On today’s episode of the Gloverscast, Ian, Ben and Dave have a brief chat about the Forest Green Rovers friendly.
And then, Ben chats to Yeovil Town midfielder Josh Staunton. Last summer’s marquee signing talks injury, Lee Collins and the forthcoming season in this plentiful chat.
Thanks to Josh for talking to Ben at 9am the morning after a game, top man!
Former Yeovil Town midfielder Gabriel Rogers has been spotted on trial at Southern League Premier Division side Tiverton Town.
Our friends at WeLoveYouYTFC alerted us to Rogers’ appearance in the Tivvy friendly against Plymouth Parkway which took place on Saturday. (July 31st)
Previously, Rogers had been on trial with Wycombe Wanderers, news we broke here on the Gloverscast in early July.
Rogers left Huish Park under something of a cloud after being left out of Darren Sarrl’s plans for much of the 2020/21 season.
He played 23 times across all competitions for the Glovers, scoring one goal – that last gasp thunderbolt against Bromley in the FA Cup.
All the best at Tiverton, Gabby!
PHOTOS ! A huge thank you as always to club photographer Viv Curtis for the snaps from yesterday’s friendly with @PlymouthPFC #COYY #WeAreTiverton https://t.co/2kh7xORK7L
— Tiverton Town F.C. (@tivertontownfc) August 1, 2021
Former Yeovil Town attacking midfielder, Matty Warburton has signed for fellow National League side FC Halifax Town after a short spell on trial.
Warburton appeared under the cunning guise of “Trialist” in a couple of pre-season friendlies for the Yorkshire side against Farsley Celtic and Carlisle United
Warburton was signed on loan from Northampton Town during a mid season re-jig of signings but his time at Huish Park was a struggle, failing to get regular game time before departing his loan spell ahead of schedule.
An absolute Rolls Royce of a midfielder on his day, he played 19 times for the Glovers scoring twice, once against Woking and once against his former club Stockport County in the FA Cup.
We wish Matt all the best at the Shay Stadium… with obvious exceptions for games against Yeovil Town.
Matty Warburton from range ??#EmiratesFACup @YTFC pic.twitter.com/eX9k6kC2A8
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) November 29, 2020
Josh Staunton has revealed that one specialist only gave him a 20% chance of playing again after a knee injury which kept him out for most of last season.
The Yeovil Town midfielder spoke to the Gloverscast in a podcast which will be available on Monday about the injury which ended his season after just seven matches last year.
He recalled how during the FA Cup defeat at Stockport County last November he suffered an injury where he felt like his knee “exploded” and could not move it when he got back on the bus.
But, he played in the home game with Eastleigh just two days later “loaded up with painkillers” with the Glovers suffering an injury crisis at the time.
The 25-year-old recalled: “I was as good as useless, I had half a leg to stand on and every time I got the ball I felt uncomfortable.
“In hindsight, I never should have played but I thought I could get through for the benefit of the team and went for a scan and it was about as bad as it could be.
“There was a period of time where specialists were saying I would never play again. One specialist gave me a 20% chance of running properly again, so there was a time where I thought that was me done.
“Then I saw a different specialist and there was a bit more optimism and that triggered something inside me and I thought to myself ‘this is a chance to come back better’ and I had something to push towards.”
In a new episode of the Gloverscast due out now, Josh spoke to Ben Barrett about the tragic loss of club captain Lee Collins, the frustrations of the disappointing National League campaign last season and his hopes for the coming campaign.
Darren Sarll said he hopes Yeovil Town supporters can see the work the squad has been doing in pre-season training.
Speaking after the 1-0 defeat at home to Forest Green Rovers, the manager said he believed there were “a lot of positives” to take from the performance against a side which were in the League Two play-off places last season.
A first half goal from visiting striker Jamille Matt was the difference between the two sides, but the Glovers’ did carve out a number of opportunities to score with frontman Reuben Reid
having two strikes ruled out.
Sarll said: “Hopefully people can see the work we have tried to do and I thought the fitness levels were incredible.
“Our focus has been on making sure we are not easy to play against and I thought most of our problems came when we were in possession.
“I can almost stomach that at this stage (of pre-season) but we made eight or nine very good chances and we were disappointed not to score.
“In fact, we were probably disappointed to not win the game because apart from their goal, Grant (Smith) did not have a shot to save.”
The boss gave home debuts to goalkeeper Grant Smith, defenders Mark Little and Jordan Barnett and midfielders Dale Gorman and Charlie Wakefield, and opportunities to impress to trialists Deshane Dalling, Harlain Mbayo and Jack Bodenham.
Sarll said: “I was really pleased with some individuals and it was good for them to show the supporters why they have been signed.
“I think we are developing a very good foundation to go and compete. I think with three weeks to go (until the opening National League fixture at Wrexham), we definitely look fit and we look organised.”
Yeovil Town right-back Mark Little will have an x-ray on an injury which saw him limp off in the second half of the 1-0 pre-season friendly defeat to Forest Green Rovers.
The former Bristol City and Bristol Rovers man, who arrived at Huish Park in the summer, was substituted ten minutes in to the second half.
Speaking to the club’s YouTube channel after the game, Glovers’ boss Darren Sarll said both he and the defender were “worried” about the injury.
The manager said: “That is a worry, when you get to 32 you know when something is not right, so I am worried about that one.
“Mark is worried about that one, so we will have to see. It was an innocuous one, but that is our first problem in three-and-a-half weeks now.
“He will probably need a few days now, get it x-rayed and once we know the outcome, we will adapt.”
The manager saw said that summer signing defender Morgan Williams missed the game because he was “adapting to his new footwear that allows him to not have one leg longer than the other.”
The 21-year-old has yet to appear since he joined on a permanent deal following his release by Coventry City.
Three unnamed trialists appeared for Yeovil Town in today’s 1-0 pre-season friendly defeat against League Two Forest Green Rovers.
However, we have positive identifications on QPR forward Deshane Dalling and former Aberdeen central defender Harlain Mbayo who both appeared in the win at Stratford Town last weekend.
That leaves a left-back who came on after 70 minutes as one of five changes made by boss Darren Sarll – which the Gloverscast understands is Jack Bodenham, a defender recently in the youth set up at Cardiff City.
We’ve attached a picture taken by Glovers’ supporter Chris Fox of the player in question, who was being called “Jack” by his team-mates throughout the game.
And then, courtesy of Jack Bodenham’s own Twitter account is a picture of the player himself – which we can assume is a pretty positive identification!
The Welshman has been in Cardiff’s youth set-up since he was 14 and captained the club’s under-23s in the 2019-20 season.
He has had spells on loan at League of Wales side The New Saints in January 2019 and then again at National League North side Hereford in 2019-20.
He was released by Cardiff in the summer.
Bodenham is listed as playing centre-back on many of the online references to him, but was definitely playing down the left against Forest Green.
Yeovil’s first friendly at Huish Park ended in defeat at the hands of Forest Green Rovers this afternoon.
A 14th minute strike from Jamille Matt was enough for Forest Green although Yeovil put in a decent performance against the League Two side and had some good opportunities.
Forest Green Rovers kick off the EFL campaign next Saturday and will probably be a little disappointed with the performance against the Glovers, given it was only the second friendly of the Glovers season preparation.
First Half
The Glovers should have had the lead when Reuben Reid set Charlie Wakefield through on goal, but Yeovil’s new signing couldn’t get the ball under control as he was closed down by Rover’s keeper, Luke McGhee.
Reid had the ball in the net for Yeovil in the 11th minute, but it was disallowed after he pretty much caught the ball before finishing.
Jamille Matt gave Forest Green the lead in the 14th minute with a simple finish from a cross on the right hand side. Matt snuck in front of his marker to leave Grant Smith rooted to the spot.
Reid another effort ruled out in the 38th minute. A signature Tom Knowles strike drew a good save from McGhee and Reid was given offside after putting the rebound away.
Half Time: Yeovil Town 0 – 1 Forest Green Rovers
Second Half
Yeovil were forced into a 55th minute change as an injury to Mark Little saw him make way for Alex Bradley.
Reid should have equalised for Yeovil just after the hour. Luke Wilkinson’s pressure on McGhee saw the Forest Green keeper spill the ball to the feet or Reid who could only find the Thatchers stand.
Jordan Barnett very nearly lobbed his own keeper with a sensational effort in the 64th minute. Grant Smith saved his left back’s blushes, heading the ball wide.
Glovers’ boss Darren Sarll made 5 changes in the 70th minute with three trialists entering the fray. Two of the trialist Harlain Mbayo and Deshane Dalling also played against Stratford Town last weekend.
Yeovil did have a late opportunity to equalise after a good cross from Wakefield found Dalling in the box. He laid the ball off to Simper whose shot was charged down.
Full Time: Yeovil Town 0 Forest Green Rovers 1
YTFC: Grant Smith, Mark Little (55, Alex Bradley), Luke Wilkinson (Trialist – Mbayo), Max Hunt, Jordan Barnett (Trialist), Josh Staunton (Lewis Simper), Charlie Wakefield, Dale Gorman (Matt Worthington), Tom Knowles, Joe Quigley, Reuben Reid (Trialist – Dalling)
Subs: Max Evans
Forest Green Rovers: Luke McGhee, Kane Wilson, Dominic Bernard, Ben Stevenson, Jack Aitchinson (Young), Allen (Sweeney), Jamille Matt (March), Jordan Moore-Taylor, Hendry, Udoka Godwin-Malife, Sadio Diallo (Stevens)
Our next pre-season opponents Taunton Town have called off their latest pre-season friendly following a positive COVID-19 result in their squad.
The Peacocks, who host Darren Sarll‘s men at Wordsworth Drive on Tuesday night, called off their game against Chippenham Town
Chairman Kevin Sturmey said: “In the interests of the safety of players, management, and match and club officials, and the uncertainty as to how many of our squad may be affected, we felt it appropriate to ensure we do our utmost to contain and prevent the spreading of the virus in the circumstances.”
There is no suggestion that the game against Yeovil is in doubt, but our advice would be to check before you travel.
Summer signing midfielder Charlie Wakefield has been named in place of Alex Bradley in the only starting XI change for today’s pre-season friendly with Forest Green Rovers.
The former Chelsea youngster appeared as a second half substitute at Stratford Town seven days ago.
Three unnamed trialists are on the bench for the Glovers after appearances from forward Deshane Dalling, midfielder Richard Afrane-Kesey and defenders Robin Dempsey and Harlain Mbayo last weekend – see here.
There is still no sign of Morgan Williams, the central defender who arrived on a permanent deal in the summer after two loan spells at the club from Coventry City. He was watching from the stands at Stratford.
AWOL midfielder Albi Skendi is a more unsurprising absentee after boss Darren Sarll confirmed the Albanian was in the United States and had not returned for pre-season training.
Yeovil Town: Smith, Little, Wilkinson, Hunt, Barnett, Staunton, Wakefield, Gorman, Knowles, Quigley, Reid. Substitutes: Evans, Worthington, Bradley, Simper, Trialist A, Trialist B, Trialist C.
Forest Green: McGee, Wilson, Bernard, Stevenson, Aitchison, Allen, Matt, Moore-Taylor, Hendry, Godwin-Malife, Diallo. Substitutes: Thomas, Sweeney, Stevens, Evans, Young, Covil, March, Hallett, Baxter.
