Ian Perkins (Page 4)

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Yeovil got back to winning ways last night at league table-proppers Solihull Moors. A first half goal from Junior Morais saw Richard Dryden’s side get back down the M5 with all three points in a 1-0.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins, Dryden praised his team: “The lads have been absolutely fantastic this week. It’s been a tough week, but today we ground it out. The last half hour seemed like two days.”

Yeovil revert to a back three for the match, with Dryden prioritising the defensive shape.

“We’ve been looked at the last two games before this and conceded four [seven actually?] goals. There’s not a lot of time in working between games when you when you’re playing Saturdays and Tuesdays,. We did very minimal yesterday, but all we did was work a little bit on defending the box, not a lot. We just got a shape organised, and we felt if we defended our box well today, we’d have a good chance of winning the game.

“It doesn’t matter how well you play, if you don’t win games, it means nothing. It means nothing. We probably played better the last two games before this, and ended up with nothing.  We played some football today, they pressed really well I thought they were a really good pressing side and made it really hard for us. But we’ve done horrible things really, really well today. And that’s what sometimes wins you games.”

Morais winner came with a stroke of luck after James Plant’s shot was deflected into his path but Dryden’s focus was solely on winning the game.

“We are expansive sometimes. I think Willow’s [Morgan Williams] cross field, pass, gets out to, I think Planty, and from there on, it’s just a little bit of a blur. I haven’t even seen anything about it yet, it’s just about winning the game. I think when you’ve lost the last three it’s about winning the game, or getting something out the game, you know. So we’re really, really happy we’ve kept the clean sheet. And that’s not just a goalkeeper and the back three. That’s that’s a whole team. I say we score together and we defend together. And, you know, everybody’s done their job today.”

Former Hartlepool Manager Anthony Limbrick, who has been linked with the vacant managerial position, was spied in attendance last night and when asked if he still expected to be manager this Saturday Dryden’s response was: “I don’t know. Just just doing the job. I don’t know if I’m honest.”

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Well, we’re a month(ish) into the season and it’s fair to say it’s been eventful. The Glovers started with a 0-0 draw at home to Hartlepool before whimpering to a 2-0 at Forest Green Rovers. An unconvincing win against Brackley followed before defeats by Braintree Town and Gateshead sealed Mark Cooper’s fate. Yeovil finished August with a 3-2 loss at FC Halifax Town on Saturday.

The monthly YeoGov is back now we’ve kicked off so let us know what you’re thinking on sevon-point scale. It’s the usual questions around performance around the club and the optional matchday experience one and this month we want to know if you think the club were right to relieve Mark Cooper of this managerial duties. 

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Mark Cooper has been “relieved of his duties” as Yeovil Town manager this morning, the club has confirmed in a statement.

The decision follows a disappointing start to the National League Premier Division season which came to a head with a 4-3 defeat at home to Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday.

The Glovers had led 3-0 at half-time in the game before capitulating to their third defeat in the first five games of the season.

The statement published on Monday said: “We would like to place on record our thanks to Mark for his commitment to this club through some very difficult times and also his achievements during his three years at Huish Park. We wish him every success in his future endeavours.”

The statement added that coach Richard Dryden, who has worked alongside Cooper at a number of his other clubs and joined his coaching staff in the summer, would “assume responsibility for first team matters while the club begins the process of appointing a new permanent manager.”

The next fixture sees them travel to FC Halifax Town looking to bounce back after back-to-back defeats over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The statement added: “We encourage all supporters to get behind Richard and the squad as we focus our attention on this weekend’s fixture against FC Halifax Town.”

Speaking after the Gateshead defeat, Cooper said he had to take calls for his sacking “on the chin” after large sections of the Huish Park crowd turned against him following the second half collapse.

He said: “If you do not win games, that is what happens. I am a big boy and you have to take it on the chin. The biggest frustration is that we played so well (in the first half) and as a manager, a coach and as a staff, we set the team up to do what we did in the first half.”

