In-form Yeovil Town will be hoping for a good result on Good Friday as they take on a distinctly out-of-form (but still third in the league) Forest Green Rovers at Huish Park.
FORM GUIDE…
The Glovers form over the last four games puts them fifth in the National League Premier Division form table over that run with three wins and one defeat. If there was any wobbles about a fall in to the relegation places, it was well and truly dispelled with last weekend’s 2-1 home win over Oldham Athletic on home soil.
That saw Mark Cooper’s men turn in an impressive performance and end the hoodoo over them not having beaten a side in the play-offs this season – just in time for another home match against another side who will be in the top seven mix come the end of the season.
But while Yeovil’s form has been consistent then Forest Green’s has been as steady as an earthquake. They have picked up just three points in their last four matches, that coming from a 1-0 home win over Solihull Moors three games ago.
In their last outing, they went down 3-2 at home to Gateshead in the televised match last weekend. They went 1-0 down inside 45 seconds at the New Lawn before going 3-0 down inside 62 minutes, before a freak own goal and a late Christian Doidge strike made the game look closer than it probably was.
KEY PLAYERS
Yeovil Town – Ciaran McGuckin
It’s been a weird couple of months for the Rotherham United loanee since he returned on loan in January. The striker’s first spell was short but heralded three goals in six appearances, his second spell wasn’t looking as spectacular until a few games ago.
The 21-year-old was on target in the 3-0 win at Solihull Moors at the start of this month and has played a hand in three goals in the last three matches and played a major part in the form which has steered us in to a comfortable mid-table position.
Forest Green Rovers – Christian Doidge
Of course it’s Doidge. The striker has been banging them in once again this season with 11 goals to his name, and five assists as well.
The Welshman returned to Gloucestershire last year after leaving a turbulent time at Hibernian behind him. Since his return he has been in fine form and someone Yeovil needs to keep an eye on.
Another name to look out for is Kyle McAllister, whose penalty pulled Forest Green back in to the game in Gloucestershire on New Year’s Day. He has had 19 goal involvements this season.
THAT’S WHAT HE SAID
Mark Cooper believes the club he guided to the Football League for the first time in their history in 2017 will fancy their chances in this season’s play-offs – if they can banish the demons of consecutive relegations.
Speaking on Thursday, he said: “What they have is a squad of really good players and they will be a real threat in the play-offs. If you look at the table I think it is likely they will finish third and I would think they will fancy their chances because of the players they have got and the manager with all his experience. They will be trying to find a way to gather momentum.”
Forest Green manager Steve Cotterill gave his thoughts ahead of the Good Friday game. He said: “ It’s a big club Yeovil, they’re similar to ourselves, they’ve been higher up the [football] pyramid. I think Mark’s [Cooper] done a good job down there… we’re looking forward to the game.”
WE’VE MET BEFORE
In competitive matches (there have been a few friendlies down the years), Yeovil and Forest Green have met a total of 15 times with seven wins for the Glovers and three draws.
The last time we faced off it was Forest Green who ran out winners courtesy of a late, late goal from former Huish Park loanee Ryan Inniss after a 75th minute sending off for Bristol Rovers loanee Kofi Shaw gave them an advantage.
DON’T WE KNOW YOU?
There’s no shortage of ex-Glovers in the squad – and probably starting line-up – which will run out for Forest Green on Good Friday.
West Bromwich Albion loanee goalkeeper Ted Cann has played the last three matches between the posts for the visitors. The 6’2″ keeper had two loan spells with Yeovil, playing twice in the 2019/20 season and then making a further five appearances when he returned in 2021/22. He is the third keeper between the posts this season after Bristol Rovers loanee Jed Ward was recalled at the end of January to be replaced by Liverpool youngster Fabian Mrozek, who then got injured in February, leading to Cann’s arrival.
Long throw expert Ben Tozer was one of the big money signings brought in the summer following his departure from the Hollywood hills of Wrexham. Long before any American audiences had any idea who he was, Tozer was towelling down balls (stop sniggering at the back!) at Huish Park in 2015 when he played 30 times for the Glovers.
Already mentioned is giant centre half Ryan Inniss, the scorer of that late, late winner for Forest Green on New Year’s Day, He played six times during a loan spell from Crystal Palace in the 2014/15 season.
Then up front – probably on the substitutes’ bench – are fans’ favourite (especially our Ian) Tom Knowles and big frontman Joe Quigley, who we expect Jake Wannell to be looking out for after he tried to ruin the Somerset Canavarro’s chances of fatherhood in the reverse fixture.
Both players were sold by former owner <NAME REDACTED> because it made some money, although Quigley was the supporters’ fault, if you recall. Knowles joined Walsall on the eve of the 2022/23 season having scored 18 times in 82 appearances.
Quigley was transformed from ‘a head on a stick’ to quote the supporters of his previous club, Dagenham & Redbridge, when he arrived in October 2020, to a player sold for a sizeable fee to Chesterfield in January 2022 – with the never mentioned owner blaming falling gates for the departure.
WHO’S BEEN A NAUGHTY BOY THEN?
No one on Yeovil’s side is suspended.
Tell us more about the transfer of Christian Doidge to Solihull Moors 🙂