Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 132)

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Yeovil Town’s seven-match unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of FC Halifax Town in a match which saw defender Jake Wannell red carded late in the game.

Following a thoroughly forgettable first half, the visitors took the lead on 57 minutes when Florent Hoti rifled home from the edge of the box, but it was a double substitution nine minutes later which changed the game for the home side.

Michael Smith and Josh Sims replaced Frank Nouble and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton as Yeovil pushed for an equaliser with Sims spurning some great opportunities and Pedro Borges forcing a fine save out of Halifax keeper Sam Johnson.

With 90 minutes on the clock, Wannell was given a straight red after an off-the-ball tangle with visiting defender Will Smith, who accused the Yeovil man of stamping on him.

The result means Halifax leap-frog their hosts in to seventh place in the National League Premier Division table with the Glovers dropping to eighth.

 

First half

Yeovil were on top from the start and were spraying some lovely accurate passes around Huish Park, but there was nothing to trouble either Ollie Wright or Sam Johnson in the opposing goals in the opening 15 minutes.

The first chance fell to the visitors’ Billy Waters on the 15 minute mark. A long ball over the top saw the Yeovil defence stand still expecting an offside flag which did not come and they were indebted to Ollie Wright who made a superb save with his legs. Seconds later Florent Hoti flashed an effort just wide of the left-hand post. A let off for the Glovers.

Ollie Wright dives as Florent Hoti’s shot goes wide. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

For the next 15 minutes, the similar formations and styles of the two sides boasting the third and fourth-best defensive records in the division rather cancelled each other out.

On 33 minutes, Hoti called Wright in to action again, this time with a long range effort which the on loan Southampton keeper got down smartly to parry away. 

There were no efforts on goal for Yeovil but Kofi Shaw gave the crowd something to get excited about on 35 minutes. He produced a Cruyff turn about 25 yards from the visitors’ goal, drove forward and fired a ball back across goal which Johnson did well to cut out with green-and-white shirts arriving behind him.

The half finished with Waters’ chance in the 15th minute the only meaningful effort on goal from either side. Stalemate.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 FC Halifax Town 0

Second half

The first opportunity for the home side came three minutes after the restart and a great opportunity for Nouble to play a sideways pass to Shaw who was in a great position, but instead he tried to chip it forward to Jarvis. Almost a great opportunity. Almost.

The opening ten minutes of the second half were more lively than the opening 45 minutes. The game has become a bit of a scrap with Hoti firing another effort wide for the visitors.

But on 57 minutes, Hoti broke the deadlock. A free-kick in to the box was not dealt with by the Yeovil defence, Adam Adetoro laid it off to Florent HOTI on the edge of the box and he smashed it through a crowded area past Wright.

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

With still no efforts on goal from the home side and Halifax having the best defensive record in the division on their travels, this is a test.

On 66 minutes, Yeovil rang the changes with Michael Smith and Josh Sims replacing Frank Nouble and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. That mean a back four with Whittle, Wannell, Cousin-Dawson and Smith, whilst Borges moved in to the middle alongside McGavin.

Sims almost had an instant impact when he got his head on a left wing cross from Whittle a minute after his arrival, but it was straight in to the hands of Johnson.

Soon after the same combination saw Whittle’s ball drop to Sims on 70 minutes and the former Southamnpton man’s volley went over.

But the best opportunity came from Jake Wannell two minutes later when he got a close range header in from a superb cross from Shaw, but Johnson was there. We have definitely upped the tempo since the changes, but Johnson’s not really been tested yet.

The keeper was at full stretch with 79 minutes on the clock. A scruffy clearance from the Halifax defence landed to Borges who did superbly to chest the ball down and fire in a shot which Johnson parried wide.

On 85 minutes, another great opportunity when Sims burst in to the box and side-footed it to Shaw who went down in a bundle inside the six-yard area. The roar went up from the Huish Park crowd, but it was not given by the referee.Two minutes (yet) another chance, McGavin’s corner fell to Shaw (I think) and it was scrambled away, then seconds later Wannell found himself inside the box and yet he could not get enough on it to scramble it home. How Yeovil have not scored in these last ten minutes, I do not know.

Undoubtedly, the impact of Michael Smith and Josh Sims has had an impact, ever since their arrivals it has been chance after chance – but still nothing over the line.

