Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley says his side are ready to dust themselves down and embrace the thrill of a Friday night fixture under the Huish Park lights as they prepare to host Solihull Moors.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah, Rowley reflected on a performance against Aldershot that left him both proud and frustrated. Despite playing over an hour with 10 men following a red card, the Glovers delivered a heroic team performance, though ultimately coming away with two points fewer than their dominance deserved.
Reflecting on the match, Rowley said:
“I’ve watched the game back, one and a half times now. It’s hard to watch the second half for obvious reasons, and it’s also a little bit false playing with 10 men, even though we’ve managed a bit of a habit of that in the last few months here.”
“Reflection on the game is that we were incredible for 30 minutes. We could have easily gone two up and it would have been a very different game, [we’re] still really frustrated with the ref, I appreciate it’s a very difficult job, and you’ve got two eyes, and there’s a lot going on on a football pitch, and you can’t make every decision perfectly. I just felt like two or three went against us on the night, and that is enough sometimes to control the result. I’ve seen James Daly’s shoulder barge numerous times, probably not a foul, shoulder to shoulder, just strong, great balance, and should be a goal.
And then obviously, the [Ryan Jones] penalty. So, yeah, feel really aggrieved by those two things. We should be stood here with three points from Tuesday night.”
Attention now turns quickly to Friday evening’s home clash under the newly installed floodlights at Huish Park. Rowley highlighted his strong connection with the local supporters, describing the Friday night atmosphere as something both he and the squad genuinely relish.
“It’s brilliant. It is so much fun. I’ve built a real good connection with a lot of supporters there now. I see the same faces, same routine, sign their programs, have a chat about their week, it’s great seeing those people. I’m really fond of everyone there, and the pitch is fantastic this season.”
However, the Glovers face a defensive conundrum ahead of the fixture. With two centre-backs sidelined, Joy Mukena through injury and a three-match suspension for Loick Ayina.
Rowley will be forced to reshuffle his traditional defensive line. Jack Kingdon is among those expected to step up, with Rowley praising the youngster’s professionalism and patience during his wait for a starting opportunity.
“It’s a chance for a couple of the lads that have been sitting waiting for their opportunity. Jack Kingdon being one. I can’t speak highly enough of his character and his professionalism in these recent weeks. There is no worse feeling as a player to come training every day and not play a game on a Saturday. [I] Fully appreciate that. I’ve spoken to Jack at length about how he’s the youngest player in the squad, not that I hold that against him in any way. But it’s been about just sort of being around being around the group, understanding what we need, what the game looks like, what our patterns look like, and this is a real good chance for him. I’m not in any way putting pressure on him. I just want him to go out there and enjoy, but yeah, it’s a good opportunity for him.
Ben Radcliffe is also set to miss out with Ste Walker also likely to remain out of contention following illness.
Despite Solihull Moors sitting lower in the National League table, Rowley warned against complacency. Pointing to underlying metrics and data, he labeled Solihull’s league standing as a “false position,” praising their chance-creation statistics and cautioning that visitors buoyed by a midweek victory over Barrow will present a stern challenge.
With several players carrying minor knocks from Tuesday’s exertion, including winger Ryan Jones, who was forced off late. Rowley acknowledged that squad depth will be vital. Nevertheless, with Huish Park behind them, the Glovers manager remains confident his squad can deliver an elite performance and claim all three points.
“I still haven’t picked the team, so [I’m] going to go look at that now a little bit deeper. We do have some great options there. I’ve just had some good conversations with the lads about what’s needed, what’s expected of them in recent weeks. I’m really looking forward to seeing a lot of the boys on the pitch, you know.
We definitely haven’t hit anywhere near top gear yet. There’s been some real glimpses of us looking good. We’re starting to really become familiar, I think, with some relationships and partnerships on the pitch, and I want that to continue to grow, but I also want to give chances for players to step in and show what they can do as well. So, I think we’ve got a good balance at the moment.”