Match Previews (Page 7)

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Yeovil Town Badge on huish park

It’s time for our first evening game of the season. Yeovil will face Ebbsfleet at 7.45pm Tuesday night in what will be hopefully a noisy Huish Park.

Here’s what you need to know…..

Form Guide…

After two games the Glovers have won one and lost one which has them sitting mid-table. Their win on Saturday was solid and should provide some building blocks for the Somerset side. 

Morgan Williams wheels away as the ball nestles in to the Braintree net.

Ebbsfleet have lost both games to start the season but they have had to face two of the favourites for promotion in Barney and Gateshead. In their last game against Barnet they only lost 2-1, so will provide a stern contest for the home side.

Key Players…

Yeovil – Matty Worthington

So we have looked at forwards and defenders in the last two weeks, so let’s now look at a midfielder. Matty Worthington is a stalwart, he does the things many don’t want to do, he is the definition of box-to-box and above all else he is a bloody good captain. 

The “Ginger Pirlo” has been a mainstay in the midfield since he joined the Glovers permanently in 2019. Last season he started to add goals to his game which has been what’s missing for him. If he can carry that on this season he’ll be even more of an asset to Mark Cooper. 

Matt Worthington.
Picture Courtesy of Gary Brown

As captain he doesn’t need to do much else, Worthy is a modern Yeovil great, who has green and white running through his blood.

Ebbsfleet United – Dominic Poleon

The striker has been at The Fleet since 2021 after leaving Newport County. Poleon has bagged one goal in his only game so far this season. 

The big man has been what you’d call prolific for the Kent side, scoring 71 goals across 131 games. Originally a Leeds United academy product the St Lucian has bounced around the leagues and will be a handful for the Glovers defense on Tuesday.

Thats what he said…

Ahead of Tuesday night’s game Yeovil boss Mark Cooper spoke to the clubs social media.

“I haven’t thought about it yet…but we’ll have some tired bodies.  I’ll have to pick the freshest best team we can to try and get the three points in tough game on Tuesday.”

Speaking to BBC Radio Kent Danny Searle was looking at the good his side has done so far this season. He said: “Let’s get ourselves back on the training pitch, let’s go to Yeovil and take the positives from today, and we’ll look at the negatives and address them.”

We’ve met before…

Yeovil have the head to head record in this match having only played one game against each other in the covid hit 2019/20 season.

That year Darren Sarll’s side romped to a 3-1 win. With goals coming from Rhys Murphy, Remeao Hutton and Tom Whelan. Aswad Thomas was scored Ebsfleet’s only goal.

Don’t I know you…

For the second week in a row there is no former Glovers who now ply their trade in Kent. 

However last season, they did have Billy Clifford. Technically he never actually played a game for us but he did have a loan to Somerset in 2013, that’s the best link we can get.

Who’s been naughty then…

Although neither team has players  missing through suspension, both sides had yellow cards in their last games.

What makes this noteworthy is Ebbsfleet received five bookings throughout the game so there maybe some hotheadedness within their ranks if Yeovil can find the right buttons to push.

The Fleet will be without first-team coach Grant Basey who was sent off against Barnet.

HOW CAN YOU KEEP ACROSS THE GAME?

IN PERSON

Get to Huish Park! Tickets are available for the game here.

ON THE RADIO

Ian is back on the mic with Jack Killah for BBC Somerset and Three Valleys Radio will have full match coverage too.

ON THE TV/ STREAM

National League TV has this game listed as available to watch. Match Passes are £9.99

ON THE GLOVERSCAST.CO.UK

We’ll have team news, match report, Five Conclusions and our usual reaction podcast to follow on Monday.

 

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Yeovil travel east this weekend, as they play their first away game of the season against Braintree Town. Here’s what you need to know.

Form Guide…

With just the one game having been played so far this season form can be taken with a pinch of salt. However, both sides find themselves toward the bottom end of the table after suffering defeats on the opening day. 

