David Coates (Page 24)

Yeovil Town goal-scorer Jake Hyde has said he believes the team will become more ruthless the more they play together.

The frontman opened his account with a third minute goal in the 2-1  home win over St Albans City at Huish Park on Saturday with strike partner Rhys Murphy adding a second just before half-time.

But, both players and fellow forward Frank Nouble spurned a number of opportunities to extend the advantage.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall after the game, Hyde said: “The first half especially I felt we dominated play and there could have been three or four. That ruthlessness will come, the more we play (together) and get to know each other, the more we will start killing teams off.

You have got to remember we are a relatively new team still, we are still learning how each other play and we have got some fantastic assets in the team.

It is going to be exciting, we want to play exciting, expansive football and score a lot of goals and we should have gone in two or three up today.”

The former Wrexham and Southend United player, who arrived in South Somerset following his release by the North Wales side in the summer, made it perfectly clear he was not happy to hear the opening goal credited to Jordan Maguire-Drew after he headed home the play-maker’s cross.

It had appeared (from the Thatcher’s Stand at least) that Maguire-Drew’s effort had gone directly in, but Hyde was in no doubt that he had got a touch.

He said: “For me it was very clear. All the boys celebrated with me, it was a cross and a header, there is absolutely not clarification needed. It was very frustrating to hear another name announced because I didn’t even think it was in question.

Four minutes in to your debut for a football club and you score a goal, that gives you confidence. Jordan who crossed it ran over to me and it was not even up for debate, so very disappointing that they got it wrong.

Goals change games, so the first one was always going to be massive and with it being my first game I wanted to make an impact and drive us forward from the front.

Yeovil Town Mark Cooper praised his forward players as strikers Jake Hyde and Rhys Murphy both got off the mark in the 2-1 win over St Albans City at Huish Park on Saturday.

Hyde opened the scoring turning home a Jordan Maguire-Drew effort after just three minutes and Murphy added a second with a clinical finish from close range after the visitors had levelled following a mistake by keeper Will Buse.

But, the boss admitted to BBC Somerset reporter Ian Randall that the second half was “nervy” with an impressive visiting side continuing to press for an equaliser until the final whistle.

Asked whether he thought Hyde would be credited with the opener – which was initially given to Maguire-Drew – the boss said: “If he (Hyde) doesn’t get that, he won’t sleep tonight, he’ll be crying all night! He’s a goal-scorer he’s selfish and just wants to score goals. That is what we brought these forward players in for, to score goals. Two of them have got off the mark today.

Cooper added: “We looked more of a goal threat, but I don’t think we will play many teams which are that expansive with their play. I don’t think we will play many teams like that but the three points are the main thing today because we are under a lot of pressure.

There is a big, expectant crowd, we lost last week, so we just had to win. It takes the pressure off the boys and now we can go and attack (the home game against Truro City) on Tuesday night.

Having gone ahead early, an error by Buse on the half-hour mark gifted St Albans striker Mitchell Weiss an equaliser. The mistake was the Yeovil-born keeper’s second in as many matches, having been at fault for the only goal in an opening day defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town seven days earlier, but Cooper was not critical of his keeper.

He said: “We don’t have to say too much to him, he will know that it is a mistake where he loses control. It’s just a long ball forward and he misjudges it and they score, but these things happen. We won’t berate him for that.

Will Buse. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

 

Cooper described St Albans, who made the National League South play-off final last season, as “a really expansive and technical side” and, despite never being in front in the game, they never looked out of it.

The Yeovil boss said: “I thought we should have been further ahead than we were when they scored because we missed some good chances and their goal rocked us a little bit. But then we get our composure back and get another good goal and at the start of the second half we had a couple of great chances and should have killed the game off, but we didn’t and then it gets nervy.”

He introduced midfielder Josh Owers in the 84th minute of the second half – which had an additional ten minutes of time added on for stoppages at the end – to try and close the game out and Cooper admitted the three points were what his side needed from the game.

