New loan signing Millar Matthews-Lewis is named among the Yeovil Town substitutes for today’s match at Boston United (3pm kick-off).
The striker, who joined until the end of the season from Burton Albion on Friday, is joined by James Daly and Troy Perrett who both started last weekend’s 3-0 home defeat to Scunthorpe United.
Terrell Works, who has missed the past couple of weeks through injury, starts alongside Alex Whittle.
Yeovil Town have boosted their frontline with the signing of young Burton Albion striker Millar Matthews-Lewis on loan from League One side Burton Albion.
The 21-year-old forward joined the Brewers from Hemel Hempstead Town last month having bagged 12 goals in 26 National League South games this season. He was part of the side which put the Glovers out of the FA Cup in the fourth qualifying round earlier this season.
Glovers’ boss Billy Rowley told the club’s website: “Millar is a player I’ve followed for a couple of seasons. He’s got a great scoring record wherever he’s been. He’s a striker who can drop in and link the play, but also has intelligent movement in the box. We’re delighted to have him with us.”
His arrival follows the decision to allow striker Tahvon Campbell to join Brackley Town on loan for the remainder of the campaign earlier this week, and brings a long-awaited boost to the attacking options ahead of the trip to Boston United on Saturday.
Having started his career in the academy at Luton Town, Matthews-Lewis joined Farnborough Town initially on loan before making the move permanent. He joined Hemel at the start of the current campaign where his scoring form earned him a move to the EFL.
Burton Sporting Director Richard Dorman said: “Since joining Burton, Millar has shown real promise as he has adapted to a full-time training environment. This move provides him with an excellent opportunity to gain valuable first team experience at a higher level than Hemel Hempstead as he continues his development towards our first team. We wish him every success during his time at Yeovil.”
Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley has said he is not sleeping at night because he is looking to strengthen the Glovers’ squad following a couple of departures this week.
The Glovers allowed striker Tahvon Campbell to join Brackley Town on loan until the end of the season earlier this week and had the exit of defender Declan Skura forced upon them when his parent club, Wycombe Wanderers, recalled him early from a loan spell.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Rich Hoskins on Thursday, Rowley reiterated his insistence that he would only bring permanent signings in if he felt they had long-term futures at Huish Park, but did say the exit of Skura freed up a loan spot for a potential new addition.
He said: “I can assure our supporters that I don’t really sleep at night because all we do is look into making the team better, making the squad better and trying to find the right solutions. We are working around the clock to make the squad bigger and thicker and bring in more quality.
“But I’ve said this many times since I’ve been in this job, the worst thing that we can do as a club is panic and bring in players that we don’t want to see here in six months’ or 12 months’ time. So that balancing act at this stage of the season is tricky, it’s something that we want to get right and that’s what we’re working on at the moment.
“If you bring in a permanent player now, you have to put them on a contract for minimum of 18 months, so it needs to be a player that you really want to see here next season. The other option is obviously loans, which we’ve dipped into this season I think pretty well. We just had Declan Skura recalled to Wycombe, which sort of came out the blue really. They had a couple of injuries to their first-team centre-backs, so he’s having to go back there, which does free up a loan spot for us. So that now adds a different solution for us that we could potentially find. I can assure our supporters we are working very, very hard and I can imagine that we’ll have a couple of bodies in within the next ten days or so.“
Asked whether Saturday’s trip to Boston United would be too soon to see fresh faces, he added: “Maybe, maybe not.”
The departure of Campbell, who scored and played the full 90 minutues on his debut in a 2-1 defeat for Brackley at Eastleigh on Tuesday night, leaves Yeovil with just Aaron Jarvis and Harvey Greenslade as recognised strikers going in to the weekend. The pair have got two goals each this season with Jarvis last goal coming on 6th December and Greenslade’s on 30th August.
Rowley revealed that Greenslade had received the all clear on a scan of an injury which had been troubling him in recent weeks and midfielder Ryan Jones was “feeling a lot better” following treatment on a toe injury. The pair will both be fit for selection at Boston.
Boston saw an unbeaten run of eight National League Premier Division games come to an end with a narrow defeat at league leaders Rochdale last weekend, but the Glovers’ boss is expecting a tough game against a side he beat in his first match in charge in November.
Since that day, the Lincolnshire outfit have sacked boss Graham Coughlan and replaced him with the experienced Paul Hurst and enjoyed the fabled ‘new manager bounce’ up until last weekend.
