Yeovil Town boss Billy Rowley admitted his starting line-up is patched up as he named a squad with three Under-19s players among six substitutes at Eastleigh on Eastleigh.
The Glovers’ boss is without captain Jake Wannell and striker Aaron Jarvis who both went off injured in the Good Friday home win over Truro City to add to a significant number of substitutes. The youngsters named on the bench are defender Jaydon Biss, midfielder Ollie Hughes and striker Liam Nardiello.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins ahead of kick-off, Rowley said: “It’s the biggest patchwork job ever. No disrespect to them, but we have three academy lads and it’s not a professional academy, it’s a college programme essentially. If you add Gouldy (goalkeeper coach Matt Gould), we basically have two (senior) outfield players. Joy (Mukena) is patched up to the brim, so we have two players to come on.
“I say that with respect (to the Under-19s’ players), this is a tough, National League game and the three academy lads are not exactly ready for that. That is not to say they will let us down, but it is needs must.”
Pic c/o Gary Brown
On loan Cardiff City midfielder Troy Perrett returns to the starting XI having missed the last three games through suspension after his sending off in the 2-0 win at Wealdstone.
Rowley said: “Troy was playing really well at Wealdstone before he got sent off. It was unlike him to make that type of challenge, so it was unfortunate, but I think it was something he has learnt from and we are happy he is back playing.”
Eastleigh are in need to points to maintain the six-point buffer between them and the National League Premier Division relegation places, whilst Yeovil look safe with ten points between them and the dotted line. But, Rowley insisted his side are not thinking about their summer holidays and identified Spitfires’ striker Aaron Blair as a danger man.
He said: “All the players are still playing for a lot. When you put on the Yeovil badge, there is a lot of history and a lot of great players and people who have been associated with this club attached to that, and it is an honour to play it in any game, that is first and foremost. We are not going to treat any game lightly, we are not looking at the end of the season, we are looking at this fixture as our next game. But for me personally I am continuing to learn the level, the opposition, what does and does not work, so it is a good few experiences.
“There are a couple of players in the team that I really like, Aaron Blair being one of those. He’s probably in the top three in the league for his movement, he’s got explosiveness, he can play off the shoulder, he has timing, so he is going to keep our back three really honest today. We are going to treat the game a bit more conservatively, we are going to sit a bit deeper and try and conserve our legs for the second half and I imagine Eastleigh in the (league) position they are in are not used to breaking down a block and being really creative in how they play. So we are hoping to catch the on a couple of counter attacks and that is the approach.“