David Coates (Page 7)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First half

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

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

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

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

Half time: Solihull Moors 0 Yeovil Town 1

Second half

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Full time: Solihull Moors 0 Yeovil Town 1

Match Details

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

Competition: National League Premier Division

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

Pitch: Green
Conditions: Soggy

Attendance:  917 (162 away supporters)

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

Referee: Harrison Blair

Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)

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

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

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

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Yeovil Town interim manager Richard Dryden in conversation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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It’s back by popular demand – well some of you seemed to like it – the Gloverscast fans’ quiz is back for its second edition.

We’ve cooked up another set of Yeovil Town brain-teasers with the hopefully more familiar three categories – Golden Oldies, Facts and Stats, some more recent trivia in The Day Today, and this month’s Fans’ Favourite is about the one and only Super Gavin Williams.

Whether you’re a Thatchers’ Stand veteran, an exile or just here for the trivia, here’s a few questions to get your green-and-white neurons firing.

Only one supporter got 100% in the first edition, so good luck to all trying for a perfect score this time – up the Gloves!

Gloverscast Fans' Quiz #2

Back by popular demand (well, we enjoyed writing it), the Gloverscast Fans' Quiz returns for its second installment. Whether you're a Thatchers' End veteran, an exile or just here for the nostalgia, there's something to get your green-and-white neurons firing.

1 / 12

Which season was Yeovil Town's first at National League level, then known as the Alliance Premier League?

Huish

2 / 12

Which international team did Gary Johnson manage before he joined Yeovil Town in 2001?

3 / 12

On 10th January 2016, Yeovil Town played Carlisle United in an FA Cup third round tie. Due to severe flooding in Cumbria, the game was switched to which ground?

4 / 12

How many players made at least one Football League appearance for Yeovil Town?

5 / 12

In our season in the Championship in 2013/14, which was the only club we beat in both home and away meetings?

6 / 12

Who scored more Football League goals for Yeovil Town than anyone else?

7 / 12

Morgan Williams initially came to Huish Park on loan in 2019, but which club did he join from?

Morgan Williams with a cast on his right hand.

8 / 12

In 2020/21, Yeovil Town forfeited their place in the FA Trophy due to following COVID-19 protocols. Who were they due to play?

9 / 12

Which club knocked Yeovil Town out of the Somerset Men's Premier Cup in the 2024/25 season?

10 / 12

From which club did Gavin Williams join Yeovil Town in May 2002?

11 / 12

How many first-team appearances did Gavin Williams make for Yeovil Town across all competitions?

12 / 12

In 2013 League One play-off final at Wembley, Gavin Williams was an unused substitute, but still got a booking. What did he do to find himself in the referee's notebook?

Your score is

The average score is 59%

0%

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Harvey Greenslade celebrates a goal.

Yeovil Town goal-scorer Harvey Greenslade said his team-mates know they need to defend better after losing from a winning position for the second consecutive game.

The Glovers led 2-1 with an hour gone at FC Halifax Town but ended up on the end of a 3-2 defeat just five days after being 3-0 up at home to Gateshead and coming away with nothing, a result which spelt the end of Mark Cooper’s time as manager.

Greenslade put the visitors ahead in West Yorkshire with a superb near post header from Josh Sims’ cross just before the hour mark at The Shay, but defensive errors cost them again as they conceded two goals to squander three points.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins after the game, the former Bristol Rovers man said: “We have gone from not scoring at the start of the season to scoring quite a few goals. We should not have lost that game and we should not have lost the Gateshead game, so we need to be better as a group, it is not just the defenders, we need to be better defending the goal for the whole 90 minutes. It was too good a performance to chuck it away.”

Greenslade had some great opportunities to put Yeovil ahead before Halifax midfielder scored the first of his brace a minute in to first half injury time and he admitted he should have done better with the chances.

He added: “There were a couple in the first half when the ball was bouncing a bit and I felt like I could have had one or two goals, so that is annoying. It is nice for me and that is obviously two goals in two games for me now, but it is not about personal pride for me it is about helping the team. The team has helped me when I have been out of the team and now I have to repay them.”

Yeovil Town's players jump on striker Harvey Greenslade after his 58th minute goal.
Yeovil Town celebrate Harvey Greenslade’s goal.

Asked about the current managerial situation with interim boss Richard Dryden, who was brought on to the coaching staff by Cooper in the summer, whilst the club look for a permanent replacement, Greenslade added: “It is strange. Speaking for myself, I have never worked for the Gaffer (Richard Dryden) before, I really liked working with Mark (Cooper) and now having to go under new management is a bit of a change, but the lads are approaching it professionally and we have just got to get on with it.”

Yeovil have an opportunity to put right the mistakes of the past two matches when they travel to a Solihull Moors side sat bottom of the National League Premier Division table after six matches on Tuesday night.

