David Coates (Page 3)

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Striker Harvey Greenslade is hoping he can finish the season with Yeovil Town well, but has admitted he will have to “see what happens” about his future at Huish Park.

The former Bristol Rovers frontman was the first signing of the summer of 2024 when he joined on a two-year deal following his release from the Memorial Ground and is one of a number of players who is out-of-contract this year.

He has managed just two goals in his 39 appearances this season, the same tally he managed last season, and his last goal came back at the end of August.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins ahead of Saturday’s trip to title-chasing York City, he admitted playing under four different managers – Mark Cooper, Richard Dryden, Danny Webb and now Billy Rowley – and not made it easy.

He said: “It’s been a bit hectic, I’ve not really had that before. I’m still young, so maybe I’ve not been as experienced as some of the other lads. With all the managers coming in, you want to play well for them, but they have all been really good to me. I wouldn’t say it has felt unstable, but we’ve all been a little bit in limbo at points, but now the ship’s a little bit steadied (under Rowley) and we want to make some progress and finish as high as we can. For me, I feel like I’ve played well at points and at times I could have been better, but I just want to do the best I can while I’m here for the last two weeks and see what happens going forward.”

Harvey Greenslade celebrates a goal.
Harvey Greenslade celebrates scoring his first goal of the season against Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The 22-year-old, who celebrated his birthday last week, has been asked to fill a number of different positions including at right wing-back in last weekend’s 0-0 draw at home to FC Halifax Town following a late injury to defender Kyle Ferguson in the pre-match warm-up.

Asked about his role, he said: “Whenever you’re called upon you’ve just got to give your all. Obviously, I’m a striker, but then I’ll be thrown in at right wing-back and you’ve got to do a job.  As long as I can help the team out, I’m not going to complain and I think people know that.

“It’s all about learning,  I just turned 22 and it’s all about getting more experience and helping the team while I’m here. I am just trying to improve as much as I can, taking on new things from some of the more experienced lads like Brett (McGavin) and Jake (Wannell). It’s just going to be a bit of a learning curve this season, but anything can help me improve then obviously I’ll take it on board.”

Yeovil have just two more fixtures remaining of the National League Premier Division season and travel to title-chasing York City on Saturday knowing their place in the division is already secured. The Minstermen could seal promotion to the Football League after more than two decades away if they win and second-placed Rochdale do not get maximum points at already relegated Braintree Town at the weekend.

Greenslade said: “I think these last two games for us are about expressing ourselves. Obviously, the lads have points to prove going forward, so we can put on a good show for the fans that are going to travel up and hopefully they get to see the net bulge and we can celebrate afterwards. I feel like one thing I’ll always do is give 100%. I think whether it’s to the gaffer, I want to show that I’m a professional player who can always give his all when I’m called upon and I’ll do my best.

“To me, it’s just another game we want to win. We could be playing Brackley and it would be the same kind of mindset. I feel like everyone’s going to be watching this game and looking at it and thinking “Okay, Yeovil drew to Rochdale a couple of months back and they could do the same to York.” Obviously it’ll be a tough test, they’re a top team with some good players. Some people might want it to go down to the last day, but if we can just go there and do our bit, get our three points and make our fans happy, then that’s what’s important to me.“

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​Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley has said the work to build a squad capable of challenging for the National League play-offs next season has already started.

The Glovers travel to title-chasing York City at the weekend for their final away trip of the season before finishing the campaign off at home to Solihull Moors seven days later.

But, the boss told BBC Somerset report Josh Perkins that his work will not stop when the final whistle sounds at Huish Park. He said: “We’re looking at the squad (to) rebuild for next season. We’re going to be in the office now all day looking at more things, not only on York but for the next few weeks and how that pans out. It’s a never-ending journey that we’re on.

“Obviously a lot of these lads will be remaining or some of them will be staying and we’ll be looking to bring in some fresh faces. I feel like the team is in need of a little bit of a rebuild, but we also want to reward the lads that have performed well this season. It’s going to be a mix of the two and we very much look forward to that.

