Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 3)

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

The Gloverscast has confirmed with a spokesperson at the FA that Loick Ayina is set for a three match spell on the sidelines.

The Salford City loanee was sent off in the first half of Yeovil’s 1-1 draw with Aldershot on Tuesday night.

The defender was making his first appearance since the 3-2 win over Tamworth and saw red following a challenge on Basil Tuma. The Football Association has confirmed that this comes under the banner of ‘Serious Foul Play’ and carries a three-game suspension as standard.

Following the game, manager Billy Rowley said;
“I haven’t seen the tackle, so I don’t know what that looks like, but, I kind of feel for him, in a sense, because he just obviously wants to impress and show what he’s about, and I love that aggression as well.
I want defenders that want to defend for their team, so I’ve got no bad words to say about Loick on that. It’s obviously a frustrating one, but that is what it is.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Match Reports

Yeovil Town were restricted to just a single point on the road this Tuesday night as a scrambled Michee Efete goal cancelled out Slavi Spasov’s first goal in green and white.

The Glovers played over an hour with 10-men after Loick Ayina saw red in the first half.

First half

The game started in the same theme as just about every other game this season, breathless.

James Daly had been reinstated to the starting line up and was quickly into the fold causing trouble down the left hand side, he forced an early corner which Ryan Jones whipped into a good area. Joe Gubbins unable to double his goal tally for the season.

The Glovers were playing some nice football in the early exchanges and the opening goal was a thing of beauty.

Gubbins, Jones and Zain Westbrooke all worked together to find space in the box and the ball was slid in towards Slavi Spasov who tapped in the easiest goal he will ever score. Yeovil 1-0 up and deservedly so.

The next 15 minutes were physical, both sides giving away silly free kicks and trying to break up each other’s fancy footwork.

Hayden Muller saw yellow for a frustrated tackle, but the big flash point came just short of half an hour in.

Loick Ayina failed to control a clearance and in his haste to try and regain the possession, overstretched his challenge leaving a mark high on the leg of an opponent – malicious? No? Reckless? Probably.

The final 15 minutes of the half was a rejigging process for Yeovil, Muller slotted back into the defence and they had to hold out firm – Jos Barker a commanding presence claiming multiple crosses and clearing his lines.

Half-time: Aldershot Town 0 Yeovil Town 1

Second half

Yeovil Town opted against making any half time changes, and Aldershot came out all guns blazing.

Basil Tuma looked primed for a run through on goal following a break away but Archie Davies found the afterburners pulling off one of the best tackles we’ve ever seen. Not able to get it wrong by a millimetre, he made the challenge and celebrated like he’d scored a goal. We love it, Archie.

Brett McGavin was fouled on 52 minutes, the referee pulling the game back to award the yellow card to Dom Odusanya despite the Glovers being through on goal.

That frustration started to creep in with the official’s decision making with more petty fouls going unpunished. Unless you wore green of course, Zain Westbrooke going in the book.

We had barely played an hour when Tristan Abrahams had a free kick clip the post on the way out, a fierce effort keeping the Glovers on their toes.

Luke McCormick replaced Slavi Spasov then Muller was fouled by Michael Stickland… it was a yellow card that on another day could have been a red.

Yeovil still looked dangerous on the counter attack and Brett McGavin had a glorious chance to double Yeovil’s advantage, the midfielder did everything right with his shot squirming under Jonathan Macauley and creeping towards the line. The keeper scrambled back and clawed it into his grip. Just.

But, no more than 60 seconds later, the ball was in Yeovil’s net.

A deep cross was nodded back and scrambled in, by some way shape or form – Michee Efete certainly made his presence felt over James Daly at the back post and the equaliser was landed.

Conor Lawless was next to go into the book, living up to his name and breaking a law or two by fouling McCormick.

The Skipper was in the mood, he so nearly capitalised on the keeper spilling a Brett McGavin free kick but that came after he had the ball in the net.

