Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 321)

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Ben Barclay
Pic: YTFC YouTube

Yeovil Town’s on loan defender Ben Barclay has been named in the Non-League Paper’s Team of the Week for his performance in the Glovers’ 0-0 with Eastleigh.

The centre back, on a temporary deal from Stockport has been named alongside Aaron Drewe of W*ymouth and Wealdstone’s Jaydn Mundle-Smith in the mythical back three.

Barclay is scheduled to remain at Huish Park for four more games including this Tuesday’s Somerset Premier Cup tie at Cheddar.

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After a disappointing defeat in midweek, Yeovil Town picked up a point with a goalless draw away at Eastleigh yesterday.

Boss Darren Sarll said his side were “dominant” for 80 minutes of the match, whilst on-loan defender Ben Barclay was pleased to secure another clean sheet – but the lack of goals were (yet again) the main talking point.

Here’s what Coatesie thought from the away end on the South Coast….

Yeovil players after the 0-0 draw with Solihull

Now this wasn’t vintage, free-flowing, exciting Yeovil Town, but it was an improvement from the defeat at Wealdstone where even the players questioned their own character.

This looked more like two teams determined not to lose, only coming to life when they thought they could win, before reverting back to trying not to lose.

There were long spells, particularly in the first half, where all the possession was with the visitors, but the same old problems exist going forward.

Yesterday we could not turn our possession in to clear-cut opportunities and it always felt as if there needed to be a mistake or a moment of brilliance to break the deadlock.

Sadly, the latter never looked likely to happen, though the former almost did at the end when Eastleigh striker Tyrone Barnett passed up a glorious opportunity to win it at the death.

Olomola chats to Sam Collard
? @YTFC

The man all those who travelled to the Silverlake Stadium was hoping could be the difference was new boy Olufela Olomola, back for his third loan spell at Huish Park.

It did not quite click straight away, but there was enough there from Fela to make you think it could.

He has had two appearances for his parent club, Hartlepool United, in the past month, playing less than 90 minutes in total in those matches, so it’s going to take him a bit of time to get up to speed.

There were some signs of a link with Tom Knowles and Charlie Wakefield forming, and his chance at the end of the first half suggests there is more to come.

Fela didn’t affect the game as we’d hoped, but give him a full week of training and let’s see how he looks against Dagenham next weekend.

Ben Barclay
Pic: YTFC YouTube


But defensively Yeovil looked sound again after some errors in midweek and Ben Barclay is looking a very shrewd signing on loan from Stockport County.

It was the centre half who actually came closest to breaking the deadlock when his header came off the crossbar following a header from his defensive partner Luke Wilkinson.

Wilko spoke before the game about the need for the Glovers’ backline to chip in with goals, and on another day that corner routine could have done just that.

The fact the absence of Max Hunt, one of our top performers this season, has gone pretty much unnoticed says everything you need to know about Barclay’s performances since his arrival.

This one could be a little controversial, but I do think Tom Knowles was lucky only to only see a yellow card at the end there.

And, yes, before you start swearing at your mobile/laptop/tablet, Eastleigh’s Ryan Hill was even more fortunate to remain on the pitch!

I held my breath when Knowles went in late on keeper Joe McDonnell the action which incensed Hill to shove his opponent to the ground.

Both McDonnell and Knowles were more than a little theatrical in their responses to the fouls.

Knowles went down for treatment, giving the referee a lot of time to confer with his assistants, and the result was a yellow card apiece.

Had the ref decided to go for red, there was every chance a National League ref (*Rule 1 invoked*) could have tried to keep the numbers level.

In summary, it was either a yellow card apiece or a red one apiece.

Charlie Lee rises highest
? Mike Kunz

Finally, it was lovely to see Charlie Lee waiting outside the player’s entrance after the game.

Since retiring from football at Billericay Town a couple of months ago, I imagine he has his Saturday afternoon’s spare.

I wonder if he got inside in time to hear Darren Sarll refer to the assistant he plans to appoint next week as “a super intelligent chap” in his post-match interview.

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Ben Barclay
Pic: YTFC YouTube

On loan Glovers defender Ben Barclay is pleased with the point gained against Eastleigh but hopes the side will build on their defensive resoluteness to win more games.