Rowley said: “It will be a tough one. Boston was the first game for Darren (Simpson, assistant manager) and I and we managed to get the win 2-1 on the day, but I was really impressed by them. They’ve got a lot of legs, a lot of energy, some players in the front part of the pitch that can hurt you. Tom Cursons has recently gone in there and he’s scoring goals at will, so it’s going to be another very difficult game and we’re going to have to impose ourselves and bring what we need to bring to the table.“
Asked how he felt the club had changed since the last meeting with the Pilgrims, the boss added: “I feel it is different. We’ve probably not been on the training pitch as much as we would have liked in the last six or seven weeks, and I feel like we do some good work on the training pitch. It’s not been ideal to just keep playing and the boys have been fatigued, but this week has been a good week for us. It’s been nice to have no midweek game and I think we’ve got some good training in. The boys have got some decent rest, so we should be going into this game refreshed and with a bit more clarity of how we’re going to score.
“We played Telford in the FA Trophy at the end of January and leading up to that game was the last week that we’ve had a Tuesday-Thursday session. Since then, it’s been Wednesday games, Tuesday games, another Wednesday game, so you never do anything other than recover and then play. It’s been a good week for us and it means that we can go into the game with a little bit more sort of ideas and clarity, but obviously on Sunday we’ll see if it’s paid off.“
Yeovil go in to the weekend two places and eight points clear of Morecambe, the side which occupy the top spot in the division’s relegation places and visit Huish Park on 21st March, albeit with games in hand over all the sides below them. Following the trip to Boston, they visit Woking next Tuesday night for a rearranged fixture against a side under the caretaker stewardship of ex-Glovers’ players Dale Gorman and Jake Hyde.
Asked if Rowley felt his side were safe from the drop yet, he said: “No, mathematically no. If you look into like points per game and all that stuff, you’d like to say that we’re in a half-decent position. But, obviously it means nothing, games in hand when you’re at the (wrong) end of the table doesn’t really mean a lot. You want points on the board.
“We’re just going to approach every game as it comes, it’s just three points on the line for Saturday. We have got some tough away games coming up, but then we’ve got a spell where we’re at home against teams that are around us. We’re feeling confident going into that period and we’ve just got to approach Saturday like it’s a very important game, which we will, and hopefully get some points on the board.“
Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley has said he has not given up on hopes of seeing defender Declan Skura in green-and-white again after the loanee was recalled by Wycombe Wanderers.
The Glovers boss said the decision had “come out of the blue” after the League One play-off chasers suffered injuries to two of their key central defenders in recent days.
The 23-year-old has been a regular for Rowley since joining almost a month ago and has made six appearances, scoring one goal.
Asked whether he would like to see Skura back at Huish Park, Rowley said: “(Wycombe) said that he might be available in a few weeks, but that might be too long. We might need to fill that loan spot with other positions, we will obviously address that if it comes to that.
“Declan’s a player that we really rate and we really, really like as a lad as well, so he is someone that I would like to see playing in a Yeovil shirt again, but whether that’s in the next few weeks or not, I’m not sure.”
Wycombe suffered an injury to defender Dan Casey in their 3-2 defeat at Bolton Wanderers last weekend having already had Anders Hagelskjær ruled out until the end of the season earlier this month. Casey is expected to be out for at least a month with a hamstring injury.
Yeovil Town striker Tahvon Campbell has joined National League Premier Division side Brackley Town on loan until the end of the season.
The Glovers, who sit just three places and five points ahead of Brackley in the table, confirmed the move for the frontman on Tuesday.
A brief statement on the club’s website read: “Yeovil Town Football Club can confirm that Tahvon Campbell has joined Brackley Town on loan until the end of the season.
“Campbell joined the Glovers from Solihull Moors in June and has made 38 appearances, scoring four goals during his time at Huish Park so far this season. We wish Tahvon all the best during his time with Brackley Town.”
The timing of the move seems bizarre with Yeovil’s strikers struggling for goals with fellow forwards Aaron Jarvis and Harvey Greenslade managing just two goals each this campaign.
Unless there’s a new signing incoming………
Yeovil Town responded to the disappointment of last weekend’s FA Trophy exit with a massive three points with a dominant performance against Tamworth under the lights at Huish Park.
Ryan Jones put the Glovers ahead with a superb solo goal five minutes of the first half remaining and then on loan defender Declan Skura reacted to turn in a second after Brett McGavin’s free-kick came back off the crossbar ten minutes in to the second half.
It was the performance which was the reassuring factor in this one, unlike the late, late show against Sutton United six days earlier, Yeovil looked totally in control for the entire match.
