Manager (Page 3)

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said the club will appeal against the red card which saw defender Jake Wannell dismissed late in a 1-0 home defeat to FC Halifax Town today.

The Glovers boss was confident the decision would be rescinded on appeal following an off-the-ball incident where visiting defender Will Smith accused Wannell of stamping on him.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah after the game, Cooper said: “The linesman on the dug-out side of the pitch is 70 yards away, but he tells the referee he has seen a stamp and the referee is ten yards away. 70 yards away, through bodies and the linesman says he has seen a clear stamp. If he can see that from 70 yards away, he should be in the military as a sniper, not a linesman.

“I have seen it back, the Halifax player grabs Jake Wannell’s leg and he has nowhere to put his foot, Wannell turns round to run away and takes a natural step. It will be rescinded on Monday, it was never a stamp.”

The game was settled by a strike from the edge of the box from the visitors’ Florent Hoti after 57 minutes prompting the manager in to a double substitution with Michael Smith and Josh Sims both coming on nine minutes after going behind.

That led to a strong last half-an-hour from Yeovil which saw Sims twice go close and Pedro Borges force a fine stop out of Sam Johnson in the Halifax goal.

Cooper said he believed striker Aaron Jarvis was denied “a blatant penalty” during one of the periods of pressure, but said his side were too slow with the ball until the changes were made.

He said: “We did not move the ball quick enough at the back, our centre halves did not move forward with the ball, they were too happy to not take a risk with it which allowed them to get bodies back. We were a bit negative with our press in the first half, we let them bring the ball to the halfway line which was not the plan.

“We had to make some changes and the boys that came on were very good. The effort was terrific, we created loads of chances, the only problem is that on too many occasions this season we have not been ruthless enough to finish the game off. Even with ten men we should score.”

The result saw Yeovil slip out of the National League Premier Division play-off places as Halifax leap-frogged them in to seventh place. The Glovers travel to league leaders York City next weekend.

Cooper said: “That will be a totally different game, York will try and be on the front foot. That means there will be more space, it is chalk and cheese. Halifax have done a good job on us today, they were really organised, got bodies behind the ball and a cheap goal from our point of view. We just have to make sure we are quicker with the ball.“

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper wants striker Aaron Jarvis to continue his run of impressive goal-scoring form as he returns to the starting line-up against FC Halifax Town today.

The former Torquay United striker is one of two changes to the side which won 1-0 away at Southend United seven days ago with Brett McGavin, who was on the bench in Essex, replacing the suspended Charlie Cooper in midfield.

Jarvis has got three goals in his last three matches including a double last time out at Huish Park when Yeovil ran out comfortable 3-1 winners against Maidenhead United.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah ahead of the match, Mark Cooper said: “We want him to hit the ground running and get back to where he was before the suspension. Brett starts again after missing out with illness last weekend and Sonny (Blu Lo-Everton) comes in for Charlie Cooper. Josh (Sims) has had a couple of training sessions, but he is still not 100% so he is one of the six subs along with Michael Smith.”

Exeter City loanee Pedro Borges impressed playing right wing-back at Southend last weekend and the boss said he has no doubt about the 19-year-old’s ability to cause problems.

He added: “The way we ask our wing-backs to play they are more or less wide midfield players, which is something he is accustomed to. Pedro has energy and physicality so if he brings us that, he has a chance to play well.”

Today’s fixture sees two of the National League Premier Division’s best defences go up against each other. The visitors have conceded 16 in their 17 league matches this season, whilst Yeovil have let in just 15 goals in the same amount of games.

Cooper said: “They are very resolute, well-structured with a lot of energy in the team. I say it every week, but every game is really difficult and sometimes you need a bit of luck. We have put a good run together and I said (in the pre-match press conference) on Thursday we have earned the fans getting behind us. We have played some good stuff and looked a decent team, so hopefully they can get behind us from the start and we can give them something to keep shouting about.“

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Full-back Michael Smith will be available for Yeovil Town when they take on FC Halifax Town at Huish Park this weekend.

The 36-year-old has trained this week having missed the last five matches with a hamstring injury which saw him go off at half-time in the 1-0 home win over Dagenham & Redbridge at the start of October.

