Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 15)

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In what turned out to be Mark Cooper’s final game at the helm of Yeovil Town, it was a capitulation beyond my wildest imagination as Yeovil Town came out on the wrong end of a 3-4 thriller at home to Gateshead – if you dare to read more about it, click here. Let’s see how the rest of the division got on, during a sunny Bank Holiday Monday.

We begin in Cumbria, where Carlisle United were 5-0 winners against Braintree Town to continue their unbeaten start to life in the division. Regan Linney scored a hat trick for the hosts, alongside a George Langston own goal and a Jack Ellis strike to send the Iron Army back to Essex licking their wounds. In an almost equally emphatic win, Aldershot Town made it two wins on the bounce with a 4-0 win at home to Morecambe. All the goals came in the second half, from James Clarridge, Archy Taylor, Josh Barrett and Dejan Tetek to bring the Shrimpers down to earth following their opening day heroics.

Boreham Wood ensured Truro City’s pointless start to the season continued, as they won 2-1 late on – Tom White gave the hosts the lead in the 27th minute before Will Dean pulled one back a few minutes later. It stayed even until the 93rd minute, as Matt Rush poked it home to secure the win for the hosts. Boston United won by the same scoreline against Wealdstone, with Lenell John-Lewis opening the scoring for the hosts just after half-time, before Micah Obiero equalised with 20 minutes to go. Greg Sloggett scored the winner with 10 minutes to go to wrap up the win for the hosts. Kahrel Reddin and Lucas Weaver continued Solihull Moors’ winless start, scoring the goals for Altrincham.

There were FOUR 1-1 draws to mention so we’ll try and fly through those; 10-man Scunthorpe United and Saturday’s hosts FC Halifax Town shared the points, Callum Roberts and David Kawa getting the goals for their respective sides, an own goal from former Glover Tom Parkes meant Hartlepool United had to come from behind for a point against Southend United thanks to Nathan Sheron’s effort, in a battle between the two previous National League North champions it was honours even, Harvey Sayer and Morgan Roberts unable to split Tamworth and Brackley Town, and Woking got their first point of the season at home to York City; Aaron Drewe got the opener for the hosts, with Alex Newby equalising in the second half.

Finally, there were two 1-0 wins for title hunters, as a 94th minute free kick from former Glover Tom Knowles secured all three points for Forest Green Rovers at home to Eastleigh, while a Mani Dieseruvwe goal allowed Rochdale to keep pace at the top against Sutton United.

National League results – in full

Aldershot Town 4-0 Morecambe
Altrincham 2-0 Solihull Moors
Boreham Wood 2-1 Truro City
Boston United 2-1 Wealdstone
Carlisle United 5-0 Braintree Town
Forest Green Rovers 1-0 Eastleigh
Rochdale 1-0 Sutton United
Scunthorpe United 1-1 FC Halifax Town
Southend United 1-1 Hartlepool United
Tamworth 1-1 Brackley Town
Woking 1-1 York City
Yeovil Town 3-4 Gateshead

National League table

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The Mark Cooper era at Yeovil Town is over after the club confirmed he had been “relieved of his duties“ on Tuesday morning.

A relegation and a promotion to his name, but there’s always more to it than just the statistics. Here are our five conclusions on Mark Cooper’s pages in the Yeovil Town history books.

Let’s remember there were good times

Nobody at Gloverscast HQ is jumping for joy that someone lost their job, that’s just not how we work.

From the moment we saw Cooper at Oldham during some of the darkest days of the bitter end of Chris Hargreaves’ reign, we thought there was a manager with a strong track record at National League and EFL level ready and waiting to take over.

Of course, the chaos going on off-the-pitch – the on-off sale by <NAME REDACTED> and the stewardship of Matt Uggla’s time -meant that first six months of his tenure never really stood a chance, more on that later.

Mark Cooper is one of only two managers to be promoted from all three National League divisions. During his time at Huish Park he added the National League South, he was the first title-winning manager of the men’s senior team since 2005 and the first to achieve promotion since 2013. That was stopping the rot, that was also giving an entire generation of Yeovil fans some joy. There will have been young Glovers at Truro (aka Gloucester) and at the trophy lift in the following game who have NEVER seen anything like tangible success in their lifetime.

Yes, the football was functional over stylish, but you can’t take that away the fact that Mark Cooper will forever be a title winner in the Yeovil Town history books and nor would we want to.

