Five Conclusions (Page 8)

Yeovil Town picked up another victory at Huish Park yesterday against Hemel Hempstead thanks to two goals from Sam Pearson on his return in green and white. Here are Ian’s Conclusions from Fortress Huish…

We’ve got a player in Sam Pearson. We kind of knew this anyway, but with the circumstances in which he left last season, it felt like Pearson had a point to prove. And he sure proved it. He was non-stop and a constant thorn in the side of Hemel’s defenders. The Welshman was always available for his teammates and showed real bravery on the ball. His first goal was an acrobatic effort (which he described as his trademark goal) and the second had a giant chunk of fortune about it, but they all count. The 22-year-old has made a brave decision to leave Bristol City and is motivated to show what he can do. What a piece of business.

Despite our small squad, we’ve got so many attacking options. Last season, our recruitment was infamously terrible. This season, it couldn’t be more juxtapose. When you look at the combinations yesterday, and who’s missing, this team could do damage to most teams on its day. Here’s who we’ve seen play at the top end of the pitch this season so far: Sam Pearson, Frank Nouble, Jordan Young, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Jake Hyde, Dylan Morgan, Will Dawes, Jay Foulston, Rhys Murphy, Jordan Stevens. (+ Alex Fisher and JMD) There won’t be many teams in the National League with as many fluent, exciting combinations as that.

It should have been more than 2-0. Over the course of the 90 minutes, Yeovil were the dominant team and should have scored more. There were a lot of nearly moments in and around the box, including some well-timed interceptions by the Hemel Hempstead defenders. Jake Hyde’s header looked destined for the back of the net, but for an excellent save from Craig King in the Tudor’s goal. If the Glovers can turn a few more of those nearly moments into goals, things could get even more comfortable.

It got a bit spicy! Clearly, the Glovers have not forgotten about the defeat on the opening day. After the game Mark Cooper revealed how Hemel were banging on the changing room walls and doors following the 1-0 defeat in August, so revenge was on the cards yesterday. In the second half, some of that animosity started to come through and there were some rough tackles. Charlie Cooper was victim to a tackle which you’ve definitely seen red cards for, but Craig Scriven only though it was worthy of a yellow. Jake Wannell took a whack in the face in the first half. Mark Cooper said “we can give it out as well and we have to have that nasty streak. I don’t know any team that wins things that has not got that streak in them that they will look after each other.”

It was another professional performance. This team turn up, get the job done and move on to the next one. They have had a laser focus on getting out of National League South at the first time of asking and we’re on course to do that – by the end of February according to Frank Nouble. We’re unbeaten at home and playing some great football at times and everyone in that squad steps up when required to. It’s eight without loss since the Welling game. We’ve won five in a row now and with the upcoming fixtures, belief and professionalism, what’s to say we can’t go another run like we did earlier in the season? 

Ian’s fingers have finally thawed out after a chilly evening in Taunton as Yeovil Town ran out victors. The gap at the top of the National League South has widened and here are his conclusions from the County town.

Frank Nouble was the difference maker. It was a game of few opportunities and when they weren’t kicking lumps out of Yeovil players, Taunton defended well. When the big chance came, Frank Nouble took it with conviction. The assist from Worthington was laid on with precision but Nouble still had work to do before beating Taunton’s keeper. It’s four goals in four games for Nouble and his connection with supporters is getting stronger each week.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton took his chance. After an exciting cameo against Bath, Lo-Everton was given the opportunity from the start against Taunton and I really enjoyed his performance again. He was direct, carried the ball through midfield and some of his touches were sublime. When he plays like that, Sonny is a joy to watch and to see him further forward gives yet another attacking combination up top.

We seemed to pick up a few knocks. The break couldn’t come at a better time. Rhys Murphy came on and went back off again after feeling his hamstring. At the time, Josh Owers was poised to come on at Charlie Cooper appeared to be struggling. Jordan Young was subjected to some pretty forceful tackles. With ten days until the visit of Hemel Hempstead, there’s a nice chunk of time to rest, recuperate and come back refreshed for the home stretch.

I’d be surprised if we extended Courtney Senior’s loan. The midfielder has shown glimpses of trickery and pace and I totally understand the logic behind his signing before Christmas. He was swapped for Rhys Murphy at half time and with the addition of Dylan Morgan I think we’ve got strength in depth in that position now. Will Dawes is growing increasingly popular and Jordan Stevens will return to training at the end of January, so we’ve got plenty of options. There’s definitely a player there, but I’m not sure we’ve seen the best of him. We were worried about options a few weeks ago, and we have managed that situation well.

