Ian Perkins (Page 17)

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2025 didn’t quite kick off how Yeovil would have hoped with defeat at Forest Green Rovers. Here are my Five Conclusions from the 2-1 loss at The New Lawn.

I hate talking about the officials. At this point it feels like an inevitability that there will be contentious decisions at the heart of a Yeovil game. Interestingly, Steve Cotterill said after the match that Forest Green were due a penalty having had none all season, although I’m not sure that justifies it. Kofi Shaw’s first yellow card, a classic case of six of one, half a dozen of the other was harsh in my opinion. The penalty decision is a close call too, and it’s hard to say with the angles I’ve seen whether it’s inside the box or not. However, once again we’re left complaining about the officiating in a match and I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s bored of it. 

Ref, Referee, Match Official
Pic Gary Brown

I thought we were excellent. The first half performance from the Glovers was what you’d have wanted away at one of the top sides in the division. Only once did the defence get really stretched and Yeovil stuck to their principles and moved the ball calmly and patiently. The opening goal from Kofi Shaw shows some real bravery from Ollie Wright to throw it out to Shaw over the Forest Green midfield and the 18-year-old took it from there. We had a couple of overloads where, on another day, we could have taken advantage of.

The nippy fellas are key. I thought Josh Sims had the best match of his time at Yeovil so far. There was a lot to do on our left both defensively and offensively and but for a couple of misplaced passes in the final third, he did really well. Kofi Shaw continued doing Kofi Shaw things – the kid’s a maverick and we should celebrate and encourage that in football. I was also impressed with Sean McGurk – nippy, technical and not afraid to shoot – it’s early days but he appears to be an upgrade on Dylan Morgan in that part of the pitch. We know we need to do more in the final third and with some help for Aaron Jarvis, I think we can find it.

We are so close. The first half performance showed me that this group are so close to being a team that flirting with the top end of the table. We’ve clearly got the quality in the team and when it clicks we look comfortable defensively and really assured on the ball. Forest Green were always going to be a bit more open than sides we’d play at home as they’re gunning to get out of the league straight away, but until they brought on two giants in Cardwell and Quigley we handled everything they threw at us. Once again though, it was the attacking moments that we didn’t take advantage of.

Kofi Shaw. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Reinforcements are much-needed. It was reassuring to hear Mark Cooper talk about freshening up the squad in the next ten days. With two youth players on the bench (and two goalkeepers) the depth is sorely lacking at the moment. I thought Aaron Jarvis had another tough task in the second half, especially after the red and substitution of McGurk. The energy that Sims and Worthington brought in the first half wasn’t there in the second, naturally. I actually thought the game could of have done with Frank Nouble from the bench, just to see if something stuck and took the pressure of the back line as Forest Green bombarded the Yeovil box. 

 

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Mark Cooper bemoaned the officiating once again, as a red card for Kofi Shaw in the 75th minute changed the course of the Yeovil’s New Years Day match against Forest Green Rovers. The hosts went on to win 2-1 with a stoppage time winner from Ryan Inniss, but up until the sending off, the Glovers were well worth their 1-0 lead.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah in the aftermath of the match Cooper praised his side’s performance: “First half, we were outstanding. [We] dominated the game with the ball. [We] played through a really good team and caused them untold problems, and we deserved to be winning. The game turns on another contentious decision. I just think when you come to the big boys – deemed big boys in the league – I don’t know what it is, I think if you give a pen for that, you give 10 a game. You could say [Kofi Shaw] doesn’t need to do it, but he clearly kicks the ball. Is it in the box? Very, very debatable. So I’m not sure you can give a penalty for that.”

Cooper also said there was a handball in the passage of play which resulted in the corner than Forest Green Rovers scored their winner from: “Well there was a handball. But, what they’ll say, is ‘it was accidental’. But listen, they’re gonna make it up as they go along, and make sure that Forest Green get a decision.”

With two goalkeepers on the bench and only Finn Cousin-Dawson and Michael Smith used from it, Cooper said he was working on ‘freshening’ up the squad in the next ten days and that the club had agreed a ‘really good one’.

“We played brilliantly well today. The first half, we were amazing,  that’s how we want to play. But when we look at the bench, we didn’t have too much where we could change it and freshen it up. And that’s what we’re going to be working on in the next 10 days. We’ve agreed one –  a really good one, and, [we are] still after a left-sided wing back.”

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Lee Lee Lee Johnson! The midfield maestro pulled the strings in the middle of the park for the Glovers in those memorable seasons in the early 2000s. Dave spent over an hour reminiscing with Lee about his time in Green and White for our first Glovers Past of 2025! Enjoy this one!

 

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Yeovil picked up an important three points to keep pace with the playoff pack yesterday. Here are five conclusions from my view from the Huish Park press box.

Matt Worthington and the team celebrate Aaron Jarvis’ goal.
(Pic C/O Gary Brown)

It was the result we needed after Tuesday. It was important that Yeovil reacted off the back of the disappointment of W*ymouth and pick up three points. While the performance over the entire 90 minutes wasn’t rip-roaring, three goals after lots of change before and during the match (on and off the the pitch) shows the resilience in this group of players. 

The initial changes didn’t quite work. It was quite a radical adjustment following W*ymouth with the five changes, albeit enforced with injuries to Plant and Whittle, and it didn’t properly click. Yeovil didn’t enjoy the usual control of the game that we’ve become accustomed to. I thought we were quite compact centrally with Cooper, Worthington and McGavin all treading on eachothers’ toes and Braintree were able to control the first half.

The second half changes worked. The switch to the more familiar 3-4-3 was more comfortable for the players and they gained more of a foothold in the match. Ed James header forced Braintree to chase the game and when we switched to a 4-2-3-1 we were able to make the most of the space. Sims, Nouble and Morgan all made a difference from the bench, with Morgan being absolutely pivotal for Brett McGavin’s clincher. 

Kofi Shaw (Pic C/O Gary Brown)

Keep mavericks in football. Kofi Shaw enjoyed another afternoon at Huish Park (much like against Maidenhead) where he had a free role and covered every blade of grass. He’s brave on the ball and is happy to put himself about against bigger lads too. He’s the kind of player who thrives when given license to roam and pull strings. Consistency is the challenge here. Can he do it week in week out and will he get the opportunity to do it?

We’re keeping pace and in the playoffs. The reaction from Tuesday was justified and warranted. It should never have happened. But, in the league we are in the playoff positions again and I think we’re absolutely punching above our weight right now. I understand that the style isn’t to everyone’s taste and there is a split among supporters, but to be 7th with this group at this stage of the season is an achievement. Keep the faith!

It’s mine! Ed James celebrates his first Yeovil goal! Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.