Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 375)

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Five Conclusions, Gloversblog

Ben Barrett was in the press box for the Glovers’ 2-0, defeat to Oldham.

It was a tough, stressful and genuinely quite emotional experience.

Here’s his five conclusions.

It’s probably worth bearing in mind I haven’t seen this Yeovil Team since mid August.

Back go back games against Barnet and Altrincham were both either reasonable performances or a reasonable result, since then I had been told tales of some of the good, the bad and downright ugly side of YTFC.

Regardless of what had gone before it, we had to come out strong, we had to be the first to draw blood and to kick ourselves out of our slumber.

To go down 1-0 early was an almighty hammer blow.

Obvious as it may seem, that sixth minute goal, the scrappy defending and the unlucky deflection set the tone for a torrid afternoon for the Glovers.

A ball that could have been prevented from coming into the box, fell into an area from which it could/should have been cleared. I felt the ‘hear we go again’ from the 144 in the away end.

Shall we wrap up the positives in one go next?

Owen Bevan. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Owen Bevan and Ollie Hulbert did alright and Grant Smith is the best keeper in the league. 

Bevan had an important role as the central figure in a Staunton-less defence and I think he shone the most of the back line. In the second half, Ollie Hulbert sensed a chance to make an impression on debut, and in difficult circumstances, I thought he did alright.

He’s quick, direct, showed some nice little link ups. I reckon he’s got every chance of getting more minutes over the coming weeks.

And Grant Smith is the best shot stopper outside the EFL. He just is.

Chiori Johnson. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Positives taken care of, who wants some more negatives? Jolly good.

I don’t like wing backs, you don’t like wing backs, we get it.

But if you have to have wing backs, you’d probably want them to be Chiori Johnson and Jamie Reckord.

So… why on earth did we start Sam Pearson at wing back and Johnson in the middle?

I’ve said this 100 times before but why we can’t start playing our best players in their best positions I simply do not know.

Chris Hargreaves thinks this formation has worked OK so far. It hasn’t Chris, it just hasn’t.

I’m not a qualified football coach, but I have eyes. There are some simple, tactical tweaks which I’m convinced would make a difference;

The front two need to be closer together, there was no chance of catching a flick on, or getting a little combo of passes together in the final third, nobody close enough to get busy and pick up the pieces of a broken down attack and it was infruariating.

Set pieces need a complete overhaul because we are shocking at defending them and trying to score from them and please, play people in their best positions.

Josh Staunton was on a one man mission to play in all 10 outfield positions, as admirable as that is, it stopped him being good at what he’s good at. I felt for him, he’s clearly feeling everybit of the disappointment we all are.

Confidence is rock bottom.

So many times, players were showing obvious signs of the sheer lack of confidence we as a unit are struggling with right now.

Maybe it’s a fear of making a mistake, of losing possession. Maybe it’s a desire to get off the ball as quickly as possible. A panicked clearance, a slashed ball forwards, a overhit pass, a sideways or negative move when a braver option was on elsewhere.

There’s no magic wand to make confidence just appear out of nowhere, it’s down to working hard (to levels where socks indeed come off), positive reinforcement and some excellent man management and leadership.

Finally, then.

I’ve not said it on the podcast before now, I’ve kept my mind open, my thoughts to myself until I can see with my own eyes what’s going on.

In the current state of the country, it feels odd and to be honest, fairly horrible, to talk about someone else being in or out of employment.

But purely from a football point of view, I have no choice to confirm that I am absolutely Hargreaves Out.

I’m sorry, Chris, I am.

But this formation doesn’t work, there’s no plan B, our side looks a dishevelled shell of what I think it can be. Results haven’t been nearly good enough.

I feel like when you appeared on the pod, we were all backing you. We forgave some early season wobbles, we saw glimpses of what this side could be, but it’s time now to call it a day. An experiment that didn’t work.

I feel like I could chat football with you over a beer all day long, but right now our football team is hurting, things have to change.

 

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News
Toby Stephens (Right) in action for Plymouth Parkway
? Harrow Borough

Yeovil Town’s two loan stars Toby Stephens and Ollie Haste both saw their sides win on Saturday, but only one made it onto the pitch.

Toby Stephens was a rock in the centre of midfield for Plymouth Parkway as they thrashed Hendon 6-0 in the Southern League Premier Division South at Bolitho Park. Former Glovers’ loanee Ben Seymour scored four goals in the hammering.

Haste returned to Southern League Premier Division leaders Truro City during the week and was an unused substitute as they came from 2-0 down to win 4-3 at Hayes & Yeading.

The 19-year-old had a successful spell at Bolitho Park – also the home ground of the White Tigers – at the start of the season before making a brief return to Huish Park.

He was an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw at Dorking Wanderers and in the goalless opening match against Taunton Town in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Chris Hargreaves said he still believes he is the man to lead Yeovil Town away from the National League relegation zone despite them dropping to a point clear of the bottom three.

