Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 446)

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Darren Sarll faced the media following Yeovil’s 3-0 loss against Wrexham and talked of the side’s fragility both mentally and physically.

All three goals came in the first half in Wales with Shaun Pearson, Luke Young and a wonderful free kick from Jordan Davies giving the home side an unassailable lead before the break.

When asked to sum up his side’s performance, Sarll said:“There’s a fragility to us, that’s probably the best way how we explain… and it’s all coming up at once, at a tough time for us all.”

Prior to the game, assistant Terry Skiverton said that Yeovil were down the bare bones in terms of fit and available players, a situation which has been made worse, with issues reported for Matt Worthington and Albi Skendi, who both had to come off before half time, with Max Hunt and Carl Dickinson playing through an injury as well as concerns for Alex Bradley and Rhys Murphy prior to kick off.

On his injury crisis, Sarll added: “If I told you the stories of injured players or ill players … I couldn’t write it.”

BBC Somerset’s Tom Seymour confirmed the full extent of the Glovers’ injury problems after the game.

 

Despite the negative result, Sarll did make sure to recognise the positives from a more resilient second half display. “I thought second half, we did better, we contained, we didn’t ever look like scoring a goal, and we were just patching up and plastering over our wounds from the first half.”

The second half also saw the introduction of Toby Stephens, an academy graduate and at just 17 years old, someone Yeovil fans would have been excited to see.

Sarll joked, he was the only fit central midfielder at the club at the moment, before taking time to praise the youngsters cameo appearance.

“Toby deserved to play today, the way he trained yesterday, he deserved to come onto the pitch today… he deserves the opportunity He’s with us for next season, under contract, I really like Toby, I have to remind of his midfield duties, but he took the ball, tried to win it back. For someone at 17 years-old, I think he’s got a really great opportunity, but we are going to have to create a better environment for him to progress.”

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Former Glover Marc Richards has been appointed the first team coach at Northampton Town after Jon Brady was announced as the permanent manager today.

Richards’ role was described by club Chairman, Kelvin Thomas: “Within the new structure, Marc Richards will have a particular focus on developing the young professionals.”

In September, Richards took up the role of Youth Team Assistant Coach at Northampton under Brady. Brady, a former Ru$hden & Diamonds player was appointed first team manager on an interim basis following the sacking of Keith Curle in February.

Richards will be best remembered for his worldy at Dover. The last goal Yeovil Town scored before the pandemic.

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Joe Quigley has said Yeovil Town spent too much time “dwelling on mistakes” as they went down to a 3-0 defeat at promotion-chasing Wrexham.

The Glovers were 3-0 down inside half-an-hour at the Racecourse Ground with defensive mistakes costing them dearly.

Speaking to BBC Radio Somerset after the game, Quigley said: “As a team we were dwelling on mistakes too much, when mistakes happen we need to crack on and focus on the next phase of play instead of thinking about the mistakes.”

The frontman, who played the full 90 minutes alongside Reuben Reid, refused to use first half injuries to Matt Worthington and Albi Skendi as an excuse.

He added: “We all train in different positions, we know the system we play and we know what the gaffer expects from us, so I don’t think that can be an excuse today.”

The defeat leaves Yeovil in 16th place in the National League table level on 48 points with Solihull Moors and Aldershot Town, who they travel to on Tuesday night.

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There’s plenty of things which have gone wrong for Yeovil Town this season, but  defensive frailties and injuries to key players would be in most supporters’ top two on-the-field issues.

In less than 30 first half minutes, both issues were cruelly exposed by a rampant Wrexham side who cruised to a 3-0 lead helped in no small part by gift-wrapped defending from the visitors.

Youth team graduate midfielder Toby Stephens made his debut when he came on for the final 10 minutes, and that really was the only highlight for Yeovil.

It says a lot that despite conceding three, goalkeeper Adam Smith was the visitors’ man of the match and without a number of high quality, reaction saves the score could have been much, much worse.

Here’s how I saw it…..

FIRST HALF

There was one change to the Glovers’ starting line-up with Matt Worthington returning from injury to replace Jimmy Smith who dropped out with a knock. Top-scorer Rhys Murphy returned on the bench in place of Alex Bradley.

Captain Carl Dickinson, who was making his 100th appearance for the club, started in the middle of defence alongside Albi Skendi, with Michael Kelly at left back and Billy Sass-Davies on the right. Add that central defensive partnership to the number made by boss Darren Sarll this season.

The home side took the lead in all too familiar fashion when Wrexham captain Shaun Pearson was given a free header to nod home a corner after just nine minutes, with Sarll screaming to make a substitution.

The change was made with Worthington replaced by Max Hunt presumably due to injury, but the shaky defending continued with Omotayo having a couple of chances against another central defensive pairing in Hunt and Dickinson.

On 17 minutes, Tom Knowles had the visitors’ first chance with a free-kick well saved by Rob Lainton.

