Highlights of Yeovil Town’s 1-0 defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town on the opening day of the National League South season yesterday are now available on our opponent’s YouTube channel.
The National League South season has begun, and fr*stratingly it was more of the same from Yeovil Town as the Glovers shot themselves in the foot to lose 1-0. Here are Ian’s conclusions from the press box at Hemel Hempstead…
That was a bump back to reality. We know this already, but all the optimism, hope and goodwill in the world will not win football matches. We came into kick off riding the crest of a wave but by the time we final whistle was blown, we’d suffered a wipeout. This isn’t going to be an easy season and we aren’t going to steamroll teams. We were told Hemel were well organised and had a good team spirit and they showed that in spades, and got a bit of luck for their winner after a mix up between Zac Bell and Will Buse.
We really struggled to maintain meaningful possession. It was a really bitty game. Most of our chances came from set pieces, or the aftermath of set pieces. Rhys Murphy had a couple of efforts that he should have done better with in the first half. Hemel Hempstead executed a brilliant game plan, disrupting the flow of the game and taking their time on the restarts. Their narrow midfield really crowded the centre of the pitch and I felt we struggled to get the ball through Matt Worthing and Charlie Cooper because of that.
Jake Wannell had a solid game. The left-sided centre back had a dominant display, winning his defensive headers and tackling aggressively. He was composed on the ball and I thought his partnership with Alex Whittle on the left looked promising. I think our defensive unit looked pretty steady, but for a couple of slips on the surface. As regular readers will know, I did not enjoy wingbacks last season, but we seem to have more suitable players this season.
“We’re going to have to find a way to adapt to and get results when we travel to clubs with them.”
I’m not sure if that was a good artificial pitch or not, but I didn’t like it. It didn’t seem like a very even surface and the way Hemel played in that second half was as if they were shooting downhill. The familiarity the Hemel players had with the pitch compared to ours was plain to see, our passing wasn’t quite there and I didn’t think we looked comfortable on it. We’re going to have to find a way to adapt to it though and get results when we travel to clubs with them.
We need to keep calm. The expectation following a rejuvenating summer has, perhaps, given us an over-expectancy. Don’t get me wrong, we should be putting teams like Hemel away given the quality of our squad, but there was 45 more matches in this season and 135 points to play for. The goal came from a sloppy error at the back rather than Yeovil’s goal coming under regular heavy pressure. Mark Cooper described the result as a ‘slap round the face’, Frank Nouble said it as a ‘wake up call’. Our big day out was spoiled by a team and manager who knows how to get a result in National League South. Next weekend St Albans City (off the back of a 2-1 win over W*ymouth) come to Huish Park and we’ll need to lay down a marker of how good we are with our home performance.
Loan watch is back for another season and currently, the Glovers have three members of the first team squad out on loan.
Let’s start at Dorchester, where the Magpies lost out in dramatic circumstances to Welsh side Merthyr Town FC – the game ended 3-2.
Ollie Haste, started the game with number 11 on his back and helped create a number of first half opportunities for his side.
Whilst Haste played for the full 90, Benjani Jr had to wait for his chance from the bench, he was introduced into the game on 65 minutes as a replacement for another Ex-Glover Jordan Barnett.
One of Merthyr’s goals also came from the boot of a former Huish Park player – Alex John.
Meanwhile, down at Taunton, Malachi Linton played 83 minutes as the Peacocks got off to a winning start in the National League South against Braintree.
Linton was replaced by Nick McCootie late in the game with the score already at 2-1 to the Somerset side.
Well, that was a far from ideal beginning to life in National League South…
There was a hefty contingent of travelling Glovers who made the trip to Hemel Hempstead Town…
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Yeovil Town defender Morgan Williams has urged supporters not to panic after an opening day defeat to Hemel Hempstead Town.
Speaking to YTFC’s YouTube channel the central defender said: “Its obviously not nice to start with a loss, we didn’t think it would be like that, but we’ve got 45 games (to go). We spoke about it, we’ve got 45 games left, there’s no need to panic or anything like that. I thought we played well in some spells, we know we are way better than that and we’ve shown that in pre-season, we just need to show that next Saturday.”
Following the error between Zac Bell and goalkeeper Will Buse that led to the only goal of the game, Williams isn’t concerned and backs his team mates to come good.
“We know that they’re good enough, it’s just an error, everyone makes errors, we’re all human. Busey and Belly have been top the whole of pre-season and we know that they’ll save us this season with a lot of chances and stuff, you rub it off and we go again.”
The defeat means that Yeovil haven’t won on the opening day since 2016, but Williams is sure things will get going sooner rather than later.
“We’re all good enough, we can’t make excuses this year, we’re going to go to places all over the (south of) the country and it’s going to be bad places, bad grounds, whatever, but we have to adapt to that and play how we want to play and we should get results.”