Manager Mark Cooper said captain Matt Worthington was also back in training after suffering an ankle ligament injury early in the goalless draw at Tamworth four-and-a-half weeks ago, but the Glovers will be without midfielder Charlie Cooper who serves a one-match ban for picking up five bookings.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah on Thursday, the boss said: “Matt Worthington’s back in training, Michael Smith’s been back this week and he’s had a couple of good training sessions, so he is available this weekend.

“We have had one or two players off this week with a bug, Josh Sims has been ill, he was ill (at Southend) last weekend. So we still have some illness in the camp,  but we’re hopeful that we getting to the back end of that now.

“When you rip ankle ligaments you get you get a lot of ankle ligaments, but he is back on the grass now, so he will not be long. He’s a naturally really fit, fit lad, so it won’t be that long.”

Michael Smith will be fit to return for this weekend’s home match with FC Halifax Town. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Cooper collected his fifth booking in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Southend United, a match which saw the home side’s goalkeeper Zach Jeacock sent-off for handling outside the box and manager Kevin Maher sent to the stands. Jeacock subsequently had his red card overturned on appeal this week.

The Glovers’ boss cut a frustrated figure in his post-match comments after the win in Essex and explained that an unnamed player had been accused of making “an inappropriate comment” by a Southend player – who subsequently admitted to inventing the comment.

Cooper said: “One of our players was accused of making an inappropriate comment which would have carried a minimum eight-game ban, if it had been substantiated. He was then consequently booked. We had four players booked, but I did not think any of them were bookings. There were two red cards (goalkeeper Zach Jeacock and manager Kevin Maher) for them and after the game the Southend player, admitted that he lied and made the comment up to get our player sent off. That is sad really.

“Their goalkeeper has had his red card rescinded following an appeal, but our player’s yellow card still stands and the player that made the allegation, unless we go to the FA, will get away with making up that comment. But we would not go to the FA because we’ve got better character than that. We are more of the belief that what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch. We are not like that, we have got proper characters, but if our player would have got sent off for the incident, he would have had the red card rescinded. That’s how mad it is.

“Their their goalkeeper gets a red card for a blatant handball and they somehow get that rescinded. How can we build a multi-million pound training centre at (the FA’s headquarters) St. George’s Park, build Wembley Stadium, put a man on the moon, but we can’t rescind a yellow card for something that somebody didn’t do? I suppose it’s just the state of the game now.”

Yeovil saw four players booked with defenders Jake Wannell, Finn Cousin-Dawson and Alex Whittle also collecting yellow cards alongside midfielder Cooper. Speaking after the game the manager said he felt like football was “losing the spirit of the game” due to the amount of bookings that are being handed out.

Referee Abigail Byrne shows Southend keeper Zach Jeacock a red card.

Five days later he reiterated previous comments about the need to change the disciplinary rules which see players handed a one-match ban for collecting five yellow cards.

He said: “If I showed you the four yellow cards  we got (at Southend) on Saturday, you would be scratching your head and saying ‘it’s just not it’s just contact’. It’s just Jake Wannell got a yellow card for their player putting his hand in Jake’s chest, falling over. Finn Cousin-Dawson got booked for winning the ball on the halfway line, and we still do not know what Alex Whittle got booked for. I’m not crying because we lost, we won the game, I am speaking about the good of the game.

“If you are a combative player, it is impossible to only have five yellow cards from the start of the season in August to the 23rd November when we will have 19 games including the FA Cup. It seems like that (the FA) does not want any contact or any emotion or any passion in the game, and that that goes to the touchline as well.

“If you’re gonna front load the games at the start of the season, then you you have to move the the the threshold (for the amount of bookings you can get) higher. You have to move the cut-off date for bookings back or make the number of bookings you have to receive for a suspension higher. It is impossible because there are that many games.”

This weekend’s encounter sees two of the National League Premier’s best defensive records come head-to-head. The Glovers have conceded just 15 goals in their opening 17 league matches, whilst Halifax have only let in one more. Only the division’s top two sides, York City (12) and Forest Green Rovers (14) have conceded less. 