“It’s something that I’ve done before personally; two years ago (at former club Walton & Hersham) I had to rebuild a team with three or four players and that season finished in the play-offs. I’m not going to say that’s going to necessarily happen next year, but that will be the aim and we’re going to aim high and we’re going to try and get some really good players in.“

On loan forward Terrell Works goes close in last weekend’s 0-0 draw at home to FC Halifax Town. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

In their first season back after at Premier Division level last season, the Glovers finished 18th and, even if they pick up maximum points in their final two fixtures, they are unlikely to break in to the top half of the division.

Asked about his play-off ambitions, Rowley added: “I would stand probably alongside another 14 to 15 managers in this division that would say the same. We don’t want to be a team, we don’t want to be a club that just turns up and makes the numbers up. When the league starts  in August, we want to be winning every match and we want to be at the top end of the league and this club and this support base deserves that.

“It’s been an incredible learning opportunity for me in these past four months to learn loads about the level and about the players that I’m working with on a day-to-day basis and the support base. There’s nothing more I would like than in this time next year we’re having conversations than to be a team at the top end of the table and not talking about achieving 50 points because that’s not where we want to be.“

The Glovers expect to have on loan Cardiff City midfielder Dakarai Mafico available for the trip to York and Rowley revealed captain Jake Wannell has been testing his injury to see whether he will be fit. Fellow central defender Kyle Ferguson, who limped off after picking up an injury in the pre-match warm-up before last Saturday’s goalless draw at home to FC Halifax Town, has also been in training and will be “touch and go” for York.

Captain Jake Wannell could return at York on Saturday. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown

The Glovers will be playing in front of a sell-out home crowd on Saturday as their hosts have a chance of clinching the title and a return to the Football League after 22 years away. They sit two points ahead of second-placed Rochdale, who travel to already relegated Braintree Town at the weekend, with the top two due to face each other in what could be a winner-takes-all final fixture.

Rowley said: “We can go to York on Saturday and play with the shackles off and try and be ourselves and cause an upset. With the greatest of respect for what them and Rochdale are trying to achieve, but we’re going there to win the game and play well.

“I think the natural thing to do when you’re towards the bottom end of the table is kick it long and play scared and play for set pieces and waste time and we’ve never done that. We’ve not been brilliant, we’ve not scored enough goals and we probably haven’t created as many chances as we’d like, but we’ve been brave in our build-up. We kept the boys trying to stay on the same patterns as we’ve been working on all season.

“We haven’t thrown those out the window and when it goes well for us, I think of like Tamworth at home, Morecambe at home we looked really good. So that’ll just be the message on Saturday really: keep doing what you’re doing, just do it slightly better.“

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Tickets for this weekend’s trip to title-chasing York City are back on sale for Yeovil Town fans – but there are a couple of caveats.

They will now only be available to Huish Park season ticket holders and supporters who have already purchased a home match ticket during the 2025/26 season which the Glovers have said is “in line with the request of the relevant safety authorities.”

Tickets for the game at the LNER stadium were taken off sale last week after increased demand from home supporters who will be turning up hoping to celebrate a return to the Football League.

The Minstermen are two points clear of second-placed Rochdale, who they face in the final game of the season, and could win the title with victory if Dale do not win at already relegated Braintree Town with both games kicking off at 5.30pm.

Announcing the news on Monday evening, Yeovil said: “Following ongoing communication with York City, tickets were temporarily taken off sale due to increased demand from home supporters. This allowed York’s stakeholders and safety team the opportunity to fully assess the situation and ensure supporter safety remains the top priority.

“As a result, tickets for this fixture will now be restricted. They will only be available to Yeovil Town season ticket holders and supporters who have already purchased a home match ticket during the 2025/26 season. Supporters without a home buying record this season will not be eligible to purchase.”

If you fulfil the criteria you have until midday on Friday to purchase a ticket which you can buy – HERE.

For our Huish Hugh Ciderspace Away Travel Guide to York, click HERE.

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Goalkeeper Jed Ward was the happiest man inside Huish Park as he collected his 11th clean sheet of the season in the goalless draw at home to FC Halifax Town.

The on loan Bristol Rovers man pulled off a number of the type of excellent saves which have become his trademark in a season which has seen him nailed on for the Player of the Season prize.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah after the game, the 22-year-old said: “Goalkeepers are judged on keeping clean sheets and that is 11 in the league which is amazing by my standards, so I’m really happy with that and I just want to keep that for the next two games as well.

