Yeovil Town are back at Huish Park this Saturday, as they take on a strong Southend United side in the league.
FORM…
YEOVIL TOWN
Last time out Yeovil faced a well drilled Scunthorpe United team, losing 1-0 in Lincolnshire. After conceding in the 22nd minute through a gift to Tyrell Sellars-Fleming, Town steadied the ship in what could have been a tough afternoon. Although the Glovers never really looked like scoring, they did come away with four shots on target, the most we have had since the Sutton win at the end of September.
SOUTHEND UNITED
After a strong start to the season for the Shrimpers only losing three of their first 15 games, things have slowed down in recent times. It’s the last three games that will be a worry for the Essex side, with no wins and an FA Cup loss to Wealdstone, respectively, being a cause for concern.
In their last game, against table-toppers Carlisle United, Southend were beaten 2-1 at home. The visitors went 2-0 up in the space of 10 minutes after Chris Conn-Clarke opened the scoring in the 19th minute, before Regan Linney doubled their advantage. Sam Austin then pulled one back two minutes for the Shrimpers.
The scoreline doesn’t tell the full story however, with Southend having 10 shots on target, 57% possession and only committing nine fouls against the top side.
A story that could come to haunt an out-of-sorts Glovers side.
KEY PLAYERS…
YEOVIL TOWN – JAMES PLANT
Plant is very much the type of player that can create something out of nothing and that is what the Glovers need at the moment. With strikers, who let’s be honest here, don’t look like scoring at the moment, it may rest on the youngsters shoulders to be the spark to get things going.
So far this season the winger has shown why he is integral to Yeovil’s play and the stats back it up. On average Plant has three successful dribbles per game which is what you want from your winger. He also does the defensive work well, with 4.7 balls recovered per game.
If the Glovers are to win, it may be down to James Plant.
Pic Gary Brown
SOUTHEND UNITED – ANDY DALLAS
As much as it pains me to write how good a former W*ymouth player is, Dallas’s quality can’t be overlooked. The Scotsman has contributed to the Shrimpers success this season, with seven goals to his name.
Goals is Dallas’ game, with 70 goals in 246 appearances, with his best returns coming in the 2022/23 season with Solihull Moors and Chesterfield where he bagged 20 goals that campaign. His move to Barnsley in 2023/24 stunted his progression somewhat with only seven goals in the two years that followed. However, now back at National League level, Dallas looks to have found his shooting boots once again.
THE GAFFER…
Kevin Maher is the visiting manager this weekend and he very much sits in the echelons of Southend United legends. Maher association with the Shrimpers started when he left Tottenham’s academy for the Essex coast line in 1998. Over the next 10 years the former midfielder would go on to make 384 appearances for the Roots Hall side. The 49-year-old then had spells at Gillingham, Oldham, Dagenham & Redbridge, Bray Wanderers and Whitehawk across the following seven years before retiring in 2015.
Maher, then went into an academy role with Southend from 2015-2019 before becoming assistant manager at Bristol Rovers. The Ilford man spent two years with the Gas before being offered the manager’s role at Roots Hall in 2021. In the his time in charge of the Shrimpers, Maher as overseen 195 games, playing Yeovil six times, with his record against the Glovers being won three, lost two and drawn one.
LAST TIME WE MET…
DON’T I KNOW YOU…
Just one player for the Glovers fans to dig into their memory bank for this weekend.
Nathan Ralph – Now at the tail end of his career, Ralph spent two years of it at Huish Park. Joining Yeovil on a free from Peterborough United way back in 2012, the left back would stay in Somerset for three years and writing his name into Glovers folklore for being a part of the team that got us to the Championship. During his time with Yeovil, he would make 41 appearances in all competitions.
THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…
Scott Jackson takes charge of the fixture, and as usual read Ben’s full article here