Mark Cooper who has been sacked as Yeovil Town manager. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Cooper arrived at Huish Park in October 2022 following a disastrous start to the season by then-boss Chris Hargreaves and oversaw the club’s relegation out of the National League Premier Division in seven months which saw the club rocked by off-the-field turmoil.

He guided the Glovers out of the National League South at the first attempt, winning the title by 11 points, but when he guided them to an 18th place finish last season, his ‘conservative’ tactics began to turn supporters against him.

The dismissal is the first major move by the club’s new owner Prabhu Srinivasan who has attended all of the club’s matches so far this season.

Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan interviewed during a visit to Huish Park.
Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan who is now looking for a new manager.

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Where to start with that? It was an unbelievable afternoon at Huish Park in a match that had it all. Here are Ian’s five conclusions from emotional rollercoaster that was Yeovil Town 3 Gateshead 4.

The first half was scintillating. I cannot recall us blowing away a team in that fashion in years. Everyone was in sync, the football was flowing and the chances were taken. The players were much more comfortable in a 4-2-3-1 and the roles were clear. The energy of the forwards and the high press stopped Gateshead from getting any flow whatsoever and we forced them into mistakes which led to goals for Josh Sims and Junior Morais. Williams and Wannell looked their imperious best at the back, with Whittle and Pendleton on the overlap. Everything clicked and it was exhilarating.

Josh Sims celebrates his goal at Huish Park.
Josh Sims celebrates putting Yeovil Town in front against Gateshead. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

I was a big fan of our McMidfield. After the Brackley Town match I said that I didn’t think we were particularly mobile in midfield and dropping Luke McCormick deeper to partner Brett McGavin felt like the solution in the first half. He was energetic, ran with the ball, played forward and showed that he’s, perhaps, better suited to a role deeper rather than one of the number 10 positions. His mobility and McGavin’s passing set us up well in the first half and when we lost McGavin to injury we lost that composure in the middle of the pitch.

The second half was abysmal. Everything that was good in the first half seemed to just disappear when the players emerged for the second half. Gateshead matches us up and reverted to a back four (wingbacks 🚮) took control of the game and got an early goal which immediately put the spooks on the players and Huish Park. You could almost sense the “here we go” murmur around the stadium. And boy, did it go. What was said at half time? How can a team go from being so confident to so withdrawn? The high press disappeared and we showed that age-old trait of sitting back and inviting pressure. Taking off a winger and bringing on a centre back 3-3 spoke volumes. 

The players must take some responsibility. It’s unacceptable to be in such a position of dominance after 45 and to then crumble in such a manner. We were missing leadership on the pitch as the 2nd half progressed. Legs tired with the schedule (although Gateshead didn’t seem to have a problem?) Finn Cousin-Dawson came in for McGavin and did the battering ram role in midfield. Ben Wodskou had a huge chance after great work by Tahvon Campbell to get Yeovil a fourth but couldn’t finish like he did against Brackley. He should have scored. But, in that 2nd half we were crying out for some Sarll-esque characters to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and we don’t have them. Is that down to the players or the recruitment? The irony of Frank Nouble leading the front line and dragging his new team over the line, months after leaving under a cloud, was not lost. Credit to the players, they did go round to the supporters and front up to those who remained to applaud their efforts. The supporters have never not been behind the players.

I’m not sure what happens next, but we all know what needs to. The outrage was palpable from the equaliser. Huish Park was clapping along in unison to “we want Cooper out” from the Thatchers. As soon as the fourth went in the manager was down the tunnel as fury erupted from the stands. The decision makers were all in town for this one and just five games into their tenure they have a decision to make. The mood amongst supporters is clear, and it can’t just be brushed off as ‘people online’. No club wants to be seen as a sacking club and I understand that rationale, but the relationship with the majority of the fan base is irrevocable. Shortlists need drawing up and a plan needs to be made for change before Matt Uggla’s York City visit on the 6th September.

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 Well, that was an unbelievable afternoon at Huish Park. Our man Gary Brown was at Huish Park for us today and captured the event.

As ever, if you would like to use any of Gary’s images, please ask Gary’s permission before using.

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Josh Sims celebrates his goal at Huish Park.

An incredible game at Huish Park saw a second half horror show pile pressure on Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper as his side capitulated to defeat against Gateshead.

The Glovers turned in a scintillating first half performance and goals from Josh Sims, Junior Morias and Harvey Greenslade put them 3-0 ahead and seemingly cruising towards three points at half-time.

But when the visitors’ Kyle Hurst pulled one back just a minute after the restart, Yeovil started to crumble. The inevitable goal from former Glovers’ favourite Frank Nouble followed before substitute Kain Adom pulled the visitors’ level as chants of “We want Cooper out” rang around the stadium.

Then in the eighth minute of stoppage time, Adom struck the winner as Cooper disappeared down the tunnel with many supporters following him out of the stadium. 

An first half which was unbelievable and showed what Yeovil can be, a second half which was unacceptable and showed what we all too often have been.

First half

The highlight of the team news was a Glovers’ side with a genuine back four in defence for the first time in living memory – if you were born in the past couple of years at least! Alex Whittle returned at left back with loanee Byron Pendleton on the right and Jake Wannell and Morgan Williams in the centre of defence ahead of Jed Ward.

For the visitors, a very familiar face lined up in the forward line as Frank Nouble made his first return to Huish Park – in a playing capacity at least – leading the line for Gateshead.

In the fourth minute, Yeovil broke forward with James Plant bursting in to the box and went down under pressure from a Gateshead defender. No real appeals from the Yeovil players and nothing given by the referee Harry Wager.

There was a worrying moment shortly after when Josh Sims went down in the middle of the pitch with no-one around him, but the midfielder who collected his ceremonial sack of potatoes for being the club’s first scorer of the season ahead of the match was quickly back on his feet.

The attacking intent which was present for periods of the defeat at Braintree was consistently there with Yeovil suffocating the visitors at every opportunity.

A back pass to visiting keeper Harvey Shelvey saw him attempt to pass it out and Junior Morias intercepted and powered in to the box before laying it across to Josh SIMS who smashed home from close range. At Braintree on Saturday, gilt edged chances were not taken by Yeovil, at Huish Park they took the first one which came their way.

Josh Sims celebrates his goal at Huish Park.
Josh Sims celebrates putting Yeovil Town in front against Gateshead. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The pressure continued with Greenslade getting away down the right side after 27 minutes. He flashed one over the bar with Sims and Morias arriving inside the area.

Gateshead did not seem to know what to do about Yeovil and amazingly given how this season had gone, it was the home side who looked more likely to score and just before the half-hour mark they did.

Great play by Brett McGavin in the middle of the park saw him release Greenslade who laid it off to Junior MORIAS on the left side of the box. The stocky frontman beat his defender and leathered it in to the net. Ruthless.

Two goals to the good and seemingly cruising, there was no sign of Yeovil sitting back and on 42 minutes they added a third. A move which started with a great interception by Luke McCormick allowed McGavin to set Sims away down the right, he beat his defender and fired in a shot which Shelvey stopped but could not hold and it broke to Harvey GREENSLADE who smashed it home.

Wow, just wow. Where has this Yeovil Town been this season?! Who cares, more of the same, please. A genuine joy to watch going forward and that back four has not looked troubled at all.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Gateshead 0

Second half

 

Gateshead made two changes at half-time with goalkeeper Harvey Shelvey replaced by Tiernan Brooks and Kain Adom replacing Josh Home.

The visitors got the best start they could as they pulled a goal back within three minutes of the restart. Kyle HURST was picked out in acres of space on the edge of the box and he curled a superb shot in to the far corner past a stranded Jed Ward. 

Ten minutes after the restart, loan striker Ben Wodskou, who got the winner last time out at Huish Park, replaced James Plant.