He said: “We started 4-4-2 and then changed to a 4-3-3 with Maguire-Drew in midfield and I just felt we needed another midfield player in there with Josh Owers (who came on as a XX minute substitute) to give us more legs and put Jordan out wide.

It was just about the result today, I could have put more strikers on and tried to get a third or fourth and then we could have conceded. Today I was right but we are just pleased with the three points.

Everyone can enjoy their Thatcher’s tonight and Sunday dinner tomorrow and hopefully they will come and support us again on Tuesday (against Truro City).

Cooper also spoke with the club’s official YouTube channel following the win against St Albans…..

Playmaker Jordan Maguire-Drew has extended his contract with Yeovil Town by a further two years.

The 25-year-old signed an 18-month deal with the club when he made an initial loan period from League Two side Grimsby Town permanent in January.

He scored three times in 19 appearances in National League Premier last season.

Frank Nouble wants his Yeovil Town team-mates to rid themselves of the “nervous energy” to help lift the losing feeling around the club.

The experienced striker, who joined in the summer following his exit from Torquay United, said he felt the feeling of “here we go again” after the opening day defeat against Hemel Hempstead Town.

Speaking on Thursday ahead of the opening home match of the season against St Albans City, he said: “On Saturday I felt it ‘oh not another defeat’. I just want to dismiss this feeling of ‘here we go again’, I don’t want to swear but that is how it felt.

We have another game now and another chance to prove ourselves again and whoever we play Saturday and in the games coming up, they will feel a much different Yeovil Town to the one I saw last weekend.

He added: “There was a nervous energy which you have to turn that in to a fearless attitude, whatever happens, happens but I am going to give everything.

You can still give everything and still be nervous and it takes voices in the dressing room to change that as the game goes on.

Nothing is going to go perfectly, but we want to make sure that next time there is an away following like that we have to make them proud of our performance – win, lose or draw.

Frank Nouble.
Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

The 31-year-old started up front last weekend alongside Rhys Murphy and Jordan Maguire-Drew and admitted he was not happy with his own performance.

He said: “I did not think I got to show the physical aspects which I can show in a game or my dribbling, so I know I was not as effective as I could have been in the game.

Hopefully that will change on Saturday and hopefully the style of play that we approach the game with will be a bit more like how we want to do things here.

Midfielder Scott Pollock has told Yeovil Town he is unavailable for the next four months, according to Glovers’ boss Mark Cooper.

The 22-year-old arrived at Huish Park in March when the club was under the ‘stewardship’ of SU Glovers, the group led by now-York City owner Matt Uggla, suffering with a knee injury which limited him to just seven appearances.

Speaking to our man Ian Perkins at his press conference ahead of this weekend’s home match with St Albans City, Cooper said: “Scott Pollock is injured for four months I believe. He has had a consultation.

He said his knee was sore in pre-season and now he has had a consultation and said he is going to be out for four months. He signed with the same injury and he is out for four months.”

The manager also confirmed that Pollock was under contract for a further two years at Huish Park although he has not been given a squad number for the National League South season and his image has disappeared off the club’s official website.

His last appearance saw him play the full 90 minutes in the 1-0 defeat at Boreham Wood on the final day of last season.

Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper has said his players need to go and put right what went wrong on the opening day of the National League South season as they prepare for their first home match this weekend.

The Glovers take on St Albans City at Huish Park having gone down to a 1-0 defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town seven days before and Cooper said he knew that the performance was “miles away” from where it needed to be.

He confirmed that striker Jake Hyde and captain Josh Staunton will both be available again this weekend having missed out due to the artificial surface at Hemel, but midfielder Jordan Stevens has returned to training this week but is not expected to be available until next weekend’s home game against Maidstone United.

Speaking on Thursday, Cooper said:  “The players were very frustrated on Monday but once we got Monday out of the way, there were no long faces, but that is gone. We have got to hit back now and show what we are really about.

We were miles away from where we need to be and I know that and the work this week has been trying to refocus and get the boys in to a place where they can have a platform to showcase their ability.

