Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 354)

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Bath City booked their place in the Somerset Premier Cup final with a 2-1 semi-final win at Frome Town on Tuesday night.

Yeovil Town take on Bath-based Odd Down in the other last four tie at Huish Park on Tuesday, April 5.

A double from striker Coady Cooke saw the National League South side lead 2-0 at the interval at Badger’s Hill.

Rex Mannings pulled a goal back on the hour mark but former Glover Jerry Gill’s side held on to book their place in the final.

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Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday, March 22, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Clear, cool night
Pitch: Continues to be a credit to the groundsman, held up well

Attendance: 1,732 (53 away supporters)

Scorers: Lawson D’Ath 11 (1-0), George Alexander 24 (1-1), Tom Knowles (2-1) 71

Bookings: 

Yeovil: Knowles 45, Worthington 83
Bromley: Webster 53, Vennings 55

Referee: James Durkin


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Ted Cann

Mark Little, Josh Staunton (for Wilkinson, 75), Ben Barclay, Morgan Williams

Matt Worthington Dale Gorman  Lawson D’Ath (for Josh Neufville, 68)

Charlie Wakefield (for Olomola, 86) Reuben Reid Tom Knowles

Substitutes:  Jordan Barnett, Alex Bradley.

Bromley: Balcombe, Partington, Coulson, Arthurs (for Bloomfield, 76), Cheek, Whitely, Vennings, Alexander (for Alabi, 56), Webster, Cawley, Parsons (for Trotter, 46). Substitutes: Wagstaff, Forster.

Match Report

A stunning winner from Tom Knowles saw an impressive Yeovil Town turn up at Huish Park with a long-awaited winning performance in front of the home faithful.

The three points was nothing less than the Glovers deserved against a Bromley side who (at the start of the game, at least) still considered themselves in the hunt for a play-off place in the National League.

Lawson D’Ath opened the scoring after just ten minutes before a mistake by on-loan goalkeeper Ted Cann gifted Bromley’s George Alexander an equaliser on 24 minites.

It was a superb team goal after 71 minutes which won it, starting from a great pass by Cann to Reuben Reid, Dale Gorman and then substitute Josh Neufville whose delicious delivery found Knowles who made no mistake.

Here’s how Ian saw it from his position at Huish Park……

 

First half

Team news saw Darren Sarll replaced the absent Adi Yussuf, who had received a call-up by Tanzania, with Reuben Reid, only his second National League start of the season which he missed the first half of through injury.

Lawson D’Ath replaced Jordan Barnett in midfield for the other change with captain Luke Wilkinson returning on the bench having missed out of the squad in recent week.

The 2-0 win at Dover Athletic at the weekend seemingly sparked the Glovers in to life with a fast start and had two decent efforts inside the first five minutes. Reid drew a save from the keeper and from the resulting corner Dale Gorman‘s effort was parried away by on-loan Brentford keeper Ellery Balcombe.

In the hosts’ goal, Ted Cann, playing his second game since joining on-loan from West Bromwich Albion at the end of last week, was called into action with a low save shortly after which he dealt with comfortably.

Five minutes later the home side deservedly took the lead. Tom Knowles turned his full-back inside out and delivered a brilliant low cross which was turned in by Lawson D’ATH with 10 minutes on the clock.

That was the first goal seen by the Huish Park crowd since Adi Yussuf’s equaliser (yes, it was an own goal but the record books show it was Adi’s) in the 1-1 draw with W*ymouth at the start of February.

Reid was definitely in the mood and got another decent effort away which had to be dealt with by Balcombe.

The Glovers were not shot-shy in the first half and a typical Knowles strike from distance was matched by Balcombe, although the referee thought it hit the post. The visiting stopper was keeper his side in this.

Bromley his back in calamitous circumstances in the 25th minute. A low cross somehow snuck through Cann and put in the empty net by George Alexander.

Reid showed his back to goal credentials with a smart turn and shot which Balcombe was equal too.

Cann redeemed himself before the break with a good low stop from Alexander who was bearing down on goal.

Yeovil made a good account of themselves in the first half and offered a vast improvement on their previous Huish Park performances.

Half time: Yeovil Town 1 Bromley 1

Second half

Bromley came out for the second half the stronger, putting the pressure on their hosts who had some nervy moments, however, there was little in the way of chances for either side.
The first opportunity came fell to Yeovil on 58 minutes when good play between Reid and Wakefield got behind the visitors defence, but Gorman’s effort went over the bar.
Two minutes later, Balcombe was in action again with Josh Staunton having an effort turned over the bar from the on loan keeper and Michael Cheek was on hand to hack it away.
On 69 minutes, a lovely moment as those inside Huish Park rose to acknowledge the efforts of D’Ath and welcomed back Josh Neufville, who made only his second appearance in front of fans after making such an impact in front of empty stadiums last season.
Tom Knowles. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Great distribution from Cann (see the comments of Ed Turnbull in Gloverscast #154) found Reid with what was definitely a pass not a clearance, he controlled it beautifully and linked up with first Gorman, then Neufville did unbelievably to feed Tom KNOWLES to drill one home.

Two goals in a game for the second consecutive match and it came at home. This. Is. Not. A. Drill.

If Knowles needed more energy, that gave it to him. On 77 minutes, the human dynamo burst forward and he was brought down as close to the edge of the box as you can get – was it a penalty? The Thatchers End thought so. The resulting free-kick came to nothing.

With seven minutes remaining, a long throw by Cawley was missed by a wild punch from Cann and if a Bromley player could find it, it would only take a smashed effort to find an equaliser. Luckily it was Luke Wilkinson, on for Josh Staunton moments earlier, who was there to clear.

Neufville flashed an effort wide soon after before Cann came roaming outside of his box and was very lucky to be saved by the assistant’s flag. Having been saved by a similar decision at Dover at the weekend, it’s a bit of worry.

Wakefield was replaced by Olomola with four minutes of the game remaining, as Bromley turned the screw knowing that their play-off push is coming off the rails.

And it did. Two wins in a row, more than one goal scored in two games. We’re claiming this as a run of form.

Full time: Yeovil Town 2 Bromley 1

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Ruben Reid comes on vs Bournemouth


Reuben Reid – “the best back to goal striker in the National League” (D. Sarll, 2022) – replaces Adi Yussuf in the starting line-up for tonight’s visit of play-off-chasing Bromley at Huish Park (7.45pm kick-off).

The change was one of two with Lawson D’Ath, who was a substitute for the 2-0 win at Dover Athletic at the weekend, coming in for Jordan Barnett.

Josh Staunton remains in the heart of defence alongside on-loan centre half Ben Barclay with skipper Luke Wilkinson only fit enough for the bench.

There’s still no place for Sonny Blu Lo Everton with Josh Neufville and Olufela Olomola the attacking options among the substitutes.

Yeovil Town: Ted Cann, Mark Little, Josh Staunton, Ben Barclay, Morgan Williams, Lawson D’Ath, Dale Gorman, Matt Worthington, Tom Knowles, Reuben Reid, Charlie Wakefield. Substitutes: Luke Wilkinson, Jordan Barnett, Alex Bradley, Josh Neufville, Olufela Olomola.

Bromley: Balcombe, Partington, Coulson, Arthurs, Cheek, Whitely, Vennings, Alexander, Webster, Cawley, Parsons. Substitutes: Alabi, Bloomfield, Wagstaff, Trotter, Forster.

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Adi Yussuf. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil Town striker Adi Yussuf has been called up for international duty by Tanzania for games against Central African Republic, Botswana and Sudan.

The call up means he will miss tonight’s National League fixture at home to Bromley and this weekend’s visit from Southend United to Huish Park.

Yussuf, who has five (ish) goals for the Glovers this season, joins up with Kim Poulsen’s side ahead of the games on Wednesday 23rd, Friday 26th and Tuesday 29th ruling him out of at least two Yeovil games in the process.

Yussuf was born in Zanzibar, an autonomas region of Tanzania and has made three appearances for the Taifa Stars without scoring, most recently playing the full 90 minutes of a 0-0 draw with Rwanda in October 2019.

All three games are set to be played at the Benjamin Mkapa stadium which can hold up to 60,000 people and we’ll bring you news of his ventures when we can!

Good luck (or should we say, ‘bahati njema’) Adi!




