We were top of the league…but we tasted defeat for the first time this season at Southend. Andy Craig is back to discuss the 3-2 loss at Roots Hall with Ian and Dave.
Thanks to Tim Hubble and Dorset Jim for the voice notes.
Yeovil Town have confirmed that it has grown its partnership with Yeovil Town to include a “dedicated Women’s Football Performance & Development Pathway” which will start in September 2027.
The move follows the establishment of a partnership with the college for the men’s team which is described as being an “overwhelming success” just two months ago.
The partnership gives female students the same football-and-education pathway already offered to male players, allowing them to study for a Level 3 BTEC in Sport Coaching & Development at Yeovil College while receiving football coaching and playing competitive football through Yeovil Town. In summary, the same set-up as the men’s team has.
Mark Bolton, Principal & CEO of Yeovil College, said: “The response to our football partnership with Yeovil Town FC has been phenomenal and has clearly demonstrated the appetite and requirement for an ambitious football and education pathway in Somerset.
“It was always important to us that these opportunities extended beyond the men’s game. This next chapter reflects our shared commitment to equality of opportunity, raising aspirations and supporting the continued growth of women’s football.”
Nicholas Brayne, the club’s Chief Operating Officer, added: “We are equally ambitious for women’s and girls’ football. With Yeovil Town Women now firmly integrated into the club, this new programme will create a credible pathway for young women to combine an excellent education with high-quality coaching and the opportunity to progress towards representing Yeovil Town.”
Yeovil Town Women get their new season underway when they face Portishead Town at Huish Park on Sunday (2pm kick-off). The game is the team’s first in the fifth tier of the women’s game, the South West Regional Women’s Football League, Premier Division.
Yeovil Town’s unbeaten start to the new season came to an end as they gave up a two-goal lead to suffer a 3-2 defeat at Southend United yesterday. Glovers’ fan Ed Turnbull was in the away end at Root’s Hall and here are his conclusions.
For a while it was textbook. For 65 minutes, that was a textbook away performance. We had to weather a storm or two, but we defended doggedly. Whenever Southend breached the first line of defence, there was someone in green on the cover, or a Super Jos Barker™️ in yellow making a solid stop. We didn’t have loads of chances up the other end, but we were clinical when they arose.
That free-kick killed us. We wilted in the end though. As soon as Darren Oldaker’s expertly-dispatched free kick hit the net, it felt as though 5 and a half games of high-energy football caught up with us. The energy seaped out of our legs, and into Southend’s. You don’t take off the likes of Brett McGavin and Luke McCormick unless you have to, and without them we lacked that vital bit of experience and composure.
We didn’t look after business. Even before Rowley rang the changes, I felt we didn’t keep the ball as well as we’ve shown we can. That is just as much, if not more, down to Southend’s quality as it is a drop in our standards, but for me that is a difference between the strong play-off contenders we currently are, and a top 3 team. We did have good patterns of play at times, but there were too many times we lost the ball in our own half, and that ultimately made life difficult for us.
There’s a silver lining. A loss always hurts, but I don’t feel as gutted as I normally would after seeing us lose having been 2-0 up. Maybe that’s just because following Yeovil over the last decade has numbed me to the pain, but I think it’s also because Southend were very good, and we still managed to get ourselves into a commanding position. I know it counts for nothing if you let it slip, but the scoreline at 65 minutes was further proof that we can really achieve something this season.
Onwards and upwards. My (our?) ludicrous dreams of an unbeaten season are over, but if you’d offered me 11 points after 6 games including Scunthorpe Carlisle Barrow and Southend, I’d have snapped your hand off. I’ve seen more than enough from this team to be confident that we’ll soon be back on a winning streak, with a kinder-looking run of fixtures now presenting a perfect chance to make a very good start an unbelievable one.
Gloverscast Special – Yeovil Women Big Season Preview
Ollie Marsh is joined by Yeovil Women’s manager Dave Court as well as club captain Laura Wensley to discuss the new season as the Glovers embark on a new challenge in Tier 5 of the football pyramid.
It all gets underway at Huish Park, later this Sunday.
For a moment Yeovil Town were top of the National League Premier Division before a 2-0 lead became a 3-2 defeat at Southend United on Saturday.
Our resident cartoonist, Alex ‘Distant Glover’ Russell, captures that (very) brief moment…..
Yeovil Town captain Luke McCormick was taking a balanced view about seeing his side’s unbeaten start to the new season come to an end with a 3-2 defeat at Southend United on Saturday.
The skipper netted his fifth goal of the season shortly before the hour mark in Essex to put the Glovers 2-0 ahead before three goals in just 19 second half minutes saw them fall to a loss.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Mark Stillman after the game, McCormick said: “Obviously we’re devastated with the result, being 2-0 up here and then ending up losing the game. I think the goals are avoidable, but how we deal with it, we’ll review it. We won’t get too high or too low, and we’ll go again.
