Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley has said that being more clinical in front of goal was the only real improvement his side needed to make after their 1-1 draw at home to Worthing on Tuesday night.
The Glovers fell behind just before the half-hour mark when a tame effort from the visitors’ Razzaq Coