Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 87)

It’s a long trip up north this weekend, as Yeovil Town travel up to Hartlepool United in the league.


Form Guide…

Hartlepool have been in impressive form over their last five as they have gone unbeaten in the league, with the only blemish being a penalty shoot-out loss to Tamworth in the FA Trophy. Last time out saw Pools draw 0-0 at Southend United and prior to that they were held by leaders Barnet.

The Glovers continued their good uptick in form last time out with a resounding 3-1 win over Braintree Town. Goals from Aaron Jarvis, Ed James and Brett McGavin sealed all three points for Yeovil. Over the last five games Mark Cooper’s men have been inconsistent with three losses and two wins, albeit the victories have been in their last two league outings.

Kofi Shaw goes close against Braintree Town, last time out.. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown. 

Key Players…

Yeovil – Brett McGavin 

It seems like we say his name every other week in this segment but that shows how integral he has been for Yeovil this season.

Without the midfielder the Glovers would be much worse off. The stats back this up with McGavin contributing to 22% of Yeovil’s goals. Only Aaron Jarvis has contributed more.

McGavin and Ed James for the Glovers (Pic C/O Gary Brown)

Hartlepool – Emmanuel Dieseruvwe

Another centre forward for Yeovil defenders to be wary of. Dieseruvwe, has bagged nine goals for The Pools this campaign, putting him top of their goalscoring charts. Which is impressive especially when considering they have former Championship front man, Gary Madine in their ranks.

The forwards form has earned him an England C team call up. If Yeovil are to get anything out this long away trip they’ll have to keep him quiet.

Morgan Williams grapples with Hartlepool United striker Emmanuel Dieseruvwe. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Thats what he said…

Hartlepool head coach, Anthony Limbrick, gave his thoughts on Yeovil before Saturday. He said: “ I’ve been really impressed with Yeovil this season. 

As a newly promoted team they have threats in their side…they play in a fluid formation. I think they come to try and play, which will open it up to be a good game.

Yeovil manager, Mark Cooper spoke to press about Hartlepool manager Lennie Lawrence ahead of this weekend’s game. The 77-year-old, who includes Cardiff City, Middlesbrough and Charlton Athletic, took the job until the end of the season after taking temporary charge following Sarll’s dismissal. Cooper said: 

Lennie Lawrence, what a career as a manager. He’s a lovely guy, he’s managed massive clubs and been a mentor for some really good managers.

He is experienced and he will have people running about for him doing coaching bits. They have some real warriors and they have every right to get results at this level, but we have won our last two league games and we want to make it three.”


We’ve met before…

The two clubs have met 25 times before this weekend, with only six wins going the way of Yeovil. Hartlepool however have fourteen wins with there being five draws between them. 

What will be worrying for Glovers fans is that they haven’t beaten United since in their last 11 games, last winning in 2012. The scorer in that game was Joe Edwards. The last time they met the three points went Hartlepool’s way, winning 0-1.


Don’t I know you?…

Goalkeeper Adam Smith now plays for the North East team. Smith had two spells on loan at Huish Park in 19/20 and 20/21 seasons under Darren Sarll, who took him to Hartlepool when he arrived (and subsequently departed) in the summer.

Another former player of ours who now plays for The Pools is defender Billy Sass-Davies. The 24-year old joined the Glovers 20/21 on loan, playing 22 times.

The club also share an ex-manager in Darren Sarll, who was in charge of our hosts this weekend on our opening day defeat at Huish Park, but was sacked after just six months.

Darren Sarll, who took lost his job in October. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Who’s been naughty then?…

There is no players suspended for the Glovers.


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Yeovil Town winger signs for Torquay United. We’ve heard that one before haven’t we?

This time it is Dylan Morgan who has swapped South Somerset for South Devon and joined the National League South leaders following in the footsteps of Jordan Young at the end of October.

The departure of the 22-year-old was confirmed by the club on Friday evening ahead of the long journey to Hartlepool United for this weekend’s National League Premier fixture – we can’t blame Dyl for wanting to make an unnecessary 700-mile journey! His new club’s announcement suggests he will be involved in their home fixture with Hemel Hempstead Town tomorrow.

