Five Conclusions: Yeovil Town 2 Oldham Athletic 1

A double from Sonny Blu Lo-Everton saw off fourth-placed Oldham Athletic to earn Yeovil Town a win over one of the division’s top seven in their penultimate match at Huish Park. Glovers’ fan Mike Hudson was in the stands for see it and here are his conclusions.

We had to change things up. I must admit, I was gutted when I heard the news that Kyle Ferguson had been recalled by Rochdale. The central defender has been a rock for us since coming in, and has quickly built up a rapport with both the back four and the fans. His good form, mixed with a injury crisis, means you can’t blame Rochdale for taking their man back, however I can still be annoyed about it! Add that to Otis Khan being unavailable to play against his parent club, and Charlie Cooper being added to the injury list, and it was a much changed side facing the promotion chasing Latics. But credit to the team, and to Mark Cooper who got the tactics spot on. We nullified most of Oldham’s threat, while looking lively and dangerous going forward.

It felt like home. With the home form this season, and some of the off-the-field going ons, Huish Park has felt subdued at times since the turn of the year. But similarly to the AFC Fylde game I thought the home fans were fantastic. The team had plenty of energy on the pitch and the fans matched it in the stands. With the sun shining down on our council-owned home, there was a really positive feel in the air long before a ball had been kicked. With all the initiatives going on, Huish Park felt like a good and welcoming place to be. Long may that continue.

Sonny, Sonny Blu. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton has been great since returning to the team, and once again he impressed on Saturday afternoon. Everything in the first half was going through him. He was causing Oldham all kinds of problems, finding lots of space, and linking up well with Ciaran McGuckin. He was energetic, positive, and clinical. Some deft passing, and great desire to be in the right place at the right time, made him my man of the match. He deserved his goals, and he took them well. I was amazed when Mark Cooper revealed he was unwell in the post match interview. It didn’t show, and I think it’s fair to say it was the Oldham defence that were sick of him by the time he was taken off part way through the second half. He’s earned a new contract for me … however, see my fifth conclusion as to why it’s my not be quite so straight forward…

You can still vote for your Man of the Match against Oldham Athletic in our poll – click here to vote.

There was commitment in spades. ‘Committed’ was the manager’s buzzword in the post-match interview, and rightly so. With the team well and truly safe, some may have worried that players might already be dreaming of summer holidays to come. With everything else going on off the pitch, who could blame them either. But that couldn’t have been further from the truth. It was a full blooded and fully committed display. The minimum we want as fans is commitment and effort from those wearing the famous green shirt, and we weren’t disappointed. There was Alex Whittle donning the Terry Butcher-esque head gear to be involved, multiple players putting their bodies on the line to keep the ball out at times, and some players probably having to play more minutes than they’re ready for as they return from injury. The team ran, and they didn’t stop running. It’s sometimes said you don’t get the same commitment from loanees (and we have a few of them!), yet even those who have little reason to risk too much for us at this stage of the season were outstanding. Perhaps this was typified by Ciaran McGuckin who looked for all the world to have taken a much too heavy touch in the build up to the second goal, only to quite literally throw himself into a brick wall to set Sonny Blu up for his second.

The park was packed… kinda. Okay, so perhaps we were never going to get a huge gate regardless of the ticket prices, and to be fair our attendance was boosted in part by a great away following – 3373 in total with 372 away supporters. But at least the club are doing something, and trying to entice people to Huish Park. My wife and daughter were able to take advantage of both the Blue Light Card discount and the Kids for a Quid, to join my son and I. Both kids enjoyed sitting on the blood bike, and practicing CPR (badly) outside Huish Park. Little things like that go along way for kids and families, so thanks to all involved. However, with a season ticket price freeze announced, if we want to ‘pack the park’ long term fans will need clarity over the future of the club. Clarity that those sponsors considering filling some of the many empty advertising hoardings around the pitch will soon need as well. Being comfortably mid-table, you’d hope thoughts were turning to plans for next season, but as Mark Cooper said pre-match, it’s hard to plan until the ownership situation is sorted. Likewise many fans and sponsors will want to see what the future holds, and what the vision will be, before committing their hard earned cash. Any takeover which drags too long into the summer is bound to start us off on the back foot next season. Hopefully there will be updates to come and a swift (but positive) resolution found.