Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 428)

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Yeovil Town boss Darren Sarll has said next weekend’s final game of a turbulent National League season against $tockport County will just be a case of strapping up his battered and bruised side.

Speaking after the 4-3 defeat at Altrincham on Saturday, where the Glovers saw loanee Josh Neufville ruled out with a broken ankle, the manager said the return of Alex Bradley from suspension was the only positive ahead of the return of Paddy Madden to Huish Park.

Sarll and Skiverton
Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll, left, with assistant, Terry Skiverton.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Sarll told BBC Somerset: “There’s nothing to do other than to try and get them fit and ready to go down the tunnel (against Stockport next weekend) and ready to go, there is no training to be done because in many ways the preparation is irrelevant because of the changes to (the position players are playing in).

“We had nine injured today and two suspended and that will be ten injured and one suspended with Alex Bradley back, and we will have to see if we can roll a few of them out.

“But that is to say that Lawson (D’Ath) recovers, Charlie (Lee) recovers, (Carl) Dickinson recovers. Dicko was running around like he was on a pogo stick at the end there and I have great admiration for that group of players that put themselves in harm’s way again.”

As well as those named by the manager, there are injuries to Jimmy Smith, Josh Staunton, Rhys Murphy, Matt Worthington and youngster Alex John whilst defender Luke Wilkinson will be missing through suspension.

Academy graduate Toby Stephens, Under 18s regular Adam Heaton and young goalkeeper Max Evans were the only three options to Sarll on the bench at Altrincham once Emmanuel Sonupe had replaced the injured Neufville.

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Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll spoke to BBC Somerset following the Glovers’ 4-3 loss to Altrincham on Saturday.

It was the final away game of the season for Yeovil and there was plenty of drama, action, goals and unfortunately a nasty injury to Josh Neufville.

Both Sarll and Josh’s replacement Emmanuel Sonupe spoke kindly on the Luton loanee’s situation in their post-match comments – those quotes can be found here.

On the game itself, Sarll said he believed chances off the woodwork from strikers Joe Quigley and Reuben Reid and Charlie Lee’s header which was blocked on the line could have put his side 3-0 up in the first 15 minutes.

On the game itself, a lively opening spell for Yeovil wasn’t capitalised on, both Joe Quigley and Reuben Reid hit the woodwork, before their hosts went up the other end and scored twice before the break.

Darren Sarll
Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz,.

But, Sarll was left to bemoan a lack of options due to injuries and suspensions with midfielder Lawson D’Ath playing at right back whilst Carl Dickinson played in the centre alongside Billy Sass-Davies with Michael Kelly playing at left back.

The manager said: “I have nothing but pride and positivity for these players because many of them should not be playing, Charlie (Lee) should not be playing, Carl Dickinson should not be playing, but they are doing it because they have great pride and admiration for the football club.

“We died on our feet in the closing stages, you see how lazy we got with our one-v-ones and the amount of crosses we let in to the box, they were not really crosses where the winger has to work for it, they were passing their way in to the box and opening us up.”

Despite the two-goal deficit, the Glovers actually fought back to a level pegging before Charlie Lee put the visitors in front.

Sarll added: “I thought it was brilliant the way they came back in to the game, scoring three times away from home and really throwing everything at it, It would have been nice at 3-2 to be able to call on players who could come on and really tighten the game up and make sure there’s no spaces.

“But, it wasn’t to be, they threw every punch they had in their arsenal and I am very proud of them for that. If we are going to go down in a game, I want us to go down landing as many blows as possible.”

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During Yeovil Town’s 4-3 loss to Altrincham on Saturday, the main talking point was a nasty injury to Glovers’ loanee, Josh Neufville.

The Luton Town loanee was stretchered off in a leg brace in the 12th minute after a heavy tackle from Altrincham midfielder Matty Kosylo, who received a yellow card for the challenge.

Neufville confirmed via his own instagram account that he has a suspected broken ankle.

After the game, both Darren Sarll and Emmanuel Sonupe – who replaced Neufville – sent their support to their team mate.

Speaking to BBC Somerset after the match, Sarll said:“That’s such a shame for the lad because that looks like a long-term one. (Josh Neufville) dislocated and fractured his ankle.
“We had players in tears on the pitch, Tom Knowles was in tears. I have not got the stomach to view that type of incident. It is devastating for the kid, he’s got his career off and running with us. He will come back stronger and fighting fit but it is disappointing.”

Sonupe, who scored one of the Glovers’ three goals in the defeat said:
“Our thoughts go to him and we could tell straight away that it was not a nothing injury because of the scream, Josh never screams like that.
I just hope he can be back as soon a possible because he has been really good for us this season.
“Of course you are going to think about it, but at the same time there is a game going on and you have to get straight back in to it. Dwelling on that will probably only get you injured as well, I really feel for him”

Everyone at the Gloverscast wishes Josh well in his recovery and thanks him for his time at Yeovil Town this season.

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Yeovil Town goalscorer Emmanuel Sonupe has said he will talk about his future at the club at the end of the season.

The former Tottenham Hotspur youngster, who joined on a short-term deal at the end of November, scored the Glovers’ opening goal in a thrilling 4-3 defeat at Altrincham on Saturday.

Speaking about his future to BBC Somerset after the game, he said: “It has been a frustrating season for me with injury, but I have just been trying to work hard and keep and when I am on the pitch, try and affect the game as much as I can.
“I am just happy to get those minutes and help out where I can. I don’t know what the future holds for me yet, I will have to have that conversation after the season is done.”

The 25-year-old came on after 12 minutes after Josh Neufville  was stretchered off with a broken ankle in Greater Manchester and pulled his side back in to the game with a 56th-minute goal.

Sonupe was full of praise his team-mates who came from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 with 18 minutes to go before conceding two late goals.

He said: “The gaffer (Darren Sarll) said at half-time that if we could get the first goal in the second half, we would be straight back in it, and all the boys believed that.
“So once we got the first one, we knew we could definitely do something with the game.
“It has just been our luck at times this season. We have come back, shown great character until that last 15 minutes.
“We have put a lot in there, I just hope we can put that right in the last game (against Stockport County next weekend).”

 

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Two goals in the last five minutes saw Yeovil Town fall to a heart-breaking 4-3 defeat at Altrincham in a game played with the intensity of a relegation scrap rather than a mid-table dead rubber.

To add injury to insult, the Glovers also lost influential midfielder Josh Neufville after just 12  minutes at Moss Lane, stretchered off in a leg brace with a broken ankle.

It was 90 minutes which summarised this season to be honest – missed chances, defensive clangers, a huge amount of character/spirit/willingness, injuries, bookings and ultimately falling short.

In front of 600 home fans (one of which was definitely not me, if Altrincham FC are reading this), the home side played with a verve and intensity which many of the supporters I spoke with…..I mean, I imagine, would have loved to have seen more of after they went the last seven games without win.

Here’s how I saw it…..

FIRST HALF

Striker Reuben Reid replaced suspended defender Luke Wilkinson in the only change from the midweek draw with Maidenhead United, as another patched up side took to the field in Greater Manchester.

The reshuffle saw Reid up front with Joe Quigley as Chris Dagnall dropped back in to midfield and Lawson D’Ath moved from his central midfield role to right-back. Meanwhile, left-back Michael Kelly, who has been playing right back recently, went back to left-back where he replaced Carl Dickinson who went in to central defence.

And then within six minutes of the start, Yeovil suffered another injury when winger Josh Neufville was stretchered off in a leg brace after a heavy tackle from Altrincham midfielder Matty Kosylo, who was booked for the challenge.

Cue a further change as Emmanuel Sonupe came off the bench to replace the Luton Town loanee, who later revealed on his Instagram that he had suffered a broken ankle.

The injury was heart-breaking for the 22-year-old who has been unquestionably one of the bright spots in an ultimately disappointing season.

I am sure I speak for all Yeovil Town fans when I wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back playing football again in the near future.

After a lengthy delay, Reid spurned a good opportunity to put the visitors in front and then on 15 minutes found himself in space inside the box and his effort hit both posts before bouncing away to safety.

Just two minutes later, Quigley was played in on the other side and his shot across the face of the goal clipped the far post and away.

It is not an exaggeration to say Yeovil could have been 3-0 up by this point but, as we have seen so many times, defensive frailties proved they undoing as the home side went ahead on 17 minutes.

D’Ath  was caught out of his unfamiliar right-back position as Alty broke away and, following an almighty goal-mouth scramble Connor KIRBY smashed home the opener which even the hosts’ own Twitter account described as “against the run of play.”

Four minutes later, Charlie Lee’s diving header from a corner was blocked on the line before the home side began to find their feet and were able to carve through Yeovil’s backline on a number of occasions, almost scoring a carbon copy of their opener only for Billy Sass-Davies to clear Ryan Colclough’s shot off the line.

It took until a minute in to the eight minutes added on at the end of the first half for Altrincham to get a second as a ball to the back post found Dan MOONEY unmarked to head home.

We went in behind at the break and, for our missed chances and defensive mistakes, could really have no-one to blame but ourselves.

Half time: Altrincham 2  Yeovil Town 0

SECOND HALF

At 2-0 down, there was every risk this game could have turned in to an embarrassment for Yeovil, but it was the visitors who started the second half the brighter.

On 56 minutes, some near interplay between Reid and Dagnall set up substitute Emmanuel SONUPE to fire home his second goal in three matches.

There was a strong breeze blowing towards the away end at Moss Lane and there’s no doubt it played a part in Alty’s ascendancy in the first 45 minutes and appeared to help Yeovil in the second.

Quigley could have equalised on the hour mark when Reid’s ball across goal just evaded him, but the striker was on target on 69 minutes. A long ball forward from goalkeeper Adam Smith found QUIGLEY with time and space on the edge of the box to lift the ball over Tony Thompson in the hosts’ goal.

Three minutes later, a free-kick in to the box was met by the head of Charlie LEE and from being behind and seemingly playing for damage limitation, Yeovil Town found themselves ahead.

You could have heard a pin drop inside the ground, except for the sound of me biting down on my tongue to avoid drawing attention to the fact I was screaming on the inside!

This was the point where a fully-fit Yeovil Town squad, a luxury enjoyed by their opponents, could have made a couple of changes with a view to seeing the game out for a well-earned three points.

I have spoken on many occasions on the Gloverscast about my desire to see more of our young players, but I can say that a full-blooded affair – with racked up seven yellow cards – was not the place for blooding youngsters.

On the contrary, Altrincham were able to make two changes in the closing stages as they took off goalscorers Kirby and Mooney and replaced them with Tom Peers, who has 31 appearances and five goals this season, and James Hardy.

And, a minute after coming on, a low ball to the near post was turned in by PEERS. The goal was not against the run of play and had been coming as Alty turned up the pressure, but it showed the benefits of having strength in depth simply not available to the visitors – not an excuse, just a fact.

The Glovers’ misery was completed a minute from the end when  Josh HANCOCK found himself in space inside the six yard box and smashed the ball home.

It was my first game since watching Marc Richards’ beauty at Dover Athletic back on March 7, 2020 seal a 1-0 win, and it was everything I have come to associate with the team I have watched on live stream this season.

Effort, flashes of brilliances, moments of calamity and ultimately not quite being good enough.

 

Full time:  Altrincham 4 Yeovil Town 3

 

Yeovil Town: Smith, Kelly, Sass-Davies, Dickinson (c), D’Ath Lee, Knowles, Neufville (for Sonupe, 12), Dagnall, Quigley, Reid (for Stephens, 89)
Substitues (not used): Evans (GK), Heaton.
Bookings: Dagnall, Quigley, Lee, D’Ath.

Altrincham: Thompson, Ogle, Senior, Smith, Hancock, Moult, Mullarkey, Kirby (for Peers, 80), Mooney (for Hardy, 83), Kosylo (for Williams, 65), Colclough.
Substitutes (not used): Hannigan, Densmore.
Bookings: Kosylo, Colclough, Williams.

Attendance: 600 (all home fans – no away fans, honest!)

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Yeovil Town loanee, Josh Neufville suffered a serious injury in the Glovers’ match against Altrincham this afternoon.

The tricky winger confirmed on his Instagram that he’d broken his ankle.

Josh has been a highlight in what has been a terrible season and we’d like to thank him for his incredible efforts and green and white, and wish him a speedy recovery as he returns to Luton.

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Reuben Reid returns to the Yeovil Town starting line-up for the visit to Altrincham in the penultimate game of the National League season.

The striker is likely to pairwith Joe Quigley up front with Chris Dagnall moving back in to midfield and Charlie Lee dropping back to fill in defence in place of the suspended Luke Wilkinson.

Boss Darren Sarll starts again with just four substitutes.

Yeovil Town: Adam Smith, Michael Kelly, Billy Sass-Davies, Carl Dickinson, Charlie Lee, Tom Knowles, Lawson D’Ath, Josh Neufville, Joe Quigley, Reuben Reid.

Substitues: Max Evans (GK), Emmanual Sonupe, Toby Stephens,Adam Heaton.

 

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Picture Courtesy Of Mike Kunz

The FA Suspension’s Website is a less than reliable source of information at the best of times, but it has now finally been updated to show that Yeovil Town defender Luke Wilkinson will miss the rest of the season with a two-game ban to serve.

Wilko was sent off for two bookings in the 0-0 draw with Maidenhead.

Normally, this would carry just a one match ban, but as it is his second red card of the season, it is extended to two.

Wilko was also sent off in a 0-0 with Dagenham back in October – maybe he just really dislikes 0-0 draws!

This will leave the Glovers very short in defensive options with Alex Bradley still to serve the final match of his ban as well as injury concerns over Albi Skendi, Max Hunt and Josh Staunton who have all played in the heart of the back four this season.

We expect loanee Billy Sass Davies to be partnered by midfielder Charlie Lee for the game against Altrincham –
… unless the gaffer has a trick up his sleeve!

 

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Yeovil Town top-scorer Rhys Murphy has been linked with a move to National League new boys Southend United.

The @SouthendSimply Twitter account appears to have taken a punt after the Southend Echo reported the Essex club had made two signings – one of which is believed to be a striker – but could not announce them until their current club’s season had finished.

Murphy’s home base in the South East, plus confirmation from  Glovers’ boss Darren Sarll that the striker has not yet accepted a contract offer are presumably part of the speculation equation as well.

The 30-year-old, who has 13 goals this season, has not featured since the 3-0 home win over Solihull Moors at the end of last month.

https://twitter.com/SouthendSimply/status/1395798727537876994?s=20

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It has been a disappointing end to Altrincham‘s first season back in the National League after promotion last year.

A strong start saw them pick up wins against Wrexham, Chesterfield, Boreham Wood and Dagenham and Redbridge, but their form had just started to take a downward turn when Yeovil beat them 2-0 at Huish Park with goals from Rhys Murphy and Chris Dagnall in mid-February.

They go in to this weekend’s fixture on the back of a terrible run of form with six defeats and a draw in their last seven games and will be hoping to put on a final flourish with fans allowed back in the The J.Davidson Stadium for the first time.

Altrincham have two more opportunities to entertain the home crowd with another home game against Eastleigh in midweek before finishing at home to Gary Johnson’s Torquay next weekend.

FROM THE (ASSISTANT) MANAGER

Speaking after a 2-1 defeat at W*ymouth last weekend, Alty assistant manager Neil Sorvel said he was aiming to finish top of the mini-league of promoted sides including King’s Lynn, Wealdstone and W*ymouth.

He said: “It would be a really good achievement to do that, but it needs a positive finish from us, and that’s what we will be aiming for.

“We’ve got three home games left, with the fans back in, and we need some good performances to get them on our side.

“We’ve got to produce something that will excite them, and we can do that by playing to the level we’re capable of.”

TEAM NEWS

On the eve of Yeovil’s visit to Greater Manchester, Altrincham confirmed that forwards Yusifu Ceesay and Joe Piggott are both set to leave the club.

Neither player has appeared in the squad since the Bank Holiday Monday defeat at Solihull Moors earlier this month and manager Phil Parkinson said the decision had been made to give the club “the strongest, most competitive squad possible” for next season.

Speaking to the club’s website, the manager said: “Ultimately, we want to be more than just survival candidates long term. That’s why difficult decisions have to be made, and we are in the process of making some key ones. I would like to thank them both for their commitment to the club this season. Their attitude and application has been first class.”

Striker Nyal Bell and  defender Yoan Zouma have also been allowed to  return to their parent clubs, National League rivals Stockport and Barrow respectively – and we would like to thank them for their efforts during their short spells with Alty.

A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS

Glovers’ on-loan defender Billy Sass-Davies had a spell on loan at Altrincham earlier this season.

The Crewe Alexandra player made seven appearances on loan between November and December.

That was his second spell with Alty having had a brief spell there at the end of last season, making just one appearance before being recalled by his parent club.

A slightly more retro connection is winger Lee Elam who had 12 matches with Yeovil Town who was snapped up by Gary Johnson back in our first season in the Football League back in 2003.

He made 12 appearances in that season before being shipped out to Chester City at the end of that campaign.

Elam would later go on to play for Exeter and W*ymouth in the Westcountry and eventually spent the 2008-09 at Altrincham  in the Blue Square Premier, playing 45 times and coaching the club’s youth team.