James Daly chased down a lost cause, won the ball on the edge of play and squared to McCormick who found the net. After waiting an age, the referee decided that Daly had committed a foul.

Ryan Jones’ evening came to an end on 83 minutes, he had run the Aldershot defence ragged, drawn fouls, had a solid penalty claim turned down and been unfortunate not to be on the winning side against his former employers.

The final few moments saw Yeovil negotiate the final throws of the home dice.

A point a piece, but plenty of what might have been moments.

Full time: Aldershot Town 1 Yeovil Town 1

Match Details

Venue: Recreation Ground
Date: Tuesday 15th September, 19:45pm

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: Slavi Spasov (’12 0-1), Michee Efete (’66

Pitch: Fine
Conditions: Fine

Attendance: 2,146 (355 away supporters)

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Muller, ’18 Westbrooke ’54 [Ayina – Red – ’29]
Aldershot Town: Odusanya ’53, Stickland ’62, Lawless ’71

Referee: Niall Smith

Yeovil Town

Substitutes: Luke McCormick (for Spasov ’57), Mason Obeng (for Jones ’84)
Not Used: Gould, Kingdon, Lennon, Powell, Radcliffe

Aldershot Town: Macauley, Efete, Stickland, Dyce, Adom-Malaki, Oshilaja, Odusanya, Borgnis, Lawless, Abrahams, Tuma

Substitutes (not used): Tenconi (for Borgnis ’36), Peart (for Abrahams ’62), Sandah (for Dyce ’64), Wyllie (for Tuma ’84), Alves, Matton, Oladunjoye,

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Speaking ahead of Tuesday night’s clash against Aldershot Town, Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley addressed squad changes, tactical tweaks, and the challenge ahead in an interview with BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah.

Rowley confirmed five rotation changes from Saturday’s lineup, with several forced by injury and illness.

Steve Walker missed the trip through flu, despite turning up to the bus to travel as planned,  while Ben Radcliffe (knee fluid) and Joy Mukena (hamstring) remain sidelined. Radcliffe makes the bench as an emergency

With games coming thick and fast, including a Friday night fixture, key players like Luke McCormick have been rested to manage energy levels.

“Macca playing three games in five or six days is probably not ideal, so this is a chance for, you know, for us to use the squad and and give some hungry lads a chance.”

​Tactically, Rowley revealed Hayden Muller will feature in central midfield within a flexible shape that flips between a back three and back four.

Reflecting on Saturday’s defeat to Fylde, Rowley admitted his side lacked clinical edge despite creating 14 chances. However, he remains eager to bounce back quickly: “By no means were we great, but they were unbelievably clinical… That’s the game, you’ve got to be more ruthless.”

Facing a rebuilt, energetic Aldershot side managed by former Glover, Scott Davies Rowley expects a tough, physical test. He also highlighted returning ex-Shots players Ryan Janes and James Daly backing them to make an impact on a wide pitch built for wingers.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Billy Rowley has been forced into a number of changes for the Glovers’ clash with Aldershot Town.

Joe Gubbins, Loick Ayina, Zain Westbrooke, Slavi Spasov and James Daly all come into the starting XI.

We knew that injury concerns to Joy Mukena and Ben Radcliffe would force changes to the defensive line, but only Radcliffe has been declared fit enough to make the squad.

Skipper, and top scorer, Luke McCormick starts from the bench too. There is no place in the squad for Ste Walker.

Matt Gould and Jack Kingdon are both named amongst the replacements.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Match Previews

Still hurting from back-to-back defeats, Yeovil Town travel to Aldershot Town for a Tuesday night fixture under the lights at The Recreation Ground.

FORM…

YEOVIL TOWN

Two defeats in our last two National League matches have taken the shine off Yeovil Town’s start to the new season.

A narrow defeat away at an impressive Southend United side the weekend before last was one thing, but the Glovers were turned over 4-1 by new boys AFC Fylde on Saturday in undoubtedly our worst display this season.