Speaking to BBC Somerset, he said;

“After Tuesday night’s result, we had to come here and prove a point to ourselves, to the manager, to the fans, we owed it to them. We were a bit soft on Tuesday, so we performed and come (away with) a clean sheet”

The visitors did see off a late scare with Eastleigh nearly grabbing the points at the death, but Barclay was happy to have made the last ditch block

“You see it in the programme every week, we discuss it in the changing room ‘would you rather a last minute goal or a last minute block’ us defenders always say a last minute block that was nice”

There was plenty of praise for both Luke Wilkinson beside him and the returning Fela Olomola on his 3rd debut, but there was an admittance that the focus needs to be on scoring a few more.

“Since I’ve been here, we’ve had three clean sheets out of five, which is not bad… we’ve shown real control today, in the territory, as a centre half I’ve spent most of the game on the half way line. We just need a bit of quality in the final third and the goals will start coming.”

Barclay has 4 more games with the Glovers (including the SPC on Tuesday) before his initial one month loan spell comes to an end.

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Darren Sarll was pleased with his side’s dominant performance but disappointed that Yeovil couldn’t get the win in this afternoon’s match at Eastleigh.

Speaking after the Glovers’ 0-0 draw with Eastleigh, Sarll said: “I thought we played very very well. There’s not many times in these divisions, we’ll say League One down, that you get 80 plus minutes of dominance but I actually thought today we were very dominant for 80 plus minutes. And we’re disappointed not to win the game. When you’re that dominant and you play that well, and we did, I thought we should have, quite rightly, won the game.”

Tom Knowles received a booking seven minutes from time, when all the reports suggest it should have been a red card for an Eastleigh player. When asked about the red card, Sarll didn’t go into great depth saying: “It’s a red card isn’t it? When you run and throw someone to the floor?”

Followed up quickly with: “I don’t really care about all the crap, it was irrelevant. There was a good a edge to it [the match] to be fair, I thought both teams had an edge. We’re just disappointed that we don’t win the game because we’re so comfortable and so on top, it was a good a performance I’ve seen from us for a while.”

Striker Olufela Olomola in action during his loan spell with Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil announced the loan-signing of Olufela Olomola last night, and the striker went straight into the forward line with Tom Knowles and Charlie Wakefield. Sarll used quite the image when describing the signing from Hartlepool.

“We’ve flirted for many years, Fela and I, without really getting to, excuse the pun, second base. But he’s got good qualities. I thought he was very good, he obviously needs to improve physically but that only comes at this level now with game time and playing week in week out. He’s got some really good qualities, pace and power being the obvious ones. I thought he carried a threat for us. It will be nice to get him to a point, because he has had injury problems in the past, where he’s operational how we’d like him for 90 minutes. But, he’s going to score goals.”

Sarll also confirmed that the club will confirm who will fill the vacant assistant manager position left by Terry Skiverton. He said he had a couple of conditions when it came to finding the right man.

“I’m quite a dominant character in terms of the coaching pitch so its making sure that we get the right fit for the gaps that need filling. I broke this into a specification of two, of; does the individual know me and my character? Can they work with me and my character, because I’m not an easy man to work with at times. And, does he need to learn the role? Because if he didn’t know me and needed to learn the role I may as well have done it by myself. We’ve found someone who definitely knows me and will need to learn the role, but is a super intelligent chap and will be a brilliant addition to us.”

Let the guessing begin…

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Venue: Silverlake Stadium
Saturday, February 12th, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Dry but still
Pitch: Fine

Attendance: 2716 (no away figure given)

Scorers: None

Referee: Lee Collins

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Gorman ’79, Knowles ’83, Bradley ’90+
Eastleigh: Miley ’30, De Barr ’67, Hill ’83, Boyce ’83,

Sending off: None


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith

Mark Little, Ben Barclay, Luke Wilkinson, Morgan Williams

Josh Staunton, Dale Gorman, Jordan Barnett (Yussuff ’88)

Charlie Wakefield, Olufela Olomola (Lo-Everton ’72), Tom Knowles (Bradley ’90)

Substitutes: Max Evans, Alex Bradley, Rueben Reid, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Adi Yussuf.

Eastleigh: McDonnell, Boyce, Broadbent, Hare, Harper, Hill, Miley, Pitman, Pritchard, Whelan, Whitehall.
Substitutes: Hesketh (for Pritchard 62), De Barr (for Whitehall), Barnett (for Pitman 88), Bragg, Kelly.