And now you’re gonna believe us. Thirteen points clear. Momentum is with Mark Cooper’s team. The players are a close-knit group, that clearly believe. The teams below are wildly inconsistent and we are anything but. I know we’ve been scarred from the last decade, and as supporters we will always keep our expectations low, but come on, deep down know what’s happening here…

Yeovil Town won again at Huish Park against Bath in a game where the Glovers weren’t at their ‘fluent best’ according to Mark Cooper. It was an important win, putting Yeovil 10 points clear at the top and here are Ian’s Conclusions from a bouncing Thatchers Stand…

It was a controlled performance. In the match at Twerton Park the Glovers never really felt in control of the game, but it was different at Huish Park. We controlled possession and after Jordan Young’s opener I thought we were comfortable. It wasn’t until the second half and Bath’s long ball where they started to get forward, and even then we won everything and looked resolute at the back. 

The first goal was a moment of magic. It was the only part of the match where things really flowed and it was Cooperball at its sumptuous best. Frank Nouble’s pass split Bath’s defence, it was inch perfect to feet of Michael Smith and his one touch pass couldn’t have been any better for Jordan Young to finish. We did that against Taunton frequently but Bath were a trickier proposition and we had to take our chances when they fell. Mark Cooper described it as a ‘trademark goal’ and it was a pattern of play we’ve grown familiar with.

I thought we invited Bath onto us with the switch to a back three. With Cody Cooke’s introduction, Bath changed tact to get the ball forward quickly and in the air. Williams and Wannell dealt with it well. Jay Foulston came on in the left of a back three and it felt like Bath grew into it. Thomas got more of the ball and we got deeper and deeper. Once Dylan Morgan came on and we switched to a back four again, we regained control with a lot of help from…

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, who made a big impact off the bench. I thought Sonny was quality, almost like he a point to prove. He was direct, forward-thinking and really got Bath chasing back towards goal. At the time we needed someone to step in and alleviate the pressure and he did it it brilliantly. Being able to bring on someone with his ability (and the rest of the bench to be fair) is a big part of the reason why we’re 10 points clear at the top.

It’s going to take a catastrophic collapse to let this slip. The gulf between Yeovil and the rest of the league is clear. Mark Cooper’s side have been the only consistent team at the top end of the League. Yesterday, Hampton lost, Torquay drew and Worthing lost. At home we’re imperious and you’d bank on us against everyone at Huish Park. Maidstone away could be tricky, but with their cup run the subsequent fixture pile up could come back to bite them. This group has every reason to be confident, and Mark Cooper will keep them grounded to get the job done, but win against crisis-stricken Taunton on Tuesday night and a gap of 13 points is surely insurmountable for the chasing pack.

It was a Boxing Day Bonanza at Huish Park, as Mark Cooper’s Glovers put four past Taunton in front of a record-breaking crowd. Here are Ian’s Conclusions from a packed Huish Park…

It was a day when everything clicked. From the outset, Yeovil were dominant yesterday. The Glovers controlled the ball brilliantly, the attacking play was free-flowing and, in the first half in particular, it felt like every attack could have been a goal. Defensively we were strong and controlled and it was the type of performance which clearly showed the gulf between the two teams. The early change saw Rhys Murphy come on much sooner than expected and his impact was devastating as the front four caused chaos for the Peacocks defence.

There were big performances across the pitch, in each department. Jake Wannell was in a wrestling match for the first half and was extremely impressive in not taking any bait against his former side. I thought Charlie Cooper had a great game in midfield, picking passes, making the play tick over and breaking things up. Alex Whittle, back in the side from injury, picked up where he left off. Morgan Williams, as reliable as they come. Frank Nouble was absolutely purring up front. His goal was well taken in a free-flowing move, but his assist for Michael Smith was something else. As was the performance from the right back…

Michael Smith. What else can be said about the man? He finally scored his goal, in front of the Thatchers Stand and his adoring congregation. He was relentless on the right hand side with pacey running, great deliveries into the box and was an overlapping outlet all afternoon. As I said in conclusion one, it all clicked. His partnership with Jordan Young on the right is a joy to watch on days like yesterday. This team is a result of some brilliant recruitment from Mark Cooper, but the decisions to bring in Joe Day and Smith have been game-changers for this squad.  

It was great to see another record-breaking crowd at Huish Park. There was anticipation in the air upon arrival to Huish Park yesterday. The Ciderspace was packed, the Chairman was behind the bar and it was all hands on deck. A club that was on life-support this time last year, is absolutely thriving, with a wave of good-will and optimism behind it. With a performance like that, in front of a crowd of 6301, some casuals will have turned into die-hard Glovers! A great afternoon on and off the pitch for a club that is unrecognisable from 12 months ago.

Ten Points Clear. Results below Yeovil all went the right way and the gap – which was already big – has got even bigger. We’ve had the blip and come out of it on the other side looking strong and head into the new year with momentum again. We can go to Taunton with confidence, welcome Bath for another West Country derby and make another statement. You can’t help but look at the fixtures and feel confident. And now you’re gonna believe us…

It wasn’t quite the fairy tale return to Huish Park after four weeks on the road, in-form Hampton and Richmond came to town and battled to a 0-0 draw. Ian was at Huish Park and here are his conclusions…

It was another game where we spurned chances. It’s become a growing theme in recent games that we’ve not been able to finish good chances. We saw it at Chippenham and Dartford on the road, and it was the same on the return to Huish Park. Rhys Murphy had two good opportunities in the first half and Frank Nouble should have scored when he was played through by Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. With Hyde and Stevens injured, Fisher still finding fitness and Cox back at Exeter we could do with a top up up top.

