Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper has started powerful frontman Frank Nouble for tonight expecting a physical battle against crisis club Taunton Town.
The 32-year-old plays up front with playmaker Sonny Blu Lo-Everton just behind him with Jordan Young and Courtney Senior on the right and left of midfield.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins ahead of the match at Wordsworth Drive, Cooper said: “Frank Nouble is going to play centre forward with Sonny Blu Lo-Everton just behind him and the rest is the same (as the Bath City win), so we are keeping that consistency but I think we might need a bit more physicality at the top end of the pitch tonight. Then we have (Rhys) Murphy and Jake Hyde to come off the bench later in the game if we need them.
“Frank is a big lad and he can use his physical presence, he has got pace and can turn with the ball and run with it, and then we have got three technicians just behind him in Courtney (Senior), Sonny (Blu Lo-Everton) and (Jordan) Young.”
On the substitutes’ bench, defender Jamie Sendles-White, who has been missing since September with an Achilles injury, returns alongside winger Will Dawes, who picked up a dead leg early in the 4-1 win over Taunton at Huish Park on Boxing Day.
Cooper said: “We’ve got Dawesy back now from a dead leg, Hydey is now training and back on the bench and within a week or ten days Jordan Stevens is back, so it is important we keep everybody motivated.”
Taunton has announced the signings of Bristol City youngsters striker Marley Rose and full-back Zac Bell, who had a spell on loan at Huish Park earlier this season, but have lost a number of players who featured in the Boxing Day defeat due to their well-publicised financial difficulties.
Striker Nick McCootie, who was sent off in that match, and midfielder Joe Guest and have seen defender Jay Foulston and attacking midfielder Dylan Morgan join Yeovil. Foulston is unable to play as he is only on loan with a view to a permanent move, whilst Morgan does not feature
Cooper said his side could not think about their opponents’ off-the-field issues: “It’s about the game. As bad as I feel for Rob (Dray, the Taunton manager) and the troubles they are having at the moment, it is about us trying to do everything we can to get three points.”
Tonight’s match represents one of their games in hand over several of their National League South rivals and provides an opportunity to stretch their lead at the top of the table to 13 points. In other fixtures tonight, FA Cup heroes fifth-placed Maidstone United host Dartford whilst Slough Town visit sixth-placed Bath.
Cooper said: “If you start looking that long term, you can take your eye off the prize. All it is is three points. Our fans will be here and they will be really loud and vociferous and we are going to need that tonight.“