James Graham (Page 2)

Yeovil Town Women have officially won the Somerset Division One league title after results went their way at the weekend. Following second-placed Banwell’s 5-2 loss at the hands of Nailsea United, they now sit eight points adrift of the Glovers with only two games left to play, therefore mathematically handing top spot to Yeovil.

Paul Knight’s side came into the campaign with the league title being the main objective, and they have gone about achieving this target in emphatic fashion. Numerous high-scoring results have made the league title seem like an inevitability over the course of the season. With four matches still to play, Yeovil have earned a perfect 42 points from their 14 league matches, blowing the rest of the league away. The Glovers clinched the title with a goal-difference 36 greater than the next best team, scoring 74 goals and conceding just 5. In their fourteen league matches they have a staggering average of 5.3 goals per game, which includes one home walkover against Sydenham Rangers.

Image courtesy of Phillip Shields

Away trips to Wellington, Banwell and Portishead conclude the season, before the final home match as Yeovil host Paulton Rovers Reserves on the 24th March. Paul Knight’s team will be undoubtedly eager to maintain their 100% record and finish the league campaign convincingly.

As well as the success of the women’s first team, the development team also secured the Somerset Division Two South Title after overcoming Wellington by three goals to nil. Ray Bloomfield’s team lost just once in the eighteen-match league campaign and finished the season with 49 points from a possible 54.

Yeovil Town Women now turn their attention to the Somerset Premier Cup, as they face Middlezoy away on 18th February 14:00 KO. With this fixture being a semi-final, the Glovers will have their eyes on a league and cup double.

Everyone at Gloverscast would like to congratulate both Yeovil Town Women’s teams for their success in their returning season.

Yeovil Town Women took another step towards the league title as they beat Nailsea United 5-1 on Sunday. The victory extended the Glovers’ lead at the top to two points, with goals coming from Abbie Carslake, Zoe Ball, Niamh Nicholls and Becky Miles.

Paul Knight made three changes to the team who beat Portishead Reserves last week as Chloe Perham, Jess Gold and Les Spearing came into the side. Abbie Vernon was forced out of the lineup following an injury picked up in the warmup, Ella Entwistle replaced her.

Yeovil started with intent, as after five minutes last week’s player of the match Carslake picked up from where she left off and put the Glovers ahead. Miles’ cross was enthusiastically met by Carslake who finished to give Yeovil an early lead.

Image Courtesy of Phillip Shields

Later in the 17th minute, following a fortunate deflection, the ball fell kindly for Ball, who finished convincingly from twenty yards to double Yeovil’s lead and net her fifth of the season.

Despite continued Yeovil pressure, which included a good effort by Chloe Perham, the scoreline at half-time was 2-0.

The visitors were quickest out of the blocks in the second half as they halved the deficit in the 49th minute. Nailsea’s number ten latched onto a ball over the top and scored to make it 2-1.

Ten minutes later Yeovil’s two goal advantage was restored, courtesy of top scorer Nicholls. Entwistle played the ball to Nicholls, who lobbed the goalkeeper for her eighteenth of the campaign.

As the match entered the final third of the ninety, Yeovil’s centre-back pairing were heavily involved in the action. In the 70th minute Emma Brazell surged forward with the ball, leading to a scramble in the box and a Yeovil corner. Later in the 78th minute a crucial tackle by Daisy Evans prevented Nailsea running through on goal.

Image courtesy of Phillip Shields

The points were sealed for the Glovers seven minutes from time, as midfielder Miles rifled her effort home to make it 4-1 to Yeovil.

Following this, after a tireless performance in the midfield, Miles scored her second for 5-1, as her terrific lob evaded the Nailsea goalkeeper.

The match finished 5-1, as Yeovil earned another three points towards the league title and continued their 100% record in the league.

The player of the match was awarded to Becky Miles for her impressive midfield performance in which she scored a brace.

Yeovil Town Women return to action on Sunday 21st January as they travel to Banwell 14:00, in a fixture which could be regarded as a league decider.

Yeovil Town Women return to action after a three week break on Sunday as they host Portishead Reserves at Somerton. The Glovers will be looking to build on their unbeaten league run as they grace the pitch for the first time in 2024.

So far this season:

Yeovil Town Women currently sit in second place in the Somerset County Division 1 with a perfect 27 points in nine matches, the leaders Banwell sit top on 30 points having played two more games than the Glovers. Yeovil’s return to women’s football in 2023 saw them score 54 league goals, averaging a staggering 6 goals per game. Additionally, Paul Knight’s side only leaked 2 league goals, courtesy of a near-impeccable backline and Emily Hall between the sticks, who kept seven league clean sheets.

In terms of the goalscoring, Niamh Nicholls leads the league’s golden boot race, netting sixteen goals, which included a run of three hat-tricks in a row. Another player who finished 2023 on double figures was the skipper Jess Hodge, who scored twelve times. Playmaker Abbie Carslake leads the league assists table, with ten to her name. Sunday’s fixture against Portishead Res marks Yeovil’s tenth league match, as we edge past the halfway point, Yeovil Town Women will have a league title in their sights heading into 2024.