Alex Whittle rises highest. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil fell victims to the far travelling Hartlepool team. After staying solid for the first half, it wasn’t until the 65th minute where the Glovers conceded the only goal of the game, consigning them to a 0-1 loss.

Braintree didn’t fair much better either, with the Essex side losing away to newly relegated Oldham Athletic, 3-0. Oldham will prove difficult for most teams this season, so it’s hard to say whether Braintree themselves will be difficult for Yeovil on Saturday.

Key Players…

Yeovil – Jake Wannell

Last week we looked at the attacking talents of Jordan Young. Defending is just as an important asset for a team though and with Jake Wannell we have a very good centre back. Last season he proved to be instrumental alongside defensive partner Morgan Williams.

In what that will be a cagey affair, with both teams looking to get all three points, a solid defensive base will be key against The Iron. Wannell will need to be on top form to keep John Akinde and Inih Effiong at bay.

Jake Wannell gets the better of Hartlepool striker, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Jake Wannell gets the better of Hartlepool striker, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Braintree – John Akinde

John Akinde will be a threat. At 35-years-old, Akinde is not what he once was, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be a handful. Dropping down from the football league to join Braintree is definitely a coup for The Iron, who will be hoping he can find his old form.

Last season wasn’t the best for the centre-forward only bagging two goals, albeit for a struggling Colchester United side. At his peak however the ex-Bristol City man was a 26 goal a season striker.

That’s what he said…

Angelo Harrop spoke to the Braintree social media team on Thursday, following their opening day loss to Oldham, he said he was hoping for a bounce back to form.

“We’re disappointed with the result against Oldham, but we are a different animal at home and I’m hoping to see a big, big reaction from our players on Saturday.”

He then spoke about the need to have the ‘Iron Army’ behind him and his team as they, like us, try and get our first National League points on the board.

Whilst Mark Cooper was wary of the challenge that a physical Braintree side will pose. 

“I think Saturday will be even harder (than last Saturday), as they’ve recruited really well, they’ve signed Inih Effiong, they’ve signed John Akinde, which are immense forwards for this level, they did a remarkable job getting promoted last year, they were one of the best teams we played…

We know it’s going to be a tough job, but I’m sure Angelo will be expecting a tough game from us.”

 

We’ve met before…

The two teams know each other well having faced off twice last season. With two wins from two for the Glovers, you wouldn’t blame the travelling fans for thinking all three points may be a certainty here.

The first game was at Huish Park last October where the Glovers ran out 2-0 winners, with goals coming from Jake Hyde and Matty Worthington. The second of our two previous fixtures is where fans can be cautiously optimistic as Yeovil won 0-1 in Essex. This time Frank Nouble bagging the only goal of the game.

Don’t I Know You?

For what might be the first time ever there is no opposition players or staff who have had a spell at Huish Park. Last season Charlie Wakefield was part of the group that was promoted alongside the Glovers, but the silky winger has since departed.

Charlie Wakefield. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Who’s been naughty then!?

Neither Yeovil or Braintree picked up any red cards in the opener, so both sides will be with their full options of players.

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The Glovers are back in the (Non League) big time and welcome Hartlepool United to Huish Park from just up the road. Here’s all the info you need ahead of the 2024/25 season opener.

Form Guide…

Let’s start with the obvious, there is no league form for either side to call upon.

The Glovers ended their pre-season campaign with a trio of wins over Weston-super-Mare, Buckland Athletic and Farnborough Town whilst the Pools, lost to a youthful second-string Nottingham Forest side 3-1 at Victoria Park last Saturday. They have seen off Scunthorpe, South Shields and Sunderland U21s this summer, though.

Hartlepool finished the 2023/24 campaign with a win, coming out on top of a seven-goal thriller against already relegated Dorking, clearly the defenders on both sides were already on their summer holidays.