Having impressed at the end of last season and in pre-season, Morgan started the opening game of this season, a 1-0 home defeat to Hartlepool, before being substituted after 56 minutes and was loaned out to National League South side Weston-super-Mare at the end of August. He scored three goals in five appearances in north Somerset and was recalled to Huish Park early just a month later.

He went straight back in to the starting line-up for the 1-1 home draw with Aldershot Town on his return and stayed there for the next four league matches before dropping to the bench for the 3-1 home win over Maidenhead United in late October. Since then minutes have been hard to come by with a 30-minute appearance in the 1-0 win at Southend United and again off the bench in the second half of last weekend’s 3-1 home win over Braintree Town, where he set up Brett McGavin for a third goal after a superb forward run. Not a bad parting gift.

Dylan Morgan on the attack. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

The former Taunton Town man, who arrived at Huish Park in January from the county town, departs as fellow wide man James Plant returns to his parent club Port Vale with an injury expected to keep him out until his loan agreement expires next month.

Following the dismal derby defeat at home to local rivals W*ymouth in the FA Trophy earlier this month, manager Mark Cooper spoke of the need to be “ruthless” with his players and the social media rumour mill has been alive with talk of the imminent departure of players including Morgan ever since.

Asked this week whether members of the first-team squad had been transfer listed, Cooper said: “I’m really loyal to these players and give them lots of chances to play, we look after them and make sure they are well prepared. They know every detail and I love them all to bits, but I live and die by results.

When you lose to W*ymouth in the manner we did, I have to rattle a few cages. I am not saying we did or did not put anyone on the transfer list, but I had to dig a few people in the ribs to make sure we came out fighting. Did that work? We won the game (at home to Braintree last weekend), got three points and showed a real tenacity.

Whether people are on the transfer list or not, that is the club’s business, but I have said to the players that they have to keep doing whatever their job is in the team.

If I was going to move players on it would be for the right reasons, like someone not getting enough game time, like we did with Dylan (Morgan) earlier in the season. There will be other players that need games and, if we did do it, that would be the reason.

Dylan leaves us as a National League South champion and for that, we are incredibly grateful.

All the best, Dylan.

James Plant has returned to Port Vale after picking up an injury which is expected to keep him out until his loan spell with Yeovil Town expires, according to Glovers’ boss Mark Cooper.

The 20-year-old, who has impressed since joining from the League Two high-fliers, was not in the squad for last weekend’s 3-1 home win over Braintree Town and, following a scan, is expected to be out for up to six weeks.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah ahead of this weekend’s trip to Hartlepool United, Cooper said: “Planty has had a scan, his injury will take him past his loan, so he is back at Port Vale. He is going to be up to six weeks, so we will have to reassess when he is fit whether they will let him come back to us on loan or permanently, which we would love.

The boss also confirmed that defender Alex Whittle, who missed last weekend’s fixture through injury, had been cleared to return to playing after a scan, but midfielder Sonny Blu Lo-Everton was still unavailable with a knee injury.

He also said that on loan Exeter City defender Ed James, who started and scored against Braintree, would be a doubt for the long trip to the North East with a hamstring injury. The teenager did play a full 90 minutes for his parent club in the Premier League Under-21s Cup on Wednesday night.

James Plant. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown

Cooper was also asked about rumours on social media that a number of players had been made available for transfer. He did not confirm or deny the rumours, but said he had to “rattle a few cages” amongst his players after the disappointing 2-1 defeat at home to local rivals W*ymouth which ended their FA Trophy campaign.

He said: “I’m really loyal to these players and give them lots of chances to play, we look after them and make sure they are well prepared. They know every detail and I love them all to bits, but I live and die by results.

When you lose to W*ymouth in the manner we did, I have to rattle a few cages. I am not saying we did or did not put anyone on the transfer list, but I had to dig a few people in the ribs to make sure we came out fighting. Did that work? We won the game, got three points and showed a real tenacity.