“This is probably one of the toughest places to come in the division and I thought we deserved to be 1-0 up at half-time in terms of the chances and the box entries that we had. Then we’ve obviously gone 2-0 up and whilst I think the free-kick is a brilliant finish, the other two goals were avoidable.
“I think today gives us a real sniff and a real taste of what it’s like to be right at the top of this division and I don’t think we’re far off it. We don’t want to get too carried away, but we’re not far off it.”
Having gone 2-0 ahead after a swift counter attack after 58 minutes, Yeovil conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area eight minutes later and Southend midfielder Darren Oldaker stepped up to fire home a stunning goal. Then 13 minutes later, forward Leon Chambers-Parillon drew the game level before substitute Promise Omochere, the striker on loan from Bristol Rovers, shrugged off a challenge to smash home a winner with five minutes remaining.
McCormick said: “The free-kick was the free-kick and then their fans get right behind them. They got booed off at half-time and then, when they flip the switch and start getting behind the boys, obviously it’s a really tough environment to play in and you saw it at 3-2. I just said in the dressing room that we started (the match) showing for the ball, we started playing and we looked a threat and we needed that when we went 2-0 up. But, like I said, there’s no name-calling, there’s no blame.
“Obviously, being 2-0 up makes it feel a lot worse, but it’s three points. I think if we were to play them again, on another day we could’ve come away with three points. It’s all about moments in football and they had more moments than we did, so we go back to the drawing board and we go again.“
Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley said his side would learn from the experience of losing their unbeaten start to the new season after surrendering a two-goal lead to go down to a 3-2 defeat at Southend United.
The Glovers were leading 2-0 at Root’s Hall with an hour on the clock courtesy of a first-half strike from Archie Davies and then a quick break which led to captain Luke McCormick grabbing his sixth of the season.
But, when hosts’ midfielder Darren Oldaker fired home a stunning free-kick to reduce the deficit, Southend turned the screw and late goals from Leon Chambers-Parillon and substitute Promise Omochere sealed Yeovil’s fate.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Mark Stillman after the game, Rowley said: “It is heart-breaking, we did the same to Barrow the other week and this is the league we are in. All these teams have some top players, you only have to look at the free-kick (from Oldaker), not many players in this league are scoring that and their winner (comes from a player who has joined from) the Football League.
“If we zoom out on this game, we were hopeful today of getting a good result and that would’ve looked like us scraping a win maybe, or getting a good draw. In the context of the game you’re 2-0 up and you always expect to get at least a point at that moment – but it wasn’t our day today.
“I just have said to the boys inside, we’re off the back of a really good start to the season, the group’s been really good and I think it’s important that we all stick together in the changing room. We understand one loss isn’t the end of the world. It’s a good chance for us to learn, to review, to improve, and that’s exactly what we’ll do.”
“We’ve got a very young group, some of the boys are not used to playing in this type of environment, even small things like trying to get information onto players to press certain players is really difficult, so you’ve got to rely on some of the senior lads, who are absolutely knackered. So there is loads to learn, loads to improve on, and that’s exactly what we’ll do.”
The boss admitted his side were fortunate to find themselves 2-0 ahead with an hour gone, but admitted that his side could have done better defensively against a Southend side playing with their tails up after Oldaker pulled a goal back with 24 minutes remaining.
Rowley said: “The first goal was a bit of a rash tackle from Jordan (Norville-Williams), who I thought was excellent today. I’ll have to watch back the foul, but maybe he doesn’t need to make it. Oldaker has got a tremendous right foot, one of the best in the league. He’ll do that multiple times this season.
“I think the second goal (from Chambers-Parillon) was poor from us. We managed to regain the ball up high and we just didn’t keep it. We tried to dribble into pressure, turned it over and then they went down the other end and scored.
“For the third goal, we jump out on the press and (defender Joe Gubbins is) left one-on-one in the box. Again, I’ll have to watch that one back, but the lad that scored is an incredible athlete and he’s taken his goal well.
“We probably didn’t deserve to win the game today and a draw would have been fortunate for us. Southend were the better team today for me. They probably deserved to win the game.”
The game was the Glovers’ third in eight days having played two games in three days over the Bank Holiday weekend and on loan defender Ben Radcliffe was missing with a hamstring injury. Rowley admitted he had to take influential midfielders McCormick and Brett McGavin off in the second half at Southend and the changes cost them.
He said: “We had bad news this morning when we woke up at the hotel, (Radcliffe) ruled himself out. He’s had a bit of a niggle all week and didn’t want to risk anything, so he had to drop out of the squad.
“Brett McGavin was actually throwing up during the warm-up and just before he came out to warm up. He’s just told me inside that he’s thrown up five times since we took him off, so he’s obviously got food poisoning. Brett was really good with the ball, but I could tell he lacked energy because of that.
“Then we had to make changes because of bringing Brett off and (McCormick’s) calf has blown up as well, he said he was getting cramp. So all the changes were enforced really.”
The defeat means Yeovil have 11 points from their opening six matches and now have a week to recover before AFC Fylde are the visitors to Huish Park next weekend.
Rowley concluded: “I think two months ago in pre-season, if you’d told me this and shown me the start we’ve had I probably would’ve taken it. Naturally, as probably every single supporter who’s travelled today and anyone associated with the club will be, you’re still disappointed to lose. I hate losing. But what it does is make me hungry to not lose as often, and that’s the message to the boys. We’re going to have to turn up (to training on) Monday, review, recover and keep getting better.“
Yeovil Town’s unbeaten start to the new season came to an end as Southend United grabbed three goals in the second half to take the points at Root’s Hall on Saturday lunchtime.
The Glovers looked to have pulled off a perfect away performance as they led 2-0 in Essex courtesy of a first half goal from Archie Davies and a second on the counter attack from captain Luke McCormick with an hour on the clock.
But, when midfielder Darren Oldaker lifted in a superb free-kick eight minutes later. That upped the volume levels inside Root’s Hall and the home side grabbed the three points through Leon Chambers-Parillon and then substitute Promise Omochere, the striker on loan from Bristol Rovers.
Yeovil boss Billy Rowley brought defenders Jordan Norville-Williams and Archie Davies and midfielders Zain Westbrooke and Ryan Jones were all in to the starting XI, having started the quartet on the bench for the 3-2 home win over Tamworth on Monday. There was no place in the squad for on loan Crawley Town defender Ben Radcliffe, who was taken off early in the second half earlier this week, and defender Jack Kingdon returned to the squad. For the home side, former Glovers’ winger Lewys Twamley started for Southend with on loan Bristol Rovers striker Promise Omochere on the bench.
Yeovil started with what appeared to be a flat back four with Norville-Williams and Davies on the left and right with ex-Southend man Joe Gubbins and Joy Mukena in the middle. The opening 15 minutes lived up to Rowley’s pre-match prediction of “a chess match” of an encounter with Southend enjoying the better of the territory and possession, but neither side doing anything to force either keeper in to action.
The first meaningful chance for either side saw Yeovil take the lead with their first shot on target after 25 minutes. A good run forward from Archie DAVIES saw him run on to a Westbrooke pass, beat Southend defender Harry Taylor and lift the ball over keeper Joe Duncan.
That seemed to spark Southend and Ryan Colclough had the first chance which caused Yeovil keeper Jos Barker to have to make a save. The 20-yarder from the edge of the box was well caught by the visiting stopper.
Leon Chambers-Parillon had a good run and shot which warmed the palms of Barker just after the half-hour mark and the forward had another effort which he hit in to the ground and the keeper had to dive for although the ball went wide without the keeper’s help. Southend are getting in behind Yeovil quite easily wide Colclough down the left and Twamley down the right having some joy.
It’s not been the end-to-end basketball match which we saw against Tamworth in the previous game, but, as predicted by Billy Rowley ahead of the game, this has been a game for admirers of the technique with two sides who want to play the ball around.
Southend started the second half like they had got a flea in their ear from manager Kieron Dyer and took just three minutes for Colclough to try another effort from the edge of the area which Barker had to turn wide. Moments later there was a huge shout for a penalty as Colclough went down under a tackle from Norville-Williams. Referee Tolu Sangowawa was unmoved, with my green-tinted spectacles on it looked like a good tackle, but fair to say the majority of Root’s Hall disagree with him.
Chambers-Parillon dragged a shot wide from the edge of the box on 54 minutes and there are some loose passes from Yeovil which is giving Southend the opportunity to attack us. A minute before that opportunity Ste Walker replaced Slavi Spasov.
On 57 minutes, the hosts should have levelled, a ball lifted in to the box deflected off Mukena and Chambers-Parillon totally fluffed his header. Yeovil broke and the Ryan Jones picked it up on the right side, skipped in to the box and laid it off to Luke McCORMICK who placed a beautiful effort past the keeper. It has been complete one-way traffic this half with Southend in complete control, but this has been a textbook away performance from Yeovil up until this point.
Twamley had an effort tip over the bar by Barker and that turned out to be the ex-Glover’s last action of the game as Southend made a triple substitution on 63 minutes. On loan Bristol Rovers striker Promise Omochere was one of those arriving as the home side looked to get back in to this game. For Yeovil, James Daly and Hayden Muller replaced Ryan Jones and Brett McGavin.
