Ian Perkins (Page 103)

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The National League have confirmed the key fixture dates for the 2021/22 season.

The Vanarama National season kicks off on Saturday 21st of August 2021, with an end date of Saturday 21st May 2022.

The Playoff dates run from Wednesday 25th May 2022, until Sunday 5th June 2022, these are subject to FA approval.

The Christmas calendar will see fixtures played on Boxing Day (Sunday), Tuesday 28th December and Sunday 2nd January. Although, clubs will be able to move fixtures to the 1st, or 3rd January as both are Bank Holidays.

As always, things are subject to change.

 

 

 

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1621847889_2276858.jpgYeovil Town F.C. has today launched a Crowdfunder UK campaign to support the family of club captain, Lee Collins, following his tragic passing in April.

Collaborating with Collins’ former clubs, Yeovil Town F.C. are bringing the football family together across the UK to raise funds for Collins’ partner and young children and mental health charities, with 10% of the donations given to Young Minds.

Described as the ‘glue’ of the club at Yeovil, Collins also wore the captain’s armband at Northampton Town, Mansfield Town and Forest Green Rovers and played for teams across the English Football League (EFL) and National League including Wolverhampton Wanderers, Port Vale, Barnsley, and Shrewsbury Town.

Admired by all he played with at Yeovil and beyond, Collins set standards both on and off the pitch and will be remembered for his competitive attitude as well as his kind and caring nature.

Commenting on the campaign, Yeovil Town F.C.’s manager, Darren Sarll, said:

“Uniting the football family under one banner to create something special for the family of one of our own whilst supporting mental health charities in the UK is a huge objective of ours.

“Alongside Lee’s previous clubs and teammates, we have launched a fund to support the future aspirations of Lee’s daughters, Amelia, Laila and Charley-Mae and also raise money for the important work led by mental health charities across the nation.

“Yeovil is a family-centred club and Lee’s wonderful family, who have shown great strength during this extremely difficult time, will always have a home Huish Park. We’ll celebrating Lee’s life with all the Yeovil supporters during our match against Stockport County on 29 May and appreciate the unbelievable support we have seen over the past few weeks.”

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Two goals in the last five minutes saw Yeovil Town fall to a heart-breaking 4-3 defeat at Altrincham in a game played with the intensity of a relegation scrap rather than a mid-table dead rubber.

To add injury to insult, the Glovers also lost influential midfielder Josh Neufville after just 12  minutes at Moss Lane, stretchered off in a leg brace with a broken ankle.

It was 90 minutes which summarised this season to be honest – missed chances, defensive clangers, a huge amount of character/spirit/willingness, injuries, bookings and ultimately falling short.

In front of 600 home fans (one of which was definitely not me, if Altrincham FC are reading this), the home side played with a verve and intensity which many of the supporters I spoke with…..I mean, I imagine, would have loved to have seen more of after they went the last seven games without win.

Here’s how I saw it…..

FIRST HALF

Striker Reuben Reid replaced suspended defender Luke Wilkinson in the only change from the midweek draw with Maidenhead United, as another patched up side took to the field in Greater Manchester.

The reshuffle saw Reid up front with Joe Quigley as Chris Dagnall dropped back in to midfield and Lawson D’Ath moved from his central midfield role to right-back. Meanwhile, left-back Michael Kelly, who has been playing right back recently, went back to left-back where he replaced Carl Dickinson who went in to central defence.

And then within six minutes of the start, Yeovil suffered another injury when winger Josh Neufville was stretchered off in a leg brace after a heavy tackle from Altrincham midfielder Matty Kosylo, who was booked for the challenge.

Cue a further change as Emmanuel Sonupe came off the bench to replace the Luton Town loanee, who later revealed on his Instagram that he had suffered a broken ankle.

The injury was heart-breaking for the 22-year-old who has been unquestionably one of the bright spots in an ultimately disappointing season.

I am sure I speak for all Yeovil Town fans when I wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back playing football again in the near future.

After a lengthy delay, Reid spurned a good opportunity to put the visitors in front and then on 15 minutes found himself in space inside the box and his effort hit both posts before bouncing away to safety.