Super Cooper’s Greens are gunna blind you…
📸 Gary Brown

The stuff we didn’t see.

The Yeovil Town chapter of the Mark Cooper memoirs will be a chunky portion of a chunky book.

The stories he could tell of the owner who we do not name, the ‘stewards’ who tried to bring in their own players over his head, the recovery under the ownership of Martin Hellier and then the latest takeover by Prabhu Srinivasan. There’s enough in there to spin the heads of a less experienced manager.

There are probably only a few people who know the truth of everything that happened and undoubtedly he could (should?) have walked away at probably more than one point, but he believed he could wipe clean the only relegation on his CV and he did.

Mark Cooper salutes the away supporters after a 4-3 win at AFC Fylde. Picture courtesy of Bekah Harper.

But the time was right.

You knew there was a ‘but’ coming.

For some, there was a thought that Cooper deserved every possible chance to give the Yeovil supporters and his employers what they needed, wanted, deserved at this level. It didn’t happen and the catastrophic collapse against Gateshead on August Bank Holiday Monday was the final nail in the coffin.

The match was a complete juxtaposition. Utterly sensational in the first half, utterly calamitous in the second. The way we crumbled from the minute Gateshead pulled a goal back in the first minute said everything you needed to know. There was no way he could have walked into training and instilled any real confidence in the group after that.

It’s not hard to wonder what leaders, characters and fans’ favourites like Josh Staunton, Matt Worthington and Frank Nouble are thinking today. You could see it in Frank’s reaction to all Gateshead’s goals and when player after player is taking to social media to like negative posts about the manager, you know there are issues.

The tactics were always substance over style but, even taken taking that in to consideration, they were baffling. The back four we played to such good effect on Monday replaced by a back three which never really worked.  We got through the best part of 100 players in his time in charge, leaders left and loanees came in like a revolving door.

If there were excuses last season, there were none this season. We recruited quality players, the club took on a backlash by giving the manager what he wanted by moving training north of Bristol, and even the Huish Park pitch shrunk. But, apart  from those first 45 minutes against Gateshead, we lacked so much in so many areas.

It hasn’t been good enough, particularly at home for maybe a calendar year. You cannot look beyond that and that is why the time was right to make a change.

Josh Staunton, left, in conversation with manager Mark Cooper. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.


For many of us, he never seemed to enjoy it

It’s often been said that Mark Cooper away from the microphone is a different person. Both Ben and Ian saw it at times over the past two-and-a-half years and fans who even partied with him after the National League South title win.

But the majority of Glovers’ fans saw a scowl, a dig at supporters and very rarely someone who looked like they enjoyed the job they were doing.

In today’s world, perception isn’t just people’s reality – it’s the loudest reality in the room.

The perception many fans had of Mark Cooper was not of a knowledgeable and passionate manager and that meant he could never rely on his relationship with supporters.

This steely-eyed approach led many fans feeling they never got a manager they believed in. Exiting the FA Cup at Chesham United, the indignity of the FA Trophy exit to W*ymouth and an 18th place league finish last season left no credit in the bank as the distance grew.

It could have been different, but it wasn’t.

Mark Cooper speaking to the media after the 1-0 defeat at home to Rochdale last season.

So, where next?

Well, the new ownership team has chosen action over words. What happens next and where we go as a football club in the short and hopefully medium-long term future is down to them.

It’s a big responsibility and one they should not rush in to.

We hope to learn from those around us. Forest Green Rovers changed manager in the search of style AND substance, and differing budgets aside, we should be thinking the same.

We have to find a manager with a balance of charisma, character, nous, form, availability, knowledge and so much more.

Yeovil is a special club and takes a special kind of person to be successful here.

All kinds of names will come and go through the minds of those at the club; you will already have heard plenty.

But having some knowledge of what it takes to be successful at Yeovil is important, maybe not as the front man, but in that group somewhere, that knowledge has to be embedded.

It’s a big moment – and we’ve had quite a few of those in the last 12 years – and one we cannot afford to get wrong.

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Mark Cooper has been “relieved of his duties” as Yeovil Town manager this morning, the club has confirmed in a statement.

The decision follows a disappointing start to the National League Premier Division season which came to a head with a 4-3 defeat at home to Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday.

The Glovers had led 3-0 at half-time in the game before capitulating to their third defeat in the first five games of the season.

