Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 426)

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It was another tough afternoon for the Glovers on home soil, with Yeovil falling to a 2-0 defeat against play-off pushing Grimsby Town. Here are BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins‘ conclusions from the match.
It has been glaringly obvious the issues for the Glovers but the pressure on not being able to score means defensive errors are creeping in. When you know your strength isn’t up top, there is only so long you can be so impressive defensively. The defenders this season have certainly earnt their money and have done more defending than most teams – and eventually something has to give with the reliance on a strong back four becoming too much. Both goals were avoidable, with the second the most disappointing from a corner. There is no doubt if the team were able to find the back of the net, the defensive line would be a lot more comfortable – it is a team game after all.
The players are putting their bodies on the line. Reminiscent of last season when Lawson D’Ath played a full 90 when he really shouldn’t have, players are entering the business end of the season with a whole heap of minutes behind them and bodies which could do with a rest. Charlie Wakefield – for example – has racked up considerably more minutes than his last few seasons combined but must play every week. It cannot be an excuse, of course, but Grimsby were able to make five changes and keep their usual system – this is not possible for Yeovil and the manager knows they are putting everything in when their bodies are screaming at them. That commitment doesn’t equal points, but it explains why fans are still so fond of this team, despite the form.
Lawson D’Ath. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

I think it is fair to say there are few midfielders better with the ball to feet in the National League than Lawson D’Ath and it was a masterstroke to keep him around the club and support his recovery. His delivery from corners was just what Yeovil had been missing and his ball retention is unbelievable. Another 60 minutes in the tank yesterday and I hope we continue to see him shine in the next few weeks. There may be little to play for now, but for the purists watching him play is a joy – his anger at referees et al.

Yeovil are now solidly midtable and so Darren Sarll can and will mix it up. I liked the impact of the diamond early on and the back three was something we haven’t seen since the opening day. It might be something that can impact us and as the manager said after the match, if you keep things the same, the same things could keep happening. I will – of course – be at the games for the rest of the season and I would like to see us go for it, take games to teams and impact other team’s seasons. We had more possession than so many games this season against Grimsby and I enjoyed seeing Yeovil with the ball – but the key is punishing teams when we do. I expect a raft of changes over the next few weeks (within the constraints of the small squad of course).
Lastly, Huish Park has such potential but needs more. The Her Game Too dedicated fixture meant a lot to me personally and the players embraced what it meant, while young girls’ teams took to the pitch before kick-off and at half time. This is something the club need to do more of as it is so important – but the place needs some love. The staff are working as hard as they can, but they can’t do it all. As Geoff Twentyman said yesterday, BBC Bristol/Somerset are trying to talk to the hierarchy but to no avail. Certainty is needed for future fans, current fans and the players, manager, and staff. But, I am so proud the club has embraced the Her Game Too campaign so brilliantly – there are so many amazing women at the club working so hard and they deserve to be celebrated. I am sure I echo everyone’s views when I say seeing Pat Custard being on the front of the programme was a joy.

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Sarll chats to BT Sport

It was another case of all bark, no bite at Huish Park yesterday as the goalless run at home extended to three games. Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, Darren Sarll talked about the struggle to score goals, again.

“I think its a true reflection of what we are and where we are in this moment in time. I think good sides in any division can score really bad goals, really poor goals, where it makes it look too easy. Look we try really hard every week and we really struggle to score goals. I think that’s an art in itself.

“We had two really good chances from four yards today and I think we’ve had the ball in the box more times than we have in recent weeks. It’ll turn,” he said.

The manager was pleased with the first half performances, but was disappointed with how his side executed their tactics in the second half.

He said: “I was really pleased in the first half. I thought we utilised the assets of Wakefield and Olomola very very well. I was pleased with how Lawson and Dale were feeding [the forwards, I guess?]. I was disappointed in second half, because even though the wind was quite strong against us, I thought that should have played in to our hands – being able to play harder, faster, longer passes into good positions and using the athleticism of Olomola and Wakefield.

That was my biggest disappointment of the game tactically; that we didn’t carry those instructions through and those encouraging signs through from the first half to the second. Again, we could have easily been three or four up, but it’s very hard to keep justifying that when it’s week in – week out.”