Whether people are on the transfer list or not, that is the club’s business, but I have said to the players that they have to keep doing whatever their job is in the team.

If I was going to move players on it would be for the right reasons, like someone not getting enough game time, like we did with Dylan (Morgan) earlier in the season. There will be other players that need games and, if we did do it, that would be the reason.

The manager said he was still looking to bring a striker to the club to take the pressure off top scorer Aaron Jarvis and Nouble, and revealed the club had tried to bring former loanee Ciaran McGuckin back to Huish Park on a permanent deal.

The Northern Ireland international scored twice in six appearances on loan from League One side Rotherham United before being recalled last month and EFL rules stipulate that he cannot return to Somerset following his recall.

Cooper added: “We would love to take Ciaran back, but he’s not available. We tried to make that a permanent deal, but he is at a really good football club and he has had some opportunities to play minutes in League One. I know the owner (Martin Hellier) would move heaven and Earth to get him back. We would love to have Ciaran back to give Jarv, Frank and all the boys who play at the top a bit of help.

Ciaran McGuckin. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Yeovil make the almost 700-mile round trip to Hartlepool this weekend looking to extend their winning run in the National League Premier Division to three matches, but face a home side which is unbeaten in their last five matches

Pools sacked ex-Glovers’ boss Darren Sarll in October after just six months at the club and appointed former Cardiff City boss Lennie Lawrence in temporary charge before giving him the job until the end of the season. The 77-year-old has an impressive managerial CV, but his last frontline job was as caretaker boss at Crystal Palace in 2012.

Speaking about Lawrence, Cooper said: “Lennie Lawrence, what a career as a manager. He’s a lovely guy, he’s managed massive clubs and been a mentor for some really good managers.

He is experienced and he will have people running about for him doing coaching bits. They have some real warriors and they have every right to get results at this level, but we have won our last two league games and we want to make it three.”

There is some doubt about whether Cooper will be in the dug-out at Victoria Park having been sent off as the second half was about to get underway in the 3-1 win over Braintree last weekend. The boss said he was confident the dismissal would be overturned, so he may be allowed to feature on Saturday if an appeal is pending.

He said: “I’m still reading through the report as to what I was meant to have done. I will respond to the FA because I think they have a couple of things wrong, but I am confident it will be overturned. If it takes me to be animated to get the players going to get three points, I will take the odd slap on the knuckles.

Yeovil Town’s Under-18s take on Weston-super-Mare in the Somerset Premier Cup. Picture courtesy of Rob Manley.

One other topic of discussion in the manager’s Thursday press conference was the club’s exit from the Somerset Men’s Premier Cup on Wednesday night. Yeovil fielded a side made up entirely of members of their Under-18s’ side which went down 1-0 to an early first half penalty from Brandon Bak, a young striker on loan from Bristol City.

Cooper, who watched the game from the Huish Park stands, said: “It was virtually impossible to play any senior players because we have game in the North in 72 hours and, if they played last night, they would not be able to train today (Thursday) and prepare for Saturday.

So we gave that game to Matt (Percival, Under-18s manager) and the youth set-up, Weston told us it would be their youth team and they went and played four or five players that are main first-team players, but (our youngsters) acquitted themselves well and a slight mistake for a penalty was the difference between the teams.

Ref, Referee, Match Official

Yeovil Town make the short trip north to Hartlepool this Saturday and we’re going to need a referee in order to get this game going.

Aaron Jackson has been given the whistling duties, a referee we’ve seen four time in our second stint as a non-league club.

Oddly though, three of them have been at Huish Park and one, away at Gateshead. Mr Jackson clearly doesn’t mind travelling!

We last saw him at the Gateshead International Stadium when the Heed gave the Glovers a 4-0 thrashing, some ugly scenes at the end of that one you might recall.