		


	







	


		
		


			

				
			


			
			
 
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Yeovil Town return to Huish Park following their first league win in ten on Saturday and welcome play-off chasing Bromley to town on Tuesday night.


The Glovers overcame Dover Athletic 2-0 at the weekend with goals from Ben Barclay and Dale Gorman whilst Bromley were holding the Hollywood boys of Wrexham to a goalless draw.


In terms of stats, Bromley’s form isn’t actually that good, draws against ten-man Torquay and Weymouth were sandwiched inbetween defeats at the hands of Stockport and Halifax.


They are still in the FA Trophy with their semi-final against York City scheduled for early April and currently sit 9th in the table, four points behind Notts County in 7th and 11 points ahead of the Glovers.


Yeovil won the reverse fixture 2-1 back in late November as part of that incredible run which had us all dreaming of our own crack at the top seven for a while; goals from Tom Knowles and Charlie Wakefield either side of a Michael Cheek penalty bringing all three points back to Somerset.


On that day, the Glovers could only name four subs including goalie Max Evans and youth prospect Ollie Haste.


Dan Moss (loan ended), Grant Smith and Luke Wilkinson (both injured) were all part of that impressive back line on the day and will all be missing this time around.


Since that game in November, the Ravens have added James Vennings, a young midfielder on loan from Charlton and Ali Al-Hamadi on a temporary deal from Wycombe, he will be expecting to start a third successive game alongside Michael Cheek in attack.


They could also have a new goalkeeper with on loan Brentford stopper Ellery Balcombe between the sticks, regular ‘keeper Mark Cousins hasn’t featured since the draw with Weymouth back in February.


FROM THE MANAGER


Bromley manager Andy Woodman is not expecting an easy game against Yeovil Town


Asked about the trip to the Glovers after Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Wrexham, he said:


“We have got to build on this (result v Wrexham) now, that’s the real important thing, a clean sheet against Wrexham, a good performance against Halifax although we didn’t get the result, we have got to keep plugging away at this stage of the season”


“It wont be easy, I don’t think any game is easy, we are all seeing that, we will prepare for that one and hopefully we can come back with the points”




TEAM NEWS


Michael Cheek will almost certainly lead the line for the Ravens, with three goals in his last three games against the Glovers he’ll be hoping for more of the same.


Former Glovers captain Omar Sowunmi hasn’t featured in either of the last two Bromley games.


 




A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS


Two former Glovers defenders are currently in the Bromley squad, Wembley hero Byron Webster and Omar Sowunmi


Defender Omar Sowumni.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.


The giant 26-year-old defender spent four years at Huish Park having been signed from from Lowestoft Town by Paul Sturrock who infamously said he believed he could make the ex-Ipswich Town striker “the next Kenwyne Jones”.


Suffice to say, despite some impressive performances, Omar’s time at Huish Park will be remembered for captaining the side which whimpered out of the Football League in 2018-19.


In the Yeovil Town camp, Charlie Wakefield will be looking to show his old employers what they have missed out on.


The former Chelsea youngster was released by Bromley in the summer having made just four starts after joining in January last season.


Other players with a foot in both camps include Courtney Duffus, who it appears did not appeal to Woodman having been ignored for much of last season and then shipped out to Morecambe.


Winger Iffy Allen is another, having had a pretty iffy 12 match spell at Huish Park in 2015-16, before spending the 2017-18 campaign at Bromley.



		


	







	


		
		


			

				
			


			
			
 
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Ben Barclay
Pic: YTFC Youtube


Yeovil Town’s on loan defender, Ben Barclay has been names in the official Vanarama team of the week after scoring his first goal in green and white in the 2-0 win over Dover Athletic on Saturday.


With a clean sheet and a goal in the bag, Barclay is named alongside Grimsby’s Andy Smith and Woking’s Tom Champion in the mythical back three with a certain Patrick Madden also in the team for Barclay’s parent club, Stockport County.


Good work, Ben.


 






		


	







	


		
		


			

				
			


			
			
 
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A win! Two goals! What will we moan about? Ian and Ben are joined by Ed Turnbull on this episode to talk about the 2-0 win at Dover.