They did exactly that three minutes later. A free kick just outside the penalty area and Darren OLDAKER did superbly to get it over the defensive wall and in to the far corner. You have to take your hat off to that type of quality. Root’s Hall is awake again.
The wasteful finishing from the home side continued when Harry Cardwell spurned a great opportunity with a header from a cross on 77 minutes, but two minutes later they pulled level. Good play from substitute Omochere saw Southend break in to the box and the ball got laid back to Leon CHAMBERS-PARILLON and he placed an effort through a crowded penalty area and past Barker.
The comeback was completed with five minutes to go. A great ball in to the box found Promise OMOCHERE who rolled Joe Gubbins and absolutely smashed a strike in to the net. It has been all Southend this half and they have pulled it back.
With three minutes to go, Yeovil had a huge shout for a penalty when Johl Powell was caught by a wild kick from Vontae Daley-Campbell inside the area. There will be no sympathy from the home fans given their ire against the referee, but that was a stonewall penalty.
Having been 2-0 up with 30 minutes to go, even against a side who will undoubtedly be pushing for promotion places come the end of the season, will be hugely frustrating for manager Billy Rowley and the travelling supporters.
For probably the first time this season, the second half substitutions seemed to disrupt us more than they helped us and the loss of McGavin and McCormick in midfield in particular had an impact.
Venue: Root’s Hall
Date: Saturday 5th September, 12.30pm kick-off
Competition: National League Premier Division
Scorers: Archie Davies 25 (1-0), Luke McCormick 58 (2-0), Darren Oldaker 66 (1-2), Leon Chambers-Parillon 79 (2-2), Promise Omochere 85 (2-3)
Pitch: As you would expect so early in the season, looking in good nick
Conditions: Dry and bright, warmed up as the afternoon progressed
Attendance: 8,246 (295 away supporters)
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Zain Westbrooke 61
Southend United: Harry Taylor 45, Dan Cox 73, Promise Omochere 90+3
Referee: Tolu Sangowawa
Yeovil Town
Substitutes: Ste Walker (for Slavi Spasov, 53), James Daly (for Ryan Jones, 60), Hayden Muller (for Brett McGavin, 60), Charlie Lennon (for Mason Obeng, 74), Johl Powell (for Luke McCormick, 74), Jack Kingdon (not used), Loick Ayina (not used).
Southend United: Joe Duncan, Vontae Daley-Campbell, Harry Taylor (for Rayan Oyebade, 63), Daniel Cox, Kyle McAdam, Oli Coker (for Promise Omochere, 63), Darren Oldaker, Lewys Twamley (for Josh Popoola, 63), , Leon Chambers-Parillon, Ryan Colclough (for Anthony Hartigan, 87), Harry Cardwell (for Sam Austin, 88).
Substitutes (not used): Jack Sims, Zavier Massiah-Edwards.
On loan defender Ben Radcliffe has ruled himself out of Yeovil Town’s fixture at Southend United after feeling a re-occurrence of a hamstring injury which has troubled him in his career.
The 22-year-old has impressed since signing joining from Crawley Town on a deal until January and was taken off early in the second half of the 3-2 home win over Tamworth on Monday.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Mark Stillman ahead of kick-off in Essex on Saturday, Yeovil manager Billy Rowley said: “Sadly Radders pulled up with an injury a couple of days ago. We were unsure if he’d play, and this morning that he’s kind of ruled himself out. He’s had some hamstring issues in the past, so he knows the feeling it gives him and we’ve decided not to take that risk on him.“
The Glovers have brought defenders Archie Davies and Jordan Norville-Williams back in to the starting line-up after they began on the bench on Monday. Defender Jack Kingdon, who has not featured in the squad for the past couple of matches, is named on the bench at Southend.
The lunchtime kick-off sees two sides who have started the season well face off. Southend have lost just one of their opening five fixtures whilst Yeovil have made an unbeaten start to the new campaign with three wins and two draws in their start.
Asked what kind of a game he was expecting, Rowley added: “I think there’s gonna be a lot of good footballers on show, a lot of talent. There are plenty of players that can hit different types of passes – diagonal passes, rapped balls into strikers – so So I think for a supporter that likes the tactical side of the game, I think it’s gonna be a really enjoyable watch. I don’t know if it’s gonna be super end-to-end, I think it’ll be a little bit more, little bit more chess than cat and mouse but with a lot of technique on show.
“We’re playing against a team that finished in the play-offs last season in front of their home support, but why not come here and try and spoil the party and play our way? We don’t want to come here and just survive and sit in and be boring. We want to try and get after them and upset them.“