There were three changes from last weekend’s FA Trophy exit at Southport with Ryan Jones, Troy Perrett, and Aaron Jarvis all returning to the starting XI. There were boos when Jarvis’ name was read out over the tannoy ahead of the match. Whatever you think of him, that is not going to help.
From the off it was clear that Tamworth were going to be a very different test to the one they faced in their last outing at Huish Park, the late 3-2 win over Sutton United, as they start with a very rigid 4-4-2 looking to play it long towards striker Oliver Lynch. Brett McGavin pinging a couple of great passes, but not much in the way of openings for either side in the opening ten minutes.
The nearest to an opening for either side came after 19 minutes when a Mafico corner almost found James Daly on the near post and almost got his fourth in three matches with an attempted back heel. Couldn’t quite pull it off. Soon after a good free-kick in the box appeared to be missed by Declan Skura at the back post, but that was about as near as it got for either side.
Tamworth’s style is making it very narrow in the middle and it is going to take a bit of magic from either Ryan Jones or Josh Sims in the wide positions in there is going to be any joy for Yeovil. Patience and keeping switched on to the danger Tamworth offer will be key.
A great ball from McGavin picked out Jones on the left, Jarvis did well to pick up the pieces and laid it off to Troy Perrett, but his shot flashed wide. Good move, that is about as near to a clear cut chance as we have seen.
I told you it was going to take a bit of magic from Sims or Jones and on 40 minutes that is exactly what happened. Another fantastic pass picked out Ryan JONES on the left, he took an amazing first touch but then topped it by weaving past two defenders and then smashed the ball across Jas Singh and in to the far corner. Take a bow, that was special.
There was applause from Huish Park as the half-time whistle sounded. There have not been many chances in this one but we have something to build on.
There was a change in personnel for Yeovil Town at the start of the second half with Aaron Jarvis replaced by Finn Cousin-Dawson. It looks as if James Daly, who has three goals in his previous two games, is playing through the middle with the Cardiff City loan duo of Perrett and Mafico in behind him.
Tamworth came out after the break looking but their forward play has created space for Yeovil going forwards and one player who was exploiting it was Mafico. On 54 minutes, the youngster found such a pocket of space and was fouled just outside the area. There was a queue lining up to take it, but it was McGavin and his effort was pushed on to the bar by Singh and Declan SKURA did superbly to hammer home the rebound.
This is the response supporters wanted after the disappointment of last weekend’s FA Trophy exit and full credit for Yeovil for keeping on pushing. First goals for first Jones and now Skura.
On 65 minutes, Mafico threaded a great pass to the on-rushing Perrett who was running in to the box, the midfielder tried to take it past the defender who got it away for a corner. You just felt a first time shot was the better option, but Yeovil still going for it.
Alex Whittle replaced Josh Sims on 67 minutes with the impressive Jones switching from left to right flanks and then with the game pressing in to the final ten minutes Tahvon Campbell replaced Daly.
Campbell thought he had made an instant impact when he met a great ball in to the box from McGavin with a header, but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for a push. No real complaints from the Glovers or Tamworth, I would add.
Yeovil have controlled this second half well, there has been less of the attacking moments which we saw in the first hour of the game as the game has pressed on.
With two minutes to go, Huish Park had another nice moment as Ollie Hughes replaced Troy Perrett. At 17 years, nine months and five days he becomes the fifth youngest player to represent the Glovers in a competitive men’s league game. Devon Arnold is still the holder of the youngest at 17 years, one month and eight days. Kyle Ferguson also replaced Ryan Jones.
In the final minute of injury time another opportunity to get a third fell to Campbell. McGavin blasted it towards the near post, Singh did not deal with it and Campbell piled in looking to get a touch but it went win.
A brilliant response to last weekend’s disappointment, Yeovil controlled the game for the full 90 minutes. A goal in each half and a clean sheet and moving up the National League table. Well done, lads, that’s the stuff.
Venue: Huish Park
Date: Tuesday 3rd March, 7.45pm kick-off
Competition: National League Premier Division
Scorers: Ryan Jones 40 (1-0), Declan Skura 55 (2-0)
Pitch: Good condition
Conditions: Mild
Attendance: 2,184 (38 away supporters)
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Aaron Jarvis 32, James Daly 57
Tamworth: Dan Creaney 77, Alfie Bates 90+2
Referee: Oliver Mackey
Yeovil Town
Substitutes: Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Aaron Jarvis, 46), Alex Whittle (for Josh Sims, 67), Tahvon Campbell (for James Daly, 78), Kyle Ferguson (for Ryan Jones, 88), Ollie Hughes (for Troy Perrett, 88), Harvey Greenslade (not used), Matt Gould (not used).