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After 810 National League minutes, Yeovil Town picked up three points again! Goals from on loan defender Ben Barclay and a free-kick from Dale Gorman secured a 2-0 win at Dover Athletic which in turn relegated our hosts. Supporter Ed Turnbull give us his conclusions from his spot in the away end in Kent…..


First things first: we won (first time in league since Woking away on January 29) and we scored more than one goal (first time in league since Wrexham away on November 30)! And,mid we scored from a set piece (first time in league since Dagenham on November 20, I think)! It was great to see Barclay tuck away a calm finish after coming close to scoring a couple times since he joined, and to see a Gorman free-kick that found the back of the net rather than the middle-man of the wall or the keeper’s midriff [or the car park – Ed!].








Charlie Wakefield


It’s a good job we did profit from set pieces because again our attackers failed to score. As usual Tom Knowles and Charlie Wakefield showed plenty of promise driving towards the box from the wings, but it didn’t lead to many clear-cut chances. I don’t think  Adi Yussuf had his worst game, but that really isn’t saying much, and, as always, he gave away countless silly fouls. Olufela Olomola had a good chance at the death – the sort of chance you could argue he needs to take if we’re to pick up a good number of points between now and the end of the season.








Ted Cann who has joined on loan from West Brom. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.


It was fantastic to see Josh Neufville back after his horrible injury, but for me Ted Cann was the most impressive debutant. His distribution was generally excellent, with long and accurate kicks off the ground. One particular moment stood out when he came out of his area and instantly controlled a high ball before pinging an inch-perfect pass out to Knowles far-forward on the right. He did have one heart-in-mouth moment when he was beaten to the ball by Michael Gyasi, leaving the Dover attacker to pass the ball into an empty net, but Cann’s blushes were saved by the offside flag. Ted didn’t have much to do in the way of shot-stopping, so he couldn’t be judged too much on that.






The atmosphere at Crabble was very subdued. Maybe it was the sunny weather that resembled mid-May more than mid-March, but the match had a very end-of-season feel to it. This wasn’t at all echoed in the effort the two teams put in, but it was as though both sets of fans had given up on the season, with Dover relegated by virtue of the fact they didn’t win on the day, and Yeovil stranded firmly in mid-table. Nothing but respect to the hardy fans that travelled to southeast Kent, but I don’t know the last time Yeovil fans have celebrated a win with less enthusiasm.






However, I hope that this win can be a catalyst for a positive end to the season. You can only beat what’s in


Oh for a win which brings that celebration again.


front of you, and we did that quite comfortably. I think this is a group of young players who perform better when they have a buoyant crowd behind them, so hopefully this win will install confidence in both the players and fans that we can achieve similar results against teams higher up the table so that our season doesn’t completely peter out. Let’s get another win against Bromley.





		


	







	


		
		


			

				
			


			
			
 
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Goalscorer Dale Gorman said the 2-0 win over relegated Dover Athletic was “massive” for his Yeovil Town team-mates.


The victory was only the Glovers’ second National League victory of 2022 and it was the first time since the end of November that they have scored twice in league action.


The Northern Irishman said it is now up to the side to back up the victory against Bromley, who are still in the hunt for a play-off place, at Huish Park on Tuesday night.


Dale Gorman. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.


Gorman said: “We have been working really hard this week, it hasn’t been enjoyable, the atmosphere has been tense but when you put in that graft and you have that three points to show for it, we should be proud of ourselves.


“In football, you go through good periods and bad spells and that result is massive for us as a group and a club and hopefully now we can kick on Tuesday and put in another performance and get something.


“To back it up at home and give us two wins on the bounce and a good strong end to the season.


“It doesn’t matter what you have to play for, every game in this league is tough and we know what to expect from Bromley, so we have to be ready.”


The ex-Leyton Orient and Stevenage player put Yeovil 2-0 ahead with a well-struck free-kick 11 minutes in to the second half after on loan defender Ben Barclay had opened the scoring in the first half.


He said he was pleased to see the strike go in having had quite a number of failed free-kicks this season – honestly, we’d not noticed, Dale…..!


Gorman told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins: “I am happy it went in because I have probably had 20 free-kicks this year and they’ve been nowhere near, so thankfully one of them has gone in!


