We. Are. Top. Of. The. League!
How did that happen?
This is how.
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Three Glovers loanees were in FA Trophy Qualifying action on Saturday, but all were on the losing side.
We start at Dorchester where Ollie Haste played the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 defeat to Merthyr Town, Benjani Jr was brought on as an 87th minute substitute, with the game already taken away from the Magpies.
Over at Tiverton, goalkeeper Lewis Williams could do little about his side’s misfortunes against Swindon Supermarine, again, a 3-1 loss for the Yellow Army.
As a note, as per FA Challenge Trophy Rule 15, subsection (e) – which reads as below – all three are cup tied and cannot represent the Glovers later in the competition.
15. PROVISIONS CONCERNING PLAYERS
(e) A player shall not play for more than one Club in the Competition in the same season.
On a slighty better note, goal machine Charlie Bateson was back with Shepton Mallet and very nearly back among the goals, they ran out 3-1 winners against Saltash.
66| Bateson chops the left back but his shot is gathered by the keeper. 2-1.#towncalledmallet | #utm
— Shepton Mallet AFC (@Mallet_AFC) October 7, 2023
Yeovil Town midfielder Josh Owers was on official post-match media duties following the Glovers’ 3-1 win over Aveley.
The former Bristol City man was happy with the performance as a whole as to extend the winning streak to six matches.
“(We’re) really happy, I thought it was a really good performance especially first half, I thought we were really dominant and played well, then obviously in the second half, they got their goal early on but we saw it out – I thought it was solid all round.”
“We got off to a flying start and to be fair, I think it could have been more, we missed two or three really good chances, on another day they probably go in, but we’re really happy with how it went.
With the points all but sewn up in the first half, the message at half time was about carrying on and making sure the win was as comfortable as possible.
“(Mark Cooper said;) just keep doing what we were doing really, they came out and gambled second half and they put their front four on our front four, so we just had to manage the game out, just keep doing what we were doing and make sure we didn’t do anything stupid
“They didn’t have anything really, I think they had one chance first half and obviously the goal – (they) sort of toe poked it over the line, a bit unfortunate”
The Glovers end the day top of the table – and will stay there for at least a week – Owers is feeling the positivity and has his letter to Santa written already…
“Everything is more positive, we’re at the right end of the table, but now we’re there (top) we have got to make sure we stay there and keep the momentum going – hopefully by Christmas, try and be as clear as we can really”
That would be a lovely present to take into Boxing Day, Josh!!
Who was your man of the match vs Aveley? It’s a great question… one only you can really answer.
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.
A scintillating first half performance from Yeovil Town saw them move to the top of the National League South with victory over the division’s surprise package at Aveley at Huish Park.
A quickfire double from Rhys Murphy (who else?) and then Jordan Young saw the Glovers’ domination repaid with less than 20 minutes gone and it was Murphy who added a third before half-time.
The visitors’ Charlee Hughes pulled one back with three minutes of the second half played, but the home side managed out the half to seal the three points.
The Glovers were without Charlie Cooper through injury with captain Josh Staunton and midfielder Jordan Maguire-Drew dropping to the substitutes’ bench having started the 2-0 FA Cup win over Didcot Town seven days earlier.
They were replaced in the starting XI by Matt Worthington, who also took the armband, Will Dawes, who was given his first start of the season, and Alex Whittle, who returned at left back.
Shooting towards the Thatcher’s End, the early exchanges saw Rhys Murphy and Jordan Young’s pace both cause problems to a solid-looking visiting defence, but it was midfielder Jon Benton who had the first effort on goal after three minutes with his shot turned away by Joe Day in the hosts’ goal.
A foul on Dawes earned a free-kick on the left-hand side which was whipped in by Jordan Young was flicked on by Frank Nouble but Jake Wannell could not steer it in from inside the six yard box. Superb delivery from Young again.
Day was called in action again to deny Dara Dada, before Murphy was felled inside the box after eight minutes – nothing given by referee Ross Martin, put that in the “seen them given” category. But, that riled the striker who forced Jonathan North in the visitors’ goal in to a great stop followed by another with his legs before Young curled it wide. Should be 1-0.
But the striker got his goal on 13 minutes. A great ball across field by Wannell to Nouble and you know who was going to be there to tap home his eighth of the season. It was MURPHY, if you were wondering. It had been coming.
And it was 2-0 within four minutes. A jinking run from Dawes chipped a perfect ball back in to the six-yard box and it was a fantastic first time volley from Jordan YOUNG to double the advantage. Dawes had made the left-hand side his own and that goal owed everything to him.