Matt Worthington will remember the name Jackson all to well, he scored a penalty (awarded by Jackson) and was booked… twice by the man in the middle in a 1-0 win over Halfiax earlier that same season. The second of those yellows, a contentious one for ‘simulation’. (Below)

So far the Glovers have won two and lost two with Aaron Jackson in the middle, and to be honest, apart from that dodgy second yellow, not a lot to really moan about. 

He will be assisted by Matthew Bacon and Steven Sausage. OK, no, not really. It’s Drew Dutton who has a much less tasty name who will be holding the other flag.

Matt Sowerby holds the subs board.

Referee Aaron Jackson sends Matt Worthington off

 

A young Yeovil Town side bowed out of the Somerset Men’s Premier Cup with a 1-0 defeat at home to Weston-super-Mare in front of a crowd of 487 at a rainy Huish Park on Wednesday night.

A 28th minute penalty from Brandon Bak, the teenage striker on loan with the National League South side from Bristol City’s youth set-up, was the difference in the second round tie.

That means the Seagulls go on to face Taunton Town in the third round of the cup and Yeovil’s involvement in any cup competition comes to an end for this season.

Although this was a first-team fixture, the Glovers’ side was made up entirely of youngsters with the majority being from the Under-18s’ side and defender Jacob Shore, the defender who is presently on loan at Southern League Division One South side Tavistock, who captained the side.

The Seagulls made 11 changes from their 1-1 league draw with Enfield Town at the weekend meaning there was no involvement for ex-Glovers’ player Sam Pearson.

Yeovil Town: Louis Parker, Mason Alden, Blake Watts, Jacob Shore (for Alec Thomas, 69), Jaydon Biss, Solomon Padmore, Joe Crisp, Nansimir Nanev (for Denzil Gurung, 74), George Geraghty (for Oscar Foot, 80), Morgan Alexander (for Leyton Westlake, 60), Ollie Hughes (for Josh Haskett, 80). Substitutes (not used): Ryan Collins, Josh Ansell.

Weston-super-Mare: Kelland Absalom, Ash Ouza, Jordan Bastin (for Takunda Mutota, 70), Theo Lynden, Jack Harding, Louis Singfield, Harvey Akers (for Gabriel Garrett, 82), Dylan Kadji (for Josh Oliver, 46), Brandon Bak, Nick McCootie (for Leighton Green, 46), Zak Kempster (for Ted Milne, ). Substitutes (not used): Dan Pashley, Dylan Long.

GLOVERS HIT HONITON FOR SIX

Yeovil Town Women’s winning run continued on Sunday as they beat Honiton 6-0. A performance defined by Yeovil’s young talent ensured that Paul Knight’s side made it three wins out of three, scoring seventeen goals in this period.

Wholesale changes were made, as Mollie Childs, Laura Wensley, Jamie Bland, Ceyda Fordrey and Chloe Perham came into the starting eleven for the Glovers.

Yeovil began the affair in quick fashion and found themselves in front within eight minutes courtesy of Fordrey. Following a defensive error, Hannah Hughes played in the youngster who made no mistake in front of goal.

Yeovil Women in action
Pic C/O JQ Photography

Ten minutes later the Glovers’ lead was doubled, as in-form forward Chloe Davenport scored her third goal in as many games.

Despite Abbie Carslake coming close to giving Yeovil three earlier in the half, in the 40th minute Hughes, as she did against Bideford, scored once more to gift the hosts a three goal lead.

Following this, on the stroke of half time Davenport went from scorer to creator, as she crossed for Fordrey who made it four for Yeovil and two for her on the day.

The Glovers went in at the break with a four goal lead.

Yeovil’s taste for goals did not let up in the second half, as just four minutes after the restart Hughes converted her second of the match for 5-0.

The hosts’ domination continued throughout the second half and Childs got on the scoresheet on her debut in the 68th minute. Her sensational effort sailed over the Honiton goalkeeper to top off an impressive display in which the Glovers scored six.

FULL TIME SCORE: YEOVIL TOWN WOMEN 6-0 HONITON

This result put Yeovil third in the Regen Arable Division One South, as they leapfrogged Saltash United.