Jordan Young fires home. Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

Key Players…

Yeovil – Jordan Young

The former Chippenham Town man ended the 2023/24 season with a total of 14 league goals as the Glovers cruised to the National League South title and he’ll be vital once more back in the top flight of non-League football, set pieces will be key for the hosts throughout the season and Young has shown he’s more than capable of scoring and providing from a dead ball – any chance of one on Jake Wannell’s noggin please, Jordan?

Hartlepool United – Adam Campbell

Signed from Crawley Town in the summer, Campbell was promoted out of League Two, scoring seven goals in 48 appearances, it’s perfectly feasibly that Campbell should be playing in League One this season, instead he’s been brought closer to home and a couple of levels down the pyramid.

Ref keeps an eye on Jordan Young! Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

That’s What He Said…

In his pre-match presser Mark Cooper said that he knew all about Hartlepool’s strengths, and knows exactly what kind of side former Glovers’ Manager Darren Sarll will bring.

“They have some really good, experienced players and Darren’s way of playing is full on pressing, getting after teams and looking to make it really uncomfortable. But we have our own style of play and being at home, we have to try and impose our style on them.”

You can read the headlines from the boss’s first pre-match presser of the season HERE

As for Sarll, you can hear an exclusive chat with the Hartlepool gaffer on match-day morning with Gloverscast Ben in the return of the ‘Foot in the Opposition Camp’.

Sarll told the HUFC official site on Thursday: “Like I’ve said all week with other press duties [he means us, here I think],  I have a connection there (to Yeovil). I had three years there, it was a big part of my managerial career… they’ve had an excellent year last year and to turn a relegation into a winning season is very hard and the coaching staff and the players deserve a lot of credit. They’ll have good momentum and positivity around them, so, we’ve got to lift our performances to match.”

We’ve met before…

Sorry stattos, but Yeovil Town have a quite frankly terrible recent record against the side from the uppest of the North.

Not since 2012 when in League One have Yeovil beaten Hartlepool. A single Joe Edwards goal was enough to earn the three points on that day. 

Last time we crossed paths in the North, the Pools won 2-1. Tom Knowles opened the scoring, but it meant little by the end. The last meeting at Huish Park – a behind closed doors game in November 2020 – was even worse. Three first half goals from Molyneux, Holohan and Magloire put the game and points well out of reach, even if Joe Quigley did get one back.

Want to watch that one again? No? Tough.

 

Don’t I know you?

Quite a lot of the travelling Hartlepool contingent are known to Glovers fans.

Darren Sarll is the gaffer, assisted by Carl Dickinson, and they will bring former Glovers’ loanee Adam Smith and central defenders Billy Sass-Davies and Tom Parkes back to Huish Park. They’re all expected to be in the match day squad.

Darren Sarll
Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Who’s been naughty then?

David Rock is our referee for this fixture, and as you’d expect for the first game of the season, there are no notable suspensions for either side, at least not in the playing squad. Yeovil Chairman and Owner, Martin Hellier, serves the first of his two-match stadium ban.

How can you keep across the game?

In Person

Get to Huish Park! Tickets are available for the game here.

On the Radio

Ian is back on the mic with Jack Killah for BBC Somerset and Three Valleys Radio will have full match coverage too.

On the TV/ stream

National League TV has this game listed as available to watch. Match Passes are £9.99

On the Gloverscast.co.uk

We’ll have team news, match report, Five Conclusions and our usual reaction podcast to follow on Monday.

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Yeovil Town will travel to Gloucester (I’ll get to that part) to face Truro City on Thursday night, in their rearranged league fixture.

The Glovers will be finally looking to get over the line and win the league after they failed to beat Worthing in their last match. With only one point now needed to win the National League South a draw will do for the Somerset side.

The Cornwall outfit have now been advised by the league to play their remaining games at Gloucester after their back up home ground (Wordsworth Drive) is unplayable due to damage from water logging. Thursday nights game will see the White Tigers play for the second time in 24hrs, after playing Eastbourne on Wednesday.

Yeovil Town News

Manager Mark Cooper seemed irked by having to play at changed venue. He said: “At the start of the season, you are told who you have to play against and where you have to play, then when it comes to that game, they are playing at a different place at a stadium which is in a different regional league, on a different surface. I am not sure it is right, but that is the way it is and we have to obey by the National League rules.”

