Ben Barrett (Page 89)

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Glovers boss Mark Cooper has praised his side’s performance despite losing 3-0 to Wrexham in the FA Cup 2nd Round.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins post match, he said that on another day, his side could have been coming away with more.

“I thought we were brilliant, I thought we were absolutely magnificent, I thought we were bang in the game, the goal on half time was a killer for us, it’s a poor header and we didn’t pick the edge of the box, but I thought we played well, honest to god, I thought we were brilliant to a man, I thought we played lovely football, we kept the ball, we created some chances, the keeper has pulled off an unbelievable save in the top corner from Charlie Cooper, it’s right in the top corner, we’ve had chance in the second half, so, it’s just tiny, tiny details that is the difference between the two sides.”

“You know that, when you come here, the ref is not going to do you any favours, he was …. there was some really questionable bits and pieces that went against us.”

The Glovers were pitting their wits against a side flying high in League Two and more than held their own at times, the gaffer said how he and the team had had a positive moment in the changing rooms after the game.

“They’re a top team, let’s get that right, a top team, a top manager, top fans… everything and they scored at good times, but I can’t give our players enough credit, I can’t give our fans enough credit, I thought they were amazing, onwards and upwards for us,

I think they (Wrexham) could play in the Championship, most of them, and have been, so now, we’ve just had a really good moment in there as a group and we’re just really looking forward to the rest of the season now to dream about what we can achieve and we’re really looking forward to Bath on Wednesday”

“I can’t give our players enough credit, I can’t give our fans enough credit, I thought they were amazing”

On the FA Cup run as a whole, Cooper said they have taken on three tough draws and done themselves credit in all of them.

“We had two favourable draws and two tough draws, we’ve beaten two National League teams that are both flying at the top of that league, and we’ve got one of the toughest draws you can probably get and come here and I think we’re unlucky, we’ve given a really good account of themselves.”

All on eyes on Bath now, it’s a big one on Wednesday.

“Like I’ve said we’ve had a really good moment there, we’re really looking forward to it”

So are we, Gaffer!

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Whilst Yeovil might not be in action until Sunday, the plethora of loanees were out and about, negotiating the cold, trying to get some minutes under the belt.

Some were more successful than others.

Starting in the National League South and Will Buse was back between the sticks for high flying Bath, who took a 2-0 lead over ten-man Chelmsford, only to throw victory away, two late Freddie Hockey goals taking the three points back with the Clarets.

Over at Taunton, Malachi Linton was named as a sub for their game against Eastbourne – he didn’t get on though as the game was called off at half time with the Peacocks 2-1 up… it was just too foggy.

It was also too foggy for Dorchester to finish their game against Beaconsfield. Ollie Haste started for the Magpies, but trudged off at 66 minutes with the rest of his team – the score at the time was 1-1.

Down at Melksham, Benjani Jr was brought on as a late substitute for their 1-1 draw against Evesham United. The young striker introduced in the 82nd minutes.

Aidan ‘son of’ Skiverton was named on the bench for Sherborne Town in their game against Fareham – to be totally honest, I can find no info on if he came on or now, but the Zebras won 2-0. 

The games involving, Shepton Mallet, Gillingham and Welton all bit the dust… or frost… on a chilly Saturday.

 

Title Pic: Ollie Haste In action for Dorchester Pic: C/O Becky Handley/Merthyr Town

 

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Yeovil Town coach and goal-scoring legend Marcus Stewart has told the club’s players to “embrace the pressure” of playing in front of the television cameras at Wrexham this weekend.

The Glovers travel to North Wales to face the high-fly Red Dragons with the ITVX cameras presumably on the look out for their Hollywood owners movie star Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the star of hit television show, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, in the FA Cup second round on Sunday.

Stewart reached the semi-finals of the competition as a Sunderland player in 2004, but has also been on the wrong end of an FA Cup upset, not least when he was part of the Yeovil side dumped out of the 2007 competition by lower league Torquay United, including current Glovers’ assistant Chris Todd, who scored twice in a 4-1 win.

Asked by BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah what he thought was needed to pull off an FA Cup shock, the former Ipswich Town striker said: “You need a bit of luck, a bit like the other day (at Welling) when we weren’t at it and the other team were, and you need players to step up when the chances come.