The process is the same, we want to attack, get balls in the box and score goals because of the attacking threats we have got. We picked so many wrong selections of passes and crosses last week that it was always going to be difficult for us to score.

Jake Hyde will be available against St Albans City on Saturday.

The boss said he wanted to see more attacking intent from his team and made several references to the fact that Hyde would be available for selection against St Al bans, who reached the division’s play-off final last season.

Against Hemel, Cooper started with Rhys Murphy,Frank Nouble and Jordan Maguire-Drew in the forward line with on loan Bristol City youngster Olly Thomas and Jordan Young coming off the bench.

The manager added: “We have some real attacking intent available. Jake Hyde is available and we need to find a way to get all of them in the team because I want to attack and score goals. I would rather get beat 4-3 than try and win 1-0.

I have to try and get as many of them as I can on the pitch, so whatever we do we will be organised and ready to go.

He told our man Ian Perkins: “In pre-season we have been really powerful at set pieces and the (Hemel) goalkeeper caught eight under his crossbar, so someone is not doing their job and we are not attacking the ball.

Some of the deliveries were really good and that is something we have been working on and something we will continue to work on.

Will Buse.
Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

Cooper insisted he had no concerns about goalkeeper Will Buse after his error gifted Hemel Hempstead striker Joe Iaciofano the winning goal last weekend.

The young keeper was involved in a mix-up with wing-back Zac Bell and his clearance hit the forward and rebounded in to the net.

The manager said: “Busey just has to clear it out of the ground, he’s not really under pressure, but he’s a young goalkeeper.

We’re at home (on Saturday), he’s a local boy, he has to thrive off that. We back him and we will look after him but we are confident that he will be fine and there will be no issues and no repercussions. I have confidence that he will be fine.

Chairman Martin Hellier arrives in the away end at Hemel Hempstead.

Cooper admitted that the ability of supporters to drink inside stadiums at National League South level brought an additional pressure to his players.

The game at Hemel Hempstead was marred by off-the-field incidents among Yeovil supporters with chairman Martin Hellier having to apologise for “embarrassing” himself after antics following “hurtful” comments directed at him by some fans.

The boss said: “If you are going to win anything, you need a good home record and the fans can help with that.

The added issue is that fans can drink in the stadium which can add a different pressure because if they are not happy and they have had too many, they will definitely let you know. That is another bit we have to deal with.

Yeovil Town owner and chairman Martin Hellier has apologised for “embarrassing” himself and the club during “hurtful” incidents at the weekend’s opening day defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town.

Posting early on Monday morning on social media account X (formerly known as Twitter), he responded to videos and posts circulating on social media which show him having to be dragged away from a confrontation at Vauxhall Road.

He describes how he was approached by a supporter, denies suggestions “berated” manager Mark Cooper following the loss and said he will delete his social media account within the next 24 hours, having re-opened it to respond to supporter posts.

The post in full reads:

“I felt I must post this message in light of the endless abuse I am receiving from a person I will not name. Yesterday I did indeed embarrass myself and let myself down and the club I have put so much into.

Upon arriving at the ground, and so taken back the amazing Yeovil fan base that had made a long difficult journey to Hemel, I felt compelled to visit the fans and show my gratitude.

With moments of arriving, a fan came up to me and said ‘Remember me from Twitter? I was the one that said I will bottle you and your fat son’.
I think any father or parent, will only imagine the feelings that would stir inside you, and the incredibly difficult situation to remain composed in that moment. I did not strike one fan. I was ushered away by well meaning friends only to be harassed my another fan.

“I literally have no understanding of why a select few, for whom there would be no club but for the tireless efforts of my family, staff, team and volunteers, would choose to abuse us in this way.

“I whole
heartedly apologise for embarrassing myself and the club / fans of #YTFC but the circumstances were so hurtful, I was placed in an incredibly hurtful situation with very little time to process my thoughts.

“On the suggestion that I “berated” Mark Cooper following our team’s performance, this is an entirely baseless lie. I spoke quite pleasantly with Mark afterwards, surrounded by my colleagues and all the Hemel officials.