Cooper briefly spoke about how “we can enjoy everything that comes with (winning the league) when it is done.”

Mark Cooper before Truro

The ex-Swindon man wants to make sure his team get the performance right. He said: “That is our work for this week, keeping everyone level-headed and looking forward to Thursday. We have to be really cold and calculated, forget the noise and make sure we get a performance on the pitch.”

Striker Rhys Murphy spoke openly about the teams current mindset. He said: “You just have to keep going, nothing is given to you in life, you have to take it.

“We are still in a fantastic position. We have to dust ourselves down and to have that resilience is crucial, so we go again.”

Rhys Murphy.

Injury wise for the Glovers, Jordan Stevens is back in contention after short spell on the sidelines. Full-Back Michael Smith is back in training. However, Jahmari Clarke and Will Dawes are both out for the season. Jake Hyde is ruled out due to 3G pitch.

TruroCity FC Team News

Truro boss Paul Wotton was keen to keep his side encouraged in the lead up to a busy week. He said: “I’ve told the boys don’t worry about it, keep believing, there is six games to go. Every points a prisoner.”

Truro City manager Paul Wotton.

Players To Watch

Centre Forward Andrew Neal is the White Tigers biggest threat having scored 12 goals this season. “Rocky” as he is known has been prolific in goal scoring for the majority of his career. Before his first spell at Truro, Neal scored 60 goals for Bodmin Town. Having spent two season in Cornwalls only city, the forward left for Taunton where he scored 42 goals across two campaigns. Then in 2020 he rejoined the White Tigers.

Tyler Harvey is another name to look out for with the forward/attacking midfielder contributing 10 goals in 30 games. Harvey started his career the other side of the Cornish border at Plymouth Argyle where he made 5o appearances. The front man is well thought of at Truro having been the clubs top scorer in both the 21/22 and 22/23 seasons.

Crossing Paths

Matt Buse will be a familiar name to fans with the Truro midfielder the older brother of current Glovers keeper Will Buse. Buse had stint as trials in the summer with the Yeovil but was not successful in getting a contract, like his brother he was also born and raised in the Town.

Matt Buse.
Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

The White Tigers boss Paul Wotton played 45 games across a loan spell then permanent transfer between 2010-2012 for the Glovers. Playing as a Centre-Back/Defensive midfielder Wotton was very much a leader on the pitch having joined form Championship side Southampton.

Ryan Law is another name in the Truro ranks who once plied his trade in South Somerset. The fullback spent the back end of last season on loan from Plymouth at Hush Park.

 

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Yeovil Town will face off against Worthing FC on Saturday at Huish Park as they look to clinch the league title.

The Glovers will win the league if they match or better Chelmsford’s result against Slough Town. With the potential of securing a first league title since the 04-05 season, Mark Coopers men will be looking to out on a show for a packed Huish Park.

Worthing will also be looking to secure all three points as they continue their push for the playoffs. The Rebels are currently sitting fifth in the league and haven’t lost in three games, so will prove tough opponents for the home side.

Yeovil Town Team News

Boss Cooper reiterated his season long stance of this game being the same as any other. He said: “It’s very rare you get an opportunity to win a league with five games to go, it shows how well the players have done…It’s important we see it as another game, it has to be like that.”

The 54-year-old spoke highly of Saturdays opposition claiming them to be “the best footballing side in the league”. Cooper also batted away any suggestion he may be approached by other clubs by stating he is “Happy here”.

Mark Cooper after the Weymouth game. Picture Courtesy of Gary Brown

The former Swindon manager also talked about the dangers the Rebels may pose. He said: “They are the top scorers in the league and you can see why, they got some great players that have no fear, who just want to pass the ball and run forward and they’ve got the top marksman in the league [Ollie Pearce] who has done brilliantly well.”

