David Coates (Page 16)

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper  said he needed to “add a couple of players” after watching them grab a late win at Chippenham Town in their third friendly of the pre-season campaign.

The Glovers needed late goals from strikers Harvey Greenslade and Aaron Jarvis to see off National League South opposition with a 3-2 win in temperatures which topped 30 degrees Celsius in Wiltshire on Saturday afternoon.

Cooper started the game with trialists striker Jevani Brown and midfielder Luke McCormick, who have both featured in the previous two friendly wins over Sherborne Town and Exmouth Town.

It is not clear whether the boss was talking about these two players as he mentioned the need for new additions, as neither of the ex-Bristol Rovers’ duo has been formally identified by the club.

Speaking to the club’s social media after the game, Cooper said: “We are still trying to add a couple of permanent players to the squad, we are still a couple short. We are trying to work with the owner (Prabhu Srinivasan) and with Stuart (Robins, the club’s Executive Chairman) to see if we can push a bit and bring a couple of quality players in because we are short on numbers. We aimed to be a small squad with enough quality, but we need to add a couple now.”

So far, Cooper has recruited striker Tahvon Campbell, winger James Daly and defender Kyle Ferguson as permanent additions, but the absence of transfer business has left supporters questioning whether the club is waiting to make the right additions and the level of budget available to support recruitment.

Both Brown and McCormick were withdrawn on the hour mark on Saturday as Cooper made ten changes with only defender Morgan Williams playing the full 90 minutes. Among the changes included trialist strikers Abu Kanu and Kieran Edworthy and midfielder Teo Kurtaran, who provided the corners which led to the goals from Greenslade and Jarvis which earned the win.

Yeovil Town trialists Teo Kurtaran, back to the camera wearing number 15, and striker Abu Kanu, no number, in action in the 3-2 win at Chippenham Town on Saturday.
Trialist Teo Kurtaran (Number 15) and striker Abu Kanu (no number) both appeared as 60th minute substitutes in Yeovil Town’s 3-2 win at Chippenham Town on Saturday. Picture courtesy of Sophie Edon.

Next up, Yeovil welcome Cardiff City Under-21s to Huish Park on Tuesday night. The young Bluebirds played their first pre-season fixture on Saturday earning a 2-1 win at Cymru Premier side Barry Town United courtesy of a penalty from striker Luke Pearce.

Cooper said the first three matches of the pre-season campaign had been about building fitness, but confessed his side needed to “go up a notch” as they face Cardiff’s youngsters followed by a visit from League Two side Bristol Rovers next weekend.

He added: “We are in a position where we are two weeks in to pre-season and it was about trying to get through those two weeks being aware of the weather and the pitches and making sure that we get to this point.

“But we have to go up a level now and that is the chat I have had with the players (after the match), we have to be ready and go up a notch because we are going to be two really big clubs in Cardiff City and Bristol Rovers which will be a real acid test for us. So it is about getting a steady pre-season and making sure are ready for (the first National League match on) August 9th, but we need to go up a level now.”

Two goals in the final seven minutes of the match at Chippenham earned Yeovil their third win out of three friendlies, but they needed a winner from Jarvis which came with the final touch of the match. They had gone behind twice in the match and also saw summer signing striker Tahvon Campbell have a tame penalty saved in the second half.

Cooper admitted he was not happy with his side’s defending for either goal they conceded. He said: “We try and put a lot of bodies forward and press high, but when that ball comes forward we have to win the duels and we didn’t. we let lost those duels today and we let runners go. We had numerous chances to score, they took theirs and we missed a penalty, but we found a win to win again and that is (three wins in) three games now, you can talk about the opposition but it is three games and three wins and long may that continue.

“We are looking at minutes and data and which player needs want and trying to get some semblance of a shape to the team, and that will evolve over the next four weeks.”

There has been no sign of midfielder Jacob Maddox in the Glovers’ pre-season campaign, either in photographs from training sessions at the SGS Wise Campus in South Gloucestershire, or any of the three season friendlies.

There has been no mention of the absence from Cooper or the club’s official channels, but responding to a question from a supporter on its social media, the club confirmed the former Forest Green Rovers man underwent surgery at the end of the season.

A social media post from the club confirming that midfielder Jacob Maddox had surgery at the end of last season.

 

Tell us what you think of the Glovers’ performances in their opening pre-season friendlies and where you think the squad needs to strength ahead of the opening game of the National League season in less than a month.

Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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A Yeovil Town player launched a ball forward in the pre-season friendly at Chippenham Town.

A late goal from Aaron Jarvis seconds before the final whistle saw Yeovil Town keep their 100% pre-season friendly record with a narrow victory at Chippenham Town on Saturday.

