Yeovil Town travel to Havant & Waterlooville on Bank Holiday Monday, looking to go five games unbeaten for the first time since the start of the 2019-20 season. A win could also see them go top of league, if other results go their way.
The Glovers go to Hampshire looking to get their first away win of the season, having lost their only other game away from home this season against Hemel Hempstead Town on the opening game of the National League South season.
The Hawks do not come into this game in good form, with only one point from a possible 15 which sees them rooted to the bottom of the league.
Yeovil Town News
Manager Mark Cooper dismissed Havant & Waterlooville’s recent form, believing Monday’s game will be as difficult as any this season.
Speaking after the 2-0 home win over Tonbridge Angels on Saturday, he said: “I have been a manager for 19 years and I’ve never had an easy game yet.” He continued: “It will be a difficult game, they’re losing but only by the odd goal and they will feel a win is only around the corner.”
Cooper also discussed the quick turnaround in fixtures saying his team “will be in training on Sunday” so they are ready for the trip to the South Coast.
Jordan Young, who scored his first goal for the club at the weekend, also feels Monday’s game will be “tough” for the Glovers.
He said: “I was at Chippenham last year and they (Havant) were a really good team last year, the year before we just beat them to the play-offs, so we know they’re a good team, they’ve started not great, I’ve got a friend there and he’s saying they’re doing the right things, it’s going to be a tough game.”
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
The forward has confidence in the squad to go again Monday in what he described as a “crazy and tough” fixture list.
Although Cooper feels the artificial surface at Westleigh Park is better than at Hemel, he has ruled out forward Jake Hyde‘s involvement against The Hawks. Captain Josh Staunton also misses out due to the surface. Midfielder Jordan Stevens is also not expected to feature as he continues “the last bit of his rehab” after an injury sustained in pre-season.
Havant & Waterlooville News
The Hawks are only team to have not won a game in the National League South to have not won a game this season. Jamie Collins is currently player-manager of the Hampshire side. He stepped up from a coaching role to take over from Paul Doswell in March after the former Sutton United and Eastleigh boss was given a 12-match touchline ban for comments made about an opposition manager. That saw Doswell move ‘upstairs’ into a Director of Football position last season and he recently departed the club after five years.
To add further to the upheaval at Havant, the club announced the resignation of assistant manager and former Bristol City striker Ian Baird on Sunday. The departure was perhaps not a shock as Baird had joined the club at the same time as Doswell having been together at Sutton and Eastleigh.
The Westleigh Park side have former Glover Oscar Gobern in their ranks, who will be relishing the chance to play against one of his former sides. Forward Faal Muhammadu has scored two in the last two for Havant and will be the one to watch.
The Hampshire team also have defenders Brendan Wilson and Jake McCarthy returning from suspension.