Asked about the mistakes that were creeping in over the course of the last couple of matches, Sarll said that’s where the team are in their development, but added that Luke Wilkinson and Josh Staunton have been playing injured for a couple of weeks and that others are putting their bodies on the lines at the moment.

As for the rest of the season and beyond, the manager said he might a bit experimental to avoid dying ‘the same death every week.’ 

“I think with the position we’re in, I think we’ve probably got enough grace and we’ve got enough time where we can probably be a little bit more experimental now. Otherwise, I think we might die the same death every week and we might see the same mistakes every week.”

He added that the injuries to players “might be the acceleration that we need in order to try something new until the end of the season. There’s nothing to lose. All of these things that we put into the players, even if we change shape, they’re all good learnings for next season.”

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Venue: Huish Park
Saturday March 12, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Blustery despite being dry and bright.
Pitch: A bit sticky in the goal mouths, but looking good despite the recent rain.

Attendance: 2,422 (over 200 away supporters)

Scorers: Sean Scannell 9 (0-1), Dieseruvwe  57 (0-2)

Bookings: 

Yeovil: Luke Wilkinson 59
Grimsby: Max Crocombe 90+3

Referee: Aaron Jackson


Yeovil Town : (4-1-2-1-2)

Grant Smith

Mark Little, Luke Wilkinson (for Jordan Barnett, 67), Ben Barclay, Morgan Williams

Josh Staunton

Dale Gorman (for Tom Knowles, 61) Lawson D’Ath (for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 61)

Matt Worthington

Charlie Wakefield, Olufela Olomola

Substitutes: Alex Bradley, Adi Yussuf.

Grimsby Town: Crocombe, Efete, Smith, Waterfall, Amos, Jones (for Abrahams, 85), Burgess, Clifton, Scannell (for Sousa, 79), Dieseruvwe (for Taylor, 82), McAtee. Substitutes: Pearson, Maguire-Drew.

Match Report

*cut* *paste* Yeovil Town‘s inability to score a goal saw them slip to another National League defeat and extend their run without a win to nine matches.

Yet another misfire in front of goal meant the two goals scored by second-from-bottom King’s Lynn Town saw them pass the Glovers in the division’s scoring chances. You heard it right, folks, we now have the second worst scoring record with only bottom club Dover Athletic doing worse.

The performance was actually an improvement on the 3-0 defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge four days earlier, but two pieces of poor defending led to goals either side of half-time.

A header off the outside of the post from Ben Barclay at the end of the first half was as near as the home side came to scoring.

Here’s how it went at Huish Park…….

 

First half

Darren Sarll made three changes from the midweek defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge with defender Mark Little and midfielders Matt Worthington and Lawson D’Ath coming in for Jordan Barnett, Alex Bradley and Tom Knowles, who were all named on the substitutes’ bench.

The Glovers lined up with Charlie Wakefield paired alongside Olufela Olomola in a front two with a diamond in midfield with Worthington at the tip, Staunton at the base and D’Ath and Dale Gorman on the left and right respectively.

Wakefield had the game’s first opening chance when he cut in from a wide position and had a shot which Max Crocombe in the visitors’ goal had to deal with.

But, it was the visitors who took the lead after nine minutes (three later than the previous game, I guess!) when Sean SCANNELL out fought Morgan Williams to win the ball, cut in from the left and beat Grant Smith, who will be disappointed to concede that – albeit not as disappointed as the second against Dagenham four days earlier.

All credit to Scannell for the finish, but it was another soft goal to concede from a side which has relied on its defensive solidity to overcome its inability to score.

Olomola lashed one over the bar soon after as the Glovers tried to rally after going behind early again, but they got a let off shortly after when captain Luke Wilkinson brought own John McAtee inside the box after 19 minutes. Referee Aaron Jackson waved away appeals, but you have certainly seen those given.

Olomola had another opportunity when he headed Josh Staunton‘s cross wide as the goal-scoring issues were very apparent.

Probably the biggest frustration was the desire to play the ball long in blustery conditions, leading to misplaced passes and so many nearly moments.