Match Report

It was another story of what could have been for Yeovil Town as our ability to find a killer ball or a goal (or both) saw us peter out to another goalless draw.

The story was one of two sides with inability to turn chances in to meaningful opportunities with Yeovil dominating the play in the first half but a late strike from debutant Olufela Olomola was as good as it got.

After the break, the visitors imposed themselves on the game, but it was Glovers’ defender Ben Barclay who came closest to scoring when his header came off the top of the crossbar from a corner.

A late surge from the Spitfires saw a fine stop from Grant Smith parried to striker Tyrone Barnett who fired wide.


First half

The talk of the team news was a (third) debut for Olufela Olomola, following his arrival on loan from Hartlepool United until the end of the season.

He was joined in a front three by Tom Knowles and Charlie Wakefield with Mark Little returning at right back and Jordan Barnett coming in midfield. Jack Robinson and Matt Worthington dropped out from the midweek defeat at Wealdstone.

The first chance for either side came after ten minutes when done good approach play broke to Tom Knowles from the edge of the box and his effort was tipped over over Joe McDonnell in the hosts’ goal.

Ben Barclay’s header flashed over from a corner three minutes later, but that was all Yeovil had to show for the greater attacking pressure in the opening 20 minutes.

There was not much opportunity for Olomola to show much until the 23rd when he lashed a shot just over but a neat link up with Knowles shortly after to set Wakefield away showed what the new boy can bring. Charlie’s run was just too soon to beat the offside flag, however.

There was good movement, nice touches from the new boy, enough to suggest a partnership with Knowles and Wakefield could be fruitful – but just lacking that final well, anything.

Then with the final minute of the half ticking away, Dale Gorman latched on to a loose ball fed it to Olomola inside the box and the striker got his shot away but crept over. Best chance of the half.

The fact that Grant Smith did not have a meaningful effort to deal with says everything about the hosts’ attack and the visitors’ defence.

Indeed, a weakness in the structurally unsound away end from jumping Yeovil fans proved the highlight of the action in that direction during the opening 45 minutes.

Half time: Eastleigh 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

A bit of harem scarem in the both boxes did not lead to an effort on goal until the 53rd minute when Wakefield cut inside the box and found Josh Staunton whose shot was blocked.

Though they could not have created less than their first half tally, the opening 15 minutes of the second period with winger Ryan Hill in the thick of the action.

Spitfires’ striker Brett Pitman put an effort over soon after before defender Josh Hare’s low ball in to the box shortly before the hour mark took a deflection off a Yeovil defender and away.

The momentum had certainly swung the way of Eastleigh, but on the 66th minute a corner found Luke Wilkinson at the back post and his header across goal came to defensive partner Ben Barclay who got his head to it but saw his effort come off the top of the bar.

Olomola’s afternoon came to an end when he was replaced by Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. It was far from a dream return for the former Southampton youngster, but there seemed to be enough in his performance to think he will help out lacklustre attack.

After 75 minutes, former Yeovil midfielder Tom Whelan fired a shot over from fully 20 yards which in the second period could be counted as an opportunity.

Barclay broke forward and his shot was deflected wide, and that is what it is going to take to break the deadlock. A mistake, a lucky break, a moment of brilliance.

Brilliance was in short supply, from as the resulting corner, the hosts took the ball away and broke away only for Gorman to make a ‘necessary’ foul. Unfortunately, it led to a booking, his inevitable tenth of the season. A two-match ban awaits.

Seven minutes from the end, Wakefield broke forward and forced a good save out of McDonnell.

Grant Smith didn’t have a lot to do, but he did pull off an important stop at the end. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

In the aftermath, Knowles charged down the keeper, Hill took exception and put a hand in to the throat of his opponent. Referee Lee Collins decided it was a booking apiece. Hill can certainly count himself lucky not to have seen red.

But the best chance of the match took until the final chance of the match when Smith reacted smartly to push a shot out as far as substitute Tyrone Barnett who inexplicably fired wide.

Full time: Eastleigh 0 Yeovil Town 0

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Captain Wilkinson

Yeovil Town defender Luke Wilkinson has said that he is desperate to add to his goal tally for the Glovers to take the pressure off the forwards and to boost his own performances.

Speaking to the Gloverscast before the Eastleigh game Wilko said it had been too long since he last found the net himself.

