Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 21)

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Jed Ward during his pre-match warm up.

Yeovil Town drew 0-0 with Hartlepool United on the opening day of the 2025/26 Enterprise National League.

You, the Gloverscast voters chose goalkeeper Jed Ward as your Man of the Match, with central defender duo Morgan Williams and jake Wannell in second and third.

As a slight aside, this season, we’re going to attempt to tally all the Man of the Match votes each week, and keep a running score. 

You can see the start of that table below.

Man of the Match Voting Result – Hartlepool (H)
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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Football is finally back (hallelujah!) which means we’re back with our match day wrap ups! Yeovil Town opened their season with a 0-0 draw at home to Hartlepool United, which you can read more about here – let’s see what went down around the rest of the grounds on opening day!

The most exciting game took place in Cheshire, where Altrincham defeated Aldershot Town in a 3-2 cracker. Kahrel Reddin and Lewis Banks sent the hosts into a two goal lead within 25 minutes, but Matt Penney and James Clarridge equalised for the visitors with 15 minutes remaining. Substitute, and summer signing Jimmy Knowles bagged the winner two minutes later for the hosts though, sending the Shots home empty handed.

It was a good day to be a team from Essex, as both Braintree Town and Southend United recorded 3-0 wins; the former beating FC Halifax Town at home, former Glover Frankie Terry getting himself on the scoresheet alongside a Lewis Walker double, while the latter took three points home from Gateshead thanks to goals from Sam Austin, Josh Walker and Charley Kendall.

Despite finding themselves down to 10 men within five minutes, Solihull Moors recorded an impressive 2-2 draw against Forest Green Rovers; Oscar Rutherford fired the hosts ahead, before Christian Doidge and Nick Haughton gave Yeovil’s next opponents the lead. Early substitute James Clarke got the equaliser with 15 minute left, as the two sides played out a entertaining draw.

Sutton United came from behind twice to take a point from pre-season title favourites York City. Ollie Pearce opened the scoring with a penalty, before missing a second just 15 minutes later. David Ogbonna equalised for Sutton shortly before half-time, before Callum Howe handed the hosts the lead once again. An 87th minute equaliser from Brandon Njoku meant the spoils were shared in Yorkshire.

Newly promoted Scunthorpe United defeated Tamworth away from home to get their return to the National League off to a good start; Danny Whitehall hit an emphatic free-kick early on to take the lead for the visitors, before Haydn Hollis equalised later into the half. Soon after, Oli Ewing hit what would be the winning goal to take the three points for the Iron.

There were a hat-trick of 2-0 victories yesterday, as a quick fire Mani Dieseruvwe double for Rochdale downed playoff winners Boreham Wood, Enzio Boldewijn and Dom Hutchinson helped Wealdstone defeat Truro City in their maiden National League outing, and Carlisle United won in their first National League fixture for 20 years, with Luke Armstrong and Ethan Robson beating Woking away.

Finally, in their first ever National League fixture, Brackley Town won at home to Eastleigh, Shane Byrne scoring a penalty to write his name into Brackley history, as the Saints won 1-0; Boston United and Morecambe’s game was postponed, due to Morecambe’s suspension from the National League; keep fighting Shrimps, we’re all on your side!

National League results – in full

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

National League table

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Josh Sims holds off a defender.

The first point is on the board, but finding the back of the net looks like it may still be an issue for Yeovil Town after the goalless opening day draw with Hartlepool United at Huish Park yesterday. Mike Hudson was among more than 3,000 Glovers’ fans who turn up for the stalemate and here are his conclusions on what he saw.

It was good to be back. After all the noise of pre-season, it was good to be back at Huish Park for a competitive fixture. The pitch looked stunning, if not a little small, as the sun shone down on the 3,239 Glovers fans (and the 199 away ones too). New owner Prabhu Srinivasan and Chief Strategy Advisor Nicholas Brayne could be seen walking around the stands and talking to fans before kick off, and the supporters were in good voice throughout the afternoon. As the ref got the opening day underway there was a sense of optimism in the Somerset air.

Josh Sims goes down under pressure from the goalkeeper.
Josh Sims takes a tumble during a difficult first half against Hartlepool. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The first half was a bit iffy. Throughout the game Yeovil looked defensively solid, but it was pretty hard to put to figure out what our game plan was going forward, particularly in the first forty five. In the first five minutes there were a few moments when James Daly and Luke McCormick linked up nicely, but then the game really passed them by. There was no fluidity in attack, and with all the talent and pace on the pitch, our tactics seemed to nullify the strengths I was looking forward to seeing. There was a lot of direct play to Aaron Jarvis who had his back to goal most of the game. While his hold up play was great as usual, no-one in green and white was ever near enough to our number nine to capitalise. We didn’t work their keeper at all in the first half, and in truth Hartlepool, who kept a lot of possession, had a few chances as the break approached and could really have been ahead.

