Five Conclusions (Page 5)

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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.

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It was a night to forget at Huish Park as Yeovil’s old rivals came to town and knocked them out of the FA Trophy. Here are Ian’s Five Conclusions from a dreadful night under the lights.

It was not good enough. What more can you say? Early goals in each half from Brandon Goodship caught Yeovil off guard and left us chasing both halves but for a team that was looking to get back into the match in a fierce local rivalry, the quality in the final third was sorely lacking. At times it was ponderous and W*ymouth were able to prevent the Glovers playing through the lines. There were crosses a-plenty into the box in the second half but no one willing to take ownership and finish them.

We were found wanting in attack again. Ever since the Ciaran McGuckin returned to Rotherham, the attacking unit hasn’t clicked. Aaron Jarvis, Josh Sims, Frank Nouble, Kofi Shaw, Pedro Borges, James Plant, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Harvey Greenslade, Jordan Young and Sam Pearson have all had chances (albeit sparingly for some of those names) in the attacking end of the pitch this season and, for either through injury, suspension or lack of form, none of them have provided a consistent output in the form of goals and assists.

 

Picture courtesy of Tom Balch.

The derby feel off the pitch wasn’t matched on the pitch. Yeovil haven’t lost at home to W*ymouth since 1988. In that time we’ve moved to a new stadium, risen up the leagues and come back down find ourselves at the same level as our old rivals and last night the team that ended the night bottom of National League South were more up for it than Yeovil were. That’s a damning indicment on the players and the staff and a result they will have to live with. The celebrations at the end were painful to see but well-deserved. (He said begrudgingly.)

Our cup performances have been so disappointing. For a club that’s history is rooted in cup-exploits, it’s been a real frustration to see us whimper out of the FA Cup and FA Trophy at the first time of asking to clubs from the league below. We know better than anyone that you can’t take anything for granted in cup competitions but to miss out on a genuine chance of silverware (in the Trophy of course) leaves us hanging on to the hope of keeping pace with the play-off chasers and sneaking into that group come the end of the season.

We can expect more change. Speaking after the match, Mark Cooper said he needs to get ruthless and that means yet more changes on the pitch. Based on last night that could mean a number of players. But once again we’re looking the final third and wanting more from the attacking players. For all the combinations, the style and philosophy hasn’t altered so there’s an argument to make a change on that front in a bid to get the attack firing. Mark Cooper has already done his fair share of player trading and will know what’s out there to bring in, but moving players out to make room will be the challenge.

 

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Despite late drama at Huish Park again, it was another defeat for Yeovil. Here are my conclusions from a cold night in Somerset.

We took a while to get going again. It’s now two home matches in a row where Mark Cooper has had to make tactical tweaks to enable Yeovil to get a foothold in the game. Up until half an hour – when Yeovil switched to a 4-2-3-1 – it was all Barnet and they could have gone in two or three up. We saw similar when Halifax came to Huish. At times this season when we’ve matched other teams in a 3-4-3 we’ve come unstuck and the same happened last night. Once we changed shape though, I felt we nullified most of Barnet’s threat.

After our equaliser I thought we’d go on to win. We certainly had the momentum in the second half and James Plant’s hard work earned a well deserved equaliser. Instead, we allowed Barnet back into it and they could have gone back in front almost immediately with Stead and Kanu fluffing chances. That gave Barnet a bit of life and Collinge’s header really took the wind out of the green and white sails. Following the strife at York, I felt we gave Barnet a bloody nose and showed that we’re not a million miles away, but I saw the difference between a side that now sits top and a side that’s trying to keep pace with the playoff pack. That said…

I think it was a penalty. There’s been plenty of debate about the penalty decision right at the end of the match and I think the referee got it wrong. You can normally tell from the reaction of the defending team if they feel a player has gone down easily and the Barnet players didn’t react in an angry or aggressive way to debutant Ed James. Looking back at the highlights, replay and super-slowmo video, it looks like the kind of the decision that more often than not goes the way of the home team. Unfortunately we’re Yeovil Town, and it feels like we never really get those 50-50 decisions.

I felt we were missing the nippy fellas. In the first half, we were crying out for some pace and dynamism and only once we shifted shape did we see James Plant get his legs really pumping. I thought we could have introduced Josh Sims or Dylan Morgan earlier to get some runners in behind. We’ve gone from having the little technicians like Pearson, Morgan, Young, even Sonny to the taller lads, Nouble and Borges supporting Jarvis up top but, I thought it slowed us down.