“My honest opinion is that this campaign is designed to mentally destablise me, perhaps designed to make me quit the club, so that this person who claims to represent Simul Sport, can attempt to buy the club after my family, staff and volunteers efforts.

“I am honestly and humbly so sorry that we live in an era where literally anything can be said, without accountability, and be assumed to be correct.

“In the right environment / investigation, I will gladly give the names of colleagues, witnesses, match official and Hemel staff who will testify to what I have written.

“I ask all fans to continue to support and believe the intentions of my family, having shown our commitment so much, that you allow us to continue to work on transforming our beloved club, and continue to enjoy the journey we are on.

Your support is overwhelming and we are truly humbled.

Best regards always
Martin, family, and staff

(I will remove my account in 24 hours, I’m sorry, I had to respond to these awful accusations)”
Responding to the comments around Simul Sports, the group led by former Cardiff City commercial director Julian Jenkins, posted on his X account that the company, Simul Sports Group Limited, had been dissolved in September 2022.
He posted: “I want to officially state that Simul Sports was dissolved after the unsuccessful bid to acquire Yeovil Town Football Club. As such, there are no longer any active representatives of the organisation.
The group were involved in protracted discussions with the club’s former owner <NAME REDACTED> and included Damian Singh, Chief Finance Officer of Canva, the online graphic tool, and former Glovers’ midfielder Marc Bircham.
That appears to put that one to bed.

Yeovil Town’s start to life in National League South began with a rude awakening and defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday.

A goal from hosts’ striker Joe Iaciofano ten minutes from time was the difference. He capitalised on an error by Glovers’ keeper Will Buse who was involved in a calamitous mix-up with wing-back Zac Bell.

For their part, Yeovil huffed and puffed but could not find anything approaching the free-flowing play and goal-scoring which they had shown in pre-season.

Two thirds of the Gloverscast were there, and as part of the packed out away end, here’s how Dave saw proceedings.

First half

The opening exchanges showed exactly what an artificial surface was going to be like.

As well as sloping in half-a-dozen different places, there was no doubt the ball moved a lot quicker off this surface, and the home players knew exactly how and unsurprisingly adapted quicker to the conditions.
The first meaningful chance for either side saw Yeovil have the ball in the back of the net after ten minutes. Good play by Rhys Murphy on the left of the box saw his cross headed home by Jordan Maguire-Drew. But the assistant has his flag raised before the ball crossed the line.

The first booking of the match, handed out by Zac Kennard-Kettle, the son of former EFL referee Trevor Kettle (yes, that one), went to Zac Bell presumably for something he said. Three cards in under 30 minutes suggest he is indeed him father’s son.

Nine minutes later a spell of pressure saw Murphy denied by the offside flag again. Matt Worthington lifted the ball back in to the box, Murphy slipped his marker only to have his shot stopped by hosts’ keeper Craig King. The flag also up to deny him.
On 36 minutes, good play by Maguire-Drew who, aside from being denied by the linesman’s flag, had not seen a great deal of the ball, saw it drop to Murphy whose shot went over the bar.
That sparked a spell of sustained pressure with first Jake Wannell and then Charlie Cooper having efforts blocked.
Defender Jake Wannell, who impressed on his debut.
Picture courtesy of Dan Finill.

Maguire-Drew and Murphy combined again just before half-time but again the effort from the striker went over the bar.

The possession count was certainly in the favour of the home side but chances were at a premium although one came when a break forward saw Joe Re fire over.
The end of the first half saw rule changes to try and counter time wasting mean six minutes were added on. It is not an excuse for a fairly pedestrian display, but I would not be surprised if the home side contributed to the vast majority of this additional time.

Half time: Hemel Hempstead 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

The first opportunity of the second half fell to the home side who strung together a good passing move which saw Joe Iaciofano one-on-one with Will Buse, who spread himself well to deny the striker.

Yeovil keeper Will Buse does well to save at the feet of Hemel striker Joe Iaciofano.
Picture courtesy of Dan Finill.