Sunday’s opponent:

Yeovil are yet to face Portishead Res this season, the opponents sit in fourth place in the league with fifteen points from nine games, winning five and losing the other four. Before the break they experienced their greatest league win of the season as they hammered Nailsea United 8-0, in which forward Maisy Ruffle netted five times, she sits in second place in the league scoring rankings with twelve goals.

Yeovil Town Women kick off 2024 at Somerton as they host Portishead Reserves 14:00 KO, another test for Paul Knight’s side in their path towards the league title.

Overall scorers (league):
Nicholls: x16
Hodge: x12
Coles: x7
Davenport x5
Ball: x4
Carslake: x4
Cheesman: x2
Will: x2
Beasley: x1
Miles x1

Overall assists (league):
Carslake x10
Hodge x6
Nicholls x6
Miles x4
Will x4
Ball x3
Coles x3

Yeovil Town Women ensured consecutive 5-0 victories as they overcame Ilminster Town Reserves on Sunday. The affair once again saw five different scorers, including a debut goal for new signing Becky Miles, who impressed on her debut for the Glovers.

Paul Knight made two changes from Yeovil’s 5-0 victory over Bishops Lydeard Reserves, as Becky Miles and Holly Coles replaced Jess Hodge and Chloe Davenport.

Another fast start by Yeovil was rewarded with an opening goal in the second minute. Becky Miles immediately got in on the action, as her cross from the right was bundled in by an Ilminster defender for 1-0.

Soon after in the eighth minute Yeovil had two, as full back Abbie Vernon found Holly Coles, who scored her second in as many weeks and her seventh league goal of the season.

Despite having a number of chances, including an impressive lob attempt by Abbie Carslake, Yeovil went in at the break two goals to the good.

Yeovil started the second half in a similar vein to the first, as they made it three in the 46th minute. Miles saw her shot deflect into the path of Jess Hodge, who made no mistake in firing the ball home for 3-0.

The Glovers’ positive start to the half continued as the heavily involved debutant Becky Miles got in on the goals in the 51st minute. Following an effective press, Miles regained possession from the Ilminster defence and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner to make it 4-0.

Later in the 69th minute a ball from Miles found Zoe Ball, who clinically beat the keeper for her fourth of the season, continuing her goalscoring form from last week.

The match finished 5-0 and increased Yeovil’s league tally to twenty-seven points from nine games in the Somerset County Division 1.

The player of the match was again awarded to Becca McManus, who retains the award from last week after yet another determined and impressive midfield performance.


Yeovil Town Women manager Paul Knight said after the match: “Really good performance, it was quite difficult conditions today in terms of the pitch that we’ve played on. We laid out our stall and we played exactly how we asked in the changing room. The opposition dropped four first team players down for today from the league above, so we knew after we saw the team sheet that the game was going to be quite different. We changed our shape to cancel that out and I think the girls did that quite comfortably. Good result, it’s 9 or 10 on stats if we convert the opportunities which we must score.”

On new signing Becky Miles, Paul said: “She fitted in exceptionally well, she’s an exceptional player. Obviously it’s happened really quickly, we’ve had no time with her, it was a gamble, but it paid off really well.”

Sunday’s player of the match Becca McManus said: “A second player of the match in a row obviously gives me massive amounts of confidence, an early Christmas present for me, really really nice.”

Yeovil Town Women return to action on Sunday 7th January as they host Portishead Ladies Reserves in the Somerset County Division 1 14:00 KO.

 

 

Yeovil Town Women continued their unbeaten streak in the league as they beat Bishops Lydeard Reserves 5-0 on Sunday. In a match which saw five different scorers, Yeovil showcased their ability to score from all over the pitch.

Paul Knight made one change to the team which overcame Wells in the Glovers’ previous outing, as Zoe Ball came in for Holly Coles.

YTFC Ladies vs Bishops Lydeard – Philip Shields

A typically quick start saw Yeovil in front within the first minute of the game, as the league top-scorer Niamh Nicholls opened the scoring, for her 16th goal of the campaign.

Swiftly after this, in the fifth minute, Jess Hodge made it two for Yeovil, as she drilled the ball past the Bishops Lydeard goalkeeper, to net her tenth of the season and send the Glovers on their way to another three points.

As the first half reached the halfway point Yeovil had three, as Becca McManus found Zoe Ball, who after being rewarded with a start, shot across the goalkeeper and found the far corner.

In the 39th minute Yeovil’s penalty woes this season continued, as Jess Hodge saw her spot-kick saved.

Following this, on the stroke of half-time substitute Holly Coles made it 4-0 after some excellent play from Zoe Ball.

The Glovers went in at the break four goals to the good.

Yeovil’s first real chance of the second half came to Niamh Nicholls in the 60th minute, as she fired her effort over from inside the box.

The fifth of the afternoon arrived eight minutes later courtesy of Abbie Carslake, who finished off Laura Cheesman’s inviting ball across, for her fourth goal of the season.

In a match which could have seen many more goals, Yeovil maintained control throughout and ran out 5-0 winners to make it eight league wins in a row.