Speaking to BBC Somerset after Saturday’s defeat, Rowley said the senior players were rallying the troops ahead of this one, and the Glovers will be hoping to turn form around and refer to this run as a ‘two-match blip’.  Rowley, who had the players in on Sunday said: “We’ll train on Monday and then we’ll go and try and put the record straight on Tuesday.”

ALDERSHOT TOWN

Whilst the previous two games have seen Yeovil’s season hit a bump, our opponents, Aldershot Town, have picked up six points in their last two matches.

The Shots, now managed by one-time Yeovil loanee Scott Davies, are enjoying a good start to this season with four wins, two draws and just a single defeat in their opening seven matches.

They will be on a high after a late win at bottom club Solihull Moors at the weekend. Having gone behind to a penalty from former Glovers loanee Ben Wodskou in the first half, winger Broady Peart, who was linked with a move to Huish Park last season, levelled and then Moors’ keeper Max Metcalfe fumbled a corner in the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the game to gift the visitors the win.

That followed a 1-0 home win over FC Halifax Town the previous weekend and the most impressive win of the campaign so far came with 3-1 victory against second-placed Harrogate Town at The Recreation Ground.

KEY PLAYERS…

YEOVIL TOWN – JOE GUBBINS & ZAIN WESTBROOKE

After two defeats on the spin – and a particularly bad one at Huish Park – absence has made the heart grow fonder and the Glovers will surely be looking at the returns of Joe Gubbins and Zain Westbrooke. With Joy Mukena and Ben Radcliffe surely missing through injury, Gubbins place at the heart of defence will surely be cemented in the coming weeks, but who partners with him will be the main question.

Zain Westbrooke | Photo by Andy Preston AP Photography

As important as Gubbins will be, Westbrooke’s influence – or lack thereof – was probably felt the most in the Glovers midfield. As the elder statesman in the squad (if you can call him that at age 29) his experience and calmness is important with young players around him. Against AFC Fylde I think it’s fair to say Billy Rowley’s side lost the midfield battle and, especially in the second half, the visitors found themselves with time and space in dangerous areas. We’ve said it early, Westbrooke is the perfect foil to the Brett McGavin metronome in midfield. His return will hopefully provide that energy in the middle of the park to free up McGavin to dictate the game.

ALDERSHOT TOWN – TRISTAN ABRAHAMS

The man to watch is a former Yeovil loanee in Tristan Abrahams. The striker has found some form for the Shots this season and is their leading scorer with five goals, including a hat trick against Harrogate.

Abrahams has bounced around the National League since 2022 at Eastleigh, Welling United, Maidenhead, Aldershot (and a loan spell with Chelmsford) and is enjoying a new lease of life under Scott Davies.

Abrahams will be hoping to resurface the repressed Glovers memory of Yeovil’s 4-1 loss at Welling United in 2023, where he bagged an 11-minute hattrick.

THE GAFFER…

Blink and you might have missed Aldershot Town manager Scott Davies’ spell on loan at Huish Park. The then-Reading midfielder made just four appearances during a spell towards the end of the 2009-10 season, but nevertheless he is someone with some links to Yeovil.

Having finished his playing career at Slough Town, Davies took charge of the National League South side initially in caretaker control before being given the job permanently in 2023. He went on to make a name for himself before taking the job at Aldershot, a club he had a couple of spells at during his playing days, at the end of last season.

His assistant Mark Jones also has Yeovil connections having been part of the coaching team at Huish Park under Mark Cooper.

LAST TIME WE MET…

The last time Yeovil Town travelled to face Aldershot Town on a Tuesday night in September, the Glovers were at a far lower ebb than they are now.

Less than 24 hours after the news of Danny Webb’s departure as manager after just 11 days at the helm last season, Richard Dryden took the side to a club he had been on the coaching staff with since the previous season – and conjured a 4-1 win. Striker Tahvon Campbell netted twice with Junior Morias and Luke McCormick also on target.

Tahvon Campbell celebrates his second goal and in front of the travelling supporters at Aldershot last September.