Cooper said that he is viewing the fixture as another opportunity to add to their points total required to secure safety, despite his side being in the play-off places going in to the match against a side two points and one place behind them in the table.

He said: “When you first come into the league you look at getting enough points to try and make sure we’re still in (the division next season) and that has to be our first aim. We have got 28 points so I think we need another another six wins to make sure we are still in it and then we will go from there.”

Andrew Oluwabori in action for Yeovil Town. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Halifax have former Glovers’ loanee Andrew Oluwabori, who played 24 times under Cooper in the 2022/23 season whilst on loan from Peterborough United, and experienced striker Billy Waters, who returned to The Shay on loan from League One side Wrexham in September.

Cooper said: “I think they will come and have a go, they like to play on the front foot with real pace. They have got Andrew Oluwabori who is an absolute flying machine, Billy Waters, who is a a top player for the level, so I think they will come and have a go at us. But we have to concentrate on  what we do, we are playing some really good football at the moment, we are dominate and whilst we do our homework (on the opposition) but we have to concentrate on what we do really well.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Yeovil Town took home all three points from Southend this afternoon but Mark Cooper was far from pleased with his afternoon in Essex. The Yeovil boss praised the ‘incredible’ travelling support and his players, but during his interview with BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins, took aim at Southend, the FA and some of the things he heard during the match.

Here’s the full transcript of the interview:

Josh Perkins: Mark, I imagine you’ve got to be fairly happy with that one?

Mark Cooper: Yeah, I’m happy with the result. It was a horrible atmosphere. Yeah, I lost a little bit of what is in my soul about football today, some things I’ve seen and heard, I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it at all.

Josh Perkins: Can I ask what you heard?

Mark Cooper: No, just ridiculous stuff.

Josh Perkins: Okay, focusing on the game when you’re in those moments, be it with the red card from their keeper and the red card for their head coach and things. How difficult is that to kind of get on top of? And you know, make sure that you play your game?

Mark Cooper: You have to stay calm, of course. All our players stayed calm. One of our players [Charlie Cooper] got a yellow card which means he’s suspended. Is, honest to God, some of the stuff like that. Again, I’ve seen and heard full respect to our players. They kept they kept it together, and played our football that we do, and dominate the ball for long periods and just a matter of time if we were going to score.

Josh Perkins: And, you won’t go in to what you heard potentially. But was it from a Yeovil or Southend contingent?

Mark Cooper: No comment. I’ll not comment on it, it’s just ridiculous. What I’ve heard.

Josh Perkins: Okay. And I guess happy with James Plant’s first goal for the club as well? You know, he said to me earlier, he didn’t mean it, but, you know, across ends up with a goal.

Mark Cooper: It was a great cross wasn’t it? So yeah, listen, we deserved to win the game. It was tough on them. The goalie gets sent off. It ruins the game as a spectacle. But I thought it was a sending off – he handled the ball outside the box. They appealed for a penalty. I’ve just seen it wasn’t a penalty. I feel really sorry for referees and fourth officials, because they’ve been put in a really difficult position where you can get booked, as a player, as a manager, for adopting a winning attitude. Or I’ve been sent off this season for raising my arms above my waist, so which was rescinded. Their manager has had the same, but the referees and the officials have nowhere to go with it because they’re instructed. And we’re just losing the spirit and the emotion of the game.

Josh Perkins: Okay. And looking forward, we’ve got the next game, you mentioned that Charlie Cooper is suspended for. But you know, what do you take from this game going into next week?

Mark Cooper: Three points. I can’t wait to get out, get home. I wanted to come and watch Southend last week, and they wouldn’t leave me a ticket. They wouldn’t even reply to our emails. They’ve refused to make any food for our players, which is a National League rule. So, yeah, I can’t wait to get home to be honest, Can I just say tremendous turnout from our supporters. Incredible. They follow us through thick and thin, and they’re unbelievable. Great turnout.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper believes the absence of a number of his regular first teamers offers an opportunity to other members of the squad this weekend.

