Well, that’s that. The 2025/26 season is done and dusted and how fitting that it ended with a bit of a bonkers scoreline as the Glovers conceded four first half goals (and scored one) in a 4-1 defeat against Solihull Moors. Here are Ian’s five conclusions from Huish Park…
It was a ridiculous start to the match. Ryan Jones forced the Moors keeper into a great save in the first minute, giving us a taster of some good green and white intent, but a minute later Solihull took the lead from a sumptuous strike that even Jed Ward couldn’t get to. Traffic meant some people were still arriving with Yeovil already 1-0 down and it only got worse. Every time the visitors got a shot at goal (except once) they found the back of the net. Oh to have some of that clinical finishing…
We had our moments. We weren’t without opportunities despite the scoreline. Terrell Works showed perseverance to claw one back and was bright in the final third. Will Merry constantly showed intent, driving forward and getting shots away. For me, if the opportunity to sign Merry is there in the summer I would try and take it. Harvey Greenslade got into good positions but the finish was lacking again. Once again, for all our possession we fluffed our lines in the final third.
Jed Ward deserved his ovation. Ward has been ever present this season playing every minute of every match (bar the last six minutes of this one) and he has been exceptional. Some of the saves he made this season were unbelievable and the standing ovation he received at Huish Park yesterday was well earned. We’ve loaned in some brilliant goalkeepers over the years and he’s certainly one to add to the ‘we had him at Yeovil’ when we see him in the television in a few years.
We were so patched up. When the team news came in with only two recognised defenders I was wondering (praying) if we were going for a makeshift back four. Alas, it was a three with Brett McGavin in the middle. That’s where we were as a squad, that our only ball playing midfielder who has been key to getting us play had to do a job in defence.
Thank god it’s over. In all honesty did we ever expect a lot this season? We started it with a manager that the majority of supporters weren’t behind who oversaw a pretty poor pre season which really didn’t set us up for success. After a month long recruitment process that took less than 10 days to unravel with Danny Webb’s departure, the wind was well and truly taken from our sails. It was less of a punch to the gut and more of a punch to the balls. Billy Rowley has done well with what he’s had to get us to safety in really difficult circumstances. The slate is clean and work starts now. Let’s see about the competitive c eh?
Sums it all up doesn’t it? No comments apart from mine and I live in Chelmsford ( yeah I know,Mark
Cooper blah blah blah). Hopefully we can improve next season, this one has been a catastrophe.
There weren’t any expectations for the game on Saturday .
Usual routines were out of the window for a ridiculous half twelve start .
And we were 3 down in next to no time .
No surprise really , with a midfielder playing at centre back , and only one team looking as if they wanted to play .
We had 2 centre backs on the bench , along with Alex Whittle .
As to whether they were fit , I don’t know , but if they weren’t fit to play , then they weren’t fit to be on the bench .
After the chance in the opening minute we were our usual slow and ponderous self , unable to defend against some pace , and the game was over by half time .
If not the final game of the season there would’ve been a cacophony of boos at half time , but having seen the same thing before many times , there was just a shrug of the shoulders , and an ‘oh well , at least we’re not going down !’
We can only hope that it is so much better next season .
The payment of an extra 10% for a season ticket should at least be rewarded by football worth watching .
We need to replace our goalkeeper and make improvements throughout the side .
Our play needs to be speeded up , fitness improved , and the number of goals scored needs to increase as well .
Only 48 goals scored in 46 games , 27 of those goals at home , and in 17 games we failed to score .
You aren’t going to win anything with those sort of numbers .
So a lot of work needs to be done between now and the start of the next season .
Promises are being made , hopefully some of them will be kept .
You think Jed Ward will get taken by a club higher up the Leagues then? Should be trying to sign him permanently.
If we can sign him, then great, but I presume that he will play higher up next season. We have had a lot of good goalkeepers over the years and a few of them have gone much higher, so you never know.