As the half moved in to the final third, Grimsby began to turn the screw with full-back Michael Efete firing a shot in to the side netting on 33 minutes, but the better chance fell to Harry Clifton two minutes later.

Scannell put his midfield colleague through for a one-on-one with Smith, who did superbly to deny him….but he really shouldn’t have been given a chance.

Ben Barclay. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Five minutes before the interval, Yeovil’s best chance of the half fell to defender Ben Barclay when his header from D’Ath’s corner came off the outside of the post. How many times can you write the word ‘nearly’ before it loses all meaning?

The statistics at half-time told the story with Yeovil enjoying the greater number of attacks and comfortably ahead in the ‘dangerous attacks’ stakes (36 to their 11) with four shots off target. Sadly, as the cliché goes, there’s only one statistic that matters.

An improvement on the previous match though. That’s positive, right? I’m trying here, folks.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Grimsby Town 1

Second half

With the wind behind them shooting towards the away end, Grimsby made a strong start with Clifton forcing a save out of Grant Smith on 49 minutes. The ball almost dropped to McAtee, but Josh Staunton was there to intercept it.
Just before the hour mark, the visitors doubled their advantage after another defensive mistake when a corner was swung in and Emmanuel DIESERUVWE was given time to volley home.

Make no mistake, the performance up until this point was an improvement on the ‘performance’ against Dagenham, but the same failings we have shown all too often in front of our own supporters cost us.

There can be no question about Darren Sarll’s desire to up the attacking ante which he demonstrated by bringing Knowles and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton on for D’Ath and Gorman shortly after going two goals behind.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Tom Knowles. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

On 67 minutes, an injury to Luke Wilkinson, who the manager admitted was a doubt ahead of the fixture, was then forced off and replaced by Barnett with the Glovers switching to a back three with Barclay, Williams and Little in defence.

If you wanted to sum up our quality in front of goal, as the matchday announcer read out the amount of added minutes, Barnett found himself with the whole goal to aim from close range and yet Grimsby defender Luke Waterfall cleared it off the line.

We could have been out there all day and still not scored. Again.

Full time: Yeovil Town 0 Grimsby Town 2

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Lawson D’Ath returns to the starting line-up for Yeovil Town to face Grimsby Town.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll has made three changes from the midweek defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge as he looks to pick up his first win th

Mark Little returns at right-back with Morgan Williams reverting to the left side in place of Jordan Barnett, who drops to the bench.

In midfield, Lawson D’Ath starts only his second match after a nine-month lay-off through injury with Matt Worthington also returning. Alex Bradley and Tom Knowles are both substitutes.

There is no place on the bench for striker Reuben Reid.

Yeovil Town: Grant Smith, Mark Little, Luke Wilkinson, Ben Barclay, Morgan Williams, Josh Staunton, Matt Worthington, Dale Gorman, Lawson D’Ath, Charlie Wakefield, Olufela Olomola. Substitutes: Jordan Barnett, Alex Bradley, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Tom Knowles, Adi Yussuf.

Grimsby Town: Crocombe, Efete, Smith, Waterfall, Amos, Jones, Burgess, Clifton, Scannell, Dieseruvwe, McAtee. Substitutes: Pearson, Sousa, Maguire-Drew, Taylor, Abrahams.

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Sarll chats to BT Sport

Darren Sarll has spoken about the need to provide his players with consistency as they grow as a group.

Speaking ahead of today’s match against Grimsby Town, the manager admitted the results have been poor, but the performances (bar Tuesday night’s defeat to Dagenham) have been good.

He said: “With this type of make up of a squad you have to be consistent. You have to be steady and consistent through it all. They need to see an authenticity to what they’re doing. The form we’ve had in terms of outcome has been poor, but in terms of performances and development they’ve still been very good.

“One thing that a lot of these players have never had in their career is a steady hand [and] consistency. Normally at this stage of a run like ours, some of these lads would have been turfed out and sent to other clubs, and they need to know that that’s not going to happen here.”

“What we said at the beginning of the season is that you’re going to get a home, you’re going to an opportunity to play and you’re going to get an opportunity to develop and create a better chance for a stronger career for yourself,” he added.