The Glovers travel to Southend United on Saturday without suspended defender Morgan Williams and Dom Bernard and striker Aaron Jarvis, along with injured captain Matt Worthington and full-back Michael Smith.

The boss also told BBC Somerset reporter Jack Killah that other members of the squad were struggling with illness ahead of the trip to Essex.

He said: “We have got (Morgan) Williams out suspended, (Aaron) Jarvis out suspended, Dom Bernard out suspended, we have got (Matt) Worthington and Michael Smith injured and on top of that we have got one or two struggling with this cold or flu. I’m sure the boys that are ill will put their hand up and want to play, but it gives some of the other boys chance to get some game time.

“It is very rare we have a full bench (of seven substitutes this season). I’m not massive on we have to have a full bench, because you can only use five. I’ll be happy if we can get to five on the bench on Saturday for sure.”

He added: “Suspensions have killed us this week, Dom Bernard and Jarvis both got a stupid bookings (in the 3-1 home win over Maidenhead United) and that hurts us. They are both in such good form and going into this game in a real good vein of form, it just puts the pressure on the other lads, which we could do without. But, we’re not going to cry about it, we’re going to go and try and get a result.”

Jarvis, who has three goals in his last two matches, and Bernard both sit out one-man bans for collecting five bookings whilst Williams serves the second match of a three-match ban for his sending off in the goalless draw at Tamworth. Cooper has said he hopes to have Smith back for the following weekend’s home match with FC Halifax Town.

Pedro Borges has made four appearances for Exeter City this season.

Former Glovers’ academy player Pedro Borges will be available having joined on loan until January during the week, and Cooper expects him to be an asset to the squad alongside fellow loanees wingers Kofi Shaw and James Plant.

He said: “Pedro is a young player like Kofi (Shaw), like (James) Plant, that wants to come and play some minutes. He is desperate to get some first-team football, he’s 6’1″ and athletic, he certainly adds to the forward areas of the pitch.

“We have had our eye on him because of his connection with the Yeovil area, being at Yeovil initially. I spoke to Gary Caldwell, the Exeter manager when we played them pre-season and just said ‘keep an eye on him, he’s going to be available at some point’, we got that opportunity at the start of the week to bring him in, with him being local as well, it’s a no-brainer.”

Having had no fixture last weekend due to the early exit from the FA Cup, the Glovers travel to Southend with the second-best record in the National League Premier over the last four games, with three wins and one draw, the same as leaders York City and second-placed Forest Green Rovers.

Southend went out of the Cup last weekend after a late extra-time winner from League One Charlton  Athletic, but won last time out in the league at Roots’ Hall, defeating Tamworth. However, home soil has not been the happiest of hunting grounds having won just three of their eight matches there this season.

On his side’s form, Cooper said: “When you win games it breeds confidence but as the coach it has been more about our performances. We have been playing well, we have spoken about the conversion rate (of chances to goals) as not being high enough, but we’ve been playing well and we try and talk about performances. If we keep doing that, the results will come.

“We’ve started to score goals and that’s been the only thing missing. The players have been great we have played some brilliant football and as I’ve mentioned, if you look at all the teams that we have played recently, they have all gone in the FA Cup last week, played against Football League teams and nearly all of them have won.”

Charlie Cooper celebrates his goal in the 3-1 home win over Maidenhead United. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

It will be exactly two weeks since the 3-1 home win over Maidenhead United when Yeovil run out in Essex at the weekend, but Cooper believes the break will leave his available players refreshed.

He said: “It is always good to have a freshen up, but only if you hit the ground running again. We knew after the last game that we were going to be missing players with suspension (against Southend), then on top of that you’ve got a horrendous bug going round the country, isn’t there? I’m sure most clubs will be missing players at the weekend with that, but we have to deal with it.

“We take the game in isolation and it’s one that I’m sure Southend are expecting a tough game and one that we are really looking forward to. The players that do come into the team are good players and they have an opportunity to show that.”

He added: “At the minute, I know that we’re in the play-offs and we want to try and win as many games and try and stay up there and we think we’re a reasonably-sized club for the level. The way we are playing we believe that can upset one or two of the big boys along the way and we want to try and stay around the top for as long as we can. We can only do that by taking it game-by-game.“

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Yeovil Town have received an offer from an unnamed National League club for winger Jordan Young.