“1-0 to the referee” was ringing around Huish Park and they got louder with a minute of normal time remaining when Jake Wannell was sent off. An off-the-ball incident between the defender, who had been playing up front for the past five minutes, and Halifax’s Will Smith led to loud complaints accusing Wannell of stamping on his opponent from the visitors and a red card shown by referee Jason Richardson.

Jake Wannell cannot believe his eyes. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

No way could the referee have seen that incident, presumably one of his assistants did. If there is no appeal (or an unsuccessful one), that would be Wannell’s second red card of the season and a four-match ban.

That did not stop the Yeovil efforts to find an equaliser, so much so that Ollie Wright even went forward for a free-kick deep in to injury time. It was not enough.
 
You would never have predicted that second half after a tepid first half, but the changes from manager Mark Cooper made all the difference and they pushed hard for an equaliser. Not to be.

Full time: Yeovil Town 0 FC Halifax Town 1

 

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Date: Saturday 16th November 2024 – 3pm kick-off

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: Florent Hoti 57, 

Pitch:  Skiddy
Conditions: Grey, cold, damp 

Attendance: 3,829 (69 away supporters)

Bookings:
FC Halifax Town: Florent Hoti 82
Yeovil Town: Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 32, 

Red Cards:
FC Halifax Town: None
Yeovil Town: Jake Wannell 90

Referee: Jason Richardson

Yeovil Town (3-4-2-1)

 

Substitutes:  Michael Smith (for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 66), Josh Sims (for Frank Nouble, 66), Dom Bernard (not used), Dylan Morgan (not used), Harvey Greenslade (not used), Matt Gould (not used) .

FC Halifax Town: Sam Johnson, Adam Senior, Angelo Cappello (for Jack Evans, 75), Will Smith, Jo Cummings, Adam Adetoro (for Adan George, 72), Tom Pugh, Jack Jenkins (for Andrew Oluwabori, 83), Jamie Cooke, Billy Waters, Florent Hoti (for Owen Bray, 84).

Substitutes (not used): Nathaniel Ford, Frankie Sinfield, Zak Emmerson.

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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.“

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Yeovil Town top scorer Aaron Jarvis is back in the starting XI for today’s National League Premier match with FC Halifax Town at Huish Park (3pm kick-off).

The frontman is one of two changes from the Glovers’ side which started the 1-0 win at Southend United last weekend with Brett McGavin coming in for the suspended Charlie Cooper.

Full-back Michael Smith, who has been missing since the start of December with a hamstring injury, is named among the substitutes alongside defender Dom Bernard, who is available after serving a one-man ban seven days ago.

For the visitors, former loanee Andrew Oluwabori is named on the substitutes’ bench.

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Yeovil Town return to Huish Park this weekend, looking to extend their unbeaten run of form to eight games, as they host FC Halifax Town.

Form Guide…

The Shaymen find themselves in a stop-start run of form as of late, with their most recent game, a 4-1 home loss to Middlesbrough Under-21s in the National League Cup on Tuesday night, taking their run of form to LWLWL.

Manager Chris Millington made five changes to his starting XI for the midweek match from the 1-0 home win over Woking last weekend. Former Glovers’ loanee Andrew Oluwabori played the full 90 minutes against in the Tinpot Cup, having come off the bench in their last proper fixture.

Looking purely at league form, it’s not dissimilar, as they have won their last two league games, and three of their last five.

 

The Glovers are coming into the weekend off the back of their 1-0 win at Southend United last weekend, taking their unbeaten run to seven games, and have won four of their last five in the league.

It’s a big game for both sides regarding their league position, as seventh placed Yeovil could build a five-point gap over eighth placed Halifax.

Key Players…

FC Halifax Town – Adam Senior

The 22 year old right back has been a part of a seriously solid backline, as Halifax have only conceded a goal more than Yeovil (and we know how good our backline can be) – an ever present, playing every single minute of Halifax’s league campaign so far, Senior could make life interesting for the left side of Yeovil’s attack on Saturday.

Yeovil Town – Aaron Jarvis

Yeovil’s top-scorer sat out last weekend, having collected his fifth yellow card against Maidenhead United in the previous match. He will be looking to keep his impressive scoring run going against FC Halifax Town, and Yeovil will need him to do just that in order to break down a steely backline. If selected, Jarvis will be looking to get back to the form which saw him score twice against Maidenhead in his last outing at Huish Park.