Speaking about Tuesday’s defeat, he cited the fatigue as a big reason for the side’s uncharacteristic performance. He also said that the club had tried to get the fixture moved due to the rigours of the recent away travel but that National League refused.

“I thought [on] Tuesday we were poor. I don’t want to give the players an excuse but when I watched the game back, the behaviour is completely different to Saturday’s and that only happens when fatigue hits.”

Wakefield and Knowles didn’t have the same thrust. Barnett didn’t have the same dynamic. Wilkinson definitely struggled with the two games in three days. I thought Staunton looked leggy, Gorman looked leggy, all of them did,” Sarll said.

He also spoke about the future of Yeovil Town, and how he believes the club moves forward: “this club only moves forward if it keeps a steady team. Irregardless of who owns this club, who’s going to come in and put a £3m budget, or £2m budget or £1.5m budget? No one. The club has to grow organically, there’s no other way.”

  • Luke Wilkinson was struggling at Tuesday night and his fitness was going to be assessed after Friday’s training. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton might be back in the squad after illness and Jack Robinson is back, fully fit and just missed out on the squad on Tuesday.
  • When asked about the relationship between the club and supporters post-covid, Sarll said: “there are bridges to be built between our supporters and the football club.” Does anyone know a decent structural engineer?

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Yeovil Town midfielder Josh Staunton has said that whilst a play-off charge is unlikely (but not impossible), it was still up to the group to find the motivation to finish the season strongly.

“I think it comes down to us as a group of players, with the manager, we are not going to be allowed to sit on our laurels and just float through the end of the season.”

“We’ve had a difficult run in ourselves, where we haven’t produced result like we wanted to, even if sometimes the performances have been really good.”

“It’s now a case in pride is us as a group and finish as high up the table as we can and you never know, in this league, if you can put a run together like we did before Christmas, maybe we can make a really late challenge. But I think it comes down to pride, we have to go out there in every game with the intent to win and take club as high up the table as we can, finish the season positively and that gives us a way to carry it through to next season.”

With regards to Saturday’s game against Grimsby, who are themselves flirting with the play-offs, Staunton thinks that it could act as a catalyst for a positive run.

“Every game at this level is hard, as we’ve seen… we played well when we went up to Grimsby, we just couldn’t score.

“It was probably the start of our good run, Grimsby away (Editor Note: we went 11 unbeaten after) so I think we go into it with positive thoughts, we played well against them last time, we were just lacking goals, if we can get an early one, it’ll change the atmosphere around the place, atmosphere in the dressing room and some of that belief might come back.”

There was no question about his ongoing hernia problem which was referenced after the game on Tuesday, but the fact that Sam got him to do press duty suggests he should be fine for the game.

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The victory over Yeovil Town at Blundell Park in October appears to have been the worst thing that could have happened to Grimsby Town.

A penalty from striker Lennell John-Lewis, who has now been loaned out to York City, and a late second from strike partner John McAtee kept the Mariners top of the National League.

But, following that result, they won just one of the next 11 matches including seven league defeats and exits from both the FA Cup – at the hands of lower league Kidderminster Harriers – and the FA Trophy.

In comparison, the defeat on the east coast sparked Yeovil who turned a run of eight games without a win in to an unbeaten streak.

A defeat at a resurgent Southend United blotted Grimsby’s otherwise decent looking copybook having picked up wins at home to Aldershot and Woking and away at Dover.

The loss on Essex was their eighth of the season, a stark comparison from their form at home where no other team has picked up more points than the Mariners.

FROM THE MANAGER

Speaking to Grimsby Live about his side’s struggles on the road manager Paul Hurst said:

“The away form is obviously not as good as our home form, I think that’s quite normal for most teams.

“More so, it was that period where it was a difficult run of games for us where we weren’t even picking up draws when we should’ve taken something from a lot of the games.

“That’s what I would look at [as the reason for being outside the play-offs] but we’ve still got lots to play for. We said prior to the game that, irrespective of the result tonight, there’s still lots to play for and the season isn’t going to be defined this evening.

“I did say we’ve got a couple of really tough away games, I think I’d forgot that there was another one after the next one.