“I don’t think I’ve gone this long in my career without a goal, I’m a bit disappointed in myself actually. I think it’s so important, especially from set plays because we get so many throughout the season, we need to start capitalising on them”

“Some of the deliveries we get are absolutely brilliant, but we’re not getting on the end of them.”

“That’s a massive thing, the gaffer has brought it up as well, and we need to start attacking these set plays a lot better and making the most of them.

Wilkinson, who’s last league goal came over a year ago – the last gasp winner against Torquay on January 2nd 2021 – simply said “fingers crossed” with a wry smile when asked if he fancies breaking that streak at the weekend.

There was plenty of praise for Ben Barclay who has come into the club on a short term deal with all eyes on Eastleigh, Wilkinson said he would be trying to add their formidable front line, including new recruit Brett Pitman to the long list of strikers who the Glovers have kept quiet.

“It builds confidence as a defensive unit against these players whoare banging in goals left, right and centre every other week, then they come up against us and we keep them quiet, it obviously does build confidence… it’s not just us at the back either, the midfielders work so hard when we are in the defencive shape and obviously Granty (Smith) behind us as well”

 

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Yeovil Town have announced the return of striker Olufela Olomola on loan until the end of the season.

The 24-year-old joins from League Two Hartlepool United for what will be his third stint at Huish Park.

Striker Olufela Olomola in action during his loan spell with Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

He will go straight in to the squad for tomorrow’s visit to Eastleigh bolstering the squad which has scored the fourth lowest number of goals in the National League this season.

Speaking following the move, Olomola said: “I’m happy. I’m delighted the deals been done and I can’t wait to get going. 

“Darren Sarll was very enthusiastic about getting me down here. I want to make an impact on the team, help climb up the table and get some wins.”

He will take the number 10 shirt vacated by Joe Quigley when he joined promotion-chasing Chesterfield last season.

The former Southampton youngster has played just 14 times since joining Hartlepool following his release by Scunthorpe United at the end of last season, scoring once.

His last League start for Hartlepool came in mid-September and he has mostly been used off the bench since moving to the North East.

However, he is well-known to Yeovil fans having scored seven times in 28 appearances for Darren Way’s Glovers whilst on loan from Southampton in 2017-18.

Having been released by the Saints in summer 2018 he joined Scunthorpe before returning for a second another six-month loan spell at Huish Park where he scored three times.

Since his time last spell for Yeovil, Olomola has had a successful loan spell at Carlisle United from Scunthorpe, where he struck five goals in League Two.

He had a further loan spell at Carlisle United in 2019-2020 where he scored five times in League Two.

Following his release by Scunthorpe in the summer, he went on trial at Hartlepool where he impressed then-manager Dave Challinor enough to earn a contract.

Welcome (back) to Somerset, Fela.

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Alex Bradley has set himself the ambition of breaking in to the Yeovil Town midfield and manager Darren Sarll says he is not far away from doing it.

The versatile 23-year-old signed permanently last January having played as a right-back for his previous club Lincoln City and whilst on loan at Harrogate Town in the 2019-20 season and played 27 times for the Glovers last season – mostly at right-back.

Alex Bradley in conversation with manager Darren Sarll.

However, he has only started once for the Glovers this season in a midfield role in the 3-1 FA Trophy win over Woking in December and his only other game time has come from the substitutes’ bench.

Meanwhile, Sarll has brought in  Mark Little in the right-back slot and, when the experienced head was missing through injury he brought Dan Moss in on loan, with Morgan Williams also filling in.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Eastleigh on Saturday, the manager explained Bradley’s lack of starting appearances: “I signed Alex as a right back, but he thought – and I don’t disagree – that he would be more beneficial playing in midfield.

“If someone commits to another position, the manager is reluctant to play him in a position he’s reluctant to play in.

“That drove our recruitment for another right back and for support for Mark when he was injured and Dan Moss was a top signing for us.

“It meant Alex was not competing with Mark Little and Jordan Barnett for a spot, he was competing with a bigger pool of midfield players and you have to be the best one.

“I don’t think there would be too many arguments if I said Josh Staunton, Matt Worthington and Dale Gorman have been among our best players this season, so it’s been harder for him to force himself in to the team.

“Alex has all the potential in the world, when he came in last year I likened him to Jack Stacey who is now at Bournemouth. You have these things as a manager and I know if Alex goes in at right back he gives it his all.”

