Mark Cooper has challenged his Yeovil Town players to tap in to “the power of Huish Park” after an improved second half performance in the goalless draw with Maidenhead United.
The Glovers’ boss was pleased with the reaction of the crowd of under 2,000 when he introduced substitute Andrew Oluwaborie after a hour, a move which sparked more positive forward play from the National League’s lowest scorers.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, the boss said he saw enough from his side to believe they will “be alright” despite having picked up their ninth draw of the campaign and failed to add to their two wins so far this season.
He said: “If we had started like we would have won the game, but you can see the problems. There is a real lack of confidence and a fear which is not good but the second half was good.
“I think once we get to grips with how I want to play, which is how we played in the second half, in terms of how we want to pass the ball and get our flair players on the ball one-v-one I think we’ll be alright.”
He added: “You saw the power of Huish Park in the second half, that is not going to happen by us just turning up, I said to the boys they have to give (the fans) something.
“In the second half, we gave them something and they got really behind the boys and they appreciated that and they enjoyed the second half. I think Andrew can be a crowd favourite.
“If we can play like we did in the second half for 70 minutes, the fans will be right behind us.”
The boss threw on Oluwaborie, who joined just hours before kick-off on loan from Peterborough United, and Gime Toure in the second half, but the hosts managed just two shots on target in the entire 90 minutes.
They have managed just 13 goals in their 18 National League matches, making them the division’s lowest scorers by two clear goals.
Cooper revealed after the match he is hoping to get international clearance to bring former Bristol City youngster Louis Britton in, but added that confidence was the issue with the club’s other forwards.
He said: “You have to believe that ball is going to come and land on your head. You have to be an optimist when you’re a striker, you have to believe you are going to get on the end of it and not hope. At the minute we are hoping.
“As a defender you have to be a pessimist and believe everything is going to go wrong and clear it, but in the other box we have to be optimistic and confident because we are hoping not expecting to score at the minute.
“We gambled in the second half, but if we can get more control in the middle of the pitch with the ball and get those exciting wide players that we have got and get Louis Britton’s clearance, who scores goals for fun, we will be alright.”
The boss concluded: “We have to take the positives which is (the point) we go away with and the second half (performance). I understand the first half where the players are down with a lack of confidence and a lack of belief, so you have to build that up.
“We’ll take a point, it takes us out of the bottom four and we go on to (Gateshead at home) on Saturday.”
?️ Mark Cooper reflected on #YTFC's draw with Maidenhead and also had news on a potential arrival & departure. pic.twitter.com/tYkKb2By1h
— Yeovil Town F.C. (@YTFC) November 8, 2022