Manager Mark Cooper confirmed the offer following the 3-1 home win over Maidenhead United on Saturday which saw the 25-year-old left out of the squad.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall after the game, the boss called on supporters to trust him with decisions about the Glovers’ playing squad.

He said: “We have had an offer for Jordan, so we are discussing that and we will take some time over the weekend to consider that. All I will say is we have to keep evolving we have to keep making the squad better and make sure everyone who comes here is desperate to play for us and all I will say is trust what we are doing.”

Young, who joined from Chippenham Town in January 2023, appeared off the substitutes’ bench in the 0-0 draw at Tamworth on Tuesday night, but was not in the squad against Maidenhead.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper says defender Finn Cousin-Dawson has deserved his chance in the starting XI for today’s home match with Maidenhead United.

The defender, a summer signing following his release by Bradford City, replaces the suspended Morgan Williams who is banned following his sending off in the goalless draw at Tamworth on Tuesday night.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall ahead of the match, Cooper said: “Finn Cousin-Dawson replaces Morgs, there is no drama there. Finn has waited patiently for his chance, trained really hard so he gets an opportunity. Whittle comes in on the left and we have switched Plant across to the right, he is right-footed, so that is an easy one for us.”

The 22-year-old has made seven appearances ahead of today’s game although only started twice. He is one of four changes to the Glovers’ XI with Alex Whittle, Frank Nouble and Kofi Shaw all in the starting line-up.

New signing Caleb Hughes is named among the six substitutes – of the seven able to be named this season – and Cooper revealed pre-match that the original plan had been to loan the former Cardiff City academy product out.

He said: “Caleb has been training with us for a number of weeks now and initially the thought was that we were going to get him in and loan him straight out, to give him a chances to get some games under his belt. But we need him today for numbers, so he will be on the bench.”

Following the match, the Glovers will sit out next weekend following their exit from the FA Cup, but the manager said the break would give injured players including full-back Michael Smith and injured captain Matt Worthington more time in their own fitness fights.

He added: “It enables us to clear a few little niggles up. We would rather be in the FA Cup, but it gives Michael Smith and Worthy an extra week and it gives some of the players who are not quite up to speed yet a chance to top up.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Mark Cooper was happy with a ‘good point’ at Tamworth on Tuesday night as his Yeovil Town side drew 0-0 in a match the saw a controversial red card for Morgan Williams and an injury to Matt Worthington.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins following the match, Cooper said his side stood up to a physical Tamworth.

“It’s a tough place to come. You know, when you see the balls going in the box and you know they’re physical, we had to stand up to it. We didn’t really get any protection, and we stood up to it. I thought we were really good, just the only thing missing was that fine little touch. We’ve had a great chance early on, Morgan Williams’ free header from four yards out, and then young Kofi has gone clean through. You know, we’ve had some other bits and pieces. On another night, we win the game comfortably. But listen, we’ll take the point,” he said.

On his side’s attacking efforts, the boss added: “As long as we keep creating chances, I’m more than happy. I think our fans can see we’ve got a team that work their socks off. They have got a brilliant defensive record [and] another clean sheet. and I’m convinced that the players we’ve got will will really hit the straps and start scoring lots of goals.”

Williams was given his marching orders in the 70th minute after a tackle to stop a Tamworth counter attack on the edge of their penalty box and Cooper felt the red was harsh: “[It’s] never a red card. Because, for a red card you have to go with real force, or you’re denying a goal scoring opportunity. Morgan’s come from the side. He’s tried to win the ball. He’s planted his feet in between their guys legs, and he’s gone over. It’s not a red card tackle. I mean, I’ve seen plenty of them, been on the end of them, done plenty myself, that is never a red card. [It’s] not out of control. He’s just mistimed it. He’s put his leg in between there guys legs. He’s not off the floor with two feet, it’s a one-legged tackle. The referee looked to me like he couldn’t wait to get his red card out.”