The second half was better. We seemed to start the second half with more intent and looked dangerous. The changes were interesting. Removing McCormick and Daly for Tahvon Campbell and Junior Morias made it look like we would need to play even more directly. However, I thought both players made an impact and looked lively when they came on. You feel if the late chance that fell at the feet of Ben Wodsku had come to either Morias or Campbell we may have stolen all three points. Unfortunately the youngster rather panicked and snatched at his shot. It was far from a fluid second half, but it was an improvement on the first.

Jed Ward holds a shot during pre-match warm up.
Jed Ward looks a good addition. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Keep those potatoes on hold. After feeling before the game that he may have solved our goal-scoring issues, Mark Cooper may be reassessing. The sack of potatoes on offer to the first goal scorer of the season will remain the property of the greengrocer for now, as we try to figure out how to best utilise the players at our disposal. On a plus side, we did secure a clean sheet, and our back three looked mostly solid, with Jed Ward adding some calmness in goal. Our new keeper had one shaky moment in the first half, but was otherwise faultless and also showed his distribution quality when he launched a ‘fizzing’ kick for the pacy Byron Pendleton to run onto creating a dangerous moment for the home side. On balance, I’m not a fan of the training ground move, but it may just have secured us a real top quality keeper.

We’re off the mark. Yeovil are not known for their strong opening days, and coming up against a Hartlepool side managed by Simon Grayson, who we never seem to get the better off, was never going to be easy. We didn’t set the world ablaze, we didn’t quite put on a show at home, and on balance a point was probably a fair result. It did feel like a game that we would have lost last season, and there were moments on Saturday when we rode our luck against a team who may have similar ambitions to us this season. But overall, it’s not a bad start to proceedings. There are some reasons for positivity while also a number of things we will need to work on quickly. We have a point on the board, and a tricky first away trip to Forest Green to come. Onwards and upwards you Glovers.

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The Enterprise National League got under way at Huish Park, but with the youngsters out and about we like to keep tabs on how our young loanees are getting on.

We start at Sherborne, where the Zebras bounced back from FA Cup defeat last week to register a 2-0 win over Andover New Street.

Jaydon Biss, Blake Watts, George Geraghty and Ollie Hughes all started the game.

Geraghty got the opening goal and was named Man of the Match.

We have a couple of new names to keep an eye on over at Bridport too; Alec Thomas and Matt Reed are second year scholars who made their debut last week.

This week, Alec Thomas found the net – getting his first goal for his new side in a 4-0 win over Bishops Lydeard.

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Jake Wannell leads Yeovil Town's players on to the pitch.

Yeovil Town drew 0-0 with Hartlepool United to start the 2025/26 Enterprise National League. 

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’s new Mr Versatile Josh Sims has said the Glovers were happy with their outing in the goalless opening day draw with Hartlepool United at Huish Park.

The former Southampton player started the match playing off lone frontman Aaron Jarvis but ended it playing left wing-back following the substitution of James Daly.

It was his ball into the box which picked out substitute striker Ben Wodskou with seven minutes to go, but the on loan Birmingham City youngster’s chance was denied by visiting keeper Harvey Cartwright.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah after the game, Sims said: “First games are always going to be frantic, but we got through it with a clean sheet. We had a couple of chances (to win it) towards the end and I thought we ended the game stronger, in the first half we were a bit sluggish and on the back foot, but from the first whistle in the second half, I thought we played well.

“There are always things to improve on, but I imagine they will be up there come the end of the season. A point is good, there are plenty of things to work on but we got a clean sheet, a point and we were solid, and last season we probably would have lost a silly goal today. That is a massive improvement and shows how much more solid and how much better our communication is as a team and that will stand us in good stead. We are a good team both on and off the pitch and everyone has come in and brought something different.”

Josh Sims breaks away.
Josh Sims breaks away. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Asked about his many different positions during the 90 minutes, he added: “Whatever the Gaffer wants me to do, I will do it to the best of my ability. He obviously thinks I can play in a few different positions whether it is further forward or further back, I have got to do my job for the team. Different roles require different skills and towards the end I was playing deeper and had to stay concentrated, but if the Gaffer wants me to play there. It was a tough one because it was a lot of running and it was quite hot out there, but everyone got through it unscathed and that is a positive.

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper was satisfied with a point from the opening day stalemate against Hartlepool United at Huish Park.

The Glovers put in an improved performance in the second half after a drab opening 45 minutes and had a great chance to win it through substitute striker Ben Wodskou with seven minutes remaining.

Cooper said the arrival of Wodskou and fellow forwards Junior Morias and Tahvon Campbell brought added life to his side, but was pleased with the solidity his side showed to keep a clean sheet.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah after the match, he said: “Last year we would have lost that game. I think you saw the impetus the forwards (Junior Morias, Tahvon Campbell and Ben Wodskou) brought when they came on and we kept it solid behind the ball and had some good chances. You saw Junior and Tav’s quality when he came on and Ben had a great chance, they gave us a lift when they came on. 

“When you look at our bench, we have people who are going to improve us or not make us worse and that has not always been the case. It was a cagey first game of the season, players getting their breath but it was important we did not lose. The fans kept going, they got behind the boys brilliantly and we need to keep that spirit among the club.”

Junior Morias looks up for a pass.
Junior Morias in action against Hartlepool United. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The opening 45 minutes belonged to the visitors, who ran out 1-0 winners at Huish Park on the opening day of last season, with Yeovil indebted to new goalkeeper Jed Ward, who has joined on a season-long loan from Bristol Rovers, to keep them in it.

Cooper gave four debuts in his starting line-up with Birmingham City youngster wing back Byron Pendleton and midfielders Luke McCormick and  James Daly named alongside Ward.

The manager said: “You could tell we have some new players and the first half was very scrappy and we never really got going, but our back three and our two midfield players looked really solid which they have to do. We waited for the forwards to spark which they did in the second half when we looked more of a threat and we had some really good chances and looked like we would go on and win it. But if you are not going to win the first game, you do not want to be beaten and we will take a point and move on.”

The next test sees Yeovil travel to big-spending Forest Green Rovers who picked up a point of their own on the road at Solihull Moors on the opening day. The Gloucestershire outfit, now managed by footballing gobshite Robbie Savage, played against ten men after Solihull’s Darius Lipsiuc was sent off after just six minutes. 

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Mark Cooper speaks to the club's social media following the 3-1 pre-season friendly win at Bath City.

Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said his side will line-up with a three central defenders for today’s opening National League fixture of the season against Hartlepool United at Huish Park today.

Captain Jake Wannell, Morgan Williams and Alex Whittle will make up that defensive trio with on loan Birmingham City wing back Byron Pendleton and summer signing James Daly playing as wingers or wing backs depending how you want to see it.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah ahead of kick-off at Huish Park, the manager spoke about the line-up, he said: “Like it has done in most of pre-season, it is Whittle, Wannell Williams which on paper is a good back three with a bit of height and a bit of pace there and plenty of tenacity and no little ability on the ball. We have Byron (Pendleton) on one wing and James Daly on the other, I don’t think there will be any quicker wingers in the league than those two today.

“We want to try and be a little bit more solid on the first game of the season, we have got quite an expansive front five with the two wingers (Pendleton and Daly) and the two number tens in Luke McCormick and Josh Sims and Jarvis (up top). So we feel it is important the back three and the two midfield players (Charlie Cooper and Finn Cousin-Dawson) are solid. Brett (McGavin, who is on the substitutes’ bench) picked up a little niggle a few weeks ago so he is, in my opinion, a week undercooked, so we have good options.”

How Yeovil Town will start today’s game…..

Both strikers Junior Morias and Tahvon Campbell are also on the bench for the curtain raiser. Campbell has suffered with a knee problem in pre-season and Morias, whose signing was announced during the week, has not had a full pre-season.

Cooper said: “Tahvon and Junior are still catching up. Tav has missed two weeks of training and Junior only joined us at the start of the week and due to his wife having complications with a pregnancy he has not done loads of training, so we have to be careful with him. But they are definitely have good options off the bench.

“I said at the start of pre-season that we wanted everyone through pre-season and available for the first game and we have done that. I said we might be 90% fit but everybody is fit and we can grow in to the rest and try and use our bench and try and keep away from as many injuries as we can. So to have everybody fit is testimony to the staff and medical team that we have got them through safely.”

Hartlepool have named a number of their summer signings in their starting XI including strikers Alex Reid, who Cooper revealed he tried to sign last season, and Danny Johnson.

Cooper added: “You can judge them on the quality of players they have brought in. They brought Alex Reid in, who we tried to sign last year but he did not want to move, they have Danny Johnson in from Walsall who is a proven goalscorer and throughout the team they have lots of new signings with quality. So they have been backed in the summer and we are expecting a tough game.”

One other new arrival at the North East club is manager Simon Grayson, who is yet to lose a game against Yeovil in his managerial career. The former Preston North End and Blackpool boss arrived at the club in June having been managing in India and Nepal in recent years.

Cooper said: “It is good to see him back, I have known him a long time, he is a Leeds fan as well so he is back from his exploits in Nepal and India and looking forward to the challenge.”