Bradley played 13 minutes at the end of Tuesday night’s defeat at Wealdstone and six minutes in the closing stages of the derby draw against W*ymouth, but Sarll said he had seen “a real resurgence” in the player in recent weeks.

He said: “We have had to have lots of conversations, he’s probably in a stronger position than he has been right now.

“He has been training really well and I have seen a real hunger and desire in him and he’s made an impression when he’s come on.

“Those conversations between Alex and I have been beneficial.“

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll is aiming to bring a new player in to his squad ahead of this weekend’s trip to Eastleigh.

(If you missed it, the new player concerned was striker Olufela Olomola – see more here)

The boss also expects to unveil his new assistant manager next week and said he has picked an individual who is known to him and will have “the biggest impact” on his side.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll alongside former assistant, Terry Skiverton who departed a month ago.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

After Tuesday night’s defeat at Wealdstone, Sarll called for “a spike” in the dressing room on the playing or coaching staff – and it seems like he may be getting both in the next week.

On Friday, he said: “In my first year here we brought (striker) Mark Richards in at this stage of the season.

“I remember Luke Wilkinson saying ‘is that Mark Richards, blimey?’ He knew we were serious and trying to win it. Those moments can ignite a dressing room.

“I’m not sure we can afford a Mark Richards but we are still trying to do some work and we are hoping there will be a new one in before tomorrow (at Eastleigh).”

With only three teams – Wealdstone and the division’s bottom two sides, King’s Lynn Town and Dover Athletic – having scored fewer than the Glovers’ 26 this season, it would be no surprise to see the arrival being in a forward position.

However, the new arrival does not seem like it will be left-sided midfielder Alfie Bridgman, the apprentice from Portsmouth who was reported to be training with the Glovers ahead of a loan move.

Sarll confirmed the 18-year-old trained with his side last week, adding: “There’s nothing much more to say about that.”

The manager confirmed he expects to appoint his new number two next week, filling the void left by Terry Skiverton‘s departure to take up a coaching role at Charlton Athletic almost a month ago.

Sarll said he had not had time to conduct any interviews with potential candidates so the selection had been made by him going after the people he wanted.

He said: “Over the last couple of weeks, I have made phone calls to people who have qualities that we need. It’s about the quality they will bring to stimulate the dressing room, to make a difference and that takes a small pool of people.

“I have spoken to some friends, former colleagues, former players and took advice and also tried to whittle it down to a point that I knew the individuals who were going to have the biggest impact on our team.

“All I care about is winning, so who is going to help us win the most for the resources we have got?”

Full-back Mark Little and left back-turned-midfielder Jordan Barnett are both back in contention for tomorrow’s trip to Eastleigh.

Jordan Barnett
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Neither were included in the squad for the midweek trip to Wealdstone with Little still making his way back to full fitness after a long lay-off, and Barnett having picked up an ankle injury against Solihull Moors last weekend.

Sarll said: “Mark trained yesterday (Thursday) and should be okay for tomorrow (at Eastleigh).

“Jordan should be okay. He’s got our training session today (Friday) to pass the test, but he should be okay.

“He would have been a real benefit to us on Tuesday night with his width, his left foot and his pace, so if he’s fit and available, he’ll be in contention.”

However, the trip to the South Coast is unlikely to see midfielder Lawson D’Ath feature.

The former Reading youngster did not feature in midweek having come off the bench to play 70 minutes of the goalless draw with Solihull.

The manager said: “We are trying to strengthen Lawson a little bit further. The 70 minutes (against Solihull) was maybe a bridge too far, even if he won’t admit it.

“We are doing a physical programme for him to get stuck in too. If I felt that Lawson could cope, he would play every minute of every game, he’s been fabulous.

“He’s a really good player and I want to make sure he does not go through the same journey as he did last year when he put himself on the coal face and almost cost his career (to help us).”

 

 

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There’s no real rush to get a new manager in at tomorrow’s opponents Eastleigh.

The Spitfires parted company with Ben Strevens following an embarrassing 1-0 defeat at the National League’s whipping boys Dover Athletic – *cough* who we drew at home with *cough* – at the end of January.

His assistant Jason Bristow has been placed in interim charge which is expected to run until the end of the season with the club unlikely to challenge for the play-offs or get sucked in to a relegation scrap.