Matthew Worthington shared his thoughts on being named captain after Josh Stanton‘s departure. He said:“I’m massively proud to be captain of this club and this team.

It’s new to me and I’m enjoying it, I’m grateful to the gaffer for giving me the opportunity.”

Matt Worthington.
Picture Courtesy of Gary Brown

There are no fresh injury concerns for the Glovers.

Worthing FC Team News

First team coach Darren Budd spoke after the Rebels’ win over Hampton & Richmond. He said: “It was a great set of results this weekend which we now have to take into the Yeovil game. That’s going to be a tough test, they’ve shown their quality with where they are in the league but the boys will be relishing it.”

Budd also talked about Hush Park being a “great place to play” and how the “size of the pitch and grass” will suit the Worthing side.

The Worthing boss Aarran Racine knows Mark Cooper well, being managed by the Yeovil boss whilst at Forest Green Rovers. Racine should still be in the dugout for the match even after receiving a red card in Monday’s fixture . Kodi Lyons-Forster could be a doubt for the game after going off with a knock on Monday.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

One player for home fans to keep an eye on is Ollie Pearce. The emphatic talisman has scored 36 goals in the league this season for the East Sussex side. Having started his career at Bognor Regis Town, Pearce made the step up to Worthing in 2018. It wasn’t until last season that the striker made a name for himself scoring 25 goals, assisting 14.

https://twitter.com/Vanarama/status/1773753349264822611

Another player to keep a look out for is youngster Brad Dologhan who bagged a brace against Hampton & Richmond.

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Yeovil Town could win the league away to W*ymouth on Easter Monday if they take all three points and Chelmsford City lose to Dover.

After an emphatic win on Good Friday against relegation threatened Torquay, the Glovers have the chance to end their stay in regional football after one season. New signing Jahmari Clarke showed glimpses of what he can offer in the run in with two well taken chances, Jordan Young also got back on the score sheet.

The team from South-Dorset will be looking to spoil the party of their rivals with a win. The Terras have bigger issues, after Manager Bobby Wilkinson left the club last week. Interim boss Jason Matthews got a point in his first game in charge with a 1-1 draw against Bath City last time out.

Yeovil Town News

Manager Mark Cooper is only interested in what his team can do on Monday. He said: “We have to focus on what we’re going to do. We have to respect them and their players but it’s important we concentrate on we can do.”

The former Forest Green boss did have some words to say about the departure of Wilkinson. He said: “What I will say is Bobby has done great job there in the last few weeks, getting the safe.”

Mark Cooper speaks to Sheridan Robins after the 3-0 home win over Torquay United.

In terms of injuries for the Glovers there isn’t any new ones to worry about. Rhys Murphy was on the bench Friday so could be in for some minutes against W*ymouth.

W*ymouth Team News

Jason Matthews wasn’t shy in hyping up the game on Monday. He said: “There is no bigger game for W*ymouth than Yeovil. I’m sure my boys will give me their best shot on again on Monday.”

Matthews feels that the short time in-between games will be “best used for recuperation” as his team is a part time outfit.

A familiar name to Yeovil fans is Brandon Goodship who had two underwhelming spells at the club before moving onto the South Dorset side.One player to keep an eye on for the traveling away fans is Ezio Touray, the Italian striker has netted eight times for the Terras this season with two in his last two games.

 

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Yeovil Town return to Huish Park in triumphant spirits, off the back of their 1-0 win at Braintree Town last weekend.

The Glovers put an end to their indifferent run of form with the win, and they take on a troubled Torquay United. The two South West sides have clashed around the Christmas period for the last four years, with varying degrees of success between the two outfits.

The last time these two sides met in the league, it was the mighty Yeovil who were successful, goals from Frank Nouble, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Jake Hyde handing us a 3-1 win.