Matt Worthington was papped on crutches with his a foot in a protective boot and has since posted a video of him rolling his left ankle on the unforgiving 4G surface before kick off

“He just jumped up to get warm and just twisted his ankle on the surface, as their guy did when he came on second half. So there’s about eight players on crutches in there for both teams. So listen, when you take it all into account, it’s a good point.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Three points, three goals and a clean sheet saw Yeovil climb to 8th – two points outside the playoffs – and left Mark Cooper ‘really pleased’ with his side’s performance against Wealdstone.

Goals from Brett McGavin, Aaron Jarvis and Ciaran McGuckin saw the Glovers take the points home from Grosvenor Vale, leaving Wealdstone 2nd from bottom.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Ian Randall, Mark Cooper said: “I thought we were really good. It was a really organised, structurally good performance, where they always carried a threat at the top of the pitch – so everything we worked on in the week. [I am] really pleased today, we were really good.”

“For us today, it was about trying, trying to get some score, some goals, and then we looked, from the first minute, we looked a real threat. And anyone that was here today would have seen the chances we created, and we could have scored six,” he added.

“They’ve got to be ready to go in, and the boys that came in today did that.”

Cooper made four changes to the side that lost at Chesham last week, with Jarvis, Dylan Morgan and James Plant returning alongside McGuckin in the attack and Matt Worthington coming in for Frank Nouble. The manager made clear that all of his squad have to be ready: “We’ve got a group of four attacking players that have all got a part to play, but trying to find the right combination. Jarvs has been out for three weeks with concussion, and it was a chance to put him back in the team. I spoke to them attacking players to today just said, you’re there competing for three places, and they’ve got to be ready when it’s their turn. They’ve got to be ready to go in, and the boys that came in today did that.”

Jarvis’ goal came from a sumptuous ball into the box from Dom Bernard, and McGavin was in the right place a the right time to head home Jarvis’ cross. Cooper said: “You’d think that I told the players never crossed the ball, wouldn’t you? That’s not really true, but we want to cross the ball from really dangerous areas. And that area there where Dom fed the ball into the six yard box, is a really dangerous xG opportunity, and the making of the goal is delivery. The first goal was a terrifically worked goal. We had lots of play, lots of passes, great ball from Jarvis to the back post, and a good run from Brett. But, we scored some good goals today, and we scored another one that was wrongly disallowed, and could have had some more.”

The Glovers have a quick turn around with a visit to Tamworth on Tuesday and Cooper added he was looking to digest the Wealdstone match before thinking about the trip to his old stomping ground.

“I think it’s important that you’re always trying to pick players that can go again, and it’s we’ve got to think about the 3G, there’ll be some that are not keen on 3G. So, we’ll digest today and then we’ll put a plan in place for Tuesday on Monday.”

Cooper also gave his usual post-match to the club media.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Manager, Press Conferences

Manager Mark Cooper has challenged his Yeovil Town players to fight back after the disappointment of their early exit from the FA Cup.

Speaking on Thursday ahead of the trip to Wealdstone in the National League Premier, the Glovers’ boss said he “needed an angry reaction” after admitting it had been a “sombre” week of training since the fourth qualifying round defeat to Chesham United last weekend.

He told BBC Somerset’s Toby Crabb: “It’s been a tough week in terms of analysis, leg work, tactics, you know,  but we just want a reaction. I need an angry reaction, I need a group of players that want to show and we aren’t too far away from the team which played really well against Dagenham & Redbridge a week before. We got a standing ovation after that game, everybody got clapped off and we were the best team in the world.

“The performance from our goalkeeper to the edge of the opposition box (against Chesham) was not bad. I could give you loads of stats and how many times we got safely to the edge of their box, but when we got an attacking positions we did not produce and that’s the hardest part of the game, so we need to solve that. We are not doing anything drastically wrong.

“If we scored every chance we created we’d  be top of the league, but defensively we are really sound. The toughest part of the game is putting the ball in the net, because there are 11 men trying to stop you doing it. We know we need to be better, the players are not daft, we have got some experienced players and they know it is about getting that right.”