This was the tricky run of fixtures. Some will be surprised that there’s not uproar around last three results, but I think the context of the matches and general expectations has left quite a balanced response. For all the hyperbole and expectation at the start of the season, most realistic supporters will see a mid-table finish as success. Despite the three losses on the bounce, we’re still two points outside the playoffs, and now with Woking and Braintree either side of W*ymouth, there’s a chance for the Glovers get back to winning ways ahead of the Christmas period.

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It was a miserable day in every sense of the word for Yeovil Town at York City yesterday. An early red card, four goals conceded and then another red to compound it all. Dave was among those inside a very damp LNER Community Stadium and here’s how he saw it.

 
It was over before it started: For the opening ten minutes, it looked as if a well-matched game was on the cards but after Finn Cousin-Dawson’s red card, it was the equivalent of climbing Everest for Yeovil. Having managed to withstand a storm of pressure as York pushed for a second straight after, Ollie Wright’s error right before half-time killed it. Then it was a case of trying not to let it get too embarrassing. Not quite sure we managed that, if I am honest.
 
It was an uphill struggle after the early red.

No appeals for the reds: In real time, both red cards looked very red and the highlights have done nothing to convince me otherwise. Whether FC-D thought he’d not be sent off so early in the game or not, I’m not sure. A moment of panic from a young defender, perhaps? The Bernard one upsets me more. An experienced player making a challenge like that when their player is going nowhere. Stupid mistake and leaves us even shorter for defensive cover for the next few games.
 
I’m sorry, Ollie: There’s really not defending Ollie Wright for that second goal. It is just an absolute howler. It was a big shame because, as stupid as it sounds after a 4-0 loss, I thought the keeper was the difference between it being six or seven. He maybe a couple of very important saves the stop it becoming (even more) embarrassing.
 
Even Flashscore’s thinks Pearce only does tap ins. He’s doesn’t.
 
York were a class above: It’s difficult to judge just how good York City were as we were at least a man light for much of the game. I sense they looked a class above without really getting out of first gear. Ollie Pearce’s goals were everything you need from a striker at this level. Adam Hinshelwood has obviously got them playing well and I suspect we’ll not be back there next season.
 
Bring your boots on Wednesday: Mark Cooper has said he expects incomings before the visit of Barnet on Wednesday night, and they are needed. With Jake Wannell, FC-D and Dom Bernard all missing, our defence looks woefully light. But we always knew our season would not be defined by games like yesterday and I think the same is true for Wednesday as well. It may be back-to-back defeats now, but it’s still been a good first half to the season.

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Florent Hoti’s effort flies past Ollie Wright to put FC Halifax Town in to a 1-0 lead. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The unbeaten run has come to an end, but there was plenty to like about the last half an hour yesterday. Here are my conclusions from a fiery finish at Huish Park.

 

It lived up to its pre-match billing. We didn’t anticipate a goalfest and we didn’t get one. Halifax don’t score many and don’t concede a lot either. For the first hour, Yeovil didn’t particularly lay a glove on the visitors, while they had pot-shots from distance and one big (offside?) chance where Ollie Wright made a great save from Billy Waters. I think the difference that Charlie Cooper makes when were in a 3-4-2-1 was clear. We needed that fire in the middle of the pitch and we really missed him.

We didn’t get going until the changes. Halifax’s goal saw Mark Cooper change things up and Yeovil came to life. The return of Michael Smith and Josh Sims – showing more than he has so far in a Yeovil shirt – lifted everything. The players started finding space and putting a load of pressure on Halifax’s back line. That energy lifted Huish Park and for the final 20 minutes there was belief that an equaliser was coming.

Goalmouth Scramble v Halifax
Pic: Gary Brown

I’m not sure how we didn’t score. The relentless wave of green and white tried it’s best to suffocate Halifax but somehow couldn’t get back on level terms. Sims had chances, Wannell had chances, there was scramble after scramble, tussling in the box, shouts for penalties and everything else under the sun but no goal and more drama…

I think it was a red card. As the match ticked closer to the 90th minute it became a powder keg and it was either going to explode into a goal or something else. Sadly, it was something else. Jake Wannell gets caught in a tussle inside the Halifax half and as he tries to stand up, he stands on the opponents leg. My gut feel at the time was that it was a stamp. The ref didn’t see it, the assistant on the Screwfix Stand side didn’t see it, but the official furthest away did. There was certainly some of that classic football hustle and bustle in the moment but I can see why the red was given. 

Jake Wannell is flabbergasted at the decision to send him off.
Pic: Gary Brown

Finn Cousin-Dawson was excellent. He was awarded sponsors man of the match and it was well-deserved. FCD has been on the periphery up until suspension season and he’s taken his chance. Preferred to the available Dom Bernard yesterday he was calm and composed defensively and strong stepping out with the ball. With a potential four match ban for Wannell should an appeal be unsuccessful, he deserves to retain his place in the team.

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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