Five Conclusions (Page 2)

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A James Plant cross that went in goal was enough to stretch Yeovil Town’s unbeaten league run to seven matches, cement their place in the play-off places and add our fourth clean sheet in the last five league games at Southend United yesterday.

There seemed to be a strange atmosphere in some parts of Roots’ Hall, but the away end was not one of those parts. That’s where Dave was and here’s his thoughts on it all.

Well, I enjoyed myself. It wasn’t until I heard manager Mark Cooper’s post-match comments and one or two other posts that I had any idea this was anything other than an impressive if unattractive win. The game changed on the sending off of Southend keeper Zach Jeacock after 27 minutes. There was no choice for referee Abigail Byrne, however it hit his outstretched arm, it hit it. After that, it was all about effort, control and what would be a Goal of the Season contender if he meant it from Plant.

The players who came in put a shift in: Let’s not forget we were without Morgan Williams, Dom Bernard and Michael Smith in defence, Matt Worthington in midfield and Aaron Jarvis up front. That meant the players coming in had a lot of work to do and work they did. Harvey Greenslade worked tirelessly, Sonny was everywhere in midfield and Pedro Borges slotted in seamlessly on the right side. It is not a big squad we have, but even when we are down to the bare bones, we still have a bit of a cavalry. Defensively we look so solid right now and the fourth clean sheet in five games is testament to that, that can only serve us well in the games to come.

The young lads stood up: Combine the ages of Kofi Shaw (17), Pedro Borges (19) and James Plant (20) and you’re not far off the average age of a Huish Park attendee, but you would never have known it. All three of them stood up to a physical encounter against an experienced Southend side. Not only that, all three were creative sparks as well. If I were their parent clubs, this is exactly the kind of experience I would want them to be get in men’s football. Just a shame they are all loan players.

Excellent away: Roots’ Hall may not be the most aesthetically pleasing stadium, but I loved it as an away end. The big barrel roof, it’s one of a dwindling number of ‘proper’ grounds, and the 251 who travelled to Essex made the most of it. From the opening minute to the last, even when things got a bit ‘squeaky bum’, there was a non-stop atmosphere. The fans have come in for some criticism this season but, as Mark Cooper said in his post-match comments, they were excellent.

Bring on the next ones: Our wins up until yesterday have not come against teams who would expect to be in and around it come the end of season play-off mix, but yesterday would be an exception. I said at the start of the season I expected Southend to win it and, whilst that might not happen prove accurate, they’ll be in and around it. Next up we have another few teams – FC Halifax Town (home), York City (away) and Barnet (home) – who are all up there and I would expect to stay up there. Bring them on. With the return of Bernard, Jarvis and hopefully Michael Smith next weekend, we have some quality returns, although the loss of Charlie Cooper next weekend will be a blow. I’m still not getting carried away and still think seventh is well above any realistic ambition this season, I doubt any of our next three opponents can say the same. So let’s enjoy it, the pressure is on them. 

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A solid performance saw Yeovil run out 3-1 winners against Maidenhead United at Huish Park. I was in the Press Box, and here are my five conclusions from a lovely afternoon in the sunshine.

Aaron Jarvis spins the defender. 📷 Gary Brown

That was a proper strikers’ performance. Aaron Jarvis has been working hard since the first minute of the season. He’s spent much if his time in green and white wrestling with his opposing defenders, bringing his teammates into the game and trying to on the end of things. The Maidenhead game had all of that and the chances and goals on top of it. His first was all about his quick feet and composure inside the box. His second was anticipation, quick thinking and being in the right place at the right time. He was unfortunate to not get a hat trick, but after all the hard work and battling up front, Yeovil’s #9 has hit some form.

The McGavin – Cooper axis is working. We’ve been fairly spoiled for combinations in centre midfield over the past season and a half, but there’s something about McCooper that just works. Cooper is playing as well as he ever has in a Yeovil Town shirt, in my opinion. He’s controlling the tempo nicely and his recent performance deserved a goal – and what a great goal it was. McGavin has been a superb acquisition, and the kind of midfielder we’ve not had for a while. He’s always looking forward, plays the progressive passes rather than the sideways ones when he can and is calm and composed on the ball. The two’s contrasting styles complement one another and I thought they were dominant against Maidenhead.