“In recent matches we have had lots of chances and managed to put two or three away, but that might not be the case at the weekend so we need to take our chances.

“We have to match them, get a bit of luck on our side and take our chances when they come and, if you can do that, you have got a chance of getting through to the next round.”

Having taken on big teams in his playing career, including in 1999 when his Huddersfield Town side went down to a Liverpool team including Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard, Stewart said he would tell Yeovil’s players: “Go out and embrace it, embrace the occasion because not many of these players will have had the chance to play a Premier League team and, if we get through this round, that is the potential.

“This group of lads are a good group and they deserve some good headlines but it is not going to be easy. We went there last year with totally different team, a different club and we took them to 60 minutes at 0-0, so hopefully if we can do it in this game, we have a chance and FA Cup giant-killings are on the cards most season.”

“An FA Cup game off the back of a loss is a good one, there’s no pressure on us, we have got nothing to lose.

“If you can get on a good run and earn some money for the club, it is always a positive and going to somewhere like Wrexham there is going to be a feelgood factor. But there’s a feelgood factor in this place as well, the lads have been great this year.

“It is another challenge, another step up from the previous two games (against Southend United and Gateshead) in this competition, but it is a challenge the lads will take I am sure.”

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The Football Association has released a list of this Weekend’s FA Cup officials.

The Glovers trip to Hollywood, North Wales will be marshalled by EFL regular Lee Swabey.

The full set of officials is…

10 Wrexham v Yeovil Town

Referee: Lee Swabey
Assistant referees: Richard Woodword & Alistair Nelson
Fourth official: Jacob Miles

Swabey has refereed for Wrexham once already this season, a 3-3 home draw with Crewe. He issued 8 (Eight) yellow cards and one red – to Dragon’s defender Ryan Barnett.

Unsurprisingly, it’s been a while since he was in charge of a Glovers game, last seen in front of the Green and White faithful back in 2017, a 3-1 win over Exeter in League Two.

In total, he’s been the man in the middle of seven Yeovil games; three Glovers wins, two draws and two defeats including a 3-0 loss to Cambridge, a game which saw Liam Walsh given a 16th minute red card.

Main Image C/O Cornwall FA 

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It’s strange how things turn out isn’t it? Not one single Yeovil Town employee was on the winning side this weekend.

Let’s begin in the National League South where Will Buse was in goal for Bath (we assume that means his loan has now morphed into a second month), The Romans drew 2-2 with Farnborough.

Taunton next and Malachi Linton started for the Peacocks, but was withdrawn in the 62nd minute, they drew 1-1 with Worthing.,

Ollie Haste and his Dorchester side were on the wrong side of a five-goal thriller against Salisbury, Haste was booked in the 5th minute, but saw out the full 90,

Dropping down, Benjani Jr played an hour for Melksham who drew 1-1 with Bemerton Heath, Welton Rovers also drew 1-1 with Max Dyer and Mason Alden on the pitch, Jacob Shore was an unused sub.

Gillingham lost 4-2 to Odd Down, however, Josh Haskett claimed the assist for one and Harrison Foster the assist for the other of the Gills goals, Harry Lock was also used from the bench.

Shepton Mallet were without Charlie Bateson for their 6-0 win, but revealed after the match that the young striker had been involved in a car accident on Saturday. We hope he, and anyone else involved, are OK and that he can be back scoring goals soon.

 

 

Cover Picture C/O Merthyr Town FC

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Yeovil Town front man Rhys Murphy will miss the Glovers’ game against Bath City.

The bagsman picked up his fifth Yellow Card of the season in the 1-1 draw against Chippenham Town, after said a word or two too many to the referee.

The fifth caution confirmed as falling under “C2 – Dissent by Word or Action”

With yellow cards being competition specific and taking seven days to kick in, the former Arsenal youngster will be eligible to play against Welling on Saturday and Wrexham in the FA Cup before sitting out the Wednesday night game against Bath after that.

A reminder that Saturday’s game against Welling represents the Glovers’ 19th league game of the season and is the cut off point for a five-booking ban. Both Matt Worthington and Charlie Cooper sit on four bookings, if they avoid the wrath of the ref, they can breathe easy (until their 10th booking that is)

 

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Yeovil Town have seen their defensive ranks depleted slightly with the departure of Zac Bell.

