Two goals from new signing striker Harvey Greenslade and another from fellow frontman Aaron Jarvis saw Yeovil Town get their pre-season campaign underway with a comfortable victory at Southern League Division One South side Melksham Town on Tuesday night.
Manager Mark Cooper fielded two different XIs in each half which included trialist left-back Jacob Roddy and the son of former Exeter City manager and Glovers’ midfielder, Paul Tisdale, Sam. Pre-season is all about a bit of guess work on who some of these players are, isn’t it?
It was last season’s top-scorer Jordan Young who gave the visitors the lead after six minutes before Jarvis added a second just before the half-hour mark. Melksham pulled one back after new signing goalkeeper/goalkeeper coach Matt Gould parried an effort to their striker, before a double from Greenslade sandwiched a great effort from Dylan Morgan.
First half
The starting XI included first outings in green-and-white for on-loan Southampton goalkeeper Ollie Wright, defender Finn Cousin-Dawson and striker Aaron Jarvis, who were all additions to the summer. There was also an appearance for trialist defender Jacob Roddy, who was released by Charlton Athletic’s academy in the summer after a spell on loan at Oxford City in the National League Premier last season, starts at left wing-back.
Under-18s’ defender Jacob Shore was also in the starting line-up as part of a three-man defence alongside Cousin-Dawson and Alex Whittle, playing as a left-sided central defender. Michael Smith was the wing-back on the right side with Roddy on the left. Defender Jordan Thomas, signed from Hampton & Richmond in the summer, was a notable absentee in the squad, but he was at the game.
It was a bright start from the Glovers with Charlie Cooper fizzing an effort wide after just four minutes before Jordan YOUNG put them ahead on six minutes. He beat his defender with a burst of pace and fired an effort which went under the Melksham keeper and in to the bottom corner.
Shore was forced off after just 13 minutes following a collision and was replaced by a trialist Tisdale.
There was no team-sheet available from the home side, so best we can say is one of the Melksham players dragged an effort wide on 19 minutes before Young had an effort turned around the post by the keeper following good work from Alex Whittle, player as a left-sided central defender alongside Cousin-Dawson and then Shore/Tisdale.
On 27 minutes, Jarvis worked the keeper with an effort before JARVIS got his first goal in green-and-white when he was on the end of a stinging shot from Michael Smith which snuck past two Melksham defenders.
There was an effort for the home side which Wright comfortably dealt with before Charlie Cooper whipped in a corner which became more like a shot.
Half time: Melksham Town Yeovil Town 2
Second half
The only survivor of the XI which started the first half was Tisdale, with goalkeeper/goalkeeper coach Matt Gould taking over in goal, Koerner coming in as left-back, Brett McGavin made his first outing in midfield and Harvey Greenslade came in up front. There was also a place for Jordan Stevens.
Greenslade, the Glovers’ first summer signing following his release by League One Bristol Rovers, made an immediate impression after cutting in from the right side and forcing a smart stop out of the Melksham keeper after 50 minutes.
Dylan Morgan was the next to test the keeper two minutes later and the home side pulled a goal back on 57 minutes. Gould parried an effort straight back to the Melksham NUMBER NINE (still no name) and he turned home the rebound.
But, just after the hour mark, Greenslade restored the two-goal advantage for the visitors. Sam Pearson broke away rapidly following a Melksham corner before picking out GREENSLADE who made a great finish.
Stevens showed his pace on 63 minutes charging down the right before picking out Frank Nouble whose effort went just wide. On 71 minutes, Jacob Roddy replaced Tisdale Junior going to left centre-back, before Dylan MORGAN made it 4-1 with a great bit of skill to beat his defender and then fired home.
On 80 minutes, it was 5-1 when McGavin’s free-kick cannoned back off the bar (we knew he can hit them!) and GREENSLADE was on the spot to fire home the rebound.
A good run-out for the majority of the first-team squad along with a couple of trialists and a couple of Under-18s players. Mark Cooper takes his side to Frome Town for their second pre-season friendly on Saturday.
Full time: Melksham Town 1 Yeovil Town 5
First half – Yeovil Town (3-5-2): Ollie Wright, Jacob Roddy, Alex Whittle, Michael Smith, Jacob Shore (for Sam Tisdale, 13), Finn Cousin-Dawson, Matt Worthington, Charlie Cooper, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Jordan Young, Aaron Jarvis.
Second half – Yeovil Town (3-5-2): Matt Gould, Sam Tisdale (for Jacob Roddy, 71), Morgan Williams, Jake Wannell, Corey Koerner, Brett McGavin, Dylan Morgan, Jordan Stevens, Sam Pearson, Frank Nouble, Harvey Greenslade.
Goals: Jordan Young 6 (1-0), Aaron Jarvis 27 (2-0), Number Nine 57 (2-1), Harvey Greenslade 61 (3-1), Dylan Morgan 74 (4-1), Harvey Greenslade 80 (5-1).