“I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve found got myself into a really good form this season especially off the back of last season. I’ve loved playing in front of the fans, they’ve been brilliant, the staff, everyone around the place has been brilliant with me, so I have really enjoyed it.”

No questions around his future of the keeper who is under contract at Bristol Rovers until the summer of 2028, and is a player who Glovers’ fans would love to see back at Huish Park next season.

The match against FC Halifax Town is not one which will live long in the memories of anyone attending with two sides cancelling each other out. Yeovil suffered an knock before kick-off when defender Kyle Ferguson pulled up with an injury and had to be replaced in the starting XI by Harvey Greenslade with Finn Cousin-Dawson dropping back in to defence.

Ward said: “It was a tough game. They’re fighting to get into the playoffs which means it’s a big game for them, but I think we played some really good stuff today. It is definitely something that we, well, the lads, can look positively at going in to next season, playing that style of football, creating loads of chances.”

On the late change in defence, he added: “I think that goes down to the gaffer giving really good detail on what he wants from his players, I think anyone can slot into that. You’ve seen Dan (Ellison) come back from his loan and he’s done really well in the past two games, that is because he is a good lad and he’s willing to absorb information, he’s come in and done really well.”

There was one moment which got Ward’s pulse racing with three minutes of normal time remaining as Halifax’s Jay Turner-Cooke spotted him off his line and tried an audacious effort which skimmed the crossbar.

Ward said: “I saw it late which probably made it look better than it was, but I was just happy to make the save and keep us in the game at that moment. It definitely took me by surprise, especially that wind today. He’s caught it really well and it’s just traveled and kept going, so it’s a great strike from the lad and I was lucky that the crossbar was there.”

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Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley admitted his side’s goalless draw at home to FC Halifax Town was not one for the footballing purists, but said he was pleased with some of what he saw from his side.

The Glovers’ boss admitted the similar styles of both sides cancelled each other out as they played out a contest which screamed of a long season coming to an end.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah after the game, he said: “I thought we more than matched them in a lot of aspects, but we are quite similar in terms of our style, which probably made the game for the supporters and the average punter quite boring because we kind of cancelled each other out in a lot of ways.

“I thought the first half we weren’t amazing, we adjusted a couple of ideas at half-time, more so just to like get in behind the opposition a little bit more, try and threaten their back line because they were playing quite high and we ended up with some half-decent chances. I would like to see us sustain the attack for a bit longer at times, we get in the final third and we’re a little bit rushed with our decision-making.

“But on the other hand, we’ve had good chances. Terrell (Works) has gone around the goalkeeper and missed kind of a one-on-one and then (Ryan Jones) has come up with a bit of magic at the end and he probably should have scored. On another day, we could win this game 2-0 and it’s an incredible result, but it’s not a bad performance, not amazing, and not a great result, but not a bad one.”

The Glovers suffered a blow just before kick-off when defender Kyle Ferguson pulled up with an injury in the pre-match warm-up and had to be replaced by Harvey Greenslade with Finn Cousin-Dawson, who was returning following a suspension, dropping back in to defence.

Rowley said: “It’s one of those innocuous ones. We have to probably wait 24-48 hours to see if it swells up, and then if it is bad, obviously have to wait for a scan. It’s on his knee, just in the warm-up. He got a knock from Harvey when he tried to pass the ball and his knee went inwards. So we had to change two or three ideas for the starting line-up which wasn’t ideal, but I felt like the boys adapted well. It wasn’t an amazing start for us, but the boys adapted well.

“We obviously planned the game quite well, they’re a good team but they’re quite structurally like positional-based, so you can plan quite well around them. I felt like we got our press right and I thought that the boys at the back—I thought Joy (Mukena), Finn, and Dan (Ellison) were all really good. We defended the box well, we were good in one-v-ones and I thought some of their build-up was really good as well. I just wish I was standing here a little bit more happy with, with getting three points because I felt like especially the last 20 minutes probably deserved that.”

Midfielder Jonathon Page, who has played just 136 minutes of competitive football, appeared as a 72nd minute opportunity as he begins his comeback from a injury which has hampered him since arriving in Somerset in mid-January.

