Yeovil Town are back on the road in search of points to pull them away from the relegation mire at the foot of the National League Premier table and travel to a Solihull Moors side…..*checks notes*…..in search of points to pull them away from the relegation mire at the foot of the National League Premier table
Form Guide…
After two wins on the bounce in the middle of February, the Glovers’ form has dropped significantly, with no win in their last five fixtures. Yeovil’s only point during this period has been a 2-2 draw at home to Southend United.
The caveat would be that the Somerset side has predominantly trams in the playoffs over that period, as well as the 3-0 loss at home to a resurgent Boston United, one of those sides looking to swap places with them below the dotted line.
Last time out for the Glovers was a spirited 1-0 defeat to promotion-chasing York. Yeovil rarely threatened but can’t take confidence in the fact they didn’t concede more than the one goal.
Solihull’s form hasn’t been particularly glamorous either over the last five games with just the one win, they have drawn two games as well alongside two losses.
In their last league game, they drew 1-1 at Hartlepool United, another club in crisis off the field which is impacting them on the field, on North-East coast. Their goal coming through striker Manny Duku, who has proved a vital boost since joining on a short-term deal at the start of the month following his departure from Hednesford Town in February.
The loss of manager Andy Whing, who departed the Midlands to join League Two Barrow in January, has turned Solihull’s season from one looking to once again compete for play-off places, to looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone. Since his replacement, former Portsmouth and Bolton Wanderers player Matty Taylor quit Wealdstone to join them, they have won just once, the 2-1 home win over bottom club Ebbsfleet United a fortnight ago – with Duku on the scoresheet twice.
Key Players…
Yeovil – Brett McGavin
We have said his name a lot this season and for good reason, McGavin is our top scorer. As a team that has lacked goals in all areas, McGavin has popped up with a few important ones and some just sublime ones too.
The wonderfully haired midfielder does more than just score goals however, alongside Charlie Cooper, he controls the midfield. In recent games it might not have clicked for the pair but we have seen what happens when it does, we win.
All we can hope is that injury which saw him limp off against York last weekend was not as serious as it looked.
Boston United – Manny Duku
The centre forward has been a lightning rod (almost literally, he’s 6’2″ tall) since arriving at Damson Park at the start of the month.
Having departed Northern League Hednesford Town (where he’d scored 19 times this season) the previous month, the former Dutchman has scored three in as many games. His double at home to Ebbsfleet a fortnight ago proved the difference to lift the gloom over Matty Taylor’s reign, and he equalised to grab at point up at Hartlepool last weekend.
If Yeovil are going to get anything from this one, they will need to pay him close attention.
That’s what he said…
Yeovil manager Mark Cooper spoke positively about his hopes of the return of some the club’s missing injured players including defenders Jake Wannell and Michael Smith
On their next opponents, he added: “They’ve had lots of change, obviously, change of the Manager [who] went to the EFL to Barrow, done a great job.
“They brought in Matty [Taylor] from Wealdstone. It’s always tough, when you go into a team that are used to a manager’s way, you have to try and change and adapt to the way you want it.
“They’ve had a turn around of players, they’ve had some injuries, so it’s been tough, but they’ve had a little run, I think, three unbeaten. Like I always say, there’s never any easy games at this level, never. And we’re expecting a really tough game, but I’m sure they would have watched us against York, and they’ll be expecting a really tough encounter as well.”
In his pre-match interview, Matty Taylor said he expects to be going again with the same group of players which earned Solihull a point up at Hartlepool last weekend. But, he was pleased to see some fringe players get minutes in the 4-1 defeat at Tamworth in the Birmingham Senior Cup on Tuesday night.
The manager said: “It’s been a week where we’ve been able to rest players that needed a rest because we have had a few injuries and managed to get minutes in to players that needed it on Tuesday night, so the majority of the boys have done all the four training sessions we have had this season.
“We know it is going to be another difficult game. Our form has been better, unbeaten in three, but we have to start getting clean sheets. We know Yeovil are not on the run they would want to be on, but we know they have some very good technical players, they have a very good, experienced manager in Mark Cooper.”
We’ve met before…
The two teams have met 12 time throughout history with, the first game only being played in November 2016 when Darren Way’s Glovers crashed out of the FA Cup in a second round replay at Damson Park – on penalties! Out of those 12 fixtures, Yeovil have come out on top only three times, with Solihull winning four and there being five draws.
The most recent game between the two was back in September at Huish Park, when Solihull won 1-0 with Connor Wilkinson, who is injured for the return fixture this weekend, scoring the only goal.
Don’t I know you?…
There are a couple old Glovers in The Moors squad with some being more recent than others.
Ollie Wright will be a name you all know. The goalkeeper spent the majority of this season on loan at Huish Park before Southampton decide to recall him then send straight back out on loan again. Weird we know.
Picture by FRANK REID
Tahvon Campbell is a name that maybe familiar to the older match preview reader. The striker joined Yeovil first back in January 2016 on loan from West Brom. He returned to Yeovil in the august of the same year, again on loan until January 2017. Across his two spell Campbell played 42 games (still his most capped club) scoring three goals. That said, he has missed most of this season through injury, so is unlikely to feature.
Who’s been naughty then…
No one is suspended for the game.
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