The boss expects to have striker Aaron Jarvis, who has missed the matches against Dagenham and Chesham with concussion, and full-back Alex Whittle available for the trip to north London on Saturday. However, he confirmed right-back Michael Smith was still “a few weeks away” from recovering from a hamstring injury.

He also confirmed that Port Vale loanee James Plant is available having not been given permission to play in the FA Cup tie and Dylan Morgan, who was Cup-tied having featured for Weston-super-Mare in the earlier rounds. Forward Harvey Greenslade, who appeared off the bench late in the defeat at Chesham, is also fit to feature having been missing with a shoulder injury since the end of August. 

James Plant, who was unavailable on Chesham last weekend, is available for the trip to Wealdstone. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

However, he will be without winger Sam Pearson whose contract was terminated by mutual agreement due to “personal reasons” and defender Raphael Araoye who was recalled from a five-month loan from Bristol City on Friday. Cooper confirmed the Robins had recalled the 6’3″ teenager due to injuries in their first team and said he could be in the squad for their Championship match to Middlesbrough at the weekend.

On Pearson, the Glovers’ boss said: “Sam was a valued member of the squad. He had not done as well this season, but the reason behind that was that he was travelling five hours every day from Cardiff and that had started to affect his welfare, his performances, he was just down, and he just wanted to go and play closer to home. I am sure there will be drama out there that me and him have had a fall out, but we got on great. We had to help him  and his wishes were to be closer to home. When the player is adamant that he wants to go, we have a duty of care to the player.  Sam’s had that issue before where he’s he’s been homesick and he’s wanted to to go back and we have to appreciate that.”

On Araoye, he added: “It was not a mutual decision. Bristol City called him back, (Academy Director) Brian Tinnion called me yesterday and was really apologetic but said they have got some injuries and and Raph could be involved in the first-team at the weekend. That is fantastic for the boy and it shows you what a loan does for the younger lads, they come out and play some senior football and and do pretty well, and they’re ready to go back and compete for first-team place.”

Cooper said that he was confident he would be backed in the transfer market to bring in a forward player if he could find the right candidate, but hailed the form of on-loan Rotherham United striker Ciaran McGuckin, who has scored twice in his last three appearances.

Cooper said: “If there is a player there that can improve us we will look at it. I know if I went to the chairman (Martin Hellier) and said ‘I have found this player who is going to get us 20 goals before the end of the season’, he’d say  ‘let’s do it’ – but I haven’t found that player and it’s a difficult part of the season to be able to do it. Of course we are looking but I want really one of the other boys that are here to catch fire. McGuckin is on fire, not just with his goals, but it’s performances as well, and we need one of the others to come to the party now. They have got real quality, they are great lads who work their socks off. I don’t think any anybody could label our team for not trying, we give everything we’ve got and that’s a must, but we need one of those boys to catch fire (in front of goal).”

This weekend Yeovil travel to a Wealdstone side which sit second from bottom of the National League Premier Division table having won just once all season. However, the Stones did progress to the First Round Proper of the FA Cup with a 4-1 home win over Gosport Borough, who play two divisions below them in the Southern League Premier Division South.

The Glovers go in to the match in tenth in the table and with the seventh-highest away record in the division having picked up three wins and a draw in their opening six games on the road.

Cooper said: “The last time we played in the league (the 1-0 home win over Dagenham & Redbridge) we were exceptional and I am sure Wealdstone will have looked at that performance and they will know it is going to be a tough game for them. If we play like we did there, we have a chance.

“But bear in mind three players came out of the team (which played Chesham) from the team which beat Dagenham. James Plant could not play because Port Vale would not let him play in the Cup, Michael Smith was injured and Dylan Morgan could not play. That is three big misses and we get them all back this weekend, so let’s see.”

On the weekend’s opponents, he added: “They have a real culture of being heavily possession based and trying to dominate the opposition with the ball, so if you get your out-of-possession stuff wrong against them they can really hurt you. We like to get at teams when we do not have the ball, but we will have to get whatever we do spot on against Wealdstone because they are technically very good. They cannot afford to go and get the best striker, they have to have a real way of working and they have done it for a number of years now. They are very easy on the eye, so it will be a tough game but we want to react and put in a good performance.”