The player of the match was awarded to Chloe Perham.

Yeovil Womens manager Paul Knight
PIC C/O Imogen @ Loveday’s Unique Photgraphy

Yeovil Town Women manager Paul Knight spoke after the match.

“It was good, I thought the girls gave a good account of themselves. Paul began. “We stepped up some youngsters today, who also gave a good account of themselves.

“We had a plan to go out, the weather conditions were good and the team settled into the formation system that we wanted to play and they did everything that was asked of them. They were quite calm today, we played decent football and it was really nice to see some good football again.

Paul expressed his satisfaction with the younger players amid increasing injuries within the first team.

“It’s huge, five of our regular starters are out today and that’s massive in any football team, it’s no secret that we have been playing with injuries since August. We’ve got a youth setup that we can turn to and in all honesty if some of the girls weren’t ready to step up we would have struggled. It’s huge, it’s great for the pathway, they’ve earned it, they’ve been working with us for the past few weeks, and it really was a massive impact.  

Looking ahead to the new year.

“You don’t want to be going into Christmas losing your last game, we’ve had a very disruptive season so far. The only negative side is the break, coming back in the new year when you’ve had a break and you’ve had your Christmas food you come out a little bit more lethargic. So that’s the only downside, I think it’s good for resting, we have a few mediocre injuries which need resting, so hopefully we’ll have the numbers to pick from when we return in the new year.”

Yeovil Town Women return to action on the 5th January as they host league leaders Plympton 14:00 KO.

 

 

 

 

Yeovil Town have named a side made up entirely of their Under-18s squad for tonight’s Somerset Men’s Premier Cup second round at a rain-soaked Huish Park tonight (7.45pm kick-off).

Among the XI is Ollie Hughes, the young striker who was named on the substitutes’ bench for the Glovers’ first-team fixture against Braintree Town on Saturday.

The Under-18s are playing this season in the Western Counties Floodlight Youth League, they currently sit in fifth place after five games.

The club has confirmed the game will be live streamed on its YouTube channel – here.

Yeovil Town: Louis Parker, Mason Alden, Blake Watts, Jacob Shore (captain), Jaydon Biss, Solomon Padmore, Joe Crisp, Nansimir Nanev, George Geraghty, Morgan Alexander, Ollie Hughes. Substitutes: Ryan Collins, Denzil Gurung, Oscar Foot, Joshua Ansell, Alec Thomas, Joshua Haskett, Leyton Westlake.

Weston-super-Mare: Kelland Absalom, Ash Ouza, Jordan Bastin, Theo Lynden, Jack Harding, Louis Singfield, Harvey Akers, Dylan Kadji, Brandon Bak, Nick McCootie, Zak Kempster. Substitutes: Takunda Mutota, Dan Pashley, Gabriel Garrett, Josh Oliver, Dylan Long, Ted Milne, Leighton Green.

“There’s chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost is nipping at your nose… there’s darts on at the Ally Pally and it’s transfer rumour silly season for the ‘In The Knows'”

– that’s how the song goes, right!?

Yeovil Town loanee Ed James has been linked with a move to one of several teams, currently plying their trade in the Premier League and EFL.

The Exeter loanee has been watched by West Ham, Southampton and Norwich if Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider is to be believed.

James scored his first goal in Green and White at the weekend and has a couple more weeks of his original loan deal still to go.

It’s a path well trodden, it was just a couple of years ago that the Grecians let us borrow defender Alfie Pond before Wolves came knocking in the January window.

Appropriate pinches of salt required with rumours of this nature of course, but interesting nonetheless.

Ed James scores his first Yeovil goal (Pic C/O Gary Brown)

 

National League Title Sponsors Vanarama have named their Team of the Week and the Glovers are represented by defender Michael Smith in the side.

Smith was back in the starting line up and integral as Yeovil came from behind to secure the points in a 3-1 win.

A shout out to Andrew ‘The Right Winger’ Oluwabori who also made the side for his new side Halifax Town.