The Glovers trailed to a Tom Owen-Evans goal at half-time before trialist Luke McCormick pulled them level two minutes in to the second half. Former W*ymouth player Ezio Touray put the National League South side ahead again on 51 minutes before Tahvon Campbell spurned a great chance to make it level as he rolled a penalty kick in to the chest of Chippenham keeper Will Henry five minutes later.

The hour mark led to a flurry of changes from both sides and it was two of the Yeovil substitutes who got the goals which won it as Harvey Greenslade pulled Yeovil level in the 83rd minute heading home a corner from trialist Teo Kurtaran before Jarvis nodded in another Kurtaran corner to win it late on.

The starting line-up saw trialists former Bristol Rovers pair striker Jevani Brown (Number 20) and McCormick (Number 8) paired together with former Swindon Town striker Abu Kanu, Plymouth Parkway forward Kieran Edworthy and midfielder Kurtaran all appearing on the hour mark.

All five substitutes have featured in both the Glovers’ first two pre-season friendlies, the 1-0 win at Exmouth Town last weekend and Wednesday night’s 2-1 win at Sherborne Town. You can find about them all in our Spot the Trialist special feature – here.

First half

With no recognised right back in the Yeovil squad, the visitors started with a back three of Morgan Williams, Kyle Ferguson and Jake Wannell with James Daly – a recognised forward/winger – and Alex Whittle playing as wing-backs from the kick-off. Tahvon Campbell played as a lone striker with trialists Jevani Brown and Luke McCormick behind him and Charlie Cooper and Brett McGavin in the centre of midfield. 

The temperature was well about 30 degrees Celsius when this match got underway and only likely to get hotter, so expecting regular drinks breaks and lots of personnel changes.

The first opportunity fell to Yeovil after four minutes as Campbell intercepted the ball on the halfway line, beat the final Chippenham defender but dragged his shot wide. Three minutes later, Charlie Cooper got caught in possession from a corner to allow a breakaway led by Harry Parsons who took his run wide and was denied by Aidan Stone.

Stone was in action again on 12 minutes when Wannell failed to make a clearance giving 13 time and space to get a shot away. A comfortable save by the keeper.

The better opportunities were going the way of the home side and they took the lead a minute later. Tom OWEN-EVANS was allowed to make a run in to the area and hit a low shot in to the far corner, it looked as if Stone thought it was going wide but it kissed the post on its way in.

On 19 minutes, Brett McGavin’s ball was met by a great header from Wannell which turned on to the post by Will Henry. Great cross, great header, great saved – but the offside flag was up. Five minutes later McCormick was denied by another smart stop from Henry before having a follow-up effort blocked.

A Yeovil Town player launched a ball forward in the pre-season friendly at Chippenham Town.
Check out the dust kicking up off the pitch in the first half. Picture courtesy of Callum Hallett.

There was another great opportunity for Chippenham who found Owen-Evans and one of their own trialists two on one with a Yeovil defender just before the half-hour mark, but the trialist got it all wrong and it went high over the bar.

Stone had to make another fine stop with seven minutes of the half remaining after Parsons’ shot from point blank range. Campbell had a good opportunity minutes later after McCormick jumped on a Chippenham mistake and fed the striker whose effort was not enough to test Henry.

There was a pre-season collectors’ item on 44 minutes when McCormick was brought down who got a booking. McGavin’s effort from the resulting free-kick looked to be dipping under the bar but Henry made a great two-handed save to deny him.

Some great saves made by both goalkeepers, but Owen-Evans’ goal divides the two sides at the half-time break on a sweltering afternoon in Wiltshire.

 

Half-time: Chippenham Town 1 Yeovil Town 0

There was only one change at half-time with goalkeeping coach Matt Gould replacing Stone in goal whilst former W*ymouth and Poole Town forward Ezio Touray replaced Parsons in the only change for Chippenham.

Two minutes after the restart the trialists, Brown and McCormick, combined with Brown moving down the left and feeding Luke McCORMICK whose effort went past Henry. 

Luke McCormick celebrates with Tahvon Campbell, right, and Jevani Brown.

But the lead lasted just four minutes when Kyle Ferguson got himself in a tangle, there was a suggestion of handball from the defender but the referee waved play on. A good ball in to Ezio TOURAY who fired past Gould. 

On 56 minutes, Yeovil were awarded a penalty after Cooper went down in the box, Campbell stepped up, stuttered his run up and rolled the ball tamely in to the chest of Henry. Oh dear.