The statement published on Monday said: “We would like to place on record our thanks to Mark for his commitment to this club through some very difficult times and also his achievements during his three years at Huish Park. We wish him every success in his future endeavours.”

The statement added that coach Richard Dryden, who has worked alongside Cooper at a number of his other clubs and joined his coaching staff in the summer, would “assume responsibility for first team matters while the club begins the process of appointing a new permanent manager.”

The next fixture sees them travel to FC Halifax Town looking to bounce back after back-to-back defeats over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The statement added: “We encourage all supporters to get behind Richard and the squad as we focus our attention on this weekend’s fixture against FC Halifax Town.”

Speaking after the Gateshead defeat, Cooper said he had to take calls for his sacking “on the chin” after large sections of the Huish Park crowd turned against him following the second half collapse.

He said: “If you do not win games, that is what happens. I am a big boy and you have to take it on the chin. The biggest frustration is that we played so well (in the first half) and as a manager, a coach and as a staff, we set the team up to do what we did in the first half.”

Mark Cooper who has been sacked as Yeovil Town manager. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Cooper arrived at Huish Park in October 2022 following a disastrous start to the season by then-boss Chris Hargreaves and oversaw the club’s relegation out of the National League Premier Division in seven months which saw the club rocked by off-the-field turmoil.

He guided the Glovers out of the National League South at the first attempt, winning the title by 11 points, but when he guided them to an 18th place finish last season, his ‘conservative’ tactics began to turn supporters against him.

The dismissal is the first major move by the club’s new owner Prabhu Srinivasan who has attended all of the club’s matches so far this season.

Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan interviewed during a visit to Huish Park.
Yeovil Town owner Prabhu Srinivasan who is now looking for a new manager.

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Where to start with that? It was an unbelievable afternoon at Huish Park in a match that had it all. Here are Ian’s five conclusions from emotional rollercoaster that was Yeovil Town 3 Gateshead 4.

The first half was scintillating. I cannot recall us blowing away a team in that fashion in years. Everyone was in sync, the football was flowing and the chances were taken. The players were much more comfortable in a 4-2-3-1 and the roles were clear. The energy of the forwards and the high press stopped Gateshead from getting any flow whatsoever and we forced them into mistakes which led to goals for Josh Sims and Junior Morais. Williams and Wannell looked their imperious best at the back, with Whittle and Pendleton on the overlap. Everything clicked and it was exhilarating.

Josh Sims celebrates his goal at Huish Park.
Josh Sims celebrates putting Yeovil Town in front against Gateshead. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

I was a big fan of our McMidfield. After the Brackley Town match I said that I didn’t think we were particularly mobile in midfield and dropping Luke McCormick deeper to partner Brett McGavin felt like the solution in the first half. He was energetic, ran with the ball, played forward and showed that he’s, perhaps, better suited to a role deeper rather than one of the number 10 positions. His mobility and McGavin’s passing set us up well in the first half and when we lost McGavin to injury we lost that composure in the middle of the pitch.

The second half was abysmal. Everything that was good in the first half seemed to just disappear when the players emerged for the second half. Gateshead matches us up and reverted to a back four (wingbacks 🚮) took control of the game and got an early goal which immediately put the spooks on the players and Huish Park. You could almost sense the “here we go” murmur around the stadium. And boy, did it go. What was said at half time? How can a team go from being so confident to so withdrawn? The high press disappeared and we showed that age-old trait of sitting back and inviting pressure. Taking off a winger and bringing on a centre back 3-3 spoke volumes. 

The players must take some responsibility. It’s unacceptable to be in such a position of dominance after 45 and to then crumble in such a manner. We were missing leadership on the pitch as the 2nd half progressed. Legs tired with the schedule (although Gateshead didn’t seem to have a problem?) Finn Cousin-Dawson came in for McGavin and did the battering ram role in midfield. Ben Wodskou had a huge chance after great work by Tahvon Campbell to get Yeovil a fourth but couldn’t finish like he did against Brackley. He should have scored. But, in that 2nd half we were crying out for some Sarll-esque characters to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and we don’t have them. Is that down to the players or the recruitment? The irony of Frank Nouble leading the front line and dragging his new team over the line, months after leaving under a cloud, was not lost. Credit to the players, they did go round to the supporters and front up to those who remained to applaud their efforts. The supporters have never not been behind the players.

