48 hours after they departed Gateshead, Yeovil Town prepare to face a Rochdale side who have faced a long journey from Greater Manchester to Huish for the Bank Holiday Monday fixture.
Form Guide…
Having had a convincing 3-0 win at newly-promoted Boston United on the opening day of the new season, Rochdale have had to settle for two draws and a defeat from their other three fixtures of the season.
The goalless draw at home to Forest Green Rovers on Saturday saw them respond to a 1-0 defeat at York City in midweek, give them five points from their opening four matches.
The big news at Spotland this summer has been the takeover of the club by a trust set up by tech billionaire Sir Peter Ogden, who was born in the town. Towards the end of last season there had been fears the club was on the brink of liquidation.
Yeovil, under the ownership of their own local businessman, Martin Hellier, have six points from their opening four games having picked up two wins and two defeats.
Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Gateshead followed back-to-back victories at Braintree Town and then Ebbsfleet United at Huish Park on Tuesday night, and the Glovers will be hoping a return to home comforts can see them get back to winning ways.
Key Players…
Josh Sims
Since signing for his hometown team just ten days ago, winger Josh Sims has been feeling his way back to fitness having not played since turning out for Ross County in the Scottish Premiership relegation play-off in May.
But the 27-year-old has shown plenty in his minutes on the pitch in the last three matches to suggest he can be a vital asset for Mark Cooper’s men. Having featured for 20 minutes at the end of the win at Braintree, Sims played the first half of last Tuesday’s 3-2 home win over Ebbsfleet United and then an hour up at Gateshead on Saturday.
Devante Rodney
Former Manchester City academy player Devante Rodney will be a threat for Rochdale at Huish Park on Bank Holiday Monday.
He has started all four of their matches this season playing alongside Cairo Mitchell and bagged twice in the opening day win at Boston United.
That’s what he said…
Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper wasted no time in his preparation for the visit of Rochdale watching their goalless draw with Forest Green Rovers on National League TV on the journey back from Gateshead
Speaking after the defeat on Saturday, he said: “We will try and watch it on our way home, we have watched some of their games already, so we will look at how they set up. We have limited time to prepare, so we can’t waste any time.”
Rochdale head coach Jim McNulty, who much like his opposite number Mark Cooper signed a new long-term deal in the summer, said he thought his side dominated Forest Green on Saturday, but could not find the breakthrough.
He said they were “searching for answers to show a bit of quality and find the back of the net” against Forest Green and hoped that Yeovil would attack his side more on Monday
McNulty said: “You would think they will not just sit in and maybe that could lead for a different game. It will be a long trip down there (to Yeovil), so it will be able recovery, being positive and bouncing in to the next game knowing we can win a game.”
Dale suffered a blow with midfielder Harvey Gilmour limped off with a hamstring injury after 55 minutes on Saturday, and questioned the “crazy scheduling” which sees his side make the four-hour journey to Somerset just 48 hours after playing.
Asked what preparation he could do following the Saturday fixture, he said: “We can’t do anything on Sunday, we just have to travel to Yeovil. All we can do is plan for how that game might go, some very, very light stuff, but it’s uncharted territory to have a game so soon.”
We’ve met before…
It has been almost a decade since these two sides met with Rochdale coming out the winners with a 2-1 victory in Greater Manchester back in March 2015. James Hayter was the scorer for Yeovil on that day.
The last time they met at Huish Park, Ian Henderson, the veteran Dale striker who is still a key part of the squad, scored twice in a 3-0 win. In fact, you have to go back to April 2012 to find a Yeovil win, a 3-1 victory at Huish Park.
But, Rochdale holds a special place in Yeovil Town history with Spotland being the location of our first Football League fixture – and win – back on a blisteringly hot day in August 2003. Let’s enjoy that one, eh?!
Don’t I know you?
Courtney Senior is a player whose Yeovil Town ‘career’ you could easily have missed, but the winger made four appearances during a one-month loan at Huish Park in National League South last season.
He was released by Barnet at the end of last season and moved to Greater Manchester on a one-month contract earlier this month. He has appeared off the bench as a 87th-minute substitute in the goalless draw against Forest Green on Saturday and the defeat at York City last Tuesday.
Who’s been naughty then?
There are no suspensions for either side. Bit early for that.
SUPPORT THE GLOVERSCAST
The Gloverscast is a volunteer run website which costs money to maintain. If ever you feel like supporting with our running costs, which include our website hosting, Zoom subscription, The Daily Glove, we’d be extremely grateful for your donations.