On the hour mark, both teams made a flurry of changes with only Morgan Williams surviving the cut for Yeovil. Under-18s captain Corey Koerner and Josh Sims took up the left and right back positions with Finn Cousin-Dawson and Williams making up a back four. Abu Kanu, who was wearing no number, played up front with Aaron Jarvis with Greenslade, trialists Teo Kurtaran (Number 15) and Kieran Edworthy (Number 16) in midfield, and Harvey Greenslade and Lewys Twamley in wide positions.

On 64 minutes, one of the Chippenham substitutes Olaf Koszela had an effort deflected over the bar, but the only threat on goalkeeper Josh Sawyer, who replaced Henry after 81 minutes, came from Greenslade who was denied by the keeper and the offside flag.

The forward did get himself on the scoresheet with seven minutes remaining though. A corner from trialist Kurtaran was headed home by GREENSLADE from inside a crowded penalty area.

Since arriving on the hour mark, Greenslade looked lively and almost added a second on 85 minutes, but just before the final whistle went (literally) Yeovil took the lead. Another corner from Kurtaran was headed home by Aaron JARVIS. Literally seconds after the ball crossed the line, the final whistle blew.

The stadium announcer had to confirm the final score over the public address system. Peak pre-season.

Full time: Chippenham Town 2 Yeovil Town 3

Teams:

First half – Yeovil Town: Aidan Stone (for Matt Gould, 46), Morgan Williams, Jake Wannell, Kyle Ferguson, Alex Whittle, James Daly, Charlie Cooper, Brett McGavin, Luke McCormick (Trialist), Jevani Brown (Trialist), Tahvon Campbell. 

From 60 minutes – Yeovil Town: Matt Gould, Corey Koerner, Josh Sims, Morgan Williams, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Lewys Twamley, Teo Kurtaran (Trialist), Kieran Edworthy (Trialist), Aby Kanu, Harvey Greenslade, Aaron Jarvis.

Chippenham Town: Will Henry, Lewis Colwell, Ethan Vaughan, Canice Carroll, Freddie Grant, Jake Evans, Caine Bradbury, Quevin Castro, Tom Owen-Evans, Harry Parsons (for Ezio Touray, 46), Trialist.

From 60 minutes – Chippenham Town: Will Henry (for Josh Sawyer, 71), Harry Messenger, Freddie Grant, Luke Haines, Fleet, Tom Mehew, Trialist (for Ollie Smith, 70), Trialist, Olaf Koszela, Harlee Vozza, Enzio Touray.

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An image of Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper speaking following his side's 2-1 win at Sherborne Town in their second pre-season match.

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said he is confident that goals will come for his side after they continued their pre-season friendly campaign with a 2-1 win at Sherborne Town on Wednesday night.

The Glovers came from 1-0 down in the second half in front of 965 fans at a sweltering Raleigh Grove with goals from defenders Morgan Williams and Jake Wannell securing the victory following a 1-0 win in their first friendly at Exmouth Town four days earlier.

Last season, they scored 51 goals in 46 league games making them the joint second-lowest scorers in the National League Premier Division.

Speaking to the club’s own social media after the match at Sherborne, Cooper said: “All you can do is keep creating chances, but at the minute it is about fitness and getting our positioning right. That will come with the players we have got, we will start converting those chances.

“It is really difficult because the pitches are really dry and sticky at the minute and it is hard to get the ball moving and it suits a team that is lower down the pyramid because they can get bodies behind the ball. When the sun went down and there was a little bit of dew on the ground, we were able to move the ball really quickly in the second half. We conceded a rubbish goal but when a team puts ten or eleven men behind the ball to break it down, but we were okay in the second half.

“I was pleased-ish with the second half, but as on Saturday (in the 1-0 win at Exmouth Town) we should have scored more and we should have scored more tonight but if you give a team the chance to sit behind the ball and give them a soft goal it is difficult. I think it is important that we try and support the local community in terms of playing these games, but we need them to get some water on the pitch and get a referee that wants the game to flow. Everyone has come to see football, not the referee blow his whistle, but I suppose he needs time to get the rustiness out as well.”

Former Swindon Town academy striker Abu Kanu was among the trialists who featured in the first half. Picture courtesy of Rob Manley.

Yeovil started the match against the Wessex League Premier Division side, who play four tiers below them, with a young side including trialists ex-Swindon Town academy striker Abu Kanu, Plymouth Parkway forward Kieran Edworthy, and midfielder Teo Kurtaran, who was playing in Polish football last season. You can read more about the background of these trialists – here.