Rowley said: “Pagey has got a top football brain. I think he gave the ball away once when he tried to play a one-two with Brett (McGavin) and they didn’t read each other, but apart from that I thought he was faultless. Apart from that I thought he was faultless, he’s always in the right position, he offers good angles, he’s comfortable on the ball. I feel really sad for Pagey because we got him in halfway through the season, he got injured against Brackley and then he got injured in his third game against Sutton or Aldershot. We’re probably not going to see Pagey at the top of his game because he’s only got two more games to get fit, but he is a top player and really good lad.”

Next weekend, Yeovil travel to title-chasing York City, who were 1-0 winners at Tamworth in the early fixture on Saturday, knowing they are up against a winning machine.

Rowley said: “I wish that we were playing for a playoff spot or something, but if we were to go there and get a point, it would add a little bit more spice to it. But we’re going to go there and we’re going to try. I think it’s a great learning opportunity for me and for the players and the staff, because we’re going to play against a team that are ridiculously good, have got some unbelievable players in front of a crowd that’s probably going to be a sell-out. It’ll be a real good learning curve for going to play in a top pressurised game and see what you can kind of get away with and how you can adapt to those situations. We’re going to go there and try and win, as simple as that, and hopefully we can spoil their party.“

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On loan Cardiff City midfielder Dakarai Mafico has been limited to just 30 minutes of game time by his parent club, according to Yeovil Town boss Billy Rowley.

The 19-year-old has been missing for the Glovers for almost a month due to injury before returning to training with the Glovers this week, but he is not in the squad to face FC Halifax Town at Huish Park.

The club currently have seven players on loan with a limit of only five in the starting XI, meaning Mafico and Burton Albion striker Millar Matthews-Lewis are out.

Explaining the decision to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah before kick-off, Rowley said: “We have left Dak out today due to the fact that we’ve got we got seven loans in our squad at the moment and we can only obviously use five on a match day. So Dak, because of his injury, he’s only been given a 30-minute protocol through Cardiff, so it probably makes no sense to use him today. Hopefully we can get 45 or 60 minutes out of him next week (at York City).“

Midfielder Jonathon Page is named amongst the substitutes for a second game having been missing for a month and defender Joy Mukena, who came on as a half-time substitute in the 2-1 defeat at Eastleigh with on Easter Monday and then going off with a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury, starts having recovered from the knock.

2.45PM UPDATE: Defender Kyle Ferguson has left the pre-match warm-up at Huish Park with what appears to be an injury, meaning there is likely to be a change to the starting XI before kick-off. It looks as if Harvey Greenslade is coming in with Finn Cousin-Dawson moving in to the defence in a last-minute reshuffle.

Kyle Ferguson involved in the pre-match warm-up ahead of kick-off against FC Halifax Town.

The game is almost the dictionary definition of a dead rubber for both sides with Yeovil mathematically safe from relegation and Halifax relying on an almighty slip-up from Southend United to sneak in to the play-off places.

Asked how he was motivating his side, Rowley said: “The supporters were a massive factor in the (team) talk today. They have been so good in the past couple of weeks and were incredible at Eastleigh. They want us they want us to come here and just fight for every yard, every inch, and every point we can and that’s the message for the lads, we want to finish strong. I think the challenge for us, we’re going to try and get like five or six points out of these last three games. You would imagine (next weekend’s trip to title-chasing) York is kind of a free hit, but we want to win today and we want to win against Solihull on the last day.”

“It is really difficult (for Halifax) because of how well they’ve done this season, but I hope that they’re a bit edgy and they’re really dthinking deeply about ‘what ifs.’ We just need to go and play the game in front of us and hopefully we deliver.”

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3PM UPDATE: An injury to defender Kyle Ferguson in the pre-match warm-up means he is out and Harvey Greenslade has been brought in with a tactical reshuffle seeing Finn Cousin-Dawson moving in to defence.

Yeovil Town have made four changes from the Easter Monday defeat at Eastleigh as they take on FC Halifax Town at Huish Park (3pm kick-off).

Terrell Works and James Daly return to the Glovers’ forward line with Finn Cousin-Dawson back in the starting XI having served his suspension and Joy Mukena in at the back despite suffering a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury five days ago.