Speaking about that game, the striker said: “I want to say thanks to the fans for making the journey, Halifax is not that close to Yeovil! We have a really good fanbase and when things turn around, which they will, the place will be bouncing at Huish Park. Even today we could hear them all game and hopefully we will see them on Tuesday as well. It is a must win for us, we have to focus on getting those three points. We can’t keep losing when we have been winning, that is two games in a row now, I will do everything I can to help the team and I know the boys will do everything they can to bring the points back.“

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Interim manager Richard Dryden was planning to show his Yeovil Town players a video nasty on their long journey home from the 3-2 defeat at FC Halifax Town.

The Glovers threw away a 2-1 advantage in West Yorkshire, the second time in five days they have given away leads to lose a game, as they began life after former boss Mark Cooper with a defeat.

It was three defensive errors from balls in to their box which cost them all three goals and Dryden told BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins that defending crosses in to the box would be the focus on training ahead of their next game at Solihull Moors on Tuesday night.

He said: “There are a lot of positives, a few negatives, but probably more positives. The big negative is we have not taken any points. We have had a conversation (in the dressing room) about stopping crosses and defending balls in to the box, but you cannot keep scoring two away from home and coming away with nothing. I said to them before the game that they are not going to be hammered if they give the ball away or do the right things but you will get hammered if you work hard and people will see that they worked hard today. We have got back with nothing but we have created chances and played some really good football.

“It is another ball across the box and we have to defend better. We have not got a lot of time, but you might have a rough idea what (we might be focusing on in training) on Monday morning. Sometimes you get camped in bit and sometimes  you do get overloaded and if that happens we have to be better in the box, not just the goalkeeper or the back three, it is everyone who is in there. Everybody has to work hard defensively.

“We will watch the bad bits on the way home massively and some good bits. We need to iron out the bad bits.”

After an even opening 45 minutes where they both threatened to find an opening and were threatened by Halifax, Yeovil fell a goal behind one minute in to first half injury time when Shaymen midfielder Oli Bray fired the home side ahead.

But, the visitors came out for the second half firing and levelled when midfielder Luke McCormick went down in the box to win a penalty which was confidently put away by striker Junior Morias for his second goal in as many games.

Six minutes later Harvey Greenslade headed a Josh Sims cross in to put the side ahead before a second goal from Bray and a winner ten minutes from time from substitute Will Harris sealed the defeat.

On his side’s goals, Dryden said: “Luke has done really well, got himself in to the box, he’s been brave because you know he is going to get hit there and it is a penalty. It is nice to see Junior put it in. The second goal is a really nice goal, we have worked it wide which we did a lot of in the first half and did not get anything out of it, it is a brilliant run by Simsy and is the centre forward is on the near post you have half a chance of scoring.”

There was a worrying moment when on loan Birmingham City wing-back Byron Pendleton went off after a heavy tackle in the 76th minute, but Dryden said he did not know the severity of the injury.

He confirmed that midfielder Charlie Cooper, who has now not featured in the last three matches with an Achilles injury, was still “a couple of weeks” from fitness. Dryden will lead the side in to the match at Solihull Moors where they will face a home side sitting bottom of the division after a 2-1 home defeat to Southend United on Saturday.

Dryden said: “It is another big test. You can’t brush over by saying ‘it was a great performance, but we got beat’, it was an alright performance going forward, but when balls come in to the box we have to be better.“

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Yeovil Town let a lead slip for the second consecutive game as they started life after Mark Cooper with a defeat at FC Halifax Town on Saturday.

The Glovers spurned opportunities to go ahead in the first half before conceding a goal to Owen Bray late in injury time, but a penalty from Junior Morias and a great header from Harvey Greenslade saw them lead with an hour gone.

But, having taken the lead, the visitors sat back at Halifax came roaring back and Bray pulled them level before substitute Will Harris struck the winner with ten minutes remaining.

Interim manager Richard Dryden was left to look back on the all too familiar story of missed opportunities and soft goals conceded as he prepares to pick the Glovers up ahead of Tuesday night’s visit to Solihull Moors.

First half

After ten minutes, a dangerous ball in to the box caused confusion inside the Yeovil area which led to a scramble before a clearance, it has been a shaky start for the visitors who seem to be still trying to figure things out.

On 13 minutes, the visitors’ first sight on goal fell to Harvey Greenslade who could not get any contact on an Alex Whittle cross from the left wing. 

Greenslade had the ball in the back of the net in the 17th  minute after he got slipped through on goal by Josh Sims and found the net, but could not beat the offside flag having made his run just too early.

Brett McGavin fires a free-kick in on goal.

A mistake from Halifax keeper Sam Johnston after 26 minutes saw him fail to claim Brett McGavin’s ball in to the box, Morgan Williams picked up the loose ball and laid it off to Junior Morias who twisted and turned on the edge of the box but his effort sailed harmlessly over the bar.