“Their manager was getting in to them at half-time and that often gets a reaction, so for the first five or ten minutes it is about riding that storm.


“We defended our box brilliantly today, we put our bodies on the line, but we needed that (second) goal to settle ourselves and thankfully it came at a good time for us.”





		


	







	


		
		


			

				
			


			
			
 
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Darren Sarll was pleased to see his “focused” Yeovil Town side pick up a comfortable win at bottom side Dover Athletic with little fuss.


The Glovers’ boss saw goals from defender Ben Barclay and midfielder Dale Gorman both come from set pieces as they ran out 2-0 winners in a match which saw their hosts relegated out of the National League.


Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the win, the manager said: “People will talk about Dover’s position but I never underestimate (manager) Andy Hessenthaler’s teams, he was some player and he has that attitude in his coaching.






Darren Sarll


“Our attitude to the game was very focused and because of that we kept our shape well on a pitch where it was very difficult to balance your touch out.



“There was no dramatic moments, except the one where (Dover midfielder Emmanuel Gyasi had the ball in the net) was offside, but apart from that I felt strong all day.”


He said his side were deserving of their goals from free-kicks for the opportunities they had failed to convert this season.


Barclay’s opener came after Jordan Barnett’s free-kick was touched on by Adi Yussuf to reach the on loan Stockport County player and then Gorman scored direct from a free-kick.


Sarll said: “The deliveries we have put in week in and week out has deserved goals from set plays and it’s something we have not been good at.


“Ben is a very good technician and we know Dale has got that type of quality. It was quite fun because a fan said to me before the game about the future and he said ‘I really like Gorman, but he’s too selfish with those free-kicks’.”


Sarll gave second debuts to returning goalkeeper Ted Cann, who started in place of first-choice Grant Smith who is suffering with a groin injury, and midfielder Josh Neufville, who rejoined on Friday from Luton Town.


It was the 20-year-old’s first appearance in green-and-white since he left the pitch on a stretcher having suffered a broken ankle at Altrincham in the penultimate game of the season. Yeovil travel to Altrincham on the final game of this season.


Speaking about his return, the Glovers’ boss said Neufville had pushed for the move: “He drove it. We’ve been in touch the whole season and you do feel partly responsible when players get bad injuries playing for you.



“Luton have been great and (manager) Nathan Jones and (first-team coach) Chris Cohen, obviously two ex-Yeovil men, were fabulous with us again and we are the last stage of Josh’s rehabilitation before next season.



“He came in Friday and he was so excited to be back. He said ‘Altrincham away on the last day, I will be ready for that’ – that is his determination and you don’t get too much of that.



“To have that courage and confidence to go back to a place which holds so many bad memories was quite something.”


Neufville came on after 73 minutes in place of Charlie Wakefield and showed enough in 17 minutes to believe he can rediscover the form which made him a fans’ favourite last season.


Sarll said: “Yesterday in training he absolutely tormented a player, I kept him away from Mark Little just in case, but they’re going to come up against each other very soon.


“He looks bigger physically and he’s going to be a weapon for us, but we have to build him slowly.


“There were a few cobwebs today and he was a bit rusty so we are going to have to go back to what the plan and remind him.”


Asked about the decision to bring in Cann on loan instead of giving an opportunity to number two Max Evans, the boss said the West Bromwich Albion youngster had impressed him during his previous loan spell at Huish Park.


He played three times during Sarll’s first season in charge in 2019/20.


The manager said: “Ted played for us two years ago and made a big impression on me back then because he played in front of a very experienced back four which could have been quite intimdating for a young man.


“I have tried to recruit him every season since then, so it was nice to bring him. Grant needs to clear his groin up and needed that change and that feeling of change in the dressing room.


“When you recruit players, you give everyone a wallop up the backside.”


He added that the deals for both Neufville and Cann were “no brainers“, suggesting the parent clubs are footing the wage bill for both players during their time in Somerset.


Of Evans, the manager said: “I wanted to have five outfield subs. I think if you asked all the National League managers something they would change, 20 managers out of the 23 would say ‘can we have an extra sub?’


“Every year we ask, every year we get turned away, but because of the run of form we were in I thought it would be really unfair to put a teenager in goal away at Dover.“