I’m not sure what happens next, but we all know what needs to. The outrage was palpable from the equaliser. Huish Park was clapping along in unison to “we want Cooper out” from the Thatchers. As soon as the fourth went in the manager was down the tunnel as fury erupted from the stands. The decision makers were all in town for this one and just five games into their tenure they have a decision to make. The mood amongst supporters is clear, and it can’t just be brushed off as ‘people online’. No club wants to be seen as a sacking club and I understand that rationale, but the relationship with the majority of the fan base is irrevocable. Shortlists need drawing up and a plan needs to be made for change before Matt Uggla’s York City visit on the 6th September.

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Jed Ward holds a shot during pre-match warm up.

Ok, this is getting silly now.

Bristol Rovers loanee Jed Ward has now secured four straight Gloverscast Man of the Match awards to start the season.

Spudman Sims comes second in the vote for the second game in a row and a welcome back to James Plant, who sits in third. 

DATEOPPONENTRESPONSES1ST
(Votes / Percent)		2ND
(Votes / Percent)		3RD
(Votes / Percent)
August
09.08.2025HARTLEPOOL
(Home, 0-0 draw)		172JED WARD
(52 / 32.4%)
Morgan Williams
(44 / 25.6%)		Jake Wannell
(22 / 12.8%)
16.08.2025FOREST GREEN
(Away, 2-0 loss)		87JED WARD
(39 / 44.8%)
Byron Pendleton
(16 / 18.4%)		Morgan Williams
(11 / 12.6%)
20.08.2025BRACKLEY TOWN
(Home, 2-1 win)		153JED WARD
(89 / 58.2%)
Josh Sims
(23 / 15%)		Tahvon Campbell
(14 / 9.2%)
23.08.2025BRAINTREE TOWN
(Away, 1-0 loss)		71JED WARD
(29 / 40.8%)
Josh Sims
(15 / 21.1%)		James Plant
(7 / 9.9%)
25.08.2025GATESHEAD
(Home, 4-3 loss)		174HARVEY GREENSLADE
(65 / 37.4%)
Junior Morias
(59 / 33.9%)		Josh Sims
(23 / 13.2%)
30.08.2025HALIFAX
(Away, 3-2 loss)		93JOSH SIMS
(36 / 38.7%)		Harvey Greenslade
(29 / 31.2%)		Junior Morias
(13 / 14%)
AUGUST PLAYER OF THE MONTH 🥇 JED WARD
(12 PTS, 3 MOTM)
🥈 JOSH SIMS
(8 PTS, 1 MOTM)		🥉 HARVEY GREENSLADE
(5 PTS, 1 MOTM)
02.09.2025SOLIHULL M
(Away, 1-0 win)		98 JUNIOR MORIAS
(28 / 28.3%)		Luke McCormick
(24 / 24.2%)		Jed Ward
(15 / 15.2%)
06.09.2025YORK CITY
(Home, 3-1 loss)		108JOSH SIMS
(48 / 44.4%)		Luke McCormick
(33 / 30.6%)		Jed Ward
(7 / 6.5%)
13.09.2025WOKING
(Home, 1-0 win)		127 LUKE MCCORMICK
(47 / 37%)		Kyle Ferguson
(37 / 29.1%)		Harvey Greenslade
(11 / 8.7%)
20.09.2025TAMWORTH
(Away, 1-0 loss)		62JED WARD
(17 / 27.4%)		Kyle Ferguson
(10 / 16.1%)		Josh Sims
(7 / 11.3%)
24.09.2025ALDERSHOT
(Away, 4-1 win)		94ANDREW OLUWABORI
(36 / 38.3%)
Tahvon Campbell
(25 / 26.6%)		Luke McCormick
(10 / 10.6%)
27.09.2025ALTRINCHAM
(Home, 1-0 win)		154ANDREW OLUWABORI
(51 / 33.1%)
Jed Ward
(37 / 24%)		Morgan Williams
(18 / 11.7%)
30.09.2025SUTTON UTD
(Away)		119JOSH SIMS
(88 / 73.9%)		Andrew Oluwabori
(20 / 16.8%)		Jed Ward
(6 / 5%)
SEPTEMBER PLAYER OF THE MONTH 🥇 ANDREW OLUWABORI
(8 PTS / 2 MOTM)

🥈 JED WARD
(8 PTS / 1 MOTM)		🥉 JOSH SIMS
(7 PTS / 2 MOTM)

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 Well, that was an unbelievable afternoon at Huish Park. Our man Gary Brown was at Huish Park for us today and captured the event.