But, it was another piece of calamitous defending that gifted Wrexham a 2-0 lead.  Joint top-scorer Luke Young was found in acres of space inside the box and his goal-bound shot was turned in to his own net by Hunt.

Only a fine stop from goalkeeper Adam Smith stopped it from being 3-0 with the Yeovil defensive all at sea (again) when Young burst forward and squared it to Dior Angus  whose shot was saved before Young blazed the rebound over.

Just before this chance, a tactical reshuffle saw Sarll switch to three at the back before reshuffling back to four after the plan’s shortcomings were very swiftly exposed.

Joe Quigley shot wide from distance soon after and to add injury to insult Skendi went off with what looked like a rib injury to be replaced by Emmanuel Sonupe.

Jordan Davies, who Tim Edwards from Wrexham fanzine Fearless in Devotion spoke to us about on Thursday’s Gloverscast, got the third with a free-kick from fully 25 yards out which bent round the wall and past Smith. Tim told us this lad was a future Wales international player and, with a technique like that, it’s hard to argue.

Angus and Davies could have added to the scoreline before the home side mercifully took their foot off the gas and Yeovil were able to see out the half.

That said, defender Theo Vassell was denied by another fine stop from Smith when he was (surprise, surprise) unmarked at the back post from a corner.

In reality, Wrexham would have felt disappointed to only be 3-0 ahead at the break. Heaven only knows how Sarll started that half-time team talk.

Half time: Wrexham 3 Yeovil Town 0

SECOND HALF

Presumably with the manager’s words ringing in their ears, Yeovil  did start the second half brighter with Neufville firing wide three minutes after the restart with Quigley and Reuben Reid both unable to get a touch to turn the ball home.

Shortly after, Omotayo was denied by a mixture of good luck and good goalkeeping from Smith who had raced to the edge of his box, and Cameron Green fired the loose ball wide.

Neufville was at the heart of some improved play for the Glovers for the first 15 minutes of the half, however, Lainton could easily have set up a deck chair such as the bluntness of the visitors’ attack. Quigley ran hard with little impact and on the few occasions the ball found Reid, he did nothing with it.

You always felt this was a bit like a cat playing with a cornered mouse – with Wrexham being the cat, of course – and in the 70th minute, Smith made another point blank stop to deny Pearson’s header from a corner.

Highlights were few and far between for Yeovil, but one was definitely the appearance of young midfielder Toby Stephens who replaced Knowles in the 80th minute.

He has been turning out for the Glovers’ under-18s side this season having come up through the Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust set-up.

Like many of his team-mates, Stephens struggled to see much of the ball in his time on the pitch as Wrexham strolled the game to a close.

With the last kick of the game, Omotayo found space on the edge of the box and hit it high wide and not very handsome – we were spared us that indignity, at least.

Can the season just be over now? Please.

Full time: Wrexham 3 Yeovil Town 0

WREXHAM: Lainton, Vassell, Pearson, Harris (for Rutherford, 39), Green, Kelleher, Davies (for Jarvis, 81), Young, Hall-Johnson, Omotayo, Angus (for Ponticelliat, 74)
Subs not used: Dibble, French,
Bookings: Young

YEOVIL TOWN: Smith, Dickinson, Sass-Davies, Skendi (for Sonupe, 28), Kelly, Worthington (for Hunt, 10), Knowles (for Stephens, 80), Neufville, Dagnall, Reid, Quigley.

Subs not used: Evans, Murphy.
Bookings: Dagnall, Knowles.

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Matt Worthington returns to the Yeovil Town midfield for the visit to promotion-chasing Wrexham, replacing Jimmy Smith who drops out of the squad entirely.

Top-scorer Rhys Murphy returns on the substitutes’ bench after missing the past two games through injury. Alex Bradley is also missing having come off the bench in the past two games.

Carl Dickinson is making his 100th appearance for the Glovers.

Yeovil Town: 1. Adam Smith; 3. Carl Dickinson, 18. Albi Skendi, 35. Billy Sass-Davies, 14. Michael Kelly;  7. Matt Worthington, 21. Tom Knowles, 24. Josh Neufville, 34. Chris Dagnall; 19. Joe Quigley, 33. Reuben Reid.

Subs: 31. Max Evans (GK), 26. Max Hunt, 36. Toby Stephens,  25. Emmanuel Sonupe, 9. Rhys Murphy.

For the hosts, former Yeovil Town striker Gold Omotayo was in the starting line-up, but there’s no place for Keanu Marsh-Brown.

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Yeovil Town Under-18s’ striker Alfie Lloyd was not in the QPR Under-23s side for their fixture against Nottingham Forest Under-23s on Friday night.

The youngster, who has been in fine goal-scoring form for the young Glovers this season, had appeared for the Rs in their last match, but did not feature in the team listed on the Forest website for the 1-1 draw.

He was reportedly on trial with the West London club.

In his pre-match press conference, Yeovil assistant manager Terry Skiverton did hint as some of the club’s younger players featuring in today’s National League fixture at Wrexham, so perhaps we’ll see Lloyd there…..

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Yeovil Town fell agonisingly short of the Playoffs in their first ever season in the Football League despite a last day win over Lincoln City by three goals to two.

An 8th place finish was confirmed as, despite beating Lincoln in 7th, other results failed to go the Glovers’ way, finishing outside of the top seven, on goal difference alone.

Yeovil finished 13 goals to the good, but Lincoln, who also finished on 74 points had a goal difference of +21.

On the day, it was Adam Stansfield who came off the bench to give the away side the lead, Jake Edwards would double that lead only to see the Imps peg the Glovers back to 2-2.

But Super Gavin Williams found a winner, which secured the points, but not the 7th place finish Gary Johnson was hoping for.

Yeovil XI-   Collis, Lindegaard, Lockwood, Hugo Rodrigues, Skiverton, Gall, Way, Johnson, Williams, Weatherstone, Terry.
Subs: Northmore, Stansfield, Crittenden, Reed, Edwards.

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A vote of no confidence against the National League Board and Chairman Brian Barwick will take place on Wednesday, May 26.

The vote will be held during an Extraordinary General Meeting called by National League South sides Dorking Wanderers and Maidstone United and is understood to be back by 17 other member clubs.

Alongside the vote of no confidence, they have asked for a working party to consider reforms to the League’s governance, such as immediately rescinding fines for not fulfilling fixtures.

Non-League football journalist Ollie Bayliss reported that the clubs were seeking legal advice over how the meeting will be run.

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The history of The Glovers v The Red Dragons is very short indeed. We managed to miss each other in the EFL, with Wrexham relegated from League One to League Two just as we were promoted the other way.

The Welsh club then fell out of the Football League in 2008 after a continual EFL presence since becoming one of the founder members of Third Division North back in 1921.

This was the culmination of off the field problems that had seen open civil war between chairman/owner Alex Hamilton and the fanbase, with Hamilton attempting to evict the club from the Racecourse Ground to build on the site.

His mismanagement saw Wrexham AFC plunge into administration in December 2004 with debts of £2.6 million including £800,000 in unpaid taxes owed to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Legal battles continued in the courts throughout 2005 and into 2006, with Hamilton’s acquisition of the Racecourse Ground freehold eventually ruled to have been improper.

The club finally emerged from administration at the end of May 2006 as Wrexham Football Club (2006) Ltd with four days to spare before it would have been expelled from the EFL.

After the massive efforts needed to save its very existence fans were optimistic a corner had been turned, but the damage in the fight had been severe and the club was soon relegated out of the EFL after an 87 year stay.

By 2011 it was facing a winding up order over £200,000 in unpaid taxes owed to HMRC as the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust (WST) and several other bidders battled for control of the club.

WST and one of those bidders, Stephanie Booth, eventually reached an accommodation and became the new owners.

Meanwhile on the field Wrexham were knocked out in the play-offs three seasons in a row between 2010-11 and 2012-13, after which they became a very mid-table National League side for the following five campaigns before failing once again in the 2018-19 play-offs.

Last season, truncated and settled by points per pame, saw their lowest ever National League finish, 19th.

This season has been dominated, at least as far as the media has been concerned, by a rather slow motion takeover of the club by trans-Atlantic actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney that took some months to complete.

On the pitch the team appears to have ignored such distractions and Wrexham have consistently been there or there about in the play-off picture.

After a little wobble around Easter when they lost three matches in a row Wrexham’s form has returned, with three wins and two draws since.

With Yeovil Town’s record against clubs in the top ten an awful W2 D2 L14, and little to shout about on the road generally, the Glovers will be doing well come back with anything from the Racecourse on Saturday, kick-off 3.00 p.m.

Streaming can be signed up for here MATCH CENTRE | Wrexham v Yeovil Town | Wrexham AFC at a cost of £10. The usual matchday radio commentaries can be found on BBC Radio Somerset and Three Valleys Radio.

For team news and the thoughts of Wrexham manager Dean Keates ahead of our game – see our matchday preview here.

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Yeovil Town have confirmed fans will be allowed back in Huish Park for the final two home fixtures of the season.

In a statement on the official site, the club confirms that the games against Maidenhead United on Tuesday, May 18 and the final game of the season against $tockport County on Saturday, May 29.

Both games will be subject to “government  guidelines and necessary permissions”, according to the club statement.

All “active season ticket holders”, which are those who either received a partial refund, a streaming pass, or donated funds to the club, will have physical tickets sent to their home address, it added.

No details have yet been released around the other fixture which falls in the same period, the away trip to Altrincham on Saturday, May 22.

However, it seems unlikely away fans will be admitted to any fixtures for the remainder of the campaign.

Read the full statement on the club’s website – here.