Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 430)

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

On what was an emotionally charged night at Huish Park, Darren Sarll spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins following Yeovil Town’s 0-0 draw with Maidenhead.

The Glovers struck the woodwork twice through Josh Neufville and Charlie Lee and had plenty of near misses in a game with the Glovers dominated.

Before speaking about the 90 minutes, Sarll took time to recognise the significance of having supporters back inside Huish Park for the first time in over 400 days;

“It was so emotional, when we all came out and they all clapped – I was proper… cor, that got me! That was amazing, really amazing, listen they’re the winner tonight, I can’t believe how good it was to have them back. There are some unbelievable supporters at Yeovil, brilliant, really sort of, like, heartfelt people.”

The whole stadium took a moment as the clock struck four minutes to applaud as a mark of rememberace for club captain, Lee Collins who sadly passed away.

Sarll, who joined in, praised the fans for their gesture as well as some of the players who joined in.

“On four minutes, when everyone clapped, the Adam’s apple started coming up and forward. It was an emotional night, I’m not the emotional sort of cuddly teddy bear, but that got me.”

“I saw (Chris) Dagnall with his hands in the air clapping whilst defending a corner and we have to pay tribute to Lee over the long term, it won’t be a fly by feeling, we’ve got pictures up of him, we don’t want to forget Lee… it was a wonderful thing for the supporters to do, and I love that the players were clapping even though they were running around.”

Focus turned to the fixture itself and the Gaffer tried to sum up a game full of twists and turns saying;

“It’s amazing, that’s the best we’ve played all season, no doubt in my mind. The passing, the techical ability improved, our awareness improved.”

“It was a good point, especially when Luke (Wilkinson) got sent off.”

Picture Courtesy Of Mike Kunz

Wilkinson was shown his marching orders for a second bookable offence in the 2nd half after appearing to handle the ball in an attempt to score from a corner, but the Manager was still left scratching his head.

“I don’t understand, the ref’s just said to me and I quote “If that’s anywhere else on the pitch, I can’t book him for handball” – now I don’t understand that.”

Sarll didn’t go as far as to break the Gloverscast Rule 1 of moaning about the officials at this level (they’re all rubbish, deal with it), but he admitted the situation was confusing and that his side will be worse off for Wilko’s absence through suspension

“Luke was a bit silly, he’s had a slapped wrist, we’ve got to be better than that.. the only people who suffer are his team mates and his manager.”

Focus returned to far more positive aspects of the performance with Lawson D’Ath once again singled out for praise with Chris Dagnall also described as two members of the squad who “defy all logic” with their work rate, endeavour and ability to put in constant performances despite their fitness concerns.

Yeovil Town have two games left, Altrincham  away on Saturday before welcoming supporters for one final time when Stockport visit on the final day.



 

Picture courtesy of Andy Cleave

One Yeovil Town supporter went a little further than most to make it to the club’s first home game with fans inside Huish Park.

Kieran Conway ran the 27 miles between his home in Taunton to the ground arriving during the first half of the goalless draw with Maidenhead United on Tuesday night.

He was raising cash for the Adam Stansfield Foundation, Yeovil District Hospital and the club’s own Crowdfunder and has raised £1,460 already.

You can still sponsor Kieran, here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/raising-money-for-ytfc-ydh-and-as9-foundation

 

The National League took another step closer to completion this evening with five more games on the schedule – but only four took place.

Solihull Moors clash with lowly Barnet was postponed due a waterlogged pitch, it leaves Solihull still having to squeeze four games in to finish off their campaign.

Of the games that did take place, in addition to the 0-0 draw between Yeovil and Maidenhead, there were wins for Notts County, Eastleigh and Boreham Wood – all away from home.

County won 1-0 at Wrexham in a game that could prove pivotal in the race for play-off spots, Jake Reeves with the only goal.

Eastleigh went to Aldershot and won 3-1, and Boreham Wood were winners against W*ymouth by the same margin.

It leaves the vast majority of sides with just two left to play, with some sides still having only played 39 or 38 games.

 

Yeovil Town central defender Max Hunt has revealed he will miss the rest of the season with a fractured cheekbone.

The 22-year-old, who suffered the injury in the 3-0 defeat at Wrexham, confirmed the news on his Twitter ahead of Tuesday night’s home game with Maidenhead United, the first in front of supporters at Huish Park.

Joe Quigley replaces Reuben Reid in the only change to the Yeovil Town starting line-up for the match with Maidenhead United in front of supporters at Huish Park on Tuesday night.

Reid drops to the bench where he is joined by midfielder Adam Heaton, a member of the Glovers’ under-18s, as boss Darren Sarll names a full bench having started with just four subs against King’s Lynn at the weekend.

For the visitors, former Yeovil players Seth Nana Twumasi and Rohan Ince both start.

 

Yeovil Town: Adam Smith, Michael Kelly, Luke Wilkinson, Billy Sass-Davies, Carl Dickinson, Charlie Lee, Tom Knowles, Lawson D’Ath, Josh Neufville, Joe Quigley, Chris Dagnall.
Substitues: Max Evans (GK), Emmanual Sonupe, Toby Stephens,Adam Heaton, Joe Quigley.

Maidenhead United: Holden, Massey (c), Wells, Parry, Twumasi, Coley, Smith, Ince, Comley, Upward, Orsi.
Substitutes: Wiltshire, Egan, Keetch, Sparkes

Picture: Courtesy of Mike Kunz

Former Yeovil Town Goalkeeper Stuart Nelson is on the hunt for a new club after Crawley Town opted not to enter negotations on a new contract.

Nelson, who will turn 40 in September, played at Huish Park for two seasons with his final game being the defeat to Barnet in the National League Play-Offs last season.

All the best to Stuart as he looks for his next club – with over 500 professional games on his CV, he shouldn’t short of options.

 

Hartlepool manager, Dave Challinor, is the bookmakers favourite to take over at his former club Tranmere, according to the Hartlepool Mail.

Challinor has led Hartlepool to a National League play off position this season and is a firm favourite of ‘Pools’ fans.

Tranmere, where Challinor made his name with his famous long throw, sacked their manager Keith Hill earlier this month. They also face a playoff campaign as they look to climb out of League Two.

 

Maidenhead United are hoping the prolific  Sam Barratt could return from injury in time for their visit to Huish Park on Tuesday night.

He rejoined the club in September after a disappointing spell at Southend United and has weighed in with 15 goals so far this season.

However, the 25-year-old has not featured since picking up an injury whilst scoring a hat-trick in the 4-2 win over Hartlepool United earlier this month.

Barratt has been joined among the goals by the towering form of strike partner Danilo Orsi-Dadamo, all 6’2″ of him, who has 17 goals in 28 games this season

The former Hampton & Richmond man will be familiar to the Glovers after scoring twice, including a late penalty, as Yeovil went down 4-2 at York Road at the end of January.


FROM THE (ASSISTANT) MANAGER

Speaking after the 3-0 defeat to title-chasing Sutton United on Saturday, Maidenhead assistant manager Ryan Peters said:

“We’re down to the bare bones at the moment and without these players we do not look like scoring many, and you are only going to hold out for so long before someone ends up scoring against you.

“We have nine players out and probably five or six that have played a (significant) number of games this season.

“We hope that Sam Barratt may be back for Tuesday’s game (against Yeovil) but there isn’t anyone else we can see coming back for Tuesday’s game. Potentially for the next game, but Sam is our best hope for Tuesday.”

 


TEAM NEWS

Whilst Barratt is touch and go for the midweek game, fellow Maidenhead frontman Nathan Blissett is expected to be missing for the game.

The former Bristol Rovers man has not featured since suffering a hairline fracture colliding with advertising hoardings in the 0-0 draw with Barnet at the start of April.

Fellow forward Josh Kelly is pushing for a restart after returning from injury and former Yeovil defender Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi returned from injury for the defeat to Sutton at the weekend.

Defender Ryheem Sheckleford will sit out the trip to Huish Park as he serves the final game of a three-match ban.

 


A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS

There seems certain to be two familiar faces in the Maidenhead starting XI with defender Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi and midfielder Rohan Ince both having turned out in green and white in the past.

Former Chelsea youngster Twumasi arrived at Huish Park in August 2013 but appeared just three times in the Glovers’ season in the Championship.

He was far more involved the following season as Yeovil nose-dived through League One, playing 30 times and getting sent off in his first appearance of the season, the 2-1 Capital One Cup defeat to Gillingham.

The 31-year-old departed for Newport County following his release followed by a couple of seasons at Maidstone United before arriving at Maidenhead.

Nana seems to still have a feisty side to his game having been red-carded in the club’s home game with W*ymouth last month – once a Glover always a Glover.

Ince’s flirtation with Yeovil was far more limited, appearing just four times and making a single start at the beginning of the 2012-13 season whilst on loan from Chelsea.

He went on to do okay for himself with six years at Brighton & Hove Albion and loan spells at Fulham, Swindon Town abnd Bury, before making a free transfer move to Cheltenham Town in July 2019.

Ince arrived at Maidenhead last November and has been a regular fixture in the side ever since.

Rotherham United have announced that former Yeovil Town loanee, Shaun MacDonald will be leaving the club at the end of the season.

The Millers, managed by another former Glover, Paul Warne announced their released and retained list on Monday.

MacDonald spent no fewer than five(!) loan spells at Huish Park from 2009 – 2011.

In total, the Welsh international played 64 times in Green and White, scoring 9 goals including a hat-trick against Leyton Orient in 2011.

We wish Shaun all the best in finding a new club.

Altrincham have confirmed that fans will be inside the ground for the visit of Yeovil Town this weekend – but it will be home fans only.

In an update on the club’s website, co-chairman Billy Waterson said they were expecting up to 1,200 fans to be inside The J.Davidson Stadium.

He added that a meeting with Trafford Borough Council on Tuesday afternoon would confirm the arrangements.

The co-chairman added: “We are continuing our preparations and expect tickets to go on sale by Wednesday morning, exclusively to home fans and in priority order.
“There will be some important differences about attending the game to comply with COVID regulations and we will be communicating these at the same time the tickets go on sale.”

After the Glovers’ trip to Greater Manchester, Alty face Eastleigh and Gary Johnson’s title-chasing Torquay United in their final two fixtures.