They were joined in the starting XI by Under-18s players defender Corey Koerner, midfielder Ollie Hughes as well as first-team players goalkeeper Matt Gould, defenders Kyle Ferguson and Finn Cousin-Dawson, midfielders Josh Sims and Lewys Twamley and striker Harvey Greenslade. There were nine changes at the break with trialist ex-Bristol Rovers’ midfielder Luke McCormick among those introduced.

However, it was Sherborne who took the lead in the 53rd minute before Williams and Wannell scored to prevent red faces caused by something other than the warm weather for Yeovil.

An image of Jevani Brown, the former Bristol Rovers and Exeter City striker, in pre-season training with Yeovil Town at the SGS WISE Campus in South Gloucestershire.
Jevani Brown, who is on trial at Yeovil Town, sat out the game with “a little knock.”

Cooper said that he had rested striker Tahvon Campbell, who scored the only goal at Exmouth four days earlier, due to the hard pitches along with trialist Jevani Brown, the former Bristol Rovers and Exeter City striker, who played in the first friendly.

The manager said: “The biggest bonus is we got through the game without any niggles. We rested Tav tonight with everything being so hard, his knee was a bit sore, Jev(ani Brown) had a little knock so we rested both of them, but we got through without any niggles. First half we played a younger team and some trialists and it was a bit slow and lacked some tempo and in the second half, even though we conceded a sloppy goal we played a lot better and should have scored some more.”

Yeovil travel to face National League South opposition in Chippenham Town in their third friendly on Saturday with the weather predicted to hit 30 degrees in Wiltshire by kick-off at 2pm.

Cooper said: “The weather is going to be 30 degrees for the next five days, so we have to try and deal with that because we are playing at 2pm on a Saturday. Hopefully there will be some water on the pitch and it is not too hard, but we will look forward to that.“

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Yeovil Town will start and finish at home in the National League Premier Division 2025/26 season.

For the second consecutive year, Hartlepool United will be the opposition at Huish Park for the opening fixture on Saturday 9th August with a visit from Solihull Moors on April 25th for the final fixture of the season.

They will visit Premier Division newcomers Truro City on Boxing Day with a home matches against Eastleigh and Braintree Town on December 30th and January 3rd respectively. As last season, they face the same opposition over the Easter period with a visit from Truro on Good Friday and a trip to Eastleigh on Easter Monday, for the second season in a row.

DateOpponentHome/Away
09/08/2025Hartlepool UnitedHome
16/08/2025Forest Green RoversAway
20/08/2025Brackley TownHome
23/08/2025Braintree TownAway
25/08/2025GatesheadHome
30/08/2025FC Halifax TownAway
02/09/2025Solihull MoorsAway
06/09/2025York CityHome
13/09/2025WokingHome
20/09/2025TamworthAway
24/09/2025Aldershot TownAway
27/09/2025AltrinchamHome
30/09/2025Sutton UnitedAway
04/10/2025Boreham WoodHome
11/10/2025FAC 4QR
18/10/2025RochdaleAway
25/10/2025Carlisle UnitedHome
04/11/2025WealdstoneHome
08/11/2025Scunthorpe UnitedAway
15/11/2025Southend UnitedHome
22/11/2025MorecambeAway
29/11/2025Boston UnitedHome
06/12/2025Hartlepool UnitedAway
13/12/2025FAT3R
20/12/2025Forest Green RoversHome
26/12/2025Truro CityAway
30/12/2025EastleighHome
03/01/2026Braintree TownHome
17/01/2026Brackley TownAway
20/01/2026Aldershot TownHome
23/01/2026WokingAway
31/01/2026TamworthHome
07/02/2026AltrinchamAway
11/02/2026Boreham WoodAway
14/02/2026RochdaleHome
21/02/2026Carlisle UnitedAway
25/02/2026Sutton UnitedHome
28/02/2026Southend UnitedAway
07/03/2026Scunthorpe UnitedHome
14/03/2026Boston UnitedAway
21/03/2026MorecambeHome
25/03/2026WealdstoneAway
28/03/2026GatesheadAway
03/04/2026Truro CityHome
06/04/2026EastleighAway
11/04/2026FC Halifax TownHome
18/04/2026York CityAway
25/04/2026Solihull MoorsHome

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Yeovil Town have confirmed they will not compete in the National League Cup for a second season.

The Glovers have become only the second club in the National League Premier Division to confirm they will not be entering the competition, which includes a number of Under-21s teams from Premier League clubs.

In a statement on Wednesday, the club said: “With the new campaign approaching, our focus is firmly on the league and other key competitions. After reviewing our priorities, we feel it is in the best interests of the club to concentrate fully on our primary objectives for the season ahead.