As ever, if you would like to use any of Gary’s images, please ask Gary’s permission before using.

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper speaking to the media.

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper said he had to take calls for his sacking “on the chin” after watching his side capitulate to a 4-3 defeat at home to Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday.

The Glovers raced in to a 3-0 half-time lead with a display which the boss described as “electric“, but they crumbled after the visitors scored a minute after the restart and the final indignity came when Heed substitute Kain Adom scored the winner deep in to injury time.

Throughout the second half and after the game, there were calls of “We want Cooper out” coming from the Huish Park stands and the manager was asked for his reaction to them after the game.

He told BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins: “If you do not win games, that is what happens. I am a big boy and you have to take it on the chin. The biggest frustration is that we played so well (in the first half) and as a manager, a coach and as a staff, we set the team up to do what we did in the first half.

“That makes it even more frustrating what happened in the second half and you have to take it on the chin and move on to Saturday and make sure we put in a really good performance (at FC Halifax Town) on Saturday. If play like we did in the first half and we get to 60 minutes (playing like that) then I think we will get some big results and that is what we have to hold on to, the way we played in the first half.”

Having failed to convert any of their chances in the 1-0 defeat at Braintree Town just 48 hours earlier, Cooper had called on his side to be more ruthless in front of goal and in the first 45 minutes they responded in style. An opener from Josh Sims was followed by goals from forwards Junior Morias and Harvey Greenslade to leave the home crowd on their feet at half-time.

But, when Kyle Hurst pulled a goal back for Gateshead after 46 minutes, the visitors smelt blood and a double from substitute Adom and an inevitable strike from Glovers’ old boy Frank Nouble on his first return to his old stomping ground sealed the win.

On the first half performance, Cooper said: “We spoke after the game at Braintree and said we have to score (our chances) and I thought we were electric in the first half, scored three great goals, should have scored more, possibly should have had a penalty. The message at half-time was ‘let’s go again’, we needed to replicate the energy, the desire, the press and let’s go and score five or six.”

Josh Sims celebrates his goal at Huish Park.
Josh Sims celebrates putting Yeovil Town in front against Gateshead. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

On the second half performance, he added: “When you concede the first one by not being aggressive and sinking in with safety in numbers, it effects the players’ mindset, they want to drop and defend and that is not the way to do it. We have to be on the front foot, we can’t sit in and defend, we have to get at them and we didn’t. All the goals were individual mistakes, people not doing what they are supposed to do. It is a tough one to take, I do not think you will see two more contrasting halves of football anywhere in the country.

“The fall out will all be about the second half and rightly so because it is about professionalism and making sure we do our jobs professionally and diligently and second half it went out of the window. We did not do our job. We are going to talk about the second half, for sure.

“Our message all season has been ‘let’s be aggressive and front foot’, we want to get up to the teams we are playing against and that was the message today. Players shrank in to their shells in the second half and we have to as a club, a squad and a staff, we have to feel that and make sure that never happens again.”

The manager disappeared down the tunnel at the final whistle and BBC Somerset were reporting he was “in a meeting upstairs” at Huish Park which presumably ended when he appeared in front of the microphone.

Yeovil’s first opportunity to respond to the defeat comes on Saturday when they travel to FC Halifax Town, who were held to a 1-1 draw at ten man Scunthorpe United in their Bank Holiday fixture.

Asked what he expects from that game, Cooper said: “They will see (the second half performance) and think if they put the ball in the box they will score. Again, we have to be on the front foot, we have to make sure we put it right on the pitch. If you are a professional footballer, you have to do your job. If that is heading the ball out of the six yard box, that is what you have to do, if that is staying with your man, you have to do it, but not just for 45 minutes.

“The atmosphere (inside the ground today) was electric in the first half and we gave them really good entertainment in the first 45 minutes, but we have to do that for longer, be braver and go and press and not hold on to what we have.“

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Junior Morias looks up for a pass.

Yeovil Town striker Junior Morias struggled to find the words to explain a second half capitulation which ended with a 4-3 defeat to Gateshead at Huish Park on Bank Holiday Monday.

The frontman laid on the assist for Yeovil’s opening goal scored by Josh Sims and added a second as a scintillating performance saw the Glovers race in to a 3-0 lead at half-time.