Kofi Shaw strides forwards with the ball. 📷 Gary Brown

We have a talent in Kofi Shaw. 17. He’s 17! What a confident, fearless player Shaw is. He was pulling strings in the forward areas, getting stuck into battles and showed off some of his trickery. His back heel for Wannell’s overlap that led to Jarvis’s second was the kind of synchronisation you expect from a player who’s been at the club for months, not days. He’s clearly an intelligent player and we know he is thought very highly of at Bristol Rovers and, based on his performance yesterday, has all the tools in his toolbox. He’s young, though, and with us to learn and get accustomed to men’s football so it might not be like that every week, and that’s okay.

We looked sound defensively again. There’s been very few times this season where we’ve looked stretched or overrun defensively and, despite the absentees yesterday we looked assured, controlled and dominant again. Finn Cousin-Dawson, who’s been the ‘break glass in an emergency’ defender played that stopper role well and with Wannell and Bernard (who gets better every week) they took control of the passing out from the back. When an influential player like Morgan Williams is missing its okay to be concerned what the impact will be, but that defensive unit looked as solid as ever.

Charlie Cooper celebrates his goal vs Maidenhead

Up to 7th – don’t say the P word. At Gloverscast we’re never far off being accused of being too negative, or too positive ironically, which means we’re probably somewhere in the middle. But, pick your poison here. The recent performances, and the clicking in the final third has seen us bag 6 goals in our last 3 matches. Mark Cooper wanted a reaction from his team after the FA Cup defeat at Chesham and he’s had it. As we saw last season, momentum counts for a lot in football and the performances have been steadily improving. If we can keep up the pace with those around us, we’ll land well above mid-table. The next three are Southend (A), Halifax (H)  and York (A), which on paper are trickier than the last three, but I don’t go into any games worrying about what the opposition have up their sleeve anymore, because when we’re on song, I fancy our chances.

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Gloverscast Ben was at the Lamb Ground for the BBC on Tuesday, you might have heard him bleating on about the game on the radio. (Get it? Lamb? Bleat?)

He got back home in the wee small hours much like the couple hundred hardly Glovers fans and here are his Five Conclusions.

A point gained or two points dropped… or both!?

On the face of it, a point away at Tamworth this season is a really good result, Gateshead didn’t get one, neither did Woking or Sutton for that matter. Plenty of teams will go the Lamb and get nothing other than a good sheering… (Get it? Lamb? Sheering?  – ugh forget it) but it is worth noting we were comfortably the better team – in fact we were the only team actually trying to play football, more on that shortly.

The movement through the defence to the midfield is getting better by the game at the moment, and when we have plenty of the ball, we look like we’re able to make chances almost at will.

Yeah, maybe the final ball wasn’t perfect, maybe we did have a couple of really guilt edged chances that we didn’t take, but this wasn’t a 0-0 that screamed ‘Where is our next goal coming from?’, far from it.

In the context of 90 minutes, it’s ok to be frustrated that we couldn’t find that one moment to claim the win, in the context of the past 72 hours, four points from two tough away games is a cracking return, in the context a whole week, if we can back that up with three big ones at HP on Saturday, a seven-point week is not to be sniffed at.

Tamworth Masters of Dark Arts.

Wow.

During my pre-match prep I noted that Tamworth had already notched up 40 (four-zero, FORTY) Yellow cards this season, 45 if you include non-player cautions for those in the dugout and quite how that didn’t make it up to the half century in this match I do not know.

This is going to sound a bit sour, a bit like I’ve taken the bait without anyone even fishing, but that was one of the most truly anti-football home performances I’ve ever witnessed.

They kick, they push, they trample, that tear shirts off backs, they scrap, they chirp, they play such an ugly game based on long throws and poophousery. 

I mean, fair play, they play to their strengths, and we had to match them at times and that’s fine, but that can’t be fun to watch week in week out? 

…and as for the officials, with Rule One rattling around my head, probably up there with one of the worst performances I’ve seen from the officials ever, at times they were literally guessing. Just pointing flags in random directions and I know Mr Steven Copeland was a late sub for the game as the man in the middle, but it’s not all about you mate, control the game, protect the players. He was Baaaaaad. (Get it? Lamb? Baa? Fine, I’ll stop)

It reminded me of going to some of those smaller sides in the National League South, it was ugly and you just hope to get out unscathed… oh yeah, about that.

Worthington and Williams might be missing a while.

Those bloody 4G pitches.