Aaron Jarvis

That’s what he said…

Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper spoke to the media ahead of the clash this weekend. He 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.”

FC Halifax Town manager Chris Millington speaking after last weekend’s 1-0 home win over Woking.

 

Halifax manager Chris Millington spoke after the midweek defeat to Middlesbrough Under-21s, summarising his views on the weekend ahead. He said: “York and Rochdale don’t need any explanation as to why they were tough, but Yeovil will be the same, on a good run of form, good manager, they’ve recruited well, they’ve got resources to be able to strengthen and have quality in the right areas, so it’s going to be a challenge, but one that we’re really looking forward to.”

We’ve met before…

These two have faced off eight times in all competitions, with Yeovil winning four of them, the other four games being split into two draws and two Halifax wins.

The last time these two faced off was in March 2023, where a late Malachi Linton equaliser sent the Glovers back to Somerset with a point in a 1-1 draw. The last four games have been low scoring affairs, with no more than one goal apiece for either side.

Don’t I know you…

The Shaymen have one familiar face, and it’s a face that actually played for the Glovers in the last game between Yeovil and Halifax.

Andrew Oluwabori turned out 25 times for Yeovil during his loan spell from Peterborough United in the 2022-23 season, scoring two times.  He arrived in West Yorkshire last season following his departure from The Posh and made 39 appearances scoring four times. This season he has featured 17 times, scoring twice, and was a late substitute in Halifax’s 1-0 home win over Woking last weekend.

Andrew Oluwabori. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Who’s been naughty then…

Defender Morgan Williams is serving the last of his three-game suspension, and while Aaron Jarvis and Dominic Bernard return from their one-game bans. Midfielder Charlie Cooper now misses out, following his fifth yellow card during the Southend game.

Halifax have no suspensions as they travel to Huish Park. The Shayman have collected the fewest yellow cards of any team in the National League Premier with just 22.

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What is it with Torquay and Yeovil players called Jordan!? 

Jordan Thomas has followed Jordan Young in heading to Plainmoor, this time though, it’s just a loan deal.

Regular Gulls full back Finley Craske (remember him?) is out with an injury and after Jordan Thomas impressed for Salisbury against Torquay recently, Paul Wotton has moved to secure the defender.

Thomas was used from the bench against Southend last week, but has now headed to Devon for the remainder of the season.

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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.”

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Yeovil Town Under-18s moved level on points at the top of the Western Counties Youth League Premier Division table with a 2-1 home win over Bishop’s Lydeard on Tuesday night.

The young Glovers have won four of their opening four matches of the season and sit ahead of Clevedon Town who have collected the same amount of points having played three more games.

However, they had to come back from going behind after 12 minutes when Carson Richards put the visitors ahead following a strong start. It was captain Corey Koerner who pulled them level just after the half-hour mark when the captain curled a free-kick in off the crossbar to send Yeovil in level at half-time.

George Geraghty got the winner with 15 minutes remaining when he spun his marker and fired home to register his third goal of the season and take the three points for the hosts.

Yeovil Town Under-18s: Louis Parker, Devon Proctor (for Alec Thomas, 56), Corey Koerner, Soloman Padmore (for Denzil Gurung, 83), Jaydon Biss, Blake Watts, Joe Crisp (for Josh Ansell, 83), Nansimir Nanev, George Geraghty, Morgan Alexander (for Oscar Foot, 56), Ollie Hughes (for Reece Bastafield, 70). 

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Ref, Referee, Match Official

It’s back to Huish Park this Saturday and Yeovil Town’s clash against Halifax will be referee’d by Mr Jason Richardson.

Mr Richardson has been in charge of just a couple of National League games so far this season including a feisty game between Eastleigh and Fylde.

Six goals, eight yellow cards, one red card and two penalties kicks.

As far as I can tell, he’s never taken charge of a Yeovil game before, but he has reffed one Halifax Town game, a snoozefest of a 0-0 draw against Dorking Wanderers in March 2023.

He’ll be assisted by Martin Bloor (who was assistant for the home game against Ebbsfleet) and Mark Senior (who was assistant for the Solihull home game) whilst Phillip Eddie (who was also holding a sub’s board for the Ebbsfleet game) is on fourth official duties.