“We are aware that the National League Cup has not been a priority for many clubs in recent seasons, and we know our supporters are fully focused – like us – on achieving success where it matters most.

“As always, we are grateful for your continued backing and look forward to seeing you throughout the season.“

Up until Yeovil’s withdrawal, only newcomers Carlisle United had officially ruled themselves out of taking part in the competition saw Leeds United’s Under-21s side become its first winners in the 2024/25 season. 

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A screenshot of an interview with Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper speaking to the club's own social media following the 1-0 win at Exmouth Town in their opening pre-season friendly.

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper gave the kind of interview you would expect after seeing his side pick up a 1-0 win in their opening pre-season friendly at Exmouth Town on Saturday.

The Glovers’ boss saw summer signing Tahvon Campbell score the game’s only goal after eight minutes against the Southern League Division One South side, but his interest was only in building the fitness of his players.

Speaking to the club’s social media, he said: “Pre-season is about trying to get some fitness, it is our fourth session – Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and today. It is still really early but there were some really good bits, there are some bits we have got to tidy up on but we could have scored six or seven, their goalkeeper was outstanding. The main thing was to get everyone through without any injuries which we have managed to do, then rest up (on Sunday) and get ready for a tough week next week.”

Alongside Campbell, the other new arrivals, winger James Daly and defender Kyle Ferguson, got 45 minutes of action as did six trialists. Former Bristol Rovers striker Jevani Brown and midfielder Luke McCormick and Bristol City right-back Joseph James all played the first half, with ex-Swindon Town forward Abu Kanu, Plymouth Parkway frontman Kieran Edworthy and midfielder Teo Kurtaran, who played last season in the Polish second division, all turned out for the second 45 minutes.

Cooper said he had seen enough for his new players, although there was nothing significant said about whether the trialists were expected to return for training next week ahead of the visit to Sherborne Town for the next friendly on Wednesday night.

He said: “It is going to take time for the new lads to gel in, but the more games we play, the more they are going to get better and better. You saw glimpses of little bits and pieces.”

An image of Jevani Brown, the former Bristol Rovers and Exeter City striker, in pre-season training with Yeovil Town at the SGS WISE Campus in South Gloucestershire.
Jevani Brown, the former Bristol Rovers and Exeter City striker, in pre-season training with Yeovil Town at the SGS WISE Campus.

Asked whether the start to the campaign was early, the manager said: “We thought we were going to have a bigger recruitment drive, so the more games we got gives us a chance to bed those newer players in. I think players will prefer playing games to training in pre-season. I would rather get to the first game of the (league) season with us a little uncooked but everybody fit rather than going hell for leather and getting everybody injured. Apart of Harv (ey Greenslade) with a dislocated finger (on Friday) we have got everybody through  the first four sessions.”

Read what you like in to the comment about having “a bigger recruitment drive“, but pre-season seems to have started around the same time as it did 12 months ago. The first friendly then saw the Glovers take on Melksham Town on 9th July, so they are four days earlier this year.

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An image showing Bristol City defender Joseph James, wearing number two, in action during a pre-season friendly for Yeovil Town at Exmouth Town.

An early first half goal from summer signing striker Tahvon Campbell was the difference between Yeovil Town and Southern League Division One South side Exmouth Town in the opening pre-season friendly on Saturday.

The frontman, who returned to Huish Park following the expiry of his contract at Solihull Moors, turned home a cross from Alex Whittle after eight minutes to earn the victory and it could have been more but for the heroics of Exmouth keeper Aaron Dearing.

As ever in pre-season, the appearance of trialists and the inevitable guessing game as to their identities was a major feature of this fixture. In the starting XI, ex-Bristol Rovers players striker Jevani Brown and midfielder Luke McCormick were joined by young Bristol City full-back Joseph James, who all played the opening 45 minutes.

With a complete change of the XI, trialist strikers Abu Kanu (ex-Swindon Town), Kieren Edworthy (Plymouth Parkway) and midfielder Teo Kurtaran, who played in Poland last season, all took to the field in the second half.

You can find out more about these players in our Spot the Trialist special feature – here.

First half

With the travelling Yeovil fans still trying to figure out who the summer signings – both Tahvon Campbell and James Daly started – and trialists were, the Glovers opened the scoring when a left wing cross from Alex Whittle found Tahvon CAMPBELL who looped one over the keeper.

On 15 minutes, recent signing James Daly hit the crossbar before Mike Landricombe headed over a minute later before Campbell fired another effort wide on the half-hour mark.

On 32 minutes, a free-kick in prime Brett McGavin territory was denied by a stop from Exmouth goalkeeper Aaron Dearing who got down smartly to deny…..well, Brett McGavin. Who else?