Both Matt Worthington and home sub Matt Curley look set for spells on the sidelines because of the pitch.

Neither were within any kind of distance of another human when they hit the deck, with ankle problems. Worthington felt something doing a simple jump in the air in the seconds before kick off and then got a bad bounce of the ball early on whilst Curley had the audacity to try and change direction with the ball at his feet – Plastic Pitches won’t allow that sort of woke nonsense.

The sooner these terrible pitches are dealt with and either increased in quality, or banned entirely at professional level, the better.

Right then, the red card.

I’ll be honest, initially my reaction was that it probably WAS a red card.

It wasn’t malicious, it wasn’t overly reckless, it was probably just a bit high and a bit out of control, I can understand why the official immediately thought the same and went to his back pocket.

But, that’s the problem here, he barely finishes blowing for the foul before the card is out. He’s got half a dozen Tamworth players making a song and dance about the tackle and he’s not given himself time to properly take it all in.

In all likelihood, it’s an Orange Card, somewhere between yellow and red. You’ve seen them given, you’d be mad if it’s against you, but probably nodding along if it’s the opposition. 

“Hi, yes, is that Port Vale? Let’s have a chat about James please”

That phone call to Port Vale needs to include questions like, ‘Can we keep him for longer?’ ‘Can we keep him forever?’.

This was my first chance to see James Plant in the flesh and boy, do I like what I see.

He’s a left back, who is also a left winger, who can cut in on his right, he can cross, he can pass, he can handle himself in physical battles, he can keep his whits about him with a (truly ridiculous) yellow card on his name all game. Yes please. We’ll have more of that.

His inclusion means we don’t have to risk or rush Whittle back and actually, when Whittle does come back, there’s arguably room for them both.

Don’t fall in love with loan players, though please… it never ends well.

James Plant puts a cross in. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

So, what do we do about Saturday?

Well, we’re going to need a new Right Wing Back with Worthy missing out – that might be Jordan Young, that might be Josh Sims – neither feel like obvious candidates and their abilities are probably suited further forward. Young, Kofi Shaw will likely be used from the bench again and he doesn’t strike me as the defensive type.

Recall Jordan Thomas? Feels unlikely. Sonny to square peg a round hole? Don’t know, tough call to make, but clearly this set up is working, and I think consistency is what we need at the moment, someone will have to fit in.

We have said we’re going to appeal the Morgan Williams (and you might as well) but how often do these things get overturned if there’s even a hint of doubt? Hardly ever, I expect we’ll make plans to not have him.

Wannell was an absolute beast at the back, I like Bernard the more I see of him and for me, FC-D came in and quickly got up to the pace of the game, quickly into the physicality of it, didn’t miss a header, didn’t duck out of a challenge, it makes total sense that he just slots into the three.

A win on Saturday, in front of a home crowd feels like it could really send our season up (another) notch and that will be the motivation, but we may just have to do it without two senior figures in Worthy and Williams. 

Thanks to Matt Crivelli for the Pics

 

 

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Three points, three goals, a cleano and up to eighth in the league table. That sounds like a good weekend, right Glovers’ fans?

Dave was in the away end at Wealdstone yesterday and here are his thoughts.


Doesn’t that feel good? Our biggest win of the season had it could have been more, a clean sheet and the type of performance and result which we have been hoping for all season. Creating chances and finishing them, defending solidly and never looking too threatened by Wealdstone. We’re up to eighth in the league and that surely surpasses anything anyone could have realistically expected for our first season back at this level. But on the topic of realism, let’s keep realistic. In the same way the world didn’t come an end with the FA Cup exit last weekend, we are not going to sweep all before us because we have beaten a poor Wealdstone side who, on that showing, are going to struggle. Couple this with another win and a good performance in our last league match at home to Dagenham and we’re on a positive momentum – let’s keep it going.

The changes worked: After last weekend, we always expected Mark Cooper to ring the changes against Wealdstone. He did and they all worked. Aaron Jarvis got a goal and could have had a couple more, Dylan Morgan caused all kinds of issues, Worthy posed a threat down the right wing and James Plant looks an exceptional talent. You have to take your hat off to the manager, he got it spot on.
 

Brett McGavin celebrates his opening goal.
 