The Glovers dropped to 20th place with a 2-0 defeat at Oldham Athletic on Saturday, their fifth defeat of the campaign with 14 matches played with the boss subject to shouts from the 144 travelling supporters at Boundary Park at the final whistle.

Chris Hargreaves. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Asked by BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins whether he doubted he was the right man for the job, he immediately declared: “I believe I am the man for this job otherwise I would not have taken it. We are in a situation where we have to show some serious amounts of resilience, I get that and there are players in (the dressing room) who have not been in that situation before.

“I get that fans are frustrated and there is unrest and myself, the players and the staff thank them for coming. It was a long journey which cost them money. Second half I don’t think the players gave up, they kept trying and they will always do that, but there was just a lack of final third quality.

“In the league we had lost one in six before this game, but we haven’t won enough games. The performances we have had in those draws have been good but we haven’t been able to win the games.

“But there’s a lot of games, a lot of points still to be won and there’s a lot of fight still in there and the fight is still the same with me from the day I walked in.”

Having persisted with playing a five-man defence with Jamie Reckord and Sam Pearson in wing-back positions, the manager was asked whether he remained confident the formation was working.

He replied: “It has done in previous games. It is a case of having quality to be able to deliver no matter what shape you play and that’s not going to change at any club up and down the country. It’s about having players who make the right decisions at the right times, no matter what shape you play.”

There were four changes made from the FA Cup exit at Taunton Town on Tuesday night including the return of Malachi Linton up front in place of Alex Fisher, and Ollie Hulbert came off the bench in place of Gime Toure at half-time and put in a lively second half performance.

Hargreaves said afterwards that he was still looking to bring more players in having said to before the trip to Greater Manchester that the club was trying to register two players currently training with them.

That push will continue as the Glovers prepare to host Aldershot Town, who leap-frogged them with a 2-1 home win over York City at the weekend, on Tuesday night. The Shots sacked manager Mark Molesley following their exit from the FA Cup at the hands of lower league Chelmsford City and placed veteran Terry Brown in temporary charge.

He said: “We need some recruits and we know that and we’ve been working hard to do that, but you can’t just go and sign players on vast amounts of money who will give you that immediate result or immediate performance.

“It is a case of still looking which we will still be on Monday leading up to the Tuesday game and that will not stop.”

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

Venue: Boundary Park
Saturday October 22nd, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Dry and bright
Pitch: Held up well

Attendance: 6,483 (144 away supporters)

Scorers: Oscar Threlkeld 6 (0-1), Mike Fondop 71 (0-2)

Bookings: 

Yeovil Town: Lawson D’Ath 74
Oldham Athletic: Nathan Sheron 49

Referee: Greg Rollason

 

Yeovil Town : (3-5-2)

Grant Smith

Morgan Williams   Owen Bevan  Ben Richards-Everton

Sam Pearson      Chiori Johnson (for Jake Scrimshaw, 82) Josh Staunton Lawson D’Ath   Jamie Reckord

Malachi Linton (for Alex Fisher, 58) Gime Toure (for Ollie Hulbert, 46)

Substitutes (not used): Max Hunt, Sam Perry.

 

Match Report

Yeovil Town slid to within a point of the National League relegation zone after going down with a whimper at Oldham Athletic.

Having gone behind to Oscar Threlkeld’s sixth minute deflected effort, the Glovers put in a performance lacking in effort, direction and ability for the opening 45 minutes.

Despite a second half which offered a little more in terms of attacking intent, there simply was not enough to see off an Oldham side who sealed the win with Mike Fondop’s goal after 71 minutes.

Here’s how a rather angry Dave saw it from the away end at Boundary Park…..

 

First half

After some tepid opening exchanges, it was a piece of defensive suicide which gifted Oldham a lead after just six minutes. A ball in from the left by Zaine Francis-Angol  you was ignored  by the entire defence, including an uncharacteristic mis-kick from Josh Staunton, and broke to Oscar THRELKELD whose effort was deflected past Grant Smith.

With the exception of an eighth minute foray forward where Malachi Linton had a shot which went well wide, the performance from the visitors in the 15 minutes which followed the goal was characterised by aimless balls, disinterested recipients and a team looking to someone else to make something happen.

The most frustrating thing was that this was against an Oldham side who offered very little themselves. An effort wide from John Rooney on 13 minutes, and a couple of crosses in to the box were all they offered in response.

It was not until the 40th minute that Smith was called in to action when Rooney found Ben Tollitt whose effort was turned aside by a smart stop by the keeper.

In 30 years of watching Yeovil Town – the Darren Way era of whimpering out of the Football League, even the two seasons we spent in a tier below this one in the 1990s – that was as bad a performance as I have seen from a side. Utterly devoid of effort and direction.

Half time: Oldham Athletic 1 Yeovil Town 0

 

Second half

Within two minutes of the restart, Yeovil achieved more than the first 45 minutes had offered. Ollie Hulbert, on as a substitute for Gime Toure, put a ball in from the left found Chiori Johnson on the far post but the ball was behind him and he was unable to get his header away.

There was more effort, an attempt at passing the ball, and guess what? It worked. A lukewarm spoon press against a block of butter, but more effort at least.

