David Coates (Page 10)

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On loan striker Ben Wodskou has been handed his first start for Yeovil Town as we take it Woking in today’s early game at Huish Park (12.30pm kick-off).

The teenager replaces fellow Birmingham City youngster Byron Pendleton who drops to the substitutes’ bench for the match.

Interim manager Richard Dryden will be in charge for today’s match with new Glovers’ boss Danny Webb expected to be introduced to the crowd ahead of the game and watch from the stands.

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Huish Park

Somerset Council has confirmed a two-year extension to the exclusivity period which Yeovil Town’s owners have to buy-back land at Huish Park.

The option which is held by Yeovil Town Holdings Limited, the business bought by owner Prabhu Srinivasan from former owner Martin Hellier in a deal last May, had been due to expire next May and will now run until 17 May 2028.

In a statement issued on Monday, the council confirmed that the club is now paying £229,130 per year after an “indexed rent review” in May saw it leap from the original £195,000 per year rate.

Responding to the decision, Mr Srinivasan said: “From the outset we have been clear with supporters that our aim is to buy back Huish Park Stadium and reunite it with the football club. The process is complex and takes time, and we are grateful to Somerset County Council for affording us the opportunity to develop our plans with stakeholders, partners, and the local authority so that this becomes a truly meaningful endeavour for both the club and the wider community.

“Together, we are committed to creating a brighter future for both Yeovil Town Football Club and Somerset, built around sustainability and our ambitious plans for the club and the community. There is so much more to come, and having Somerset County Council as a key partner is hugely important to us. The extension of this buyback is a clear testament to the united and positive way in which our partnership has begun and how we wish to move forward.”

Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan interviewed during a visit to Huish Park.
Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan.

Councillor Mike Rigby, the council’s Lead Member for Economic Development Planning and Assets, said: “This is a positive outcome from recent discussions with the new owners. YTFC is the only professional football club in Somerset and it makes a significant contribution to both the local economy and more widely in terms of community, education and local civic pride.

“A successful future for Yeovil Town Football Club supports Somerset Council’s priorities through the promotion of sport and healthier lifestyles within the community at all ages through the football club’s strong community and education links. It also adds to opportunities in the area for our residents through the economic benefits a successful professional club provides, while a future capital receipt will reduce our capital financing requirement.”

The statement also revealed the buy-back price for Huish Park and surrounding land stands at £2.789m.

The council, seemingly keen to make tax-payers know they are not using public funds to invest in football clubs, concluded the statement saying: “This decision, as before, does not mean Somerset Council either owns or is a shareholder in the football club, nor is it involved in any decision-making at the club.  It means Yeovil Football and Athletic Club Limited and Yeovil Town Holdings Limited is a tenant of Somerset Council.“

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Managerless Yeovil Town were outclassed by a rampant York City side who ran out comfortable winners at Huish Park.

The big-spending visitors, who were under the charge of new boss Stuart Maynard for the first time, went ahead through a penalty from prolific striker Ollie Pearce before a slick move saw Ollie Banks double the advantage before the break.

Luke McCormick pulled one back for Yeovil after a howler from visiting keeper Harrison Male before Jake Wannell turned in to his own net to restore the visitors’ two-goal advantage.

The weaknesses in the Glovers’ paper thin squad, missing the injured Alex Whittle and with youth midfielder Ollie Hughes named as one of just six substitutes, was cruelly exposed by a expensively assembled York squad, who thoroughly deserved the three points.

First half

The opening chances fell to Yeovil with a neat connection between Josh Sims and Junior Morias with the latter having a shot blocked after five minutes and then two minutes later Brett McGavin deceived everyone with a free kick from 30 yards out. The midfielder looked like he would put a ball in to the box, but instead he tried to catch York keeper Harrison Male out but the stopper was able to scramble across the keep it out.

On 13 minutes, the visitors had a great opportunity when Jake Wannell gifted the ball to Ollie Banks who fed Ollie Pearce just inside the box, Jed Ward got enough on it to keep it out. Moments later there was another break involving Joe Felix, who was causing James Plant all kinds of problems down the right, which caused chaos inside the box and a loud penalty appeal for a foul on Alex Newby and soon after Ollie Pearce tried to spin with the ball at his feet inside the box, but was denied by good defending from Kyle Ferguson.
 