This game seems to go in five-minute spells of either side dominating possession; when we get going we look a real threat but we look really threatened when Halifax get their game going as well.

Keeper Jed Ward had to get behind a long range effort from Bray after Sean Tarima’s ball in to the box had evaded David Kawa inside the area and shortly after Ward was forced in to an acrobatic save to deny Jay Turner-Cooke who was the latest Halifax player to try his luck from distance.

Greenslade had a glorious chance to open the scoring with seven minutes of the first half remaining when he ran on to a long ball over the top from Williams, but the striker’s first touch betrayed him and Johnston was able to come and gather. 

As the game crept in to injury time there was the feeling that not taking our chances was going to cost us and a minute in that is what happened. Jamie Cooke whipped a ball in from the right, Williams’ attempt to intercept it cannoned off Ward and Kawa was there to pick up the pieces and find Owen BRAY who stroked it home. The Yeovil players were incensed feeling there was a push on McGavin in the build up.

Overall, an even first half with both sides having opportunities to get the opening, but it is the same old story of not taking our chances and then getting punished for doing so.

Half time: FC Halifax Town 1 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

The second half started with Yeovil on the attack with McGavin putting a free-kick just over the bar two minutes after the restart before Greenslade had an effort blocked shortly after. 

In the 52nd minute, Yeovil played the ball around well and found Luke McCormick breaking in to the box from the right side, he was felled by a thunderous tackle from Cody Johnson and the referee  awarded a penalty. With our record from the spot, it is fair to say there was some nerves in the away end but one man who showed no nerves was not was Junior MORIAS who smashed it low and hard past the reach of Johnston who guessed the right way.

The bright start continued with Yeovil playing some attractive passing football to retain possession and and led to a second goal after 58 minutes. I lost count of the number of passes which led to Josh Sims’ beautiful ball from the right side which was met by a superb near post header from Harvey GREENSLADE.

Yeovil Town celebrate Harvey Greenslade’s goal.

Remember how I said that for every spell we had, Halifax had one as well? The response to us going ahead was a couple of substitutions for the home side with striker Will Harris and winger Angelo Capello, the scorer of the only goal last time we visited The Shay, introduced on the hour mark.

Their arrival caused all kinds of problems for the Yeovil defence and a spell of sustained pressure we could not deal with and, you guessed it, a goal. With 65 minutes gone, Kawa was allowed to run in to the box and fired a ball across to Owen BRAY who was gifted the freedom of the penalty area to add his second goal of the game. The arrival of the substitutes has seen Kawa shifted over to the left side and he was causing problems.

We had sat back after going ahead and invited the home side to attack which they have been more than happy to do especially after the substitutions. Defensively we just do not look slow and completely unable to deal with balls going in to our box.

It was therefore no surprise that what turned out to be the winning goal came from a ball in to our own box. Josh Hmami played a ball to the back post this time from the right and our defence failed to deal with, Williams missed his header and the ball bounced inside the box where Will HARRIS was given time to smash a volley in to the roof of Jed Ward’s net. It had been coming since we went ahead.

Yeovil made substiutions of their own with former Halifax striker Tahvon Campbell and fellow frontman Aaron Jarvis replacing Sims and Greenslade whilst Finn Cousin-Dawson came on for Byron Pendleton, who was forced off with an injury after a heavy challenge.

As the board went up for nine additional minutes, James Plant got away down the right side and delivered a ball in to the back post but Jarvis’ header came back off the post.

Full time: FC Halifax Town 3 Yeovil Town 2

Match Details

Venue: The Shay
Date: Saturday 30th August, 3pm kick-off

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: Owen Bray 45+1 (0-1), Junior Morias pen 52 (1-1), Harvey Greenslade 58 (2-1), Owen Bray 65 (2-2), Will Harris 79 (2-3)

Pitch: Surreal-ly green if you have ever visited The Shay before
Conditions: Overcast

Attendance: 1,280 (143 away supporters)

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Harvey Greenslade 62, Tahvon Campbell 73
FC Halifax Town: Cody Johnson 51, Jamie Cooke 53, Angelo Capello 90+8, James Turner-Cooke 90+8

Referee: Richard Aspinall

Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)

Substitutes: Tahvon Campbell (for Josh Sims, 71), Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Byron Pendleton, 76), Aaron Jarvis (for Harvey Greenslade, 76), Kyle Ferguson (not used), Ben Wodskou (not used), Matt Gould (not used).

FC Halifax Town: Sam Johnson, Adam Adetoro, Will Hugill (for Jack Jenkins, 88), Josh Hmami, Jamie Cooke (for Will Harris, 60), Owen Bray (for Jake Griffin 90), David Kawa (for Tom Pugh 88), Jay Turner-Cooke, Sen Tarima, Cody Johnson, Thierry Latty-Fairweather (for Angelo Cappello 60).

Substitutes (not used):  Nathaniel Ford, Harvey Sutcliffe.