“The travel doesn’t make it easy but we’ve got to lick our wounds, we can’t change tonight’s results but what we can do is go to Yeovil and hopefully put on a performance that will warrant three points.”

TEAM NEWS

Striker Ryan Taylor is hoping to make his return from injury in the trip to Huish Park.

The former Plymouth Argyle man has not played since the middle of February having returned to training last week.

However, on loan Aston Villa midfielder Arjan Raikhy seems likely to miss out after limping off in the win at Dover Athletic at the end of last month.

He joins local lad Max Wright in the treatment room along with creative midfielder Jordan Maguire-Drew, who was on the bench against Southend in midweek and could feature.

 

A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS

There’s a striker apiece with history in their opponents’ dressing room for this weekend’s fixture.

Yeovil Town frontman Adi Yussuf spent the second half of the 2016-17 at Blundell Park having been released by Mansfield Town, scoring twice in 11 times before departing to Barrow.

Tristan Abrahams during his loan spell at Huish Park in 2019.

Whereas in the Mariners’ squad, Tristan Abrahams is on loan from Carlisle United and had a 15-game loan spell at Huish Park in the ill-fated 2018-19 season, scoring just three times as Yeovil exited the Football League.

In the Mariners’ camp is also forward Joel Grant who was part of Gary Johnson’s squad in our Championship season in 2013-14 and stuck around for the ill-fated plunge through League One in 2014-15.

He departed to be a fan-funded acquisition for Exeter City before spending time with Plymouth and Swindon Town, where he was last season before joining Grimsby in the summer.

But, injury has blighted his season and he’s been put up for loan but, speaking last month, manager Paul Hurst said there had been no interest in the Jamaican international.

Other honourable mentions for having spent time with both clubs are late Yeovil Town legend Stuart Housley who played 34 times in five years at Grimsby in the 1960s before moving to Huish.

The Doncaster-born winger had two spells as a player with the Glovers followed by holding just about every other role at the club before sadly passing away earlier this year.

Phil Jevons, a hero of our Football League heyday, joined us from Grimsby Town where he was similarly popular having scored 18 times in 63 appearances between 2001 and 2004.

Still doesn’t hold a candle to his record of 42 in 84 matches in green and white. What a player!

Others who have a foot in both camps:

  • Terrell Forbes
  • Russell Slade
  • James Tilley
  • Rhys Browne
  • James Berrett
  • Diallang Jaiyesimi
  • Jordan Cook
  • Mitch Rose – yes, he’s bottom of the list for a reason.

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Ian and Dave are joined Sheridan Robins to talk about our double header at Huish Park. Apologies in advance for talking about Dagenham, but we talked about HerGameToo and the visit of Grimsby on Saturday. We also welcome @DN35 Podcast to tell us all about the Mariners and, of course, the quiz.

Thanks for listening!

Remember to add Gloverscast.co.uk to your favourites and check the website daily for the latest news from Huish Park.

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It was another disappointing night at Huish Park as Yeovil Town collapsed to a 3-0 defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge to leave them third from bottom of the home form table over the last six National League games.

Ian was on BBC Somerset co-commentary duty for the evening and here’s how he saw it…

We were masters of our own downfall. The positive of our season so far has our security at the back and the strength of our defence. We let an in-form Paul McCallum have freedom of the six yard box and didn’t close down the cross with any determination after just 6 minutes of the match. That’s not a character-trait of this side so it was unusual. To then concede a 2nd goal and in such ridiculously poor circumstances quarter of an hour later meant the game was over before half time. We know we have issues in the final third, and we haven’t scored two goals in a game since November. We shot ourselves in the foot and it felt like the players on the pitch knew the game was gone.

Striker Olufela Olomola.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

We struggled going forward again. We welcomed Olufela Olomola back to the starting line-up, but it was that familiar story of a lack of service. Conceding so early meant we were chasing the game but we never seemed to have cohesion going forward. Charlie Wakefield and Tom Knowles seemed out of sync (and totally exhausted), the midfield trio of Josh Staunton, Dale Gorman and Alex Bradley looked like the new combination that it is and never really clicked. We brought Lawson D’Ath on at 2-0 to bridge that gap between the midfield and the attack and attempt to claw back the deficit. Unfortunately, three minutes later we’re asleep on a quick throw and Dagenham put the game beyond doubt, although it was already.