Josh Owers tried to get in the act on 24 minutes when his long range effort was turned away by North. That seemed to do more damage than good to the ‘keeper who went down holding his shoulder before being declared fit to continue. Tactical delay from the visitors? Either way, both sides got the chance to have a drink and a chat with their respective coaching teams.
The third came just past the half-hour mark again. Will Dawes who found himself in the centre of the park and did superbly to win the ball back, fed Nouble who unselfishly (again!) fed strike partner MURPHY to get another. Another goal which was all about former National League South promotion winner (with Oxford City last season!) yet again – what an impact.
The goal was announced as Nouble – let’s hope that riles Murph up enough to get that picture holding up that many fingers and the match ball, of course.
How Nouble did not make it 4-0 on 35 minutes? Brilliant work down the right-hand side by Young and Nouble stretching for the ball should have turned it home. You get the impression Yeovil Town are enjoying themselves.
Aveley had an opportunity with six minutes of the first half remaining as Jonathan Nzengo drives in to the box, but his shot (or was it a cross) was blocked.
North was back in action again, this time to deny Alex Whittle. A patient bit of play, started by Josh Owers, saw the left back upfield to get in a volley which the keeper did superbly to turn away. Could be six without exaggeration.
Perhaps inspired by his opposite number, a superb free-kick by Benton from 35 yards was superbly turned away by Day, who used all his experience and physicality to punch away the corner which followed. Easily the best chance for the visitors and an excellent stop from the on-loan Newport County player.
What a first half. Take a breath, Huish Park.
There were no changes from either side at the half-time break, but there were some ‘dark arts’ employed by the visitors’ striker Charlie Hughes backing in to Morgan Williams. When the Yeovil Town defender made his feelings known to the referee, he got a booking.
If that was the plan from Hughes, it worked perfectly as he pulled a goal back with just three minutes of the second half played. A cross in to the box and HUGHES was the only visiting player inside the box, he made a nuisance of himself and the striker poked home a goal.
Just before the hour mark, the excellent Dawes was withdrawn and replaced by Jordan Maguire-Drew.
It took Maguire-Drew just five minutes to make an impact. The playmaker took it forward, shaped to shoot before laying it off to Murphy but the Aveley defence did just enough to put him off. The visitors certainly looking a lot more solid at the back since the restart.
Captain-for-the-day Worthington went down in need of treatment on the 70th minute. Jake Hyde saw his opportunity and got changed. No surprise to hear Worthy wanted to continue…..and did.
But, Aveley were not giving up. Substitute Nana Kyei took a shot from the angle and Hughes was inches away from turning home a second. The striker’s frustrated reaction spoke volumes.
Remember I said Hyde was getting ready to come on? It was for Rhys Murphy who was replaced with 74 minutes played.
Hyde was immediately where you’d want him to be, loitering inside the six yard box when Maguire-Drew’s cross dropped to Young. On his weaker right foot and his effort went over.
Goalscorer Young was replaced by Sonny Blu Lo-Everton with 78 minutes gone.
As five minutes of injury time were put up by the fourth official, a chant of ‘we are top of the league’ rang out from the Thatchers Stand as news that second-placed Bath City had been pegged back by at Braintree United. Still five minutes to go though….
Five minutes later and it’s confirmed. It’s October, so we can look at the league table now – right? Go on, treat yourself.
Venue: Huish Park
Saturday 7th October – 3pm Kick Off
Pitch: Looking alright, chopping up in places
Conditions: Glorious sunshine
Attendance: 2,793 (69 away supporters)
Scorers: Rhys Murphy 13 (1-0), Jordan Young 17 (2-0), Rhys Murphy 32 (3-0), Charlee Hughes 48 (3-1),
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Jordan Young 45+1, Morgan Williams 47, Josh Owers 77
Aveley: Michael Dada 52, Charlee Hughes 90, Alex Hernandez 90+2,
Referee: Ross Martin
Yeovil Town (4-4-2)
Substitutes: Jordan Maguire-Drew (for Will Dawes, 60), Jake Hyde (for Rhys Murphy, 74), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (for Jordan Young, 78) Zac Bell, Josh Staunton.
Aveley: Jonathan North, Jon Nzengo (for Jason King, 79), Eduino Vaz, Siju Odeulusi, Jalen Jones, Harry Gibbs (captain), Matt Rush (for Alex Fernandez, 84), Garrett Kelly, Charlee Hughes, Jon Benton, Michael Dada (for Nana Kyei, 59).
Substitutes: Tommy Davis, Kenny Aileru.
There is no Charlie Cooper, captain Josh Staunton or Jordan Maguire-Drew in the Yeovil Town starting line-up as they take on Aveley at Huish Park this afternoon (3pm kick-off).
Alex Whittle returns at left back having missed the FA Cup win over Didcot Town seven days ago with an injury, Matt Worthington returns in midfield and takes the armband and Will Dawes is handed a start.