With six minutes remaining of the first half, Campbell showed good ability to get past his defender but his touch let him down and the ball went straight to Dearing, then two minutes from time Daly headed one wide.

Yeovil Town's players do some running exercises during the half-time break in their opening pre-season friendly at Exmouth Town.
No rest for Yeovil Town’s players who were put through their paces with more running at half-time at Exmouth Town. Picture courtesy of Rob Manley.

Half-time: Exmouth Town 0 Yeovil Town 1

The start of the second half saw the traditional full change of the starting XI from Yeovil Town and a number of changes from the home side as well. Winger Lewys Twamley found himself playing at right back from the kick-off.

It took until the hour mark for one of the new arrivals,  Twamley, to get an effort to test Dearing in the hosts’ goal before Harvey Greenslade was denied by two sharp stops from the keeper five minutes later.

There was another chance on 66 minutes when trialist midfielder Teo Kurtaran picked out Kieran Edworthy whose effort was saved by Dearing before Twamley had a tame effort from the edge of the box which was easily held by the keeper.

Aaron Jarvis and then Twamley saw efforts blocked by Dearing after 73 minutes and it felt like just a matter of time before another goal was coming for the visitors.

An image showing Yeovil Town under-18s' defender Corey Koerner in action in a pre-season friendly at Exmouth Town.
Under-18s’ captain Corey Koerner, wearing 18, was among the Yeovil Town changes in the second half. Picture courtesy of Rob Manley.

With ten minutes to go there was an unusual substitution as the referee was replaced by the fourth official. Presumably the Devon FA had seen enough from the first man in black. A minute later Greenslade curled an effort which looked like it was going in to the top corner, only for Dearing to get there to turn it wide. He is having quite an afternoon the Exmouth keeper.

Josh Sims had an opportunity to become the latest player to be denied by Dearing with four minutes remaining, but it was not really much to trouble him.

Full time: Exmouth Town 0 Yeovil Town 1

Teams:

First half – Yeovil Town: Aidan Stone, Joseph James (Trialist), Morgan Williams, Jake Wannell, Alex Whittle, Charlie Cooper, Brett McGavin, Luke McCormick (Trialist), Jevani Brown (Trialist), James Daly, Tahvon Campbell.

Second half – Yeovil Town: Matt Gould, Lewys Twamley, Kyle Ferguson, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Corey Koerner, Josh Sims, Harvey Greenslade, Teo Kurtaran (Trialist), Kieran Edworthy (Trialist), Abu Kanu (Trialist), Aaron Jarvis.

Exmouth Town: Aaron Dearing, Sam Morcom (for B Steer, 46) , Ollie Knowles, Mike Landricombe, Aaron Denny (for Slater, 46), Callum Shipton (for Cann, 46), Ben Griffith (for Kennell, 46), Jacob Shore (for Butcher, 46), Issac McCue (for Rowe, 46), Joe Belsten, Matt Wright.

Attendance: 676

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An image of Yeovil Town players warming up ahead of their pre-season friendly at Exmouth Town. Trialists Jevani Brown, Abu Kanu and Luke McCormick are all visible.

Yeovil Town get their pre-season campaign underway with a trip to Exmouth Town on Saturday and, as ever with this time of year, there is a procession of trialists featuring for them.

Some we can expect to not see again but others may stick around. We will try and summarise who our spies on the ground in Devon think they are.

Disclaimer: There’s always a risk of mistaken identity.

Starting XI 

Manager Mark Cooper has named three trialists in his starting XI for Yeovil Town’s opening pre-season friendly of the campaign at Exmouth Town. There are a further three trialists named on the substitutes’ bench. New signings James Daly and Tahvon Campbell are also named in the line-up with defender Kyle Ferguson, the other new arrival this summer, on the bench. The Exmouth side includes former Glovers’ Under-18s’ defender Jacob Shore.

Yeovil Town: Aidan Stone, Morgan Williams, Trialist, Jake Wannell, Alex Whittle, Charlie Cooper, Brett McGavin, Trialist, Trialist, James Daly, Tahvon Campbell. Substitutes: Matt Gould, Ollie Hughes, Blake Watts, Lewys Twamley, Kyle Ferguson, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Corey Koerner, Josh Sims, Harvey Greenslade, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Aaron Jarvis.

The Trialists – Starting XI

Jevani Brown – striker

An image of Jevani Brown, the former Bristol Rovers and Exeter City striker, in pre-season training with Yeovil Town at the SGS WISE Campus in South Gloucestershire.
Jevani Brown, the former Bristol Rovers and Exeter City striker, in pre-season training with Yeovil Town at the SGS WISE Campus.