On 58 minutes, the most inevitable part of the afternoon happened as Frank NOUBLE got a goal against his old side. A corner whipped in to the near post was met by a Gateshead head, and the attempted clearance landed at the feet of Nouble who rifled it home. There were words exchanged with Yeovil manager Mark Cooper and his former frontman as he ran back for the restart.

There were further changes for the home side with Finn Cousin-Dawson replacing McGavin and Tahvon Campbell replacing Morias.

A great opportunity for Yeovil to grow their advantage fell to McCormick on the hour mark. Morias and Sims both tried to bring a bouncing ball under control inside the box, the Gateshead clearance went as far as McCormick whose shot was stopped by Brooks. Great chance to ease the nerves.

Yeovil were indebted to goalkeeper Jed Ward who denied the visitors an opportunity to get an equaliser with a close range finish after 63 minutes. In the 70th minute, Adom flicked one just wide after another goal mouth scramble and there are a lot of nervous voices inside Huish Park.

Then in the 73rd minute, the equaliser came. A ball hooked in to the box was not dealt with by the Yeovil defence, Ward came to the edge of his box to try and meet it and Kain ADOM lifted it deftly over the keeper and Morgan Williams could not get it off the line.

Frank Nouble ‘has a word’ with the Yeovil bench on his way back after the equaliser.

The first chants of “We want Cooper out” come out of the Thatcher’s Stand. The mood has gone as sour as the performance from Yeovil.

With five minutes remaining, Wodskou had a golden opportunity to put Yeovil ahead again after Campbell threaded him in to the box but the Birmingham City youngster did not get a clean connection on it. A great opportunity spurned and two minutes later, visiting substitute Max Sheaf had an equally glorious one but he headed Adom’s cross straight at Ward who was able to parry it.

Moments later it was Greenslade who Yeovil were indebted to as Sheaf’s effort on goal deflected off Williams, looped over Ward and was headed in to the far corner before the forward got back to head it away.

The difference for Yeovil in these two halves have been night and day. The early goal from Gateshead left us completely shell-shocked and we have disappeared inside ourselves in exactly the same way that the visitors were in the first half. As good as the opening 45 minutes were, the second 45 minutes were worst.

But, just when you thought it could not get worse, it did. Eight minutes in to second half stoppage time another ball in the box broke to Nouble and then the substitute Kain ADOM who lashed home the winner. Mark Cooper has gone straight down the tunnel and a huge percentage of the Huish Park crowd and joining him in departing. I wonder if we’ll see either of them back anytime soon.

Honestly, I am lost for words. Unforgivable. Unacceptable. Something has got to change – and I think even the most ardent ‘Cooper in’ supporter will struggle to defend that.

Full time: Yeovil Town 3 Gateshead 4

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Date: Monday 24th August, 3pm kick-off

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: Josh Sims 17 (1-0), Junior Morias 29 (2-0), Harvey Greenslade 42 (3-0), Kyle Hurst 46 (3-1), Frank Nouble 58 (3-2), Kain Adom 73 (3-3), Kain Adom 90+8 (3-4)

Pitch: Looking magnificent
Conditions: Hot and sunny

Attendance: 2,799 (45 away supporters)

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Unnamed 62, Unnamed 71, Kyle Ferguson 83
Gateshead: Frank Nouble 66, Callum Johnson 83,  Kenton Richardson 90+5

Referee: Harry Wager

Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)

Substitutes: Ben Wodskou (for James Plant, 55), Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Brett McGavin, 65), Tahvon Campbell (for Junior Morias, 65), Kyle Ferguson (for Josh Sims, 79), Charlie Cooper (not used), Aaron Jarvis (not used), Matt Gould (not used).

Gateshead: George Shelvey (for Tiernan Brooks, 46), Connor Pani, Kenton Richardson, David Ferguson, Kyle Hurst, Max Melbourne (for Callum Johnson, 25), Josh Home (for Kain Adom, 46), Will Flint, Harry Chapman, Fenton John, Frank Nouble.

Substitutes (not used): Max Sheaf, Ethan Fitzhugh, Ben Williams, Callum Bone.