But, a second half horror show ended with substitute Kain Adom firing home the winner deep in to injury time as manager Mark Cooper disappeared down the tunnel.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins after the final whistle, Morias said: “I don’t even know where to start, I am just gutted, all of us as a team are gutted, I don’t even know what to tell you. I am a positive person and I always look for the positives even in a situation like today, if we can just fix those one or two things, it could have been different.”

Asked how the players can respond in the next match at FC Halifax Town on Saturday, he added: “On Saturday, it will be different because the boys are hurting and we want to fix that because we have embarrassed ourselves, embarrassed the manager, the coaching staff and we have embarrassed the fans. We want to make sure we fix that come Saturday.”

Speaking about his performance in the first half, Morias added: “It is bittersweet, I am grateful to score and assist. People will have said I should have shot with the first chance, but I am not that sort of player and Simsy was in a good position to score and he finished it well. We implement the Gaffer’s plan from minute one to 45, but we as players have to take accountability (for the second half).”

On his goal, he said: “When I am in the box, that is when I am happy. It is a dance floor and I always want to dance.“

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Josh Sims celebrates his goal at Huish Park.

An incredible game at Huish Park saw a second half horror show pile pressure on Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper as his side capitulated to defeat against Gateshead.

The Glovers turned in a scintillating first half performance and goals from Josh Sims, Junior Morias and Harvey Greenslade put them 3-0 ahead and seemingly cruising towards three points at half-time.

But when the visitors’ Kyle Hurst pulled one back just a minute after the restart, Yeovil started to crumble. The inevitable goal from former Glovers’ favourite Frank Nouble followed before substitute Kain Adom pulled the visitors’ level as chants of “We want Cooper out” rang around the stadium.

Then in the eighth minute of stoppage time, Adom struck the winner as Cooper disappeared down the tunnel with many supporters following him out of the stadium. 

An first half which was unbelievable and showed what Yeovil can be, a second half which was unacceptable and showed what we all too often have been.

First half

The highlight of the team news was a Glovers’ side with a genuine back four in defence for the first time in living memory – if you were born in the past couple of years at least! Alex Whittle returned at left back with loanee Byron Pendleton on the right and Jake Wannell and Morgan Williams in the centre of defence ahead of Jed Ward.

For the visitors, a very familiar face lined up in the forward line as Frank Nouble made his first return to Huish Park – in a playing capacity at least – leading the line for Gateshead.

In the fourth minute, Yeovil broke forward with James Plant bursting in to the box and went down under pressure from a Gateshead defender. No real appeals from the Yeovil players and nothing given by the referee Harry Wager.

There was a worrying moment shortly after when Josh Sims went down in the middle of the pitch with no-one around him, but the midfielder who collected his ceremonial sack of potatoes for being the club’s first scorer of the season ahead of the match was quickly back on his feet.

The attacking intent which was present for periods of the defeat at Braintree was consistently there with Yeovil suffocating the visitors at every opportunity.

A back pass to visiting keeper Harvey Shelvey saw him attempt to pass it out and Junior Morias intercepted and powered in to the box before laying it across to Josh SIMS who smashed home from close range. At Braintree on Saturday, gilt edged chances were not taken by Yeovil, at Huish Park they took the first one which came their way.

Josh Sims celebrates his goal at Huish Park.
Josh Sims celebrates putting Yeovil Town in front against Gateshead. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The pressure continued with Greenslade getting away down the right side after 27 minutes. He flashed one over the bar with Sims and Morias arriving inside the area.

Gateshead did not seem to know what to do about Yeovil and amazingly given how this season had gone, it was the home side who looked more likely to score and just before the half-hour mark they did.

Great play by Brett McGavin in the middle of the park saw him release Greenslade who laid it off to Junior MORIAS on the left side of the box. The stocky frontman beat his defender and leathered it in to the net. Ruthless.

Two goals to the good and seemingly cruising, there was no sign of Yeovil sitting back and on 42 minutes they added a third. A move which started with a great interception by Luke McCormick allowed McGavin to set Sims away down the right, he beat his defender and fired in a shot which Shelvey stopped but could not hold and it broke to Harvey GREENSLADE who smashed it home.

Wow, just wow. Where has this Yeovil Town been this season?! Who cares, more of the same, please. A genuine joy to watch going forward and that back four has not looked troubled at all.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Gateshead 0

Second half

 

Gateshead made two changes at half-time with goalkeeper Harvey Shelvey replaced by Tiernan Brooks and Kain Adom replacing Josh Home.