Former Bristol Rovers striker who has been identified as training with the Glovers during the week. He was released by The Gas in the summer having not featured last season. His only game time in the 2024-25 season was 18 matches on loan at Notts County in League Two, scoring twice. The 30-year-old’s record at Rovers was not vintage, scoring once in 33 League One games, and his best spell in League football came with Exeter City where he got 19 goals in 70 appearances, helping them earn promotion to League One in 2022. Prior to that, he was with Colchester United where he was loaned out to Forest Green Rovers, then managed by Glovers’ boss Mark Cooper and assisted by Richard Dryden, now on the coaching staff at Huish Park.

Brown comes with off-the-field controversy, he was suspended by Exeter in February 2023 for an incident where he slapped a woman and spat at her outside a nightclub. He pleaded guilty to one charge of beating and one charge of using threatening behaviour and was fined £5,000. After the conviction his lawyer said his client had been “under the influence of alcohol” and had “taken steps” to address his behaviour. Reports at the time of the court case in 2023 suggested Brown had been supported by the Professional Footballers’ Association for alcohol-related issues for the previous two years. He was released at the end of his contract and joined Bristol Rovers, then managed by Joey Barton, in the summer of 2023, but did not feature under either subsequent Rovers’ boss’ Matt Taylor (although was a substitute for Rovers in last summer’s 3-0 win at Huish Park last July) or Iñigo Calderón despite the slide in to relegation. When he signed for Notts County, manager Stuart Maynard described the incident in Exeter as “out of character” for Brown and added: “He has now gone away and taken help and we believe that every day he is trying to become a better person.“

Luke McCormick – midfielder

A midfielder with considerable Football League experience to his name who is reportedly among the players who travelled to Exmouth. The 26-year-old made 25 appearances for Bristol Rovers last season, plus five during a loan spell at Forest Green Rovers, before joining Jevani Brown as one of 15 players released in May. He began his career in the Chelsea academy with loan spells at Shrewsbury Town and Bristol Rovers before signing for AFC Wimbledon for the 2021-22 season, then back to the Memorial Ground in the summer of 2022. He scored three times for Rovers last season, but failed to score in his five appearances (four as substitute) at Forest Green.

Joseph James – right back

Started in the number two shirt for the Glovers at Exmouth. A young right back who was awarded his first professional contract at Bristol City at the end of last season having been at Ashton Gate since he was eight years old. He appeared twice for the Robins’ first team in the 2023-24 season, including a Championship start in a 2-0 defeat at Cardiff, and had a spell on loan at Bath City in National League South last season.

Trialists – on the bench

The other three players on trial at Huish Park appeared at the start of the second half at Exmouth with Cooper fielding an entire new XI after the break.


Abu Kanu – striker

An image showing Abu Kanu, a former Swindon Town academy player, in pre-season training with Yeovil Town.
Abu Kanu, the former Swindon Town academy player in pre-season training with Yeovil Town.

A 19-year-old striker who has been without a club since his release from Swindon Town’s academy in July 2024. He was a star of the youth set-up as a scholar, scoring 39 goals in the Under-18s in 2022-23, and went on to make two substitute appearances for the Robins’ first team in League Two and started two EFL Trophy matches. He suffered serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in September 2023 which put him out for ten months and despite returning for the Under-18s he was released at the end of his scholarship. He appears to have been without a club since then, but was spotted in videos of pre-season training posted by Yeovil.

Kieran Edworthy – striker

Striker who was with Plymouth Parkway in the Southern League last season. The son of former Plymouth Argyle and Crystal Palace defender, Marc, the 19-year-old scored plenty of goals in the Under-18s at Home Park and has been named among the substitutes in a League One fixture before signing for Plymouth Parkway at the start of last season.

Teo Kurtaran – midfielder

This one is a bit more of a guess and based purely on the strength of a post on X/Twitter in the week. Let’s assume it is him. Central midfielder who has been playing in Poland for second tier side GKS Tychy since January 2024. Born in Kingston-upon-Thames, London, he has previously played in the lower reaches of non-League for clubs including Kingstonian and Walton & Hersham which would stack up with what Callum thinks. If it is Kurtaran, it would not be his first time trialling in the Westcountry, he impressed in pre-season for Bristol Rovers back in 2023 but never signed.

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Former Bristol Rovers winger James Daly has become the latest new arrival at Yeovil Town.

The 25-year-old was released by League Two Harrogate Town at the end of last season where he made 45 appearances, scoring four times. The original announcement referred to Daly signing a one-year contract at Huish Park, however, in his own post on social media about the move he refers to signing for “a couple of years.”