Plenty of praise for the Glovers fans, who may well have outnumbered the home supporters in a number just topping 1200.
“It’s very disappointing to let them down, we knew how many were coming and we apologise for letting them down, but we know we can put it right and hopefully they’ll all be down there on Saturday.”
Yeovil Town’s captain for the day Matt Worthington has stood by his team mates after a drawing a blank against Hemel Hempstead Town on the opening day of the new National League South season.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins post-match, the midfielder, who took the armband in absence of skipper Josh Staunton, offered no excuses as to the result, but said that the goals would come.
“We were prepared for what we faced today, the Gaffer, prepared us as well as he could, ultimately it was down to us to put a performance together. We were solid for large parts of the game, we created, we had a lot of balls in their box especially towards the end of the first half, weshould have got a goal to go into half time with.
“Ultimately, at the end we concede – not a great goal – it was a day for learning and we need to put that behind us, we have four home games which I’m really looking forward to. It (the pitch) was tough, it was a tough surface to play on, they’re used to it, they train on it every day.”
Despite creating chances, the Glovers couldn’t find the net after a profitable pre-season campaign in front of goal, but Worthy said he’s not concerned in the long run.
“The quality speaks for itself up front, we’ve got Jordan (plural), Frank, Murphy, and the lads that came off the bench. We will get goals this year, there’s no doubt about that, we created chances, and with them lads up front, we’re definitely going to score goals. We just need to make sure we continue to create those chances.”
The only Tudors’ goal came from a mix up between wing-back Zac Bell and goalkeeper Will Buse, but Worthington has said that it’s a chance to learn and move forward.
“You have to make them realise they can’t do that, it’s a mistake, everyone makes mistakes, like I’ve said to Busey in there, it’s almost good that it’s happened now, so he can learn from that and take it forward.
I think if we’d have kept it at 0-0 we’d always have a chance with the quality we have up top to nick a goal and win the game 1-0 at the end.”
“We have to move on, we have four home games now, this game is not going make or break our season, so we have to all stay together and go into the next four games.”
“(Huish Park) is going to a place where the fans can really get behind us and we have to make sure we give them everything – all the lads are looking forward to that, we’re lucky to have four home games so early on in the season, so we need to make sure we get as many points out of them as possible.”
On captaining the side in Josh Staunton’s absence, Worthy said: “It’s a massive honour, to look back at the captains we’ve had at the club, and still now, it’s just nice to know when he’s (Josh Staunton’s) unavailable to play I can put the armband on. Staunts, Lee Collins – people I really look up to, to put the arm band on is a massive achievement and I feel really happy.”
The Glovers take on St Albans City in their opening league fixture at Huish Park next Saturday.
Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has told BBC Somerset that he hopes his Yeovil side will take a loss to Hemel Hempstead as a ‘slap around the face’ and a ‘kick up the backside’.
Speaking to Sheridan Robins, he praised the Glovers’ support at the game, but couldn’t hide his frustration.
“First of all, I thought it was an unbelievable turnout from the supporters, we didn’t give them what they deserved, so that’s a big frustration, but it can happen, we’ve had a good pre-season, everybody talking us up. It was always going to be a difficult game, really difficult pitch, no excuses, but we didn’t perform like we have done in attacking areas today.”
There were attacking debuts (or re-debuts) for a number of players, but it didn’t lead to an upturn of fortunes in front of goal.
“We didn’t spark, we put as many forward players on the pitch as we could, but they didn’t spark today. If they don’t, you’re relying on keeping a clean sheet at the other end, but a calamitous goal sums the day up.
“It could be a good thing for us, it could be a kick up the backside, that this might not be easy – not that we ever thought it was – but it might be a slap round the face to say ‘we’ve got work to do’.”
“For me it was a case of it might have to be a 93 or 94 minutes, because they were wasting time, but to do that you have to keep a clean sheet and not give them anything to hold on to, and that’s exactly what we did. “
A single Joe Iaoficano goal was all that separated the sides for the opening day defeat, but the Glovers now go into a spell of FOUR matches in a row at Huish Park..
“Frustrating day, but we’ve got four home games now, as frustrating day as it was for everybody, we have to keep calm and not panic, and keep focus and perspective and be ready for next Saturday.”
Speaking on goalkeeper Will Buse, whose error led to the goal, the gaffer was quick to look at the wider picture regarding Saturday’s game.
“He’ll have to learn from that, but, what I will say is we didn’t spark at the top of the pitch, for me, we were flat at the front of the pitch and that’s where we were really good in pre-season, so it’s frustrating. We really appreciated the support today and we’ve got to be better than that, the players know that, we’ve got to keep it in perspective, they need to stick with us, we’ll be alright, we’ll be fine.”
Mark Cooper was talking to BBC Somerset, the interview on the YTFC Social Channels was slightly different but covered the same topics.
Yeovil Town’s start to life in National League South began with a rude awakening and defeat at Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday.
A goal from hosts’ striker Joe Iaciofano ten minutes from time was the difference. He capitalised on an error by Glovers’ keeper Will Buse who was involved in a calamitous mix-up with wing-back Zac Bell.
For their part, Yeovil huffed and puffed but could not find anything approaching the free-flowing play and goal-scoring which they had shown in pre-season.
Two thirds of the Gloverscast were there, and as part of the packed out away end, here’s how Dave saw proceedings.
The opening exchanges showed exactly what an artificial surface was going to be like.
The first booking of the match, handed out by Zac Kennard-Kettle, the son of former EFL referee Trevor Kettle (yes, that one), went to Zac Bell presumably for something he said. Three cards in under 30 minutes suggest he is indeed him father’s son.
Maguire-Drew and Murphy combined again just before half-time but again the effort from the striker went over the bar.
The first opportunity of the second half fell to the home side who strung together a good passing move which saw Joe Iaciofano one-on-one with Will Buse, who spread himself well to deny the striker.
On the hour, Montel McKenzie saw an effort tipped over the bar, and on 63 minutes the first Yeovil opportunity dropped to Morgan Williams after a moment of sustained pressure from the visitors. JM-D’s cross dropped to him inside the box but he could not get a decent connection and the effort went over.
Looking for a spark, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton was introduced in place of defender Jamie Sendles-White. That saw him move up front alongside Murphy and Nouble with JM-D dropping back in to the right side of midfield.
But it was Hemel who were creating the better chances with McKenzie flicking an effort over the bar after 70 minutes.
The breakthrough came for the home side came with a complete gift. A mix-up between Buse and Zac Bell saw the keeper a long way out of his goal to meet IACIOFANO who got enough on it to steer it in to the corner of the net. It was nothing more than Hemel deserved having exerted the greater threat, whilst Yeovil looked decidedly lacklustre going forwards.
There was a delay in the game not long after with trouble amongst Glovers fans – it seemed to involve supporters shaking the goal posts, a delay we could all have done without – whilst the referee and stewards tried to deal with the incident.
Once the game restarted, chances continued to come for the Glovers, Alex Whittle combined well with Frank Nouble, but the former Torquay man headed over with the game drifting towards a conclusion.
Yeovil threw on on loan Bristol City striker Olly Thomas for JM-D with ten minutes left and brought Jordan Young into the fray with added on time well underway, but to no effect.
The Glovers will head into four home games in a row with something of a reality check fresh in their minds.
Venue: Vauxhall Road
Saturday, 5th August, 3pm kick-off
Pitch: Plastic and sloping in at least half-a-dozen places
Conditions: Stopped raining at kick-off but not a minute sooner
Attendance: 1276 (no away number given)
Scorers: Joe Iaciofano 78
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Zac Bell (14), Jamie Sendles-White (22)
Hemel Hempstead: Reece Grant (28) George Williams (90+1) Elias Grant (90+8).
Referee: Zac Kennard-Kettle
Assts: Ryan Dix & Shaun Barry
Yeovil Town (4-3-3)
Substitutes: Sonny Blu-Lo Everton (for Sendles-White 65), Josh Owers, Olly Thomas (for Jordan Maguire-Drew, 81), Will Dawes, Jordan Young (for Nouble 90+5)x
Hemel Hempstead Town: Craig King, Montel McKenzie, Josh Williams, Kyle Ajayi, Jethro Hanson (for Eli Grant, 45+4), George Williams, Joe Iaciofano (for Finlay Corrigan 81), Joe Re, Chris Smith, Reece Grant (for Tyrese Briscoe 75), Arj Krasniqi.
Substitutes: Sayoud, Corrigan, Briscoe, Eli Grant, Carman.
Weston Super-Mare have confirmed that the fixture with the Glovers is subject to home/away segregation.
The game takes place on Tuesday 5th September (19:45 KO) and tickets are now available.
The Glovers have been allocated an initial 850 tickets which have been on sale since Friday night – They can be purchased HERE
Yeovil fans will be asked to enter via turnstiles 1 and 2 towards the front of the ground.
We’ll have a Ciderspace Travel Guide for you closer to the time, but judging by the numbers at Hemel Hemsptead this weekend, our advice is to get those tickets booked early.
The National League South season kicks off today!
As always, we endeavour to get some information from the opposition camp. We caught up with Dan, Hemel Hempstead’s media officer about what we can expect today when the Glovers arrive to Vauxhall Road.
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