We really wanted that clean sheet. At 3-0 up, there was absolutely no chance of our defence doing anything to put their clean sheet at risk. This was summed up around an hour in when Ollie Wright made an outstanding save to deny Max Krestchmaer and Dom Bernard was there to clear it away. At other times Morgan Williams (my man of the match) was putting his body on the line to do everything to keep the 0 in the right place on the scoresheet.
 
Can’t we all just get on? The obsession with what is said by a “certain small minority of people” (to quote Mark Cooper) on social media continues. Sigh. If there’s a small minority who will never be pleased, surely that means there’s a larger majority who are unanimously positive or at least realistic. I regularly stand among these people and I can tell you the majority have a burning desire for us to be successful, they are realistic our position we are in as a club and happy with our progress. They travel the country to sing, shout and support – and yes, occasionally get frustrated – whatever the result and the performance. It’s probably a fruitless request but let’s try and recognise each other’s efforts a bit more. 
 

There were plenty of travelling fans in attendance and they were in great voice yesterday.

The opportunity continues. Yesterday was a great opportunity for us to get another win – that’s back-to-back victories in the league now – against a side struggling in the league. Our next two matches, away at Tamworth on Tuesday and home to Maidenhead are both against teams below us in the table. I would put both in the ‘teams you need to look to get something from’ category if we are aiming to finish nearer the top than the bottom. 

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The Glovers were back winning games at Huish Park on Saturday and go into the FA Cup break unbeaten in three outtings.
Sheridan Robins was back at Huish Park as a fan for the first time in a long while and here are her Five Conclusions on a very nice 1-0 victory.
Sheridan Robins from her usual vantage point watching Yeovil Town from the BBC Radio Somerset commentary box.
That was the best performance in a while… 
As many of you will know, I haven’t been able to watch much of my beloved Glovers this season, but of the three games I have managed to get to – that was easily the best of the bunch. It was controlled, assured and entertaining.
In truth, 1-0 flattered Dagenham and particularly in the first half, we should have been a couple up. I watched a lot of us last season, and it was a joy, but yesterday it was clear how big the step up in level is (with the greatest of respect to last season’s opponents).
We can’t afford to make mistakes, and minus a few nervy moments at the end (I think genuinely down to not having won at home in a while) we looked more than competent at this level – and I say that talking about every area of the pitch. 
 
Ciaran McGuckin scores his first Yeovil goal.
Pic GARY BROWN
 
Ciaran McGuckin could be star quality….
He scored the winner, yes, and what a header it was! But, he dictated play well, he made things happen when driving forward, he has pace and creativity – what a find he has been by Mark Cooper.
Two in his past two games and he could have had more! He came upstairs after the game to answer some questions and he was asked about his time here so far. He said ‘can I swear? I ******* love it here!’ It got a big laugh, but Ciaran, we ******* love it too!
 
Charlie Cooper. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.
 
Charlie Cooper might finally get the respect he deserves… 
I have spoken countless times about how I believe over the past few years Charlie Cooper has been one of our most consistent and important players.
Well, he was near faultless in this game. Won his duels, forced fouls when he nicked the ball off his opponents and read the game to switch play on either wing. I know exactly what it is like to have your surname hang heavy over you – but he is getting on with the job and playing so well this season. Long may it continue. 
 
The Thatcher’s Stand at Huish Park.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
 
Huish Park at its best is a powerful place… 
Last time I watched the Glovers, they were lacklustre and lost 1-0 to Solihull.
The crowd didn’t have much to cheer about. In this game, it was different and the crowd played their part. Understandably, there were some nerves when the fourth official raised the board for six minutes added time. But, whether it was Ollie Wright’s catch, or Morgan Williams hoofing the ball away, the green and white faithful got behind the lads to secure the elusive – and deserved – home win.
Make this place a fortress again, and we might just be able to dream. 
 
Mark Cooper salutes the away supporters after a 4-3 win at AFC Fylde. Picture courtesy of Bekah Harper.
 
And lastly, here’s to another 100 games under Mark Cooper… 
I said to Mark yesterday, if I told you when I interviewed you at Gateshead away back in April 2023, you would manage 100 games for Yeovil Town would you have believed me?
He said no, and I wholeheartedly agreed. There were points where it looked like we would be left wanting by what might have been for a Mark Cooper Yeovil side. But, he stuck by us, and we stuck by him, showcasing that loyalty and belief can be crucial in football – even if we don’t see it in the game much.
I am so grateful for what he has done for our football club and it was fitting he won his 100th game in charge.
The future is bright and I think we might yet see another great achievement from Coops, and I for one can’t wait!
 