You can see why Hampton and Richmond have enjoyed a good run. They had early chances in both halves and we struggled to break them down. They were disciplined defensively and when they our press and got the ball to Jake Gray they had good moments around the edge of the box. When they brought on Bloomfield in the second half if gave them an extra man up top and his physicality gave our defence an extra battle to contend with. While Joe Day had more routine saves to make, I thought we were pretty comfortable defensively.

We took too long to get some pace on.  It wasn’t until the 88th minute that Will Dawes was introduced and he had one sprint down the wing which had Hampton backpedalling towards goal. It was a flat atmosphere at Huish Park, and we needed a spark to get the fans going. Dawes gives us that with his direct running so it was a shame to not see him earlier. Without Stevens, Dawes is the only attacking pace we have and when Mark Cooper says he wants to strengthen in the forward areas, that’s where I think we could do with more.

Jay Foulston had a solid debut. Our Friday night signing came straight into the team while Alex Whittle is still recovering. He got himself into good positions going forward and looks to have fitted in straight away. Before the match, Mark Cooper said he’d been on the club’s radar for a while but the deal wasn’t financially possible until now with Taunton’s troubles. We’ve been wanting depth at left back to provide cover for Alex Whittle and now we’ve got a genuine battle for position.

I have questions about the midfield. We’ve reverted to a three, with Charlie Cooper, Matt Worthington and Lo-Everton. Matt Worthington was given a license to roam yesterday but spent of a lot of time in left midfield in the 2nd half as it became more of a 4-4-2. In the switch to 4-3-3, I feel we’ve taken away from the attack. It was a familiar tale to the start of the season with a lot of possession in between the boxes but that lack of magic as we entered the box. I think we’ve got four good centre midfielders in Cooper, Worthy, Lo-Everton and Josh Owers and I think we’ve played better with two in midfield rather than three. Three gives us control of game but if Jordan Young doesn’t produce a moment there’s no one else who can.

The Glovers triumphed at Bath City to keep the gap between the chasing pack to six points. Ian was in the away end at Twerton Park, and here are his conclusions…

It was not a pretty game. It wasn’t until late in the second half where we showed signs of causing Bath problems. The first half was slow, sideways and a bit too hoofy for my liking. Cooper and Worthington looked like they’d not played as a pair for a while. Alex Fisher and Frank Nouble looked like a partnership playing for the first time together. Given the exertion against Wrexham three days earlier, and the conditions, you can forgive a bit of fatigue and sloppiness. That said, Bath City didn’t cause Joe Day too many issues in goal, and defensively I thought we looked mostly comfortable.

I still don’t like wingbacks. This team does not suit a back three, wingback formation. No one can convince me otherwise. I sort of understood it against Wrexham, although I would have liked to have seen us go with what’s made us so good this season. But I didn’t get it last night. It was all very sideways amongst the back three before a big diagonal hoof. Michael Smith has been so effective overlapping a winger and the shape just doesn’t allow those same patterns of play. It was a shame to see Alex Whittle go off, however it forced us into a change eventually, with Duncan Idehen moving to left back and Will Dawes playing in his best position.

And Dawes had a great second half. Our brightest spells came from Dawes running at, and getting the better of, Bath’s right back. Dawes is such an honest footballer. There’s no ego, he works hard for the team and last night was no different. Came on at left wing back, didn’t look overly comfortable but worked hard for the team. When we changed to a 4-4-2, he was relentless on the left. He got crosses into the box and had bright attacking moments and worked back to support Idehen, who was under a lot of pressure from Bath City’s number 15, Jordan Thomas (who looks like some player by the way).

It was good to see Alex Fisher back on the pitch. The injury Fisher suffered against Southend was so horrific, that to see him back playing before the end of the year feels like a minor miracle. He divides opinion, for a striker he should score more than he does, things didn’t necessarily come off for him last night. But, after a gruelling rehab (who can forget the cage around his leg) he’s just battled through 90 minutes for the first time since the injury, against one of the better sides in the division and is back putting his body on the line for Yeovil Town.

It was a huge win. Given that Torquay and Maidstone both won on Tuesday night, and that Bath have been in the thick of the chasing pack, those three points at Twerton Park are huge. The six point gap remains and there’s still a game in hand on 2nd, 3rd and 4th. You could see what it meant to the players and, specifically, Mark Cooper at the end. The performance wasn’t brilliant, but the result and feeling at the end was. Now we’re out of the cup competitions, we’ve got a straight run in the league, with one focus in mind.