Yeovil Town Team News

Mark Cooper insisted that Torquay will still be a tough challenge for us, speaking midweek he said: “We know if they are fit they (Dean Moxey, Asa Hall, Kevin Dawson, Tom Lapslie) will play and they will be desperate to come here and get something, so we have to fully respect that and make sure we give everything we have got and get the result.“

Picture courtesy of Gary Brown

There are no returns from injury for any of our injured stars, the gaffer also confirmed mid-week that the highly anticipated returns of Michael Smith and Rhys Murphy would have to wait until after Friday’s game at least, saying: “Murphy and Smith are back in training, but it will be too soon for them to come back in.”

Alex Whittle will not be seen again this season, with initial injury concerns having been eased somewhat, as Cooper confirmed the dynamic left back wouldn’t need surgery on his hamstring.

Torquay United Team News

Interim Gulls manager Aaron Downes spoke to the media ahead of tomorrow’s clash, labelling his side as “rare underdogs”, stating: “It’s very rare that Torquay United in the National League South goes to a team, and is sort of looked at as underdogs, as far as the league position is concerned, so for once we’ll relish the opportunity to do that, but we know that if we play well and if we perform the way we can perform, then we definitely know we can get a result there”.

Downes also confirmed that starting striker Aaron Jarvis would miss Friday’s clash, with other injuries in the squad being assessed right up to kickoff, saying: “Marsh (Ross Marshall) and Daws (Kevin Dawson) both touch and go really, not 100% certain on them. Jarvs (Aaron Jarvis) will be out, he’s still not right; he was ill last week but he also got the knock at Tonbridge on his knee, and then he had to come off later in the second half. So Jarvs (Jarvis) will be out, and Daws (Dawson) and Marsh (Marshall) are both tight”.

The Devon side come into Friday off the back of a 1-0 win themselves, an Asa Hall penalty proving the difference between them and Hampton & Richmond. Torquay have also found themselves in spotty form, although still an improvement under interim boss Downes, following his appointment after Gary Johnson’s departure. The Australian has a record of two wins, two draws and two losses since being appointed near the end of February.

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Yeovil Town recent poor form will be somewhat of a worry ahead of their trip to the in-form Braintree Town on Saturday.

With just the one win in the last five, the Glovers will not be relishing their trip to Essex to face the side in third in National League South table. What makes for even less appetising viewing is that in the last two visits to the county the Somerset side have picked up one point from a possible six.

Braintree on the other hand are very much the in-form team in the division, having not lost a game in their last 14. Making this the first time Mark Cooper’s men go into a game as the so-called “underdogs” this season.

Yeovil Town Team News

Cooper knows how difficult this game will be, having faced a tough challenge earlier in the season. He said: “They are one of the best teams we have played here and they are one of the only teams which have not changed how they play when they came here. Full credit to Angelo (Harrow, the Braintree manager) and his team for that.

” I am hopeful it is two teams that go and have a go at each other and it is a good spectacle rather than last week which was not a great spectacle.”

Picture Courtesy of Gary Brown

The Glovers’ boss also feels today’s opponents won’t be treating us as the underdogs “considering we’re 12 points in front of them”.

Cooper is hoping that some slight disruption in the Braintree team can help his side. He said: “I am hoping they are tired after that, I know they have had a bit of illness in the camp, but they have recruited some good players.”

Centre back Morgan Williams gave his views on the upcoming fixture. He said: “So every team is going to give it their all against us because we are top of the league and the best team in the league, so we just have take it game by game. We have to respect Braintree, they are doing really well, but we have just got to do our best on Saturday.“

Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Town will be without full-back Michael Smith, who is missing with a hamstring injury, and long-term injury victims strikers Rhys Murphy and Jake Hyde. Speaking on Thursday ahead of the game, Coopwr said left-back Alex Whittle had “a great chance” of making it on Saturday. He also revealed on-loan Bristol City striker Olly Thomas missed last weekend’s goalless draw on an artificial surface at Slough Town due to issues with his knees caused by ‘growing pains’.

Braintree Town Team News

The Irons manager, Angelo Harrop talked about how his team will prepare for the game. He said: “We will prepare like we always do. I knew this was always going to be tough.”