The Bristol City loanee has been recalled to Ashton Gate with 11 league appearances under his belt for the Glovers.

Bell had found himself behind Michael Smith in the pecking order of late and wasn’t in the match day squad for the game against Chippenham on Tuesday night.

 

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Time for a midweek edition of Loan Watch with plenty of action taking place after a spell of wet weather causing plenty of postponed matches.

Let’s start in the National League South with Bath City and Will Buse who kept a ‘cleano’ for the Romans away at Hemel Hempstead.

That game works out at being the final game of his initial “one-month” loan – it remains to be seen if the deal is extended.

To the FA Trophy second round now, and Taunton Town faced Welling United after their game on Saturday was called off. Glovers’ striker Malachi Linton scored a late equaliser to take the game to penalties, he scored his, Jay Foulston and Austen Booth couldn’t follow suit meaning Taunton are out.

Next to Shepton Mallet Town for another Glovers’ goal-scorer.

Charlie Bateson got three of Shepton’s SIX in their Les Phillips Cup game against Wincanton Town scoring past his Yeovil College team-mate and ex-Yeovil Town Under-18s goalkeeper, Rob Hollard. A first-ever Loan Watch hat-trick, we think!!

No games for the likes of Melksham, Sherbourne, Gillingham and Welton Rovers, so that completes loan watch for another midweek!

 

 

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Yeovil Town defender Michael Smith has said that the Glovers’ dressing room felt like it had suffered a defeat after a late freak own goal, gave Chippenham a point on Tuesday night.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins the right back admitted, they may not have deserved the full three points.

“Probably, we didn’t deserve to win it, i thought they battled hard tonight and we just couldn’t find the right pass at the right moment to pick them off.

Fair play to them, they know it was a crazy OG, but yeah they battled hard probably deserved their draw in the end.

They set up well and it worked well, but it’s down to us to find a way to break them down and tonight we weren’t good enough and we know that but, I’m pretty sure all of us thought that we wouldn’t go through the league season winning the rest of the games so it’s a little test for us now, we have to go and win on Saturday.”

The visitors were faced with a narrow and compact defensive unit and despite creating chances, couldn’t find the goals to see off their hosts.

“The level is great and we come up against teams who set up and it’s down to us to play against them, fair play to the fans, travelled in their numbers again and just Sorry that we couldn’t get a win for them tonight.

I think we probably should have went more and tried to kill them off, but we did have a few chances throughout the game, it just wasn’t falling for us at the right moment, we eventually got the goal and we should have seen it out, but as I say, it’s a crazy OG and we can’t really blame anyone for that, we go again at the weekend.”

We’re in the changing room there and it does feel like a defeat, everyone’s heads are down,

The equaliser game just before the 90 minute mark as Ducan Idehern and Morgan Williams got in a mix up that ended up with the ball cannoning off Williams from the clearance and into Joe Day’s goal, Smith says they’ll both learn and move on from it.

“They’re (Williams and Idehern) two good lads and they’ve been around, I know they’re only young, but they’ve still been around men’s football and first team football, yeah, forget about things like that, I made a mistake a couple of weeks ago and you have to forget about it pretty quickly if you want to stay in the team – it moves quickly and Saturday comes around pretty quickly and as I said it’s no-one’s fault, it’s just one of those crazy OG’s.”

Reflecting on the result, the Northern Irishman admitted the changing room was a quiet place, but that Saturday was an opportunity to bounce back… and that the Glovers are still in a very good position.

“We’re in the changing room there and it does feel like a defeat, everyone’s heads are down, but the gaffer spoke brilliantly about going through a tough period and picking ourselves up and getting ready to go again Saturday.

Nine clear, it’s nice, I think if you’d have said to us at the start of the season we’d been nine clear at this stage we’d probably bite your hand off for it, but it’s down to us to – you know – we need to pick teams like this off more easily, move the ball a bit better and find those final passes a bit better, it’s down to us on the pitch, the manager sets us up and we go out there, if we can’t break them down, it’s our problem.

Some teams have set up like that against us, sit on the ball and try and counter because we’ll be a big scalp for them and tonight, seeing them they celebrated like they’d won the league and fair play to them, I thought they were brilliant, it wasn’t our night tonight.”

You can listen to the full interview below