Five Conclusions: Yeovil Town 2 Southend United 0

The FA Cup Glovers are through to the first round proper again! Ian was in the Thatchers for the 2-0 win against Southend United and here are his conclusions.

This was an impressive result. Despite the ongoing drama at Southend, they’ve been getting results in the National League. They hadn’t lost in four matches, and beat “Darren Sarll’s Woking” 2-0 last weekend. Clearly, they had a depleted squad, bringing on two sixteen-year-olds, but the way they controlled possession showed they have some quality. Yeovil are learning to win in different ways and that’s a good sign. Where we’ve played our strongest eleven we’ve won seven matches in a row (it’s eight first team matches if you include the SMPC penalty win) and the last time I can find that we did that was in 2004/05 in a run of nine that started in the FA Cup against Histon. The scorers on that day, Phil Jevons, Lee Johnson and Yemi Odubade.

It was a different kind of performance. The early goal from Jake Wannell gave the Glovers the early buffer and something to protect. The match quickly became attack vs defence as Southend controlled the ball and tried to break a resilient Yeovil down. Mark Cooper’s side held their ground and restricted Southend to crosses in the box and efforts from distance. Last week saw Yeovil blow away Aveley in the first half and yesterday was a case of Yeovil digging in, holding onto a lead against a higher opposition and getting a second on the break.

That was a breakout game Jake Wannell. Wannell has been ever-present since signing from Taunton and his partnership with Morgan Williams has made him even stronger. His goal was cleanly struck and really set us on our way but what followed was as impressive. He won the ball in the air, he defended well against an in-form Harry Cardwell and he’s clearly enjoying life in green and white. Mark Cooper said he, Chris Todd and Marcus Stewart have been working with Wannell to coach him for the professional game and he’s come on leaps and bounds since joining in the Summer.

Jordan Young is on fire. A great pass from Will Dawes set Young through yesterday but he had a lot to do to get Yeovil’s second. Somehow he bamboozled three defenders before his final toe poke around Hayes in Southend’s goal. At times Young looks unplayable and as soon as he picks up the ball you think he is going to make something happen. He’s showing consistency, having a huge impact in games and I’d argue is more important I’m the attack than anyone else right now.

Vindication for Mark Cooper. Through all the carnage of last season and the lingering doubts at the beginning of this, Cooper has been defiant in his belief about bringing success to Huish Park. It’s still early in the season, but we’re top of the league and in the first round of the FA Cup. Even the most green-tinted of Glovers can’t have said they expected that after the opening day defeat at Hemel. He’s strengthened where he needed to with “Super Joe Day In Goal” and Michael Smith, is rewarding players like Owers and Dawes for their performances and is proving that if you let him manage, results and performances will follow. Everyone’s enjoying life at Huish Park at the moment, even the boss!