Harrop, also believes “it’s a tough, tough league” and that “anyone can beat anyone” so fancies his teams chances.

Speaking after his side’s goalless draw at home to W*ymouth on Tuesday night, the 35-year-old knows he has the backing of his fans for the game. He said: “The crowd will be fully behind us, they were unbelievable tonight [vs Wey*outh], so we’re going to need that support Saturday.”

Harrop said is side’s good form and league position puts pressure on his players team, which he encouraged his players to relish. He said: “There should be pressure on our team; we’re in a really good position and we’ve got to enjoy that pressure.

“There’s pressure on my shoulders, the players’ shoulders and we’ve got to embrace that.

“Going back to the Chelmsford home game (the Iron’s last defeat on home soil on Boxing Day) when this place was packed out, we need to learn from those experiences – it’s the time to turn it on and really embrace it.”

Braintree have some notable names in their squad with players including former West Ham United academy graduate, striker Freddie Sears, who has more than 450 EFL appearances to his name for clubs including Ipswich Town and Colchester United. The 34-year-old arrived at the Rare Meats Company Stadium having left National League Premier side Dagenham & Redbridge earlier this month.

Another familiar daces for the travelling Glovers to watch former Yeovil man, winger Charlie Wakefield, who arrived on loan from Woking last month.

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Yeovil Town are back at Huish Park looking to bounce back from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Welling United, their first of the season on home soil.

They take on a Chippenham Town side which suffered heartbreak in their match at the weekend going down to an injury time winner at Hampton & Richmond at the weekend.

The Bluebirds had taken an early lead through midfielder Tom Owens-Evans before being pegged back in the second half and then Alex Gibson-Hammond snatched the three points in the sixth minute of injury time.

Yeovil Town Team News

The big injury news for Yeovil Town is the anticipated absence of influential full-back Michael Smith, who was forced off after just 16 minutes at the weekend.

Manager Mark Cooper admitted the Northern Irishman would be “a doubt” for the midweek match and the question is who will replace him if he is, as expected, unavailable.

Jay Foulston, who spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Chippenham from Newport, came on to fill in on the right side of defence in what proved a difficult afternoon for him.

Michael Smith is not expected to be fit to face Chippenham Town.
Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Will Dawes, who was not named on the bench against Welling having picked up a knock in the goalless draw at Aveley last Monday, is an option if he is available, as is captain Matt Worthington, who has filled in that position already this season.

Up front, on loan Bristol City youngster Olly Thomas came off the bench with some effect in the closing stages of Saturday’s loss and will be a consideration for a starting place. However, having only recently come back from injury himself, Cooper may decide it is too soon for him to be thrust in to the frontline.

Both Worthington and midfield colleague Charlie Cooper have now passed the cut-off point for a suspension for ten bookings, meaning their slates have now been wiped clean.

Chippenham Town Team News

Manager Gary Horgan said he believed his side more than matched fourth-placed Hampton & Richmond at the weekend, but admitted defeat was a bitter pill to swallow.

The boss is hoping that his side can pick themselves up as they go up against the National League South leaders.

Speaking after the game he said: “We always go in to games looking to win them. We have had a tough game here and put an awful lot in to it against a side with huge ambitions and we have more than matched them.

“We will try and do that again on Tuesday and see where we are in terms of bodies and everything else and then we will go there with no fear, as we always do.”

Midfielder Alex Bray has returned on the bench in recent weeks having had a spell on the sidelines with injury and could be in contention for a start, but defender Eddie Jones is still expected to be missing through injury.

Defender Nathaniel Williams is available to Horgan having sat out the last two games through suspension.

The Bluebirds sit in 16th place in the table and their form away from home is equally mid-table having won one, drawn one and lost two of their last four games on the road. The losses came on Saturday at Hampton and at Tonbridge Angels with a draw at in-form Slough Town on February 17th and at win at Dartford four days earlier.

 

We’ve met before

Back in November, a Jake Hyde goal gave Yeovil the lead in Wiltshire before an error from Jordan Maguire-Drew saw him gift Chippenham possession in the middle of the park.