Staunton and Maguire-Drew are both on the substitutes’ bench, but there is also no Jordan Stevens or Cooper in the Glovers’ squad with both presumably among the “bumps and bruises” which boss Mark Cooper spoke about on Thursday.
Aveley: Jonathan North, Jon Nzengo, Eduino Vaz, Siju Odeulusi, Jalen Jones, Harry Gibbs (captain), Matt Rush, Garrett Kelly, Charlie Hughes, Jon Benton, Michael Dada.
Substitutes: Alex Hernandez, Nana Kyei, Tommy Davis, Kenny Aileru, Jason King.
Yeovil Town striker Frank Nouble has been speaking ahead of the game against Aveley this weekend as has kept his call simple…. Keep Winning Games.
The front man has six (not four) goals so far this season and just wants to extend the Glovers winning streak;
“The main thing is we’re winning football matches, playing good football as well I think, there’s all coming along really nicely, I think everyone knows their roles and responsibilities compared to first game of the season as to where we are now, we’re more accomplished in what we want to do as a team, it’s quite a new team compared to last season.
So, the manager’s been working tirelessly every day around the training ground to get it working, the way we want it to work, not how someone else might want it to work or, you know, or maybe supporter who want things to be a much quicker process, football doesn’t work like that, so where we are now we’re happy but at the same time we know it’s got a long way to go.”
“I think we’re on – I don’t know maybe four or five games in a row we’ve won – so we want to keep going, it’s a good game to play on Saturday against Aveley, they’re doing quite well in the league as well so just another game for us really to hopefully showcase what we can do but keep winning the most important for us.
They’re doing well, regardless of the name or the league position, you’ve got to respect them and that’s as far as it goes, after that it’s all about us.
We just need to win the game and perform well, I think if we perform well – which I think we perform in the main quite well – we’ve won (the) game so I think if we do that then we’ve got nothing to worry about”
Asked about what he’s looking for this season as a whole, the former West Ham and Torquay striker just reiterated his mantra… Keep Winning Games.
“Success is winning games of football and I’ve said that quite a few times now but you know we’ve got great support all around the club with the Manager, Chairman and everyone surrounding the club everyone that works here tirelessly every day that people don’t see, if we’re winning games it makes everyone feel about better and we’ve got a great backing, we feel the love every day and we don’t need anyone else outside, (or to be) listening to whatever might be said out there or, you know, someone who might think that we need to be doing even better than what we are doing main thing for us is that we’re progressing well.
We know that we’ve got good players, a good group, the squad depth is quite good, we can play some players you might be playing for teams in Division above so for us it was only keep doing that and focusing on ourselves we’ll do well”
With six goals already (not four), Nouble not only thinks that number will grow, but expects it too.
“I think, if I play well I like to think that my team will win, I like to think that other attacking players think the same, so that pushes all of us to do well, I don’t think I scored in the first three or four games, it might seem as pressure, but for us it was more case of if I am not scoring hopefully Murphy is scoring or Hydey’s scoring or you know Young or whoever you might like to see play on a weekend, so long as we are all putting our in our best foot forward and the team will do well, but me personally a good form, so I expect that myself anyway.”
Keep winning games, sounds just lovely to us, Frank!
The full interview can be found here, scroll to the very end for his thoughts on Jurgen Klopp and VARgate.
Yeovil Town have been drawn against Southend at home in the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.
The Glovers are one tie away from the first round proper, this tie will be played on the weekend of 14th October.
The winners of this tie will pick up £9,375, whilst those who drop out of the competition will also pocket £3,125
The hosts will have both Rhys Murphy and Jake Hyde in the squad for the game, both signed from Southend in the summer, whilst the visitors’ captain is one of the Glovers 2013 Play Off Winning Squad – Nathan Ralph.
Ticket details will be announced in due course.
The Full Draw
A very short and sharp Loan Watch for you this week.
Dorchester didn’t a game and so Benjani & Ollie Haste didn’t have a game (nor could they be on the Glovers bench as they were cup tied), Mal Linton is still making his recovery and isn’t ready for a Taunton return and Charlie Bateson was… well, on the bench at Huish Park after his cracking start to the season at Shepton Mallet.
Which leaves us with just the one player to report on, Lewis Williams
The keeper was back between the sticks for Tiverton Town, part of the side that drew 1-1 with Swindon Supermarine.
A performance which included an injury time save to secure his side the point.
William’s makes a fine stop.
1-1— Tiverton Town F.C (@tivertontownfc) September 30, 2023
? Header Photo C/O Viv Curtis & Tiverton Town
The Glovers are in the hat for the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round, how did we get there? Well… have a gander at below and take a look.