York took the lead in the 23rd minute and it came from a familiar source. Newby set Felix away and he got the wrong side of Plant who pulled him down just inside the box. No surprises who it was to take it as Ollie PEARCE stepped up and slammed it straight down the middle. That is his eighth goal in five matches against us now.
 
Ollie Pearce celebrates his opener with the travelling supporters.
 
Ten minutes later it was 2-0 to the visitors. A move saw a ball played down the left side which Byron Pendleton missed and Tyrese Sinclair got away, his ball in was slammed home by Ollie BANKS. Yeovil were absolutely put to the sword by some slick football there and the lead was nothing more than they deserved.
 
For the remainder of the first half, it was all York as they pulled Yeovil about all over the pitch. Since the Pearce penalty, we have struggled to get near them and they have grown in confidence with every pass, whilst we are chasing shadows.
 

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 York City 1

Second half

In the 69th minute, Newby seized on to a loose ball from Pendleton and fed Pearce who darted away down the left and lifted a shot just over the bar and on to the top of the net. That would have been quite a tap in.

It seemed like it was going to take something special to get Yeovil back in to it. It came from a mistake by Male as York tried to play it around at the back and the keeper’s loose pass was seized upon by Luke McCORMICK who will never get a better opportunity to get his first goal for the club.

That lifted Yeovil who looked to press forward, but they almost got caught out when they put everyone forward for  free-kick and the speedy Felix found himself clear on goal from the clearance. The wing-back had almost the entire length of the pitch to cover and possibly too much time to think about it and he lifted his effort over the bar.

But, on 83 minutes, the visitors did get a third. Hiram Boateng glided away from the Yeovil defence and fired it towards substitute Josh Stones before Jake Wannell slid in and the ball flew in to the net for an OWN GOAL.

McCormick had an effort turned wide by Male soon after, but York stayed strong whilst Yeovil’s paper thin squad started to feel the effects of three games in seven days. 

The contrast was stark between these two sides and it is clear to see why York will be among the sides pushing at the top of the National League Premier Division table and just how far Yeovil need to come to get anywhere close.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 York City 3

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Date: Saturday 6th September, 3pm kick-off

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: Ollie Pearce pen 25 (0-1), Ollie Banks 34 (0-2), Luke McCormick 77 (1-2), Hiram Boateng 83 (1-3)

Pitch: Still looking impressive
Conditions: Warm and sunny

Attendance:  2,954 (244 away supporters)

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: James Plant 24, Aaron Jarvis 70
York City: Hiram Boateng 76

Referee: Lewis Sandoe

Yeovil Town (3-4-2-1)

Substitutes: Tahvon Campbell (for James Plant, 54), Aaron Jarvis (for Harvey Greenslade, 67), Ben Wodskou (for Junior Morias, 68), Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Byron Pendleton, 72), Ollie Hughes (not used), Matt Gould (not used).

York City: Harrison Male, Mark Kitching, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Callum Howe, Tyrese Sinclair (for Ben Brookes, 70), Alex Hunt, Ollie Pearce (for Josh Stones, 82), Hiram Boateng, Joe Felix, Ollie Banks (for Joe Grey, 70), Alex Newby (for Daniel Batty, 78).

Substitutes (not used):  George Sykes-Kenworthy, Ryan Fallowfield, Ash Palmer.

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Yeovil Town are unchanged from the midweek victory at Solihull Moors as they prepare to take on big-spending York City at Huish Park this afternoon (3pm kick-off).

Centre half Kyle Ferguson, who limped off with what appeared a nasty looking injury on Tuesday night, is fit to line up alongside Jake Wannell and Morgan Williams in the Glovers’ defence.

The only change comes on the substitutes’ bench where defender Alex Whittle, who is suffering with an injury, is replaced by Under-18s midfielder Ollie Hughes, underlining just how thin the squad is. If Hughes were to make an appearance today, he would become the second-youngest player to represent the club at 17 years, 3 months and 8 days.

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Midfielder Brett McGavin has said Yeovil Town’s players are focusing on putting in good performances as they wait to see who will be their new manager.

The Glovers will be under the charge of interim manager Richard Dryden this weekend when they take on a York City side playing their first match under new manager, Stuart Maynard, at Huish Park.

Both Yeovil and York decided to make a change in the dug-out last week with the departure of Mark Cooper shortly after followed by the sacking of Adam Hinshelwood.

Asked about how the dressing room reacted to the managerial change, McGavin told BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah: “No-one enjoys it, I have had it a few times where the manager gets the sack. As an individual the thing to focus on is your performance, if you can take care of yourself then whatever needs sorting out will happen.

“From my point of view and the team’s point of view, it is about focusing on the things you can control and let the rest happen. You hear about new manager bounce and when the time is right, I am sure we can get a good manager in and enjoy that bounce, everyone can sense we needed a change and hopefully we can enjoy that change with a new manager.”

The midweek win at Solihull saw Yeovil grind out a result, sealed by striker Junior Morias’ third goal in as many matches, in a physical encounter, but McGavin said he was hoping Saturday would see the club’s attacking players come to the fore.

He said: “Everyone can see we have good players, but we need to really to dominate games and play offensive football. We have players like Simsy (Josh Sims), Junior (Morias), Harvey (Greenslade), everyone wants to see them get on the ball. Going forward I want to see as much enjoyable, attacking football as we can, everyone deserves to see that. The new lads and the lads that were already here have gelled really well, we just need to show that on the pitch.

“I have played a few times at Huish Park as an opposition player and it was not very enjoyable, so  I think we need to get that back. Last season our home form was not very good and that Gateshead (defeat) may have killed that momentum a little bit, but Huish needs to be a fortress. Our away form has been very good, so if we can tie it together with better home form, hopefully we can do well.“

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Interim Yeovil Town boss Richard Dryden has said Tuesday night’s win at Solihull Moors has given his side a lift ahead of a tough test this weekend.

Big-spending York City are the visitors to Huish Park this weekend and Dryden believes the clean sheet and three points his side collected in midweek will give them a lift as they prepare to take on one of the favourites for the National League title.

The win followed two performances where the Glovers threw away leads in the 4-3 home defeat to Gateshead and the 3-2 loss at FC Halifax Town.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah on Thursday, Dryden said: “We obviously had questions about our defensive abilities after the last two games and that is not just the goalkeeper and the back three, it is the whole team. How we defended our box against Solihull was fantastic because we knew the ball was going to come in from long throws and corners, but we defended really well as a group. Coming in to the changing rooms after doing that was a really good atmosphere. There are always different ways to win a game, it is great to win 3-0 and sit back and relax, but the good thing was that everyone who was fit – apart from Matt Gould, the goalkeeper – came on and made a difference.”

York City’s new manager Stuart Maynard was in the crowd for the match at Solihull Moors on Tuesday night.

York come in to the game unbeaten this season but actually one point below Yeovil in the table. The Minstermen have only played four matches this season, compared to the Glovers’ seven, due to the Women’s Rugby World Cup being played at their home stadium in recent weeks.

That early season form was enough for owners Matt and Julie-Anne Uggla, whose connections to Huish Park need little further explanation, to make the decision to sack manager Adam Hinshelwood around the same time Yeovil dispensed of the services of Mark Cooper.

However, they had a replacement lined up in the form of ex-Notts County and Wealdstone boss, Stuart Maynard, who will take charge of his first match this weekend.

Dryden said: “They are not going to be (in 19th place in the table) in 30 games time for certain and they have got some really good players. They have lost a good manager, but they have brought in a really good manager as well. They have added again, the frontline is good, a solid back three or four, they have good players but we are up for the fight and want to take our team to them as well. You have to respect every team you play, we have to have a game plan going forward and defensively. York will play a lot differently to how Solihull, so our game plans will change.”

The interim boss admitted it had been difficult for the players and coaching staff following the departure of Cooper at the end of last month. On Monday, owner Prabhu Srinivasan told supporters it would “take time” to appoint a new manager and vowed not to rush in to a decision, but the appearance of out of work bosses’ including ex-Hartlepool United manager Anthony Limbrick at Solihull on Tuesday suggest that there are options available to the Glovers.

Dryden said: “I have been in football long enough to know that someone has to take over whether that is someone coming in straight away or they leave it to the staff and at the moment they are leaving it to the staff, so we are just getting on with our jobs. The owner has been really good talking about calmness and we have been told the staff will stay which is good, because the first thing you think is ‘are we going to lose our jobs’, so it was good news that the job situation was secure and we can get on with our job. If someone else comes in, they do, and until then we will just do the best job we can.”

Former Hartlepool manager Anthony Limbrick was another familiar face in the crowd at Solihull.

Dryden added there were “a few bumps and bruises” following the physical encounter at Solihull, one of which is presumably defender Kyle Ferguson who went off after taking a hefty whack to the knee, but the interim boss said he was optimistic he would have a similar squad to choose from against York.

He concluded: “You can see the confidence coming in to the lads. We know we can score goals and we know we can defend, it is just a case of getting that blend for every game. A big plus was keeping a clean sheet on Tuesday night and the goal now is to do that again on Saturday and stamp our authority when we go forward.“

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Striker Junior Morias bagged his third goal in as many games to grab Yeovil Town their first away of the season at bottom club Solihull Moors.

The experienced striker was in the right place at the back post when James Plant’s deflected shot looped up and landed at the feet of Morias who turned it home.

It had been a bruising encounter against a physical Solihull side who threw themselves forward in the second half, but could not a breakthrough.

First half

With two minutes played, Yeovil had the game’s first opportunity as Junior Morias was set free towards goal and he laid it off to Josh Sims whose effort needed helping over the bar by Solihull keeper Laurie Walker.

Jacob Wakeling had a strong shot in for the home side’s first chance after eight minutes, but it was never troubling Jed Ward in the visitors’ goal and the keeper had to be at full stretch after 17 minutes to deny former Glover Emmanuel Sonupe. A minute later, Dan Creaney lashed one wide of the post. It is end to end here.
 
Yeovil’s defence were busy against a physical Solihull side. PIcture courtesy of Alex Russell.
 
It has become a real physical battle when Solihull attack with the long throws of Brad Nicholson and the giant Creaney causing problems. If the home side watched Yeovil struggle with crosses in to the box, they have replaced them with Nicholson’s throws which are absolute bombs.
 
Luke McCormick flashes a chance wide but that’s the only break in what has otherwise it has been all Solihull. That was until five minutes before half time when Yeovil did manage to string together a few passes but there was no real quality inside the box.
 
You can hear interim manager Richard Dryden screaming “second ball” to his players. He knows what his players need to do to try and counter Solihull.
 

But, just as the game looked to be petering out to a goalless half scoreline, Yeovil scored. Plant worked himself some space on the edge of the box and tried a shot which looped up off a Solihull defender and landed perfectly to Junior MORIAS who steered it past Walker. 

That is three goals in as many games for Morias and he sends Yeovil in to the break ahead.
 
Junior Morias opens the scoring.

Half time: Solihull Moors 0 Yeovil Town 1

Second half

The opening chance of the second half did not arrive until the 53rd minute when Jacob Wakeling lashed one in to the side netting before Aaron Jarvis replaced Greenslade two minutes later. If you need a back to goal battering ram, Jarvis is probably your man.

But on 59 minutes, Wakeling, who signed from Peterborough United before kick-off, ran through on a long ball over the top with the Yeovil defence scrambling to try and get back. The 23-year-old had only Jed Ward to beat but blazed his effort over the bar. That should be 1-1, but it’s not.

There were further changes for the visitors on 65 minutes with on loan Birmingham City striker Ben Wodskou and former Solihull man Tahvon Campbell, who replace Junior Morias and Josh Sims.

On 70 minutes, Kyle Ferguson went down in a heap after a full-blooded 50-50 tackle in the middle of the pitch. The summer signing looks in a lot of pain, but he has got to his feet and walked (/limped) off the pitch. Unbelievably, he’s returned to the pitch.

There’s been a lot of possession for the home side and Wakeling found himself in a lot of room after 74 minutes and lashed a long range effort wide, but we have to learn the lessons of throwing leads away in our past two matches. 

Ferguson cannot continue here and he is replaced by Finn Cousin-Dawson after 77 minutes with Pendleton replaced by Alex Whittle at the same time.

Plant had a great opportunity after twisting and turning inside the box three minutes later, but his shot was blocked and landed to Jarvis who was facing the wrong way and could not get it back to Wodskou. Moments later, Williams’ ball in finds Jarvis but he cannot get a shot on target. Six minutes remaining and McCormick is given time and space to move towards goal and unleashes an effort past the post from distance.