Dagenham & Redbridge nailed it tactically. From kick off they applied pressure to our defenders whenever we had the ball. It took us quite a few goal kicks to cotton on to the fact that they weren’t going to let us play out from the back. Every time Josh Staunton picked up the ball from a defender there we two red-shirts on him looking to force the mistake, and they did repeatedly. At 2-0 they knew their work was done and when we did have the ball in their half, they let us keep it, perhaps knowing that we’d struggle to break their solid back line down. All in all, it was a comfortable night for Dagenham.

I’m not sure where we go from here. The last three results have cemented that we’re definitely mid-table and any run on the playoffs would need a miraculous set of circumstances. A couple of weeks ago Darren Sarll said his side’s seasons don’t peter out, last night was the epitome of a team petering out though. Unfortunately it’s entirely understandable. This squad is slap bang in the middle, most of them are out of contract at the end of the season and the vision from the boss at the top of the club is non-existent. 

I’m not sure if we ever totally freed ourselves from it, but apathy has set in again. The early goal sucked any life the supporters at Huish Park might have had, but there was a real flatness last night. Like the players, the crowd never got going and were given very little to get going about. We slept walk out of the Football League, and if we don’t drastically improve in front of the home fans on Saturday against Grimsby, there will be a perception that we’re sleepwalking to the end of the season and after that who knows what? A statement in ‘due course’ means nothing. Seven day deadlines mean nothing. If the plan to be so distant and become so unaccountable that supporters just give up, we could be close to that point. We’ll continue to clamour for clarity and at this point we need it either way.

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Darren Sarll confessed his Yeovil Town side were “well beaten” as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat at home to Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday night.

The Glovers went behind after just six minutes when Paul McCallum struck before a mistake by goalkeeper Grant Smith gifted the visitors a second on 22 minutes. Junior Morais added a third in the second half.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after more than an hour with his players in the dressing room, he said the squad had been working on trying to create more goal-scoring opportunities. with the returning Olufela Olomola at the heart of the attack.

Darren Sarll speaking after the 3-0 home defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge.

The manager said: “We have tried to change to change the page with our attacking play and trying to create more chances and get more attempts on goal.

“Whenever you do that, you reverse some of the great qualities you have on the other side of the field, so that’s a balance I need to find.

“But we were well beaten by an experienced side that were probably very happy to accept the gifts we gave them.

“We have too many learning how to create chances and if you haven’t got an immediate solution it becomes a massive problem.

“But all three goals were from turn overs of us having the ball and when the back four, when they are in such a giving mood it makes things harder.

“It underlines how that defensive shape is to us, it’s okay being open and creating chances, but you stay open for the opponent so you have to make sure you are creating a plethora of chances.

“The facts are we are not that team.”

Another blank from Yeovil means they have now scored just 28 goals in 31 National League games, conceding 33, and Sarll added that his biggest disappointment was that his side “did not implement anything we wanted too.”

He said his side have to “stare the problem in the face” as they prepare for the visit of Grimsby Town to Huish Park on Saturday.

The Glovers now have the third worst home form in the division – surpassed only by bottom club Dover Athletic and Aldershot Town – and they are fourth from bottom of the form guide over the past six matches which have heralded just three points.

Sarll said: “Grimsby is massive. We have to come and stare the problem in the face and make sure we replicate the away form.

“We will be fresher on Saturday and have more punch to us. I learnt a lot about whether the future of this team, some players can go for 40 games every week.

“We have spoken at depth and that will remain in the dressing room. Nothing too animated because I want to be balanced, I don’t want to be too damning.”

He revealed that right back Mark Little sat out the defeat having played five of the last six National League matches – completing 90 minutes for five of them – and loanees forward Sonny Blu-Lo Everton and defender Jack Robinson were both left out of the squad.

The boss said Sonny has been suffering with tonsillitis whilst Robinson has only trained for three days after returning from his latest injury.

Josh Staunton was taken off after 77 minutes against Dagenham and Sarll said the player has “a problem with a hernia.“