The player of the match was awarded to Becca McManus for a determined midfield performance, winning the majority of her duels in the middle.

Yeovil Town Women manager Paul Knight said after the match: “Gritty performance, at the end of the day 5-0, I don’t want to sound disrespectful to the opposition, but we can do a lot better than that in terms of our clinical play on the pitch, the girls know that. I feel the lack of games over the previous weeks due to postponements has slightly hindered our performance, however this group always manages to both entertain and deliver.

“Overall, well chuffed with the team in terms of the result, I think for us as coaches we have things we need to think about for the new year and we’ve just got to keep the momentum going and just hope that the games keep coming with the weather that we’ve got.”

Sunday’s player of the match Becca McManus said: “I enjoyed the game, I love playing with these girls, we’ve been working on rotational play in the midfield and that’s what we were focusing on in this game, I felt like we did that well at times, but it’s something we still need to work on I think. It was a very good defensive performance, Emily keeping another clean sheet, I love playing with these girls, today was really fun.”

Yeovil Town Women return to action on Sunday 17th December as they travel to Ilminster Town Reserves in the Somerset County Division 1 14:00 KO.

Image courtesy of Philip Shields

Yeovil Town Women won their seventh consecutive league match as they overcame Wells City with a 3-1 victory. Niamh Nicholls’ brace, as well as a goal from Jess Hodge ensured that Yeovil took the three points against a strong Wells City outfit.

Paul Knight made one change to the team which thumped Ilminster in Yeovil’s last league outing, as new signing Abbie Vernon came in for Laura Cheesman for what would be her debut for the Glovers.

Yeovil started the game on the front foot, with Wells being pinned back in their own half during the early exchanges. The first chance of the match came in the 15th minute, as the league’s top scorer Niamh Nicholls saw her shot go wide of the post after being played in behind.

In a relatively uneventful first half and just as Wells were beginning to gain a foothold in the game, the deadlock was broken by Jess Hodge, as she netted her 9th goal of the season to give Yeovil the lead in the 42nd minute.

Yeovil went in at the break one goal to the good.

The Glovers came out in the second half in search of a second goal but struggled to break down a stubborn Wells defence.

Yeovil eventually found their second of the afternoon in the 70th minute, following impressive build up play. Chloe Davenport found Abbie Carslake who slid the ball across for Nicholls who inevitably finished to make it 2-0.

Yeovil’s two goal cushion did not last long, as Wells halved the deficit swiftly after the Glovers’ second goal, a well taken goal made it 2-1 just minutes after.

However Wells’ late rally was met with a decisive response by Yeovil, as Nicholls put the result to bed in the 75th minute. Abbie Carslake and Niamh Nicholls combined again, which resulted in Nicholls scoring her 15th goal of the season and continuing her prolific form in front of goal.

Moments later, Yeovil nearly made it four, as Zoe Ball saw her attempted lob impressively saved by Wells City’s goalkeeper.

The match finished 3-1 and saw Yeovil increase their points tally to 21 from seven matches, with the Glovers being six points off the top spot with three games in hand.

The player of the match was awarded to winger Chloe Davenport, who has impressed in recent weeks and continued her good form on Sunday.


Yeovil Town Women manager Paul Knight said after the match: “Solid performance, couldn’t wish for anything else, quite tactical today from our point of view, we know how they lay out the stall we knew it would be a physical game. We’ve let in our second goal of the season, however, what’s massive today is we’ve turned over quite a high pressing game and turned it into a win. Fair play to Wells, I have said to their manager today I felt that they were our threat for this season, so really pleased with the girls.”

On in-form winger Chloe Davenport he said: “Chloe and her opposite wingmate stepped up in the second half, her positioning was great, Wells weren’t coming through. Chloe stopped at least two or three dead cert goals with her ability to recover and make the tackles she did. Over the moon, player of the match 100%.”

On YTWFC’s title ambitions: “Obviously the league title is always in view, that’s my job, today was a critical game in putting us on the right track to achieving that. The girls know that and I think that does add a little bit of pressure.”

On debutant Abbie Vernon: “She’s finding her feet, she made selection after only training once, she’s not a natural left footer but she’s clearly defensive minded and quite a driving player, she worked well with Chloe and the wingers. She’s also quite a threat going forward, as well as defensively, she grew into the game.”

Finally, Paul Knight discussed team selection: “Of course it’s difficult, obviously those players are seen as attacking players but I see them slightly differently because of the way we coach them, for me the key word for this team this year is versatility. They’ve got to learn to play football all over the pitch, even the most senior of players. Those that started off in forward positions 12 weeks ago aren’t necessarily playing there at the moment, I think this is where we’re hurting teams, the fact we are versatile and we can rotate players quite vigorously.”


Sunday’s player of the match Chloe Davenport said: “It was great build up play from the girls, on the counter attack we were quite dangerous. Credit to all the girls for the entire game, great build up throughout.”


Yeovil Town Women return to action on Sunday 3rd December as they travel to Wellington in the Somerset County Division 1 14:00 KO.