Eight minutes of injury time goes up as the game ticks over to 90 minutes and you sense there is a kitchen sink about to be thrown by Solihull and with seven of them played keeper Walker came forward for a free-kick which mercifully crept wide.

The final whistle on the first away win of the season sounded sweet, but in the home end Solihull fans were calling for the sacking of manager Matt Taylor. We needed that.

Full time: Solihull Moors 0 Yeovil Town 1

Match Details

Venue: Damson Park
Date: Tuesday 2nd September, 7.45pm kick-off

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: Junior Morias 45+1 (1-0)

Pitch: Green
Conditions: Soggy

Attendance:  917 (162 away supporters)

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Byron Pendleton 60, Tahvon Campbell 89
Solihull Moors: 

Referee: Harrison Blair

Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)

Substitutes: Aaron Jarvis (for Harvey Greenslade, 55), Ben Wodskou (for Junior Morias, 65), Tahvon Campbell (for Josh Sims, 65), Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Kyle Ferguson, 77), Alex Whittle (for Byron Pendleton, 77), Matt Gould (not used).

Solihull Moors: Laurie Walker, James Clarke, Cameron Green, Alex Whitmore, Brad Nicholson, Dan Creaney, Ben Worman (for Sam Bowen, 81), Louis Jackson, Jacob Wakeling (for Callum McFarlane, 89), Emmanuel Sonupe, Oscar Rutherford (for Shen Whyte-Hall, 67).

Substitutes (not used):  Rory Brown, Oliver Tipton, Finn Howell, Brad Stevenson.

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Yeovil Town interim manager Richard Dryden in conversation.

Interim manager Richard Dryden says he knows how his Yeovil Town players can hurt bottom club Solihull Moors ahead of tonight’s fixture at Damson Park (7.45pm kick-off).

The coach is taking charge of his second match following the sacking of Mark Cooper from the Huish Park hot-seat having overseen the 3-2 defeat at FC Halifax Town three days ago.

Rumour has it that Cooper, who is understood to live in the Birmingham area, is in attendance at the game which sees the home side start bottom of the table with manager Matt Taylor under pressure.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins ahead of kick-off, Dryden said: “We have watched their last three or four games, how they play and what they do. We had a good meeting with the players about what we can do to hurt them, how we have to defend against them, so we are ready to go.

“They have bought a couple of new players in for tonight, I know one of them who we had at Barrow. We have done our due diligence on how they play and how they work, it’s up to the coaching staff and the squad now.”

Defender Kyle Ferguson has replaced Alex Whittle in the starting XI in the only change from the match in West Yorkshire.

Dryden added: “It is a quick turnover (after the game at Halifax on Saturday) and we have to protect a few people, but there are quite a few who have to play because of the size of the squad.”

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Yeovil Town have made one change from Saturday’s defeat at FC Halifax Town as they take on bottom club Solihull Moors in the West Midlands tonight (7.45pm kick-off).

Central defender Kyle Ferguson replaces Alex Whittle with the Glovers appearing to be playing a back three as they look to bounce back from two successive defeats.

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Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan interviewed during a visit to Huish Park.

Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan has told the club’s supporters not to expect an immediate appointment of a new manager following the sacking of Mark Cooper.

The club posted a video message from the Dubai-based businessman on Monday afternoon where he said that the club would be going through “a full thought through scientific process” as it looks to select its candidate.

He said: “I want you folks to know this is not a quick fix. This is not a send in your CV and get hired process, our global experience and our partners who have football experience and probably played in the football arena before and have been chairmen and directors, we have all come together to find the right manager .

“We are looking at the technical skills, background of the coach/manager, external validation, most importantly the way the person connects with the first team and how he communicates with the supporters and media.

“This is a full thought through, scientific process, it might take a little time but I ask all of you to support us, be with us through this journey. For us to build a sustainable club going forward, I have said this many times, this is not an ego buy, it is all of us coming together to do what is right for the club.”

The club has appointed coach Richard Dryden in chairman of first-team affairs whilst they seek a new manager. He took charge of Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at FC Halifax Town and will be in the dug-out when the Glovers travel to Solihull Moors on Tuesday night.