On the hour, Montel McKenzie saw an effort tipped over the bar, and on 63 minutes the first Yeovil opportunity dropped to Morgan Williams after a moment of sustained pressure from the visitors. JM-D’s cross dropped to him inside the box but he could not get a decent connection and the effort went over.

Looking for a spark, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton was introduced in place of defender Jamie Sendles-White. That saw him move up front alongside Murphy and Nouble with JM-D dropping back in to the right side of midfield.

But it was Hemel who were creating the better chances with McKenzie flicking an effort over the bar after 70 minutes.

The breakthrough came for the home side came with a complete gift. A mix-up between Buse and Zac Bell saw the keeper a long way out of his goal to meet IACIOFANO who got enough on it to steer it in to the corner of the net. It was nothing more than Hemel deserved having exerted the greater threat, whilst Yeovil looked decidedly lacklustre going forwards.

Hemel Hempstead striker Joe Iaciofano steers home the game’s only goal.
Picture courtesy of Dan Finill.

There was a delay in the game not long after with trouble amongst Glovers fans – it seemed to involve supporters shaking the goal posts, a delay we could all have done without – whilst the referee and stewards tried to deal with the incident.

Once the game restarted, chances continued to come for the Glovers, Alex Whittle combined well with Frank Nouble, but the former Torquay man headed over with the game drifting towards a conclusion.

Yeovil threw on on loan Bristol City striker Olly Thomas for JM-D with ten minutes left and brought Jordan Young into the fray with added on time well underway, but to no effect.

The Glovers will head into four home games in a row with something of a reality check fresh in their minds.

Full time: Hemel Hempstead 1 Yeovil Town 0


Match Details

Venue: Vauxhall Road
Saturday, 5th August, 3pm kick-off

Pitch: Plastic and sloping in at least half-a-dozen places
Conditions: Stopped raining at kick-off but not a minute sooner

Attendance: 1276 (no away number given)

Scorers: Joe Iaciofano 78

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town:
Zac Bell (14), Jamie Sendles-White (22)
Hemel Hempstead: Reece Grant (28) George Williams (90+1) Elias Grant (90+8).

Referee: Zac Kennard-Kettle
Assts: Ryan Dix & Shaun Barry


Yeovil Town (4-3-3)

Substitutes: Sonny Blu-Lo Everton (for Sendles-White 65), Josh Owers, Olly Thomas (for Jordan Maguire-Drew, 81), Will Dawes, Jordan Young (for Nouble 90+5)x

Hemel Hempstead Town: Craig King, Montel McKenzie, Josh Williams, Kyle Ajayi, Jethro Hanson (for Eli Grant, 45+4), George Williams, Joe Iaciofano (for Finlay Corrigan 81), Joe Re, Chris Smith, Reece Grant (for Tyrese Briscoe 75), Arj Krasniqi.

Substitutes: Sayoud, Corrigan, Briscoe, Eli Grant, Carman.


Injured Yeovil Town striker Alex Fisher has said that he is targeting being back in training by November as he makes his comeback from a serious leg break.

The 33-year-old suffered a broken tibia and fibula and severely damaged his ankle after an accidental collision with Southend United goalkeeper Colin Andeng-Ndi in the Glovers’ 2-0 defeat at Huish Park in April.

Speaking on the latest edition of Gloverscast, he said he was hoping to defy the original opinion of medical advisors who suggested he should look for a return in January.

He told us: “The hospital said to budget for January, but given that I have done what they thought could have been six months (of recovery) in four months, if I do the same again I reckon I can maybe hit some time in November to train.

As far as the body is concerned, there is no difference between training and playing games. So as soon as I am training, the leg will not know any difference to getting hit in training or getting hit in a match.

So you have to be match ready to train and because I can do so much stuff between now and then, I am hoping that I will be able to get my fitness up before that time.

Fisher has had the supportive cage which has been around his lower leg since the injury removed this week, and is now

Listen to our chat with Alex Fisher in full in the latest edition of the podcast – here.