Tamworth: Jas Singh, Luke Fairlamb, Jordan Cullinane-Liburd, Kennedy Digie, Joe Rye, Ben Acquaye (for Tyler Roberts, 62. For ), Ryan Howley (for Ben Milnes, 46), Teo Kurtaran (for Michael Reindorf, 72), Alfie Bates, Stefan Mols, Oliver Lynch (for Dan Creaney, 72).
Striker Aaron Jarvis is named in the Yeovil Town starting line-up as they prepare to take on Tamworth at Huish Park tonight (7.45pm kick-off).
The frontman, who missed from the spot in the penalty shoot-out defeat at Southport in the FA Trophy at the weekend, is joined by James Daly in the Glovers’ frontline.
Ryan Jones, who was cup-tied in the Trophy, returns to the XI alongside Cardiff City loanee Troy Perrett, who came off the bench in Merseyside.
Tahvon Campbell, Alex Whittle and Finn Cousin-Dawson, who all started three days ago, are named among the substitutes. There is no place for Fulham loanee Terrell Works, who missed the game at Southport having played for Braintree Town earlier in the competition.
As quickly as he was here, he’s gone again! Yeovil Town defender Dan Ellison has resumed his spell on loan at National League South side Weston-super-Mare for a further month.
The former Bristol Rovers player, who joined from the Memorial Stadium last October signed by former manager Richard Dryden, came on as a second half substitute in the Glovers’ penalty shoot-out exit from the FA Trophy at Southport last weekend.
He was recalled with now-boss Billy Rowley struggling for numbers due to a number of first-team regulars being cup-tied in the competition with Weston, who he initially joined last December, being without a game.
The Rowley-coaster took another sharp dip as Yeovil Town’s FA Trophy dream died at the hands of lower league Southport. Dave was among the away supporters in Merseyside yesterday and here are his thoughts.
The dream is over and we only have ourselves to blame: Penalties are a lottery, but we picked all the wrong numbers in that second half. We were the better side in the first half but missed too many chances to put ourselves further in front at half-time and with the scoreline at 1-0, and that meant Southport always had a chance. They came out for the second half with that knowledge firmly in their minds and our substitutions assisted, we just got deeper and deeper as the second half progressed and Southport took full advantage. The miss from Chris Sze about 20 minutes before their equaliser should have been a wake up call, but we just did not wake up.
We lost the penalty lottery: After Brett McGavin had shown the way with the first penalty in the shoot-out, the choice of Aaron Jarvis for the next one was bizarre. In his pre-match comments, Billy Rowley had said Jarvis had travelled separately having been suffering with food poisoning and it showed, he offered nothing for the entire second half and to not even get his penalty on target spoke of someone who was either ill or has given up – or both. Jed Ward’s heroics in shoot-outs has got us this far in the competition, but there’s only so much he can do when two of his team-mates can’t even hit the target.
Is there any point mentioning the need for a striker?: It feels like we say it in every one of these Conclusions articles, but when you look at the chances we spurned before James Daly pounced on a mistake, it seems so blindingly obvious. I get the difficulties with finding someone at this stage of the season, but when you see other clubs in our division signing strikers, is it really that hard? Really?! Campbell did alright when he was on in the first half, but the fact he can’t complete more than 45 minutes speaks volumes. Less said about Jarvis the better.
Credit to Southport: You have to tip your hat to Southport, they never gave up and the 3,000-odd fans inside Haig Avenue created a fantastic atmosphere. The fans I met before the game had much more of a sense of humour of the ribbing about being Scousers than the more sensitive ones on social media, and they thoroughly deserve their place in the semi-final. I hope they get a Merseyside derby against Marine in the FA Trophy this time around.
This has to be a wake-up call: The progress in the FA Trophy has papered over some cracks in our squad, but now they have to be laid bare. There is no point in glossing over it, with the exception of a very select few, this squad is simply not up to it. There are 13 more league games left to play and we have to hope that there’s enough desire and quality in this side to get us over that line. If anyone in a position of control at the club thinks there is going to be the type of success which will bring in the crowds without major investment in the playing squad, they need to think again. If you ever thought this wasn’t a roller-coaster, the thrilling high of late win against Sutton on Wednesday and the devastating drop at Southport tells you differently.