Alex Fisher replaced Linton after 57 minutes with Yeovil preparing  for a corner that met the head of Ben Richards-Everton who forced a save from Magnus Norman in the Oldham goal.

Moments later, Staunton’s interception set Johnson away down the right, but his effort avoided everyone in the box. For all the better forward play, there was little to threaten Norman’s goal.

On 65 minutes, a good ball forward by Lawson D’Ath found three Yeovil players queuing up despite Fisher and Pearson being in the vicinity, no-one could get a touch.

Two minutes later, Owen Bevan glanced a header just over from D’Ath’s corner.

But on 71 minutes, an Oldham side which had offered nothing all half doubled their advantage. From their own corner, Yeovil found themselves with just Morgan Williams against three attackers and it was Mike FONDOP who was there to turn it in from close range.

Six minutes from time, a ball from Pearson was met by a header from Fisher which force Norman in to a stop to turn it on to the post. That was the nearest to a goal we had got and it wasn’t near  enough.

Full time: Oldham Athletic 2 Yeovil Town 0

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Three changes for the Glovers in personelle as Lawson D’ath returns from injury to replace the suspended Matt Worthington.

Callum Rowe drops out altogether, whilst Max Hunt is once again on the bench with Owen Bevan returning from injury.

Yeovil Town : (3-5-2) (We think…)

Grant Smith

Morgan Williams   Owen Bevan Ben Richards-Everton

Chiori Johnson     Lawson D’Ath   Josh Staunton Jamie Reckord

Sam Pearson

Malachi Linton Gime Toure

 

Substitutes: Max Hunt, Sam Perry, Jake Scrimshaw, Alex Fisher, Ollie Hulbert.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town’s youth sides are back in action in the Junior Premier League this weekend.

Five of the six age group teams which play as part of the Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust will be taking on opponents from Juventus Devon – based in Newton Abbott not Turin – whilst the Under-16s take on their counterparts from Southampton-based Chievenor Soccer School.

There is no match for the Glovers’ Under-18s in the South West Counties Youth League this weekend with the next fixture at Bath City Under-18s next Saturday.

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Ollie Haste has rejoined Truro City on loan for the rest of the season.

The Glovers’ youngster originally saw his first loan spell come to an end following a string of impressive displays for the White Tigers.

Haste was on the bench once, without appearing, following his return, but now heads back to Paul Wotton’s side for the remainder of the campaign.

Go well, Ollie.

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News, Podcasts

Elliot Watts was at Taunton and he’s joined Ian, Ben and Dave on this episode of the Gloverscast to chat about the game, the aftermath of the game and what happens next. We speak to the Boundary Park Alert System about our opponents on Saturday, Oldham Athletic. We take your questions, and we have another Fan’s Five with Ian Whatmore!

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Chris Hargreaves has revealed that he has a couple of unnamed players training with his Yeovil Town squad who he is hoping to bring in to bolster his squad.

The Glovers head to Oldham Athletic on Saturday looking to banish the ignominy of an FA Cup exit at the hands of lower league Taunton Town on Tuesday night.

Asked about whether he could have reinforcements before that match, the boss told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins that delays in registering players was causing delays.

He said: “We have got a couple of players training with us but unfortunately it comes down to registration and clearance which is holding us up at the moment.

“That has been the delay for over ten days now which is frustrating, so that one is out of our hands, but I am actively looking.”

The length of the delay would suggest that international clearances may be a factor, although forward Gime Toure did also arrive following a period on trial.

Hargreaves admitted that he did not have a big budget to go out and bring in reinforcements as he seeks to pull the Glovers out of the bottom half of the National League table.

He added: “Is there a huge pot of money to go and get some of the best players in the National League? Of course there isn’t, you have to be realistic.

“We work with what we work with and, as I have said many times, we are where we are as a club and we can’t change that.

“Clubs at all levels have to be sustainable because we want clubs to exist, so I just have to get on with my job with the tools I have got.

“In my opinion, other than the two games (against Taunton) we have seen which I will apologise again to the fans that travelled, in the main the players have been extremely competitive.”

Whilst Yeovil beat Solihull Moors in their last league outing, their opponents have drawn two and lost two of their previous four matches and sit in 18th place, one below the Glovers, with the sides separated by six goals on goal difference.

The Latics were recently taken over by the Rothwell Family, led by chairman Frank Rothwell who made his wealth selling cabins, and appointed former Everton defender David Unsworth, who Hargreaves admitted will be in no doubt about how tough life is in the National League.

He added: “David will be under no illusion about how tough his job is and I have no problem with the reaction (of Yeovil Town supporters who booed the team off) after the game on Tuesday.

“I think our fans have given a lot and taken a lot over the last few years, but they just want to see their club do well and so do I.

“If I was a shrinking violet I would not have taken it and if I didn’t believe I could do it, I would not have taken it.

“I can’t step over the white line for the players, I can give them the information about the opposition, how I think we can beat them and then it’s up to them to go and deliver and there’s enough players to go and do that.”