Just two minutes later, Quigley was played in on the other side and his shot across the face of the goal clipped the far post and away.

It is not an exaggeration to say Yeovil could have been 3-0 up by this point but, as we have seen so many times, defensive frailties proved they undoing as the home side went ahead on 17 minutes.

D’Ath  was caught out of his unfamiliar right-back position as Alty broke away and, following an almighty goal-mouth scramble Connor KIRBY smashed home the opener which even the hosts’ own Twitter account described as “against the run of play.”

Four minutes later, Charlie Lee’s diving header from a corner was blocked on the line before the home side began to find their feet and were able to carve through Yeovil’s backline on a number of occasions, almost scoring a carbon copy of their opener only for Billy Sass-Davies to clear Ryan Colclough’s shot off the line.

It took until a minute in to the eight minutes added on at the end of the first half for Altrincham to get a second as a ball to the back post found Dan MOONEY unmarked to head home.

We went in behind at the break and, for our missed chances and defensive mistakes, could really have no-one to blame but ourselves.

Half time: Altrincham 2  Yeovil Town 0

SECOND HALF

At 2-0 down, there was every risk this game could have turned in to an embarrassment for Yeovil, but it was the visitors who started the second half the brighter.

On 56 minutes, some near interplay between Reid and Dagnall set up substitute Emmanuel SONUPE to fire home his second goal in three matches.

There was a strong breeze blowing towards the away end at Moss Lane and there’s no doubt it played a part in Alty’s ascendancy in the first 45 minutes and appeared to help Yeovil in the second.

Quigley could have equalised on the hour mark when Reid’s ball across goal just evaded him, but the striker was on target on 69 minutes. A long ball forward from goalkeeper Adam Smith found QUIGLEY with time and space on the edge of the box to lift the ball over Tony Thompson in the hosts’ goal.

Three minutes later, a free-kick in to the box was met by the head of Charlie LEE and from being behind and seemingly playing for damage limitation, Yeovil Town found themselves ahead.

You could have heard a pin drop inside the ground, except for the sound of me biting down on my tongue to avoid drawing attention to the fact I was screaming on the inside!

This was the point where a fully-fit Yeovil Town squad, a luxury enjoyed by their opponents, could have made a couple of changes with a view to seeing the game out for a well-earned three points.

I have spoken on many occasions on the Gloverscast about my desire to see more of our young players, but I can say that a full-blooded affair – with racked up seven yellow cards – was not the place for blooding youngsters.

On the contrary, Altrincham were able to make two changes in the closing stages as they took off goalscorers Kirby and Mooney and replaced them with Tom Peers, who has 31 appearances and five goals this season, and James Hardy.

And, a minute after coming on, a low ball to the near post was turned in by PEERS. The goal was not against the run of play and had been coming as Alty turned up the pressure, but it showed the benefits of having strength in depth simply not available to the visitors – not an excuse, just a fact.

The Glovers’ misery was completed a minute from the end when  Josh HANCOCK found himself in space inside the six yard box and smashed the ball home.

It was my first game since watching Marc Richards’ beauty at Dover Athletic back on March 7, 2020 seal a 1-0 win, and it was everything I have come to associate with the team I have watched on live stream this season.

Effort, flashes of brilliances, moments of calamity and ultimately not quite being good enough.

 

Full time:  Altrincham 4 Yeovil Town 3

 

Yeovil Town: Smith, Kelly, Sass-Davies, Dickinson (c), D’Ath Lee, Knowles, Neufville (for Sonupe, 12), Dagnall, Quigley, Reid (for Stephens, 89)
Substitues (not used): Evans (GK), Heaton.
Bookings: Dagnall, Quigley, Lee, D’Ath.

Altrincham: Thompson, Ogle, Senior, Smith, Hancock, Moult, Mullarkey, Kirby (for Peers, 80), Mooney (for Hardy, 83), Kosylo (for Williams, 65), Colclough.
Substitutes (not used): Hannigan, Densmore.
Bookings: Kosylo, Colclough, Williams.