They head in to match with Yeovil on the back of six matches without a win since their 3-2 win at home to W*ymouth at the end of December.

But, five of their last six have come away from home with their only defeat on home soil coming virtue of an 89th-minute winner from Chesterfield a couple of weeks ago.

Under Bristow, they did manage to stem the tide of defeats with a 2-2 draw away at Maidenhead United last weekend conceding a late equaliser having led with 11 minutes to go.

The big news in recent weeks has been the signing of a South Coast legend in former AFC Bournemouth and Portsmouth striker Brett Pittman.

The 34-year-old joined on loan from Bristol Rovers until the end of the season having netted four times in 16 League two matches. He played 63 minutes at Maidenhead.

Eastleigh are looking to Pittman to replace the goals left by the departure of Ben House who joined League One side Lincoln City on transfer deadline day.

FROM THE MANAGER

Speaking after seeing his side concede a late equaliser to settle for a point at Maidenhead United last weekend, interim boss Jason Bristow was full of praise for his players.

He said he was “really frustrated” with the manner of the two goals his side conceded with the 87th-minute equaliser coming from another strike from the edge of the box, a carbon copy of the goal they conceded against Chesterfield the week before. Note to Tom Knowles: If you get a chance to have a dig from the edge of the box – have one!

The boss said: “The lads showed a lot of character, we were 1-0 down and with the exception of the first 10-15 minutes of the second half when they were on top, we played really well.

“We kept the ball well and we were unlucky not to have gone 3-1 up, so it’s disappointing but I’m pleased with the application of the lads.”

Like his Yeovil counterpart Darren Sarll, Bristow says he is looking for more goals from his side having scored 28 in their 25 National League fixtures – two more than Yeovil – who he says the side will pull together to face.

He said: “We have got enough there to see the lads are working hard and trying for the club and each other.

“We’ll come back in on Monday and try and put a plan together to beat Yeovil.”

 

TEAM NEWS

Centre back Alex Wynter is a long-term injury absentee having been injured at the end of last season.

The former Crystal Palace player has missed much of the past couple of seasons but was instrumental when Eastleigh reached the play-off semi-finals in 2018-19.

Attacker Sam Smart joined National League South side Havant & Waterlooville on Friday having not featured for the Spitfires for nearly a month.

A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS

Playmaker Tom Whelan and full-back Michael Kelly are the most obvious connection between with hosts this weekend.

Whelan was a regular feature in the first month of Darren Sarll’s time at Huish Park featuring in the first eight matches of the 2019-2020 National League campaign.

But, having seemingly fallen out of favour, he was allowed to leave on loan from Chippenham Town and then W*ymouth in the National League South, eventually being exiled to the Bob Lucas Stadium.

In fairness, in the murky depths of the Dorset coastline he shone and eventually saw sense and moved to the National League paupers of Cashterfield where it is fair to say he tore us a new one in a 3-0 win in Derbyshire last season.

He’s been a regular starter this season alongside full-back Kelly, who filled in at left-back when Carl Dickinson was unavailable for much of last season whilst on loan from Bristol Rovers.

The Scotsman was released by the Gas at the end of last season and arrived on the South Coast in the summer.

He was a regular under Ben Strevens but has not featured since the 1-0 defeat at Dover at the end of last month and was an unused substitute against Maidenhead last weekend.

In the green and white corner, Glovers’ captain Luke Wilkinson and a six-game loan spell at Eastleigh whilst a Portsmouth player back in 2010.

There’s a few other players with connections with both clubs including full-back Joe Tomlinson who played in the youth set up at Huish Park before arriving at Eastleigh via Bognor Regis and Hungerford – what a journey!

He impressed at National League level and made the step up in to the Football League at Peterborough United in the summer.

Christian Maghoma, who had a spell on loan from Tottenham in November 2015 and departed without playing a single game, ended his loan spell at Eastleigh last month and returned to his parent club, Gillingham.

Striker Ryan Bird scored eight times in 36 appearances for Yeovil in the 2015-16 season before moving to Eastleigh where he managed three in 16 the following year.

Other connections include Yemi Odubade, Alefe Santos, Aaron Martin, Marcus Barnes, Alex Lacey, Oscar Gobern, Jake Howells and a striker called Thomas Clarke, the latter having a Wikipedia entry as impressive as his lower league journeyman career.