Up the Glovers! 

Sheridan is running 5k every day in October to help support Prostate Cancer UK.

If you’d like to support her challenge – and this wonderful cause – you can donate, by clicking the link below

https://prostateunited.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/sheridan-robins-prostate-united-fundraising-page

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Yeovil came from behind to draw 1-1 with Aldershot in an exciting afternoon at Huish Park. Here are Ian’s Five Conclusions from the Press Box.

It was an open game. With both sides having struggled to find the back of the net in recent weeks, I wondered if this would be a cautious, cagey affair but it was far from that. Aldershot were open, we were open and both sides created plenty of chances. I think Jordan Young should have put Yeovil 1-0 up when he was through on goal and then from the resulting corner Aldershot break and open the scoring. The visitors rattled the bar from a corner, Charlie Cooper was denied by a save from Dewhurst and Frank Nouble should have done better when he was through on goal too. I thought it was an entertaining afternoon, with both teams going for it.

Dom Bernard sends the ball forward. Pic Gary Brown

We were shaky at the back in the first half. The quest for goals left us susceptible to the counter attack and I was impressed by the running of Hady Ghandour and the string-pulling Josh Barrett. He seemed to always find space and be one step ahead of everyone and scored a wonderful opener. We’ve not found ourselves cut open very often this season but in the first half, Aldershot could have scored three or four. We seemed a behind in moments at the back, and shot ourselves in a foot a couple of times, but we rode our luck and did what we had to do to get a point.

That was Jordan Young’s best game in some time. I think we got to see a Jordan Young that looked more like last season’s player. He was picking up the ball facing goal and taking opponents on. He had a couple of his trademark efforts cutting in from the right onto his left foot. Although he should have put Yeovil ahead, you can see that he’s starting to gain confidence and re-discover a bit of form. As well all know, he can be a difference maker when it comes to those attacking areas and he had a big role in the equaliser…

Ciaran McGuckin scores his first Yeovil goal. Pic GARY BROWN

Ciaran McGuckin was a handful. The loanee was preferred ahead of Aaron Jarvis for Aldershot and offered another dimension to Yeovil’s attack. McGuckin was less of a squabbler with defenders and more of a runner. He linked play well and his energy levels kept the pressure on the Shots back line. His goal was a good example of everything he’d been doing well. He gets on the ball – looking like he’s about to cramp up in a big way – knocks it to Young before getting beyond his teammate for the return and puts a great finish past Dewhurst. It’s a tricky angle, there’s Aldershot bodies getting back and there’s plenty to do to find the bottom corner.

The supporters stuck with the team. As always there’s been a lot of talk about the reaction of supporters at Huish Park. The home supporters, who have not been given a great deal to cheer about thus far in 2024/25, were on form yesterday and no doubt contributed to that second half performance. Frank Nouble won the toss, which meant the Glovers had their preferred second half attacking the Thatchers Stand, and you could feel that energy compared to previous matches this season. That energy was fuelled by some decisions by the match official, who decided there was no need to stop play when Sam Pearson nearly had his head kicked off, nor the repeated shirt pulling on Aaron Jarvis. 

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The search for a green and white goal goes on, but at least Yeovil came back from Sutton with another point on the board. Here are Ollie Marsh’s conclusions from the away end at Gander Green Lane.

The midfield wasn’t missing. There’s been some criticism that Yeovil haven’t been strong enough in the middle of the park recently, so it was nice to see tonight’s pairing make their mark. Brett McGavin was brought back into the side, and his tidiness on the ball proved a perfect complement to Charlie Cooper’s ‘wasp at a picnic’ playing style, giving us more control in the game, in the first half at least. When Cooper Jr is on it- flying into tackles, breaking up play and kickstarting attacks – it’s particularly pleasant to see, even if he did perhaps get the wind taken out of his sails as the game wore on.

Put some respect on Ollie Wright’s name. Last season, Mark Cooper made the right call by ditching his young keeper and bringing in a more experienced pair of hands. This time around, he deserves credit for sticking by his man after some called for a repeat. Wright still has the odd wobble – as you’d expect from a 21-year-old – but his shot-stopping over the past two games should mean his stock is higher than it is within some sectors of the fanbase. The nerviest moment from our man between the sticks was when he painfully collided with the woodwork while claiming a cross, but he recovered to ensure his MOTM-worthy performance remained blemish free.