Troy Perrett and Harvey Greenslade, who both started against Eastleigh, are named among the substitutes whilst defender Millar Matthews-Lewis and Alex Whittle are not named in the squad.

There is no place for Cardiff City loanee Dakarai Mafico, who returned to training this week after a spell out through injury. He and Matthews-Lewis fall foul of the five-loanee limit.

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York City have taken tickets off sale for Yeovil Town’s visit on Saturday 18th April for the penultimate fixture of the National League Premier Division season.

The Minstermen are currently sat top of the table and two points clear of the only other club which can clinch the title, Rochdale, who they visit on the final match of the season.

In a post on its social media on Tuesday afternoon, they said: “We are speaking with the relevant stakeholders regarding the North Stand usage for our match against Yeovil Town at the LNER. The East, South and West Stands have all sold out. We will communicate once we have a further update.”

Travelling supporters are due to be housed in blocks NA and NB of the North Stand behind one of the goals which presumably means York are trying to negotiate for more home tickets to be made available. Tickets for the fixture have been on sale since February but were taken off sale on Tuesday.

In response Yeovil have posted on their social media: “We have been made aware that tickets for our final away game at York have been temporarily taken off sale due to high demand in the home end. We will provide an update once we learn more.”

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Survival in the National League Premier Division is now a mathematical certainty for Yeovil Town, but it was Groundhog Day again as the injury-ravaged Glovers went down to defeat at Eastleigh on Easter Monday. Dave was watching in on the stream and here are his conclusions – expect Jed Ward to be brilliant, us to have lots of injuries and there to be a need for investment this summer.

582 heroes: The first conclusion of this match has to be that away end. 582 Yeovil Town supporters made the 150-mile round trip on a bank holiday for a fixture which meant very little to us at the end of a season to forget – on top of the season to forget before that. And they did not stop singing and supporting their team for the entire 90 minutes. Yes, we supporters have our moans and groans, but if anyone ever thought to question the commitment we have to this club, the response is right there. The Man/Woman/Child of the Match without question.

582 heroes. Picture courtesy of Luca Manley.

What I wouldn’t give for Aaron Blair up front: Before the match, Yeovil boss Billy Rowley was singing the praises of Aaron Blair and the Eastleigh striker showed exactly why with his performance. Even if you put aside two very different goals – the first a poacher’s finish and the second a lovely chip over Jed Ward – Blair and his strike partner Harvey Saunders did not give the Glovers’ defence a moment’s peace all match. Full of energy, a complete pest to play against, makes lovely runs in behind and he knows where the goal is.

The Jed Ward Show – again!: How many times have we written this?! I’d say give Steve Evans at Bristol Rovers a blank cheque, but given his previous with financial misdeeds, that may not be wise. In all seriousness though, has one player ever stood so far head and shoulders above everyone else in the Player of the Season vote? In the first 30 seconds he air kicked at a ball and almost let Blair in, but he more than made up for it with another string of outstanding saves. Some goalkeeper.

Goalkeepers may be ten a penny in the summer, but are they as good as this one? | Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Dead on our feet or simply not interested: It’s been said in conclusions for weeks, but we have players who are literally running on empty. James Daly and Brett McGavin both played through injury and illness, Joy Mukena was so injured he came on and then came off again and these are the players that started against Eastleigh. The “small squad of quality” which was the brainchild of former boss Mark Cooper is really coming back to bite now. There were players out there putting their bodies on the line on Monday, but there were some who simply looked disinterested. With safety now mathematically assured, I think I would rather give the Under-19s who at least looked like they care a taste of first-team action than some of these others.

Let’s do our part as supporters: Saturday’s visitors to Huish Park, FC Halifax Town, still have a (very) outside chance of the play-offs and then it’s the small matter of a trip to title-chasing York City the following weekend. It is going to be a tough ride for the next couple of weeks and whoever turns out in green-and-white between now and the end of the season is going to need every boost they can get. The unbelievable support which was at Eastleigh and that which has been at Huish Park in recent week is the perfect example of what we can do to help. We’re across the mathematical safety line now, we just need to close this season out. The Community can remain Calm and supportive and then it’s over to the owners to show their commitment to Competitiveness in the summer.