He becomes the third new face to arrive ahead of the start of the pre-season campaign which gets underway with a visit to Exmouth Town on Saturday following the signings of fellow frontman Tahvon Campbell and defender Kyle Ferguson.

Speaking to the club’s social media, Daly said: “I am delighted to get it sorted. I spoke to the Gaffer (Mark Cooper) and Richard (Dryden) to make the initial conversations and they both sold it to me. I know Yeovil is a massive club with a massive fan base so hopefully I can come here and get this club where it needs to be.

“I had a great season last year in terms of getting grips to the experience of League football and I had a great time with Woking so I know what this league is all about and I know which teams are expected to do well, so hopefully I can bring that knowledge and experience here.”

The player has been training with his new team-mates at their new training facility at the SGS Wise Campus, near Bristol, this week and admits he has had a warm welcome.

He added: “I have been welcomed with open arms and felt at home straight away which is a massive thing. It has been a few hard days graft, but that is what you need to be successful.

“I was here (as an opposition player) a few years ago but now I am here the pitch looks immaculate, it is a massive infrastructure. There have been some great memories made here in the past and it is time to make our own memories and hopefully get this place rocking on a matchday.”

Having started his career in the academy at Crystal Palace, the left-sided wideman joined Bristol Rovers in January 2020 and went on to make 32 appearances in his first season at the Memorial Stadium before making the move to Stevenage in the summer of 2021.

He spent one season at Stevenage before joining Woking where he was part of Darren Sarll’s side which reached the National League Premier Division play-offs and showed enough to earn a move back to the EFL with Harrogate.

In the 2023-24 season he appeared regularly in the first half of the season before joining Aldershot on loan in February 2024 and helped them to the brink of the National League play-offs, finishing eighth, and worked alongside Yeovil’s new coach, Richard Dryden before returning to Harrogate for last season.

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TahvioNew Yeovil Town coach Richard Dryden has said the club’s players have been impressed with their new surroundings following the first training session of pre-season at their new training facility in Bristol.

The Glovers took the 70-mile journey north of Huish Park to the SGS Wise Campus in South Gloucestershire for the first time on Tuesday to get preparations for the upcoming season.

They were joined by Dryden who is now officially on the staff at the club following the expiration of his contract at National League rivals Aldershot Town, where he was part of the coaching set-up which got them to the FA Trophy final last season.

Speaking to the club’s social media after the first session, the former Bristol City and Rovers defender said: “It is a bit of a change for the players going to a different training ground but they have been positive, training was good and I think they have liked what they have seen. It is day one of pre-season and early signs have been pretty good.

“The first session was good, the facilities are brilliant, we have people here at the college wanting to help us as much as they can as well. There are always going to be a few little glitches when you come to a new place, but it is pretty impressive.”

The decision to move training away from South Somerset has been a controversial one with supporters split over the move which was described by Executive Chairman Stuart Robins as “a major milestone in the continued evolution” of the club. Manager Mark Cooper has said he expects the move to be an attraction for players as he looks to strengthen his squad. Read more – here. 

Kyle Ferguson. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

There have been just two new signings announced so far this summer with former loanees striker Tahvon Campbell and defender Kyle Ferguson among the ‘new’ faces in training on the first day back. The club posted that defender Morgan Williams was not yet back in training for “personal reasons” and added that he will “join back up very soon.”

Dryden spoke about his decision to link back up with Cooper who he had previously worked with at Tamworth, Darlington, Notts County and Barrow.

Asked about his decision to leave Aldershot, he said: “It was a tough decision because I have had two seasons and a lot of success at Aldershot and I have enjoyed it along the way. But I just felt it was time to move on, I am closer to some of my family and friends this way because I was obviously born and bred in Gloucestershire, so this is very close to where I was brought up. I have obviously worked with Mark (Cooper) and (coach) Ian Weston and a few of the other staff here. It was a tough decision, but I feel it was the right one.

“I have quite a bit of experience (in the National League) and the leagues above and below. I have worked with Mark for years at various clubs and we trust each other and bounce off each other, so hopefully I can bring a bit of experience and hopefully progress the players.”

Asked about his thoughts on the competition the National League will pose in the coming campaign, he added: “It is the same every year, there are a lot of ex-Football League clubs here trying to get out and we are one of them. There are two big clubs (Carlisle United and Morecambe) which have come down, some decent clubs (Truro City, Boreham Wood, Brackley Town and Scunthorpe United) which have come up, but it is the same every year, it is going to be a tough season. We will get ourselves equipped, get ourselves fit and organised and try and win a few games.”