The visitors got the best start they could as they pulled a goal back within three minutes of the restart. Kyle HURST was picked out in acres of space on the edge of the box and he curled a superb shot in to the far corner past a stranded Jed Ward. 

Ten minutes after the restart, loan striker Ben Wodskou, who got the winner last time out at Huish Park, replaced James Plant.

On 58 minutes, the most inevitable part of the afternoon happened as Frank NOUBLE got a goal against his old side. A corner whipped in to the near post was met by a Gateshead head, and the attempted clearance landed at the feet of Nouble who rifled it home. There were words exchanged with Yeovil manager Mark Cooper and his former frontman as he ran back for the restart.

There were further changes for the home side with Finn Cousin-Dawson replacing McGavin and Tahvon Campbell replacing Morias.

A great opportunity for Yeovil to grow their advantage fell to McCormick on the hour mark. Morias and Sims both tried to bring a bouncing ball under control inside the box, the Gateshead clearance went as far as McCormick whose shot was stopped by Brooks. Great chance to ease the nerves.

Yeovil were indebted to goalkeeper Jed Ward who denied the visitors an opportunity to get an equaliser with a close range finish after 63 minutes. In the 70th minute, Adom flicked one just wide after another goal mouth scramble and there are a lot of nervous voices inside Huish Park.

Then in the 73rd minute, the equaliser came. A ball hooked in to the box was not dealt with by the Yeovil defence, Ward came to the edge of his box to try and meet it and Kain ADOM lifted it deftly over the keeper and Morgan Williams could not get it off the line.

Frank Nouble ‘has a word’ with the Yeovil bench on his way back after the equaliser.

The first chants of “We want Cooper out” come out of the Thatcher’s Stand. The mood has gone as sour as the performance from Yeovil.

With five minutes remaining, Wodskou had a golden opportunity to put Yeovil ahead again after Campbell threaded him in to the box but the Birmingham City youngster did not get a clean connection on it. A great opportunity spurned and two minutes later, visiting substitute Max Sheaf had an equally glorious one but he headed Adom’s cross straight at Ward who was able to parry it.

Moments later it was Greenslade who Yeovil were indebted to as Sheaf’s effort on goal deflected off Williams, looped over Ward and was headed in to the far corner before the forward got back to head it away.

The difference for Yeovil in these two halves have been night and day. The early goal from Gateshead left us completely shell-shocked and we have disappeared inside ourselves in exactly the same way that the visitors were in the first half. As good as the opening 45 minutes were, the second 45 minutes were worst.

But, just when you thought it could not get worse, it did. Eight minutes in to second half stoppage time another ball in the box broke to Nouble and then the substitute Kain ADOM who lashed home the winner. Mark Cooper has gone straight down the tunnel and a huge percentage of the Huish Park crowd and joining him in departing. I wonder if we’ll see either of them back anytime soon.

Honestly, I am lost for words. Unforgivable. Unacceptable. Something has got to change – and I think even the most ardent ‘Cooper in’ supporter will struggle to defend that.

Full time: Yeovil Town 3 Gateshead 4

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Date: Monday 24th August, 3pm kick-off

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: Josh Sims 17 (1-0), Junior Morias 29 (2-0), Harvey Greenslade 42 (3-0), Kyle Hurst 46 (3-1), Frank Nouble 58 (3-2), Kain Adom 73 (3-3), Kain Adom 90+8 (3-4)

Pitch: Looking magnificent
Conditions: Hot and sunny

Attendance: 2,799 (45 away supporters)

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Unnamed 62, Unnamed 71, Kyle Ferguson 83
Gateshead: Frank Nouble 66, Callum Johnson 83,  Kenton Richardson 90+5

Referee: Harry Wager

Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)

Substitutes: Ben Wodskou (for James Plant, 55), Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Brett McGavin, 65), Tahvon Campbell (for Junior Morias, 65), Kyle Ferguson (for Josh Sims, 79), Charlie Cooper (not used), Aaron Jarvis (not used), Matt Gould (not used).

Gateshead: George Shelvey (for Tiernan Brooks, 46), Connor Pani, Kenton Richardson, David Ferguson, Kyle Hurst, Max Melbourne (for Callum Johnson, 25), Josh Home (for Kain Adom, 46), Will Flint, Harry Chapman, Fenton John, Frank Nouble.

Substitutes (not used): Max Sheaf, Ethan Fitzhugh, Ben Williams, Callum Bone.