Attendance: 600 (all home fans – no away fans, honest!)

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Yeovil Town loanee, Josh Neufville suffered a serious injury in the Glovers’ match against Altrincham this afternoon.

The tricky winger confirmed on his Instagram that he’d broken his ankle.

Josh has been a highlight in what has been a terrible season and we’d like to thank him for his incredible efforts and green and white, and wish him a speedy recovery as he returns to Luton.

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How I’ve missed that.

The sound of the turnstile as you push your way through the least covid-safe entranceway possible. The murmur of the crowd in anticipation of a match. The thud of a damp football being skidded along a slick surface. The echo of heavy rain driving on the metal roof. The joy of having a shared experience with people, actual people.

This season has been memorable. The disastrous start to the season, the owner attempting to sell the land, the covid breaks, injury after injury and the tragedy of Lee Collins. Last night was memorable for all of the right reasons. To be back at Huish Park, surrounded by familiar faces (a row further forward than normal) was the teaser of normality that many of us have craved.

The performance was good, I think? I mean, I enjoyed the game. I thought we played well and looked comfortable. But it didn’t really matter. The point was 1500 of us got to watch our team in a competitive match for the first time in 444 days.

Last night, I learned that a stream doesn’t do our players justice. The connection between a players genuine effort and drive is totally lost from behind a screen. Charlie Lee could have had that performance two weeks ago and it would have been fine. But to see it in person – his determination, his running, his quality – reminded me what being a supporter is all about.

Carl Dickinson, totally imperious last night, was winding up his winger incessantly. That was one of his final two matches at Huish Park and he absolutely revelled in it.

Josh Neufville got an applause like no other after his substitution. That was an outpouring of gratitude for being our standout performer since joining. He’s a highlight of our season and we’re only just able to give him the genuine appreciation he deserves.

The electricity of Knowles. Darren Sarll has been hyperbolic about Tom Knowles ability and he’s that player who starts to get the seats rumbling as he picks up the ball. He wants to make things happen and he’s going to be great to watch next season.

And the 4th minute. What a moment. If you listed a top ten moments at Huish Park that would have to be in it. The appreciation we’ve been yearning to show. To show each other what Lee Collins meant to us all. We’re still a club in grieving, but for the game to stop for applause across the pitch put a lump in my throat. Seeing Adam Smith wipe away the tears and Lee’s colleagues take a pause to feel that moment was something else.

It was an absolute pleasure to be back at Huish Park last night, supporting a team that’s been going it alone since March 2020. While we might have forgotten what that connection between players and supporters felt like through this torrid time, just a minute inside the stadium brought it all back again.

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Hartlepool manager, Dave Challinor, is the bookmakers favourite to take over at his former club Tranmere, according to the Hartlepool Mail.

Challinor has led Hartlepool to a National League play off position this season and is a firm favourite of ‘Pools’ fans.

Tranmere, where Challinor made his name with his famous long throw, sacked their manager Keith Hill earlier this month. They also face a playoff campaign as they look to climb out of League Two.

 

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The Glovers weren’t the only team to score three today. More than half of the teams playing today scored three goals.

Last Tuesday’s opponents Aldershot went down 3-1 at home against Hartlepool. Hollywood heroes Wrexham came from two down at Boreham Wood (Kabongo Tshimanga was on the score sheet) to win 3-2 with an 88th minute winner. Dagenham and Redbridge continued their good form to upset Halifax 3-0, including a goal from Angelo Balanta. Ex-Yeovil youth player Joe Tomlinson scored a penalty in Eastleigh’s 3-0 triumph over Barnet. Top of the table Sutton retained control of the League with a 3-0 victory against Maidenhead.

Chesterfield, with manager James Rowe serving a four-match ban, conspired to draw 0-0 against Wealdstone. Notts County and Bromley played out a 2-2 draw. Former loanee Adam Rooney scored early on to help Solihull Moors to a 2-1 win against Woking. W*ymouth beat Altrincham 2-1, too.

Torquay and Stockport play tomorrow at 12:15 on BT Sport.