Ollie Wright did superbly to turn a first half free-kick from Lewis Simper over the bar.

We need to make more of Aaron Jarvis’ bag of tricks. The striker’s hold-up play remains impressive, and he puts himself about like no other, battling away with the best of them and making himself a nuisance… but to what end? Mark Cooper pinpointed “seven or eight crosses across the face of goal in the first half” and “a one-v-one which he will be frustrated he did not score”, but I would argue the service he received probably still left Jarvis wanting more. While Frank Nouble did seem to stick a little closer to him than usual, leaving him less isolated than in previous games, it does still feel like we’re not quite utilising our number nine. It’s a question we need the answer to if we’re going to end our four-game goal drought.

What was going on with the final balls? Both teams had their share of wayward shots and crosses, with nobody able to show the composure needed in the final moment. If Sutton had inflated the match balls with helium, it still wouldn’t have quite explained how Jordan Young managed to find the corner flag with an effort that looked for all the world like it was shaping up to be one of his trademark cut-inside-and-put-it-top-bins goals. The comedy moment of the evening must surely have been claimed by Finn Cousin-Dawson though, whose foul throw was the ‘chef’s kiss’ on a night where everybody was fluffing their lines.

We need a little more. A 0-0 draw away at Sutton should be considered a good point on the road, but nothing more than that. If we’re aiming to go “back-to-back” or for “play-offs minimum”, we need to find a way to get ourselves on the right side of those fine margins, and that means turning defeats into draws and draws into wins. If we can get all three points at Huish Park on Saturday, it will go down as a fantastic week’s work, but anything less and there may be some grumbles.

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It was another goalless show from the Glovers at Huish Park yesterday, but it was an improvement on Tuesday’s performance. Here are Ian’s conclusions from the 0-0 draw against Altrincham.

It was better than Tuesday. Tuesday was the lowest of low bars, of course, but it was a definite improvement. I thought, given the calibre of opposition, we played some nice stuff. I think we got the ball forward more quickly and looked brighter, especially in the first half where we couldn’t capitalise on our momentum unfortunately. Altrincham made it to the playoffs last season and they just wanted to get on with their game and knock it around quickly and I think you could see their quality in possession. I don’t think we asked enough questions of them in the second half though. Of course there is plenty of room for improvement, but we’re learning how to compete at this level again after having it largely all our way last season. 

The little nippy fellas got their chance. With Frank Nouble and Brett McGavin having started every match, Mark Cooper freshened things up and brought both Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Josh Sims back into the fold. It was a different set up for Yeovil in 4-1-4-1 with a more advanced Matt Worthington and Charlie Cooper sitting. The Glovers did get more bodies forward but once again Aaron Jarvis toiled, but it still didn’t quite click in the final third for him to get any quality service.

The wingers need to start delivering. We’ve clearly got some talent in the attacking areas. Sam Pearson, Josh Sims and Jordan Young have all shown quality with us or elsewhere, but we’ve not seen enough consistency so far. Pearson, the ever-willing runner, works so hard but couldn’t get the final ball right yesterday. It feels like Josh Sims just needs to get round a man and smash it in the top corner to get his confidence. Jordan Young, scored at Boston, but what else has he done this season? In the last two matches he’s not made the impact you’d expect fresh legs to make. I’m left wondering what a now cup-tied Dylan Morgan would add to this team.

Michael Smith really sets the standard. I think we could have a Michael Smith conclusion after each match. The Yeovil right back was everywhere yesterday. He had a busy afternoon on the defensive side and did his usual marauding full back role getting forward. He was so unlucky not to score for the Glovers when he picked the ball up late in the second half and just decided to go for broke. His measured effort looked destined for the goal only to be denied by the bar. He called a stop to his afternoon before the final whistle, which is a concern, but fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious.

Can we win the bloody toss please? We’ve been turned around in 4 out of the 5 home matches this season. Each week there are groans, but yesterday there we boos for it. Marginal gains is a buzz word in sport these days, but I don’t think you can put shooting towards your supporters in the second half in that category. The impact that Thatchers stand has had over the years in drawing the ball into the goal and making goalkeepers wilt has won games for Yeovil. It’s huge. Please can we get practising the coin toss in training?

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Well, I guess someone had to do the negative one.

