sparking, we got into some really good positions with our play in the wide areas, but it was just one of those nights where our real talismen didn’t really produce until Frank scores a great goal, but that’s fine, that can happen.
We kept another clean sheet and we move on.”
The all important winning goal coming in the second half, it was a patient waiting game for the travelling fans… and team alike.
“I said to the players, ‘no one is going to give you anything, no one is going to make it easy for us’, they’re going to put bodies behind the ball, like they did and make it difficult, we had a couple of really good chances early on, which then changes their outlook, but we didn’t take them, then they get a bit of encouragement because we haven’t scored before half time, but for us there was no panic, it was keep playing, keep moving the ball, and an opening would happen and it did.”
Striker Rhys Murphy started the game on the bench, but was brought on at half time, he didn’t see the game out, however, he was replaced by Jake Hyde shortly before the end of the game after feeling a slight twinge in his hamstring, Cooper said he simply wanted to take no risk with the Bagsman;
“[Murphy] is alright, he tweaked his hamstring, just felt a little tweak in his hamstring, that bottom corner of the pitch was really soft and he just felt his hamstring tighten a little bit, so just precautionary, we had to take him off”
With Aveley’s continued participation in the FA Trophy, this coming weekend is a blank one for the Glovers giving the team a chance to rest and recharge ahead of the home clash against Hemel Hempstead on the 20th.
“Of course you want to keep playing, but if there’s ever a time to have a break it’s when you’re caught up on your games and you’ve got a 13 point advantage, so the players will get a little bit of time now to recover, they’ve been brilliant haven’t they?
There was never any doubt with us, we kept playing and the boys deserve a little bit of a break and then we’ll attack the Hemel game, as we do every week.”
You can listen to the entire interview with Sheridan and Mark, below
A huge win over Bath gave the Glovers a healthy lead at the top of the National League South Table, but the clean sheet gained gets an extra boost with Jake Wannell being named in the Official Vanarama Team of the Week.
He kept the prolific Scott Wilson safely tucked in his back pocket and that’s enough for the league’s sponsors to pop him in their mythical XI.
Great work, Jake!
The Loan Watch feature seems to be getting busier by the week, plenty on the go… so let’s not hang about.
Starting in the division above, Alex Fisher made his second Oxford City debut – fifteen years after his first – in a defeat up in Hartlepool.
He came on shortly after the hosts took the lead, but it ended in a 2-1 defeat, after the game Oxford manager Ross Jenkins said Fisher was “a handful and did well”
⏱57’| 1-0 | #OCFC
First sub for City.
OFF- Kirby
ON – Fisher? Listen live ?https://t.co/GxIlFylfCF
— Oxford City FC (@OxCityFC) January 6, 2024
Staying in the National League Premier, Jordan Maguire-Drew came off the bench for Barnet, the Bees were 3-0 down at the time and JM-D’s set pieces were a handful in trying to get his side back in the game, he set up Barnet’s second in the dying seconds to see the game finish 3-2, he was also booked for simulation minutes after coming on from the bench.
In to the National League South, no Will Buse for Bath, obviously, but there was a debut for Malachi Linton who came off the bench for W*ymouth in their 2-1 defeat to Tonbridge Angels.
74’| Our first two changes.
➡️ Touray ➡️ Linton
⬅️ Rutherford ⬅️ Rowan
? 2-1 ? | #TerrasTogether— Weymouth FC (@theterras) January 6, 2024
Dorchester and Ollie Haste lost 4-2 to high flying Hungerford Town, Haste getting the full 90, Shepton put on one of their performances of the season beating Torpoint 4-2. Charlie Bateson started and was described as putting in an “excellent” performance when taken off just after the hour.
Benjani Jr was on the winning side at Melksham too, 2-1 victors away at Bashley, the striker didn’t score, but did play the full game.
Aidan Skiverton started for Sherborne… but they lost 6-1 to AFC Portchester, Max Dyer and Mason Alden both started for Welton Rovers in a 5-0 defeat to Buckland Athletic, Jacob Shore was introduced from the bench when the game was already at 5-0.
We’ll finish on a slightly more cheerful note, two goals from Josh Haskett gave Gillingham a healthy lead against Bristol Telephones, but a trio of second half goals saw the Bristol side take the spoils 3-2, three other young Glovers were also involved; Harrison Foster started, Jack Bareham and Harry Lock on the bench.
Strong start to the second half.
Haskett again with a 2nd goal leaving Gill ahead by 2.@Lovingthephones 0-2 Gillingham Town#UpTheGills?⚪️ pic.twitter.com/AVFWfYxTyA
— Gillingham Town FC ??⚽️ (@GillTownFC) January 6, 2024
Malachi Linton has joined National League South strugglers W*ymouth on loan for the rest of the season.
He was recalled from his stint at Taunton earlier on Wednesday and has now made the short trip to the seaside.
We obviously hope Mal does well for his new side.
But… its them, isn’t it!?
How about a hat trick for Malachi every week in 4-3 losses? Sounds good. ?
We’ll keep you up to date on his progress via our weekly Loa Watch articles.
Malachi Linton has been recalled to Huish Park from his spell at fellow National League South side Taunton Town.
The Wordsworth Park outfit have given the 23-year-old a taste of first-team football this season during his injury-interrupted spell in the county town which began in the summer.
Confirming his return, the Glovers said: “Malachi Linton is back at Huish Park aiming to secure additional playing time as we explore the possibility of another loan move for him.”
The frontman won the Peacocks’ goal of the month award for November for a strike in the Somerset Men’s Premier Cup.
Welcome back, Mal.
With games spread out across three different days over the new year period, let’s try and wrap up what our loanees have been up to.
Jordan Maguire Drew was brought on from the bench in a 1-0 win over Southend on Saturday 30th December.
On New Years Day, Bath and Chippenham drew 0-0 in a tense clash at Twerton Park, that means another clean sheet for Will Buse.
He made a couple of key saves in the game, in what will be his last fixture for a little while with the Romans heading to Huish Park next week.
14′ SAVE! Will Buse reacts well at his near post to deny McClure.
— Bath City FC (@BathCity_FC) January 1, 2024
Melksham lost 2-0 to Westbury Utd, Benjani Jr started the game, but was taken off just before the hour mark in that NYD clash.
Dorchester (v Tiverton), Shepton (v Oddland) & Sherborne (v Laverstock) all fell foul to the weather, but Gillingham did get their fixture vs Middlezoy Rovers going in windy conditions.
Harrison Foster and Josh Haskett both started in the 2-0 loss, Harry Lock came on in the second half.
Yeovil Town’s New Year’s Eve game against Taunton Town has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Wordsworth Drive has been deemed unplayable with almost constant rain in Somerset over the past 24 hours and the ongoing issues with the pitch in the county town.
Regarding tickets… Taunton don’t say anything specific, but you’d imagine that all tickets purchased will be valid for the replayed fixture, or you can contact the club for a refund.
If you’ve already bought streams from National League TV, well, their FAQs don’t offer you much hope.
Postponed Matches
If a match is postponed without sufficient notice of cancellation (two hours of the scheduled kick-off time), customers who have indicated they are a supporter of an affected team will receive a voucher code for a free future Match Pass.
If a match is postponed with sufficient notice of cancellation (two hours or more before the scheduled kick-off time), customers will not be entitled to a refund or voucher.
I’d still be sending an email to nationalleaguelive@streamamg.com and asking for, at least, a voucher for an upcoming game.