The Bluebirds flew forwards and a header from on loan defender Duncan Idehen deflected off his defensive team-mate Morgan Williams to hand the home side a point.

 

 

Around the Grounds

In Tuesday night’s other matches, second-placed Chelmsford City face a tricky trip to a Maidstone United side with strong ambitions of securing a place in the play-offs.

Worthing will be looking to bounce back from a shock 3-1 defeat to Taunton Town at the weekend as they take on Farnborough.

Hampton host Welling United, still high from their successes at Huish Park, St Albans City travel to Weston-super-Mare, Braintree host Dartford and Bath City face off against Hemel Hempstead Town at Twerton Park.

Aveley snuck back in to the division’s final play-off spot at the expense of Bath with a 2-1 win at home to Tonbridge on Monday night.

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Yeovil Town Team News

The Glovers are back at Huish Park for a double header of home games following two tough, but profitable away games.

Yeovil remain unbeaten on home soil this season and strugglers Welling will put that record to the test with just one defeat in their last nine games.

Yeovil are looking to extend a six match winning streak at Huish Park with the 2-1 win over Weston-super-Mare back on Tuesday 20th February the last win, on the green, green grass of home.

There isn’t much in the way of new team news from HP, other than Olly Thomas is back with the club to continue his second loan spell, he was injured playing for Bristol City’s Under 23s and has been sidelined for a few weeks whilst recovering back at Ashton Gate.

The other 16 or so players are all deemed to be ‘fresh’ after their quick fire double over the course of last weekend. 

A point of note, this match is the final game where a 10th yellow card would equal a two-match ban, both Charlie Cooper and Matt Worthington are treading the tightrope and “have been told’ by Mark Cooper to keep themselves out of trouble with the officials. 

Jordan Young celebrates his opener after 16 minutes at Welling United.

Welling Team News

Welling sit just outside the relegation spots at the bottom of the NLS, three points ahead of Taunton, although the peacocks do have five(!) games in hand on the wings.

Don’t let their league position fool you though, prior to losing against Farnborough in midweek, they hadn’t been beaten in eight league games and dragged them out of the dreaded bottom four.

Welling have just two wins away from home this season and the second worst defensive record on the road, conceding 37 goals in 17 games.

Welling boss described their midweek match against Farnborough as a ‘more winnable game’ than the Saturday trip to Huish Park (they lost), he also confirmed that the visiting squad will be staying over in Somerset on Friday night.

“We’ll come up against something slightly different [than Farnborough] on Saturday… the boys will work hard and get themselves ready, we’ll train on Friday morning and get on the coach and go down, the club has been good enough to put us up and give us every chance to get something out of Saturday…”

Tristan Abrahams has seven goals for the Wings so far this season, but the former Yeovil man hasn’t been involved for the side since early February and has since moved on to pastures new, they do though still have another former YTFC employee in their ranks, Chiori Johnson who made a long awaited return to the match day squad in midweek.

Chiori Johnson. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

We’ve met before

Sorry to remind you, but yes, we did get an absolute tanking at the hands of Welling back in November.

Former Glover, Tristan Abrahams scored three times in 13 crazy second half minutes as the Wings won 4-1, Jordan Young with the opener on the day.

 

Back in 2019, the two sides met in the FA Trophy at Huish Park, with goals from Courtney Duffus and Chris Dagnall seeing the Glovers progress to the final 16.

 

Around the Grounds

Here’s where the other games are taking place around the NLS for the promotion contender.

Second pace Chelmsford, head to Gloucester (rather than Taunton or Plymouth) to take on Truro in the 7:30pm kick off, Worthing host Taunton, fourth placed Braintree host Slough Town, Hampton and Richmond take on the Glovers’ next opponents Chippenham, Maidstone v St Albans is a potential cracker in the race for a play off spot and Bath City are at home to Farnborough.

It’s also Aveley vs W*ymouth, where I think we’d like them both to lose…