Gloverscast Ben was watching on National League TV – with a Camera Operator who couldn’t keep track of the football – and watched the Yeovil Town produce a… flat… performance against Solihull Moors. Conclusions, five of them, incoming.

Are we unfit or just a bit knackered?

Post match, Matt Worthington called the performance, ‘leggy’ and ‘lethargic’ and it was absolutely evident from very early on we had some players really feeling it.

As early as the latter stages of the first half, some players were running in custard whilst our opponents were gliding across the pitch, making closing down and pressuring look really easy.

This staggers me, I cannot believe that a Mark Cooper side would ever not be fit, but I don’t quite know what else to think?

Is it the many, MANY motorway miles? The quick turnarounds? The sheer effort that as been exerted against Boston and Fylde or something else that it catching up with a few players? I don’t know, but it’s a long old season and on the face of it, we already look like we could use some time to rest.

For what it’s worth, only Olly Wright has played every minute so far this season, (820), with Nouble (669), Smith (649) and Matt Worthington (651) next on the minutes played list. 

We were done by the dark arts again.

Just like against Hartlepool, we not only gave our opponents something to hold onto, to defend, but we also… let them defend it.

Our very own Ian Perkins made a great point on commentary that when Laurie Walker, the Moors’ keeper was booked for time wasting on 79 minutes, it was really only the crowd who got on the official’s back to do something… are we being too nice?

Where was the oomph we saw at Boston? the Ability to give a bit back to let the referee know about every pulled shirt, every kick out of sight, every second delayed?

I don’t get it, make a song and dance about it lads, there were times that Frank Nouble literally had the shirt lifted off his back and it was just… let to pass by.

A couple of times Solihull players felt the whiff of a nearby passing of wind and decided to have a roll about and really take their time to get back going – I’m not knocking it, I’m wanting us to play those games too, or at very least put up a bit of a fuss that it’s happening.

A physical encounter on the opening game of the season against Hartlepool United. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Right, breathe, let’s do a positive one.

Jarvis is the real deal up top – let’s get with him

Aaron Jarvis chased back over 50 yards in the 94th minute to snuff out one final Solihull counter attack. He and Sonny – who had just been brought on – found more in their legs than just about anyone to get back and prevent a second goal.

Ok, that’s great, but Jarvis again was doing so much up front but really felt lonely at times.

We’ve chopped and changed the trio of attacking talent in behind the front man, but he’s been a fairly constant figure and for the most part and has put his body on the line and played really well for annoyingly little return.

Mark Cooper said he was underwhelmed with his attacking players, I say let’s give Jarvis a partner. He’s got all the attributes to either do the back to goal stuff or get himself into the box, but all too often there’s not enough bodies around him to either pick up the pieces or be a second body in the box for a cross, or even provide the cross for Jarvis to get on the end of.

Is it Sims, maybe a big-man-little-man? Could it have been Greenslade if it wasn’t for the injury? Is there a Sonny Cox-style striker out there? I’m not going to go full Mike Bassett here, but would 4-4…2… be worth a go?

…and actually maybe that’s the point.

What is our best team line up?

We’re heading to Oldham next week for the tenth game of the season, and even if the next two go badly, we’ll be sitting on 12 points from 10 games, not bad at all.

But there’s still this rumbling debate on the terrace (and on the pod… and in the WhatsApp chats)… “Is that a four at the back? Have we gone to wingbacks? Surprised to see him starting, I thought he’d be on the bench. Isn’t he more of an impact player?”

You’ve had those conversations haven’t you?

What is our preferred way of setting up? Because last year you could rattle the eleven off in seconds, you know where each of them are going to be and how well they’re going to do it.

This season, through injury, suspension and new faces and new opposition, I don’t think we do know.

We’ve now made the Half-Time double sub Hail Mary on each of the last two games, suggesting the first eleven probably wasn’t right, we’ve seen the defence chop and change more times in eight games than we did in 48 last year. 

Is it time to nail down a team, a style, a formation, a way of playing and sticking to it?

Picture Courtesy of Gary Brown

Let’s get Huish Park back to the fortress it can be.

In the National League South, Huish Park was essentially every team’s Wembley final, some loved it and pushed us all the way, some wilted under the pressure of playing in a stadium with more than three stands in it.

This year, it isn’t the same, teams have been to us before, it’s not the big day out for them. So, what we have now is an expectant home crowd, who’s heard our last two away games, watched on streams and heard the Gloverscast wax lyrical about them… now they want to see some of that for themselves.

