Yeovil Town are off to Boston, Lincolnshire (not Massachusetts) this Saturday as they look to take an upward tilt on the Rowley-coaster and get back to winning ways after losing to another Lincolnshire outfit, Scunthorpe United, last weekend.
FORM…
YEOVIL TOWN
It’s a win-one-lose-one kind of situation for the Glovers at the moment, beating Tamworth and Sutton United in between losses to Carlisle United, Southport and Scunthorpe United.
The Glovers haven’t secured an away point – or a victory on the road in any competition – since Terrell Works’ last gasp winner away at Altrincham.
Just 16 of Yeovil’s 41 points have come on the road this season, exactly a point per away game. 15 of Yeovil’s 37 goals have been in away games.
BOSTON UNITED
Boston United are unbeaten in their last four home games, drawing 2-2 and 0-0 against Woking and Tamworth respectively, they did scrape past Gateshead and Sutton United in the games before that to go unbeaten at home in the month of February.
They lost 1-0 to Rochdale last time out, Tyler Smith scoring a late winner for the league leaders.
Since the departure of Graham Coughlan, who was in charge when boss Billy Rowley picked up his first win in his first game in charge at Huish Park back in November, Boston have been in fine form since manager Paul Hurst was appointed on 14th January.
He lost his first match in charge at FC Halifax Town before masterminding an eight-game unbeaten run in the league, including wins at high-flying Boreham Wood, Scunthorpe United and Forest Green Rovers
The Pilgrims sit a whopping seven places above the Glovers, but just three points separate the sides. Their goal difference (-6) compared to ours (-13) means that if we were to win 4-0, we would jump over them with a win, potentially into the top half of the table.
KEY PLAYERS…
YEOVIL TOWN – JAMES DALY
You have to think that James Daly will provide the Glovers with their most likely route to goal after his brace against Sutton and his goal in the FA Trophy.
The former Harrogate and Aldershot man has been instrumental down the right hand side for the Glovers with his energy carrying the attacking unit through games at times.
With Daly on one side and Ryan Jones hitting his stride down the other flank, the Glovers will be hoping for more from their wing wizards.
BOSTON UNITED – TOM CURSONS
With top scorer Lennell John-Lewis expected to be out for the rest of the season through injury, recent recruit striker Tom Cursons has really stepped up to the goal scoring plate. The 24-year-old, who was one of Hurst’s first signings, has seven goals in eight league games since joining from Harrogate in January.
He played a dozen times for the North Yorkshire side before the switch and found form in the EFL Trophy, but has really hit his stride at Boston.
He scored a hat-trick in a 6-3 win over Scunthorpe, with only three games seeing his failing to score for his new club since joining.
He’s got a nice, new shiny trophy for his mantlepiece after being named the National League Player of the Month for February,
THE GAFFER…
Paul Hurst is the man in charge at Boston these days, he was re-appointed as their manager in January replacing Graham Coughlan. It’s his second stint in charge of Boston having originally left there in 2011, having secured promotion to the National League North.
He is the current National League Manager of the Month – let’s hope the curse lives on.
Oddly, it’s the third side that he’s managed twice with Shrewsbury and Grimsby also having the pleasure on two separate occasions.
He has a 100% win record against the Glovers, twice leading Grimsby to success in the 2021/22 season and once when in charge of the Shrews way back in 2017/18
LAST TIME WE MET…
Last season, both ties went to the away side, Boston winning 3-0 at Huish Park, with the Glovers winning 3-1 away from home in August 2024 thanks in no small part to a couple of Brett McGavin specials.
DON’T I KNOW YOU…
There are a couple of former Glovers in the Boston camp; defender Marcel Lavinier has been fairly regular in the side since making his debut when Boston were beaten at Huish Park in November, he played eight times for Yeovil in the National League last season.
You have got to go a bit further back to remember their other ex-Glover man, striker Jordi Hiwula also made eight league appearances in green-and-white on loan from Premier League giants Manchester City, but that was way back in the 2014/15 season. He was on trial at Boston in summer and impressed enough to earn a contract and has been partnered alongside the prolific Cursons in recent weeks.
THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…
Paul Johnson will be the man with the whistle on Saturday afternoon. For more on him and his team read Ben’s article here.