The reverse fixture at Huish Park was a less memorable one for the Glovers on a Tuesday night in February. Billy Rowley’s side went behind to an early goal from Olly Scott before Fulham loanee Terrell Works equalised, but a second half strike from Shots’ striker Sean Patton saw the visitors take all three points.

DON’T I KNOW YOU?

As you will already have read in this preview, Aldershot manager Scott Davies is one man with Yeovil Town on his CV as a player, but there are other ex-Glovers in the squad.

Striker Tristan Abrahams is one who has enjoyed an impressive start to the season with four goals in his first six games, including a hat-trick in a 3-1 home win over Harrogate Town. Abrahams was part of the Yeovil side which exited the Football League in 2019 when he was on loan from Norwich City in a half-season spell which saw him score three goals in 15 appearances.

Michee Efete
Picture courtesy of Gary Brown

Defender Michee Efete joined the Shots at the end of last season having been without a club since being released by Yeovil last January. The 29-year-old started the first five matches of this season but was not in the squad for the weekend’s win over Solihull Moors.

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…

Niall Smith will be our referee, find out more about him Ben’s article here.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Match Officials

Niall Smith knows all about refereeing Yeovil Town away games at Aldershot Town, he took charge of this exact match in May 2025.

That game ended 2-1 to the Shots, a late Dom Bernard goal not enough to take a point for the Glovers.

The only Green and White name he took that night was Harry Kite, for a booking in the second half.

We also saw Mr Smith at Huish Park last season, he sent off Aaron Jarvis in a 1-1 draw with Rochdale – no complaints on the red card here, by the way.

That was the only card, of either red or yellow variety, that came out of his pocket that day.

This season he’s been in the middle for three games in the National League, dishing out 11 yellows and one red, to Angus MacDonald of Kidderminster.

He will be assisted by Andrew Hickman and Dan Frizzell, whilst Nicoleta Bria – who has WSL, Champions League and International experience as an assistant official gets the privilege of looking after the dugouts.

Referee Niall Smith gives Aaron Jarvis his marching orders

Aldershot Town (First Team) v Yeovil Town FC (First Team)
National League – Premier
Referee: Smith, Niall
Assistant Referee: Hickman, Andrew
Assistant Referee: Frizzell, Dan
Fourth Official: Bria, Nicoleta

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Yeovil Town Women FC

Yeovil Town Women claimed two wins in four days, beating the Army Women’s Development Team in the UB Infrastructure Development League, before claiming their first three points of the South West Regional Women’s League season away at Gloucester City.

It was a straightforward victory on the Huish Park 3G on Thursday night, with Dave Court’s side putting three past the Army without reply.

Holly Meakins opened the scoring just six minutes in with an excellent effort from the edge of the box, and the second-half strike from Becky Miles which doubled the lead was even better.

Sophie Skilton also made her claim for goal of the night, unleashing a powerful drive from distance to add some gloss to the scoreline on a fine evening’s work for the Glovers.

Just two days later, the green and whites travelled to Meadow Park, the stadium where the men’s National League South title was claimed back in 2024, and made some more history by picking up their first three points in Tier 5 following promotion last season.

It should have been 1-0 on 26 minutes but for a spectacular double save from Evie Smith, who was first equal to the strike from Izzy Foster, and then got back to her feet to scramble away the rebound.

Yeovil were left to rue that missed chance when Gloucester took the lead less than five minutes later. Holly Myatt put the ball across to Alaiya Beale who finished at the far post.

The reply was instant though, as Foster picked the pocket of the Gloucester defence and was then brought down in the box. Erin Bloomfield calmly converted the resulting penalty.

Bloomfield’s second on 64 minutes completed the turnaround, latching onto a through ball and firing past Smith into the bottom corner.

And the result was put beyond doubt with five minutes remaining, as Roxy Hurford’s free kick from distance caught Smith out.

Next up for Yeovil, Dorset outfit Poole Town will travel to Alvington on Sunday 20th September (2pm kick-off).