Matt Worthington is right, it’s a two way street, the players need the fans behind them (booing in September, by the way, have a word… it was poor, but come on) but also, you need something to cheer.

How about this, on Saturday, Glovers fans promise to give you everything, the drum will beat, the ‘Everywhere we go…’ chat will fill the Thatchers stand..

But as the lyric says… ‘watching super Yeovil putting on a show’.

Glovers fans will do their bit, the team will do theirs… deal? Good.

You know what to do next weekend, people.

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It was another three points on the road for Yeovil Town (that’s three for the season, by the way) this weekend with a win in a chaotic, see-saw match at AFC Fylde yesterday.

It took a while for Dave to get his heart-rate down long enough to pen some conclusions on the match, but these are them.

What have I just seen? That was absolutely bonkers. If anyone doubted the Spirit of 2023/24 had departed, think again. In the second half, we just went for it and it was a performance built on fearlessness to attack, character to get back up after Fylde pulled it back to 3-3, and a healthy dose of quality.  That said, for context, in the first half we looked well off it. I know both Mark Cooper and Dom Bernard said afterwards that they thought we were okay, but I felt our defence was rocking every time Fylde (or Nick Haughton, more to the point) pressed forward, our midfield was anonymous, and I  don’t think their keeper Ben Winterbottom had anything to do. In the second half, he had plenty to do and we did that magic thing of taking our chances when we created them. These boys have got some cast-iron balls and deserved everything they got yesterday.

Dom Bernard celebrates his winner – and kudos to the wearer of the 1995-96 shirt featured. Picture courtesy of Bekah Harper.

Take a bow: Aaron Jarvis quite rightly got the plaudits from his manager post-match. Yeovil have had plenty of players who just ‘run around a lot’ in the past, but everything Jarvis does has a purpose. If you don’t believe me, look at his role in Sam Pearson’s first goal and the way he brings the ball down and is then in the right place at the right time to score the equaliser. He did that a lot and gave as good as he got from the Fylde defence as well.
But can I also give a shout out to Ollie Wright? He made some important saves, none more so than from Taelor O’Kane in injury time. And, if praising opposition players is allowed, Fylde’s Nick Haughton. He could have had four or five goals alone and must surely be interesting some EFL clubs. All that said, Sam Pearson was my Man of the Match.

The importance of substitutions: Mark Cooper spoke before the season about how the increase to five changes from seven substitutions would be key. He got his changes right and Fylde’s Chris Beech got his wrong. Now, Cooper only had five to pick from today – those magical empty benches made up the other two (Hey, Gloverscast Ben!) – and the changes he made all paid off. Sam Pearson and Jordan Young both caused problems, Pearson especially was at the heart of a lot that we did well in the second half, and then that strike from Sonny – it looked even better from behind the goal than it does on the highlights. 

Another one of ‘those’ ticked off: It’s far too early to be looking at league tables, but if you were to do that you’d see Yeovil Town in seventh place, the final spot for the National League play-off places. Now, I’m definitely not saying we’ll be there come May, but if we’re going to finish nearer the top than the bottom, Fylde away is where you need to get points. Given the injuries and suspensions, I would have happily taken a point from this one, so to take three is a big bonus. That is three wins from four away from home, now let’s get our home form going. It’s Solihull Moors under the lights at Huish Park on Tuesday, another tough test but one we should not be fearful of. Jake Wannell will return from suspension, Dom Bernard has an impressive debut under his belt, so we can go in to it with confidence. Pack the Park, ladies and gents, Pack the Park.

Sometimes it’s more than a game: As everyone enjoyed the post-match celebrations, some quick-thinking supporters and, more importantly, the Yeovil Town medic Tony Boreham and physio Joe Storey, raced to the aid of a fan who had been taken ill on the terraces. We learnt afterwards the fan in question was the grandfather of Corey Koerner, the young full-back who was named amongst our substitutes, and there were some worrying moments as he was ‘worked on’ as fans filed out of the ground. It is with much relief we learnt soon after that he was responsive thanks to the treatment he received and was taken to hospital. It’s often said that a football ground is sometimes the best place to be taken ill, and the quick-thinking and undoubted skills of the Glovers’ team to spring in to action underlines this fact. Well done to them and everyone who supported, and we obviously wish Corey’s grandfather a full and speedy recovery.