Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has admitted his squad is short on numbers due to injuries to key players going in to a run of seven matches during March.
The Glovers take on Southend United at Huish Park this weekend before travelling to National League Premier Division leaders Barnet on Tuesday night followed a run of matches against promotion-chasing FC Halifax Town and York City, Boston United and AFC Fylde who are both battling relegation, and Solihull Moors.
Cooper confirmed he expects to be without central defender Morgan Williams and striker Aaron Jarvis until towards the end of the season whilst midfielder Jacob Maddox is still unavailable with a foot injury.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah on Thursday, he said: “We are short on numbers and we have got a really busy schedule with seven games in March. Ideally we’d like to bolster the ranks (with new signings), but it’s really difficult trying to get anything that’s better than what we’ve got. That is the key to it, trying to bring in somebody better than what we’ve got. So yes, we are short numbers, but the players that have been involved in the last two games are pointing in the right direction altogether and having the right go.”
He added: “For Morgan Williams, he will not be back until towards the end of the season as will Jarvis. Jacob Maddox has declared himself still not fit, which is not ideal because we brought him into play. So nobody else will be available for Saturday. But the boys are available have two wins out two, so I’m sure they’re capable of going and doing it again.”
Pic:ture courtesy of Gary Brown
The Glovers’ second win in as many games came with a 2-0 victory at Maidenhead United last weekend, a match which saw strikers Harvey Greenslade and Frank Nouble on the scoresheet.
Nouble’s opening strike was his second in as many matches, having bagged the winner in the 2-1 home win over Tamworth in the previous match, whilst Greenslade’s stunning effort was his second of the season. The former Bristol Rovers academy product has endured a frustrating season having been out having featured in the opening six matches, scoring once, before picking up a shoulder injury which kept him out for two months and saw him go out on loan at Weston-super-Mare.
Cooper said: “It’s really tough to win a game at this level. When you get that win, it’s a great feeling for the group, but it is their job is to score goals. They’re forward players, and they’re paid to score goals. Harvey’s had a frustrating time being ill, being injured, being out on loan, and just worked hard in training and showed that he’s good character. That’s the most important thing for me with Harvey, is that he’s a real good character, he’s works his socks off every day, and his his aim now is to keep improving technically and keep putting himself in positions where he can scored. Frank as a number nine his work rate has been incredible and really difficult to play against and that’s what you want. You know when Jarvis been playing up there it’s hard to play against if the number nine does that, it then makes it easier for the rest of the team and Frank’s done that really well.”
Southend United are the next opponents for Yeovil at Huish Park this weekend. The Essex side arrive in a good run of form unbeaten in their last four matches having been held to a 1-1 draw at Tamworth last weekend.
As you would expect, the Glovers’ boss is expecting a tough match, he said: “They have got good players, they know what they’re doing, but it is always about what we do on the day. It’s about momentum. When you’re asking me these questions two weeks ago when we couldn’t win a game, I was telling you it’s about momentum and it’s about bad things come to an end. When you work really hard, good things can come to an end, but the only way it turns around is to keep working really hard, being humble, honest, and sticking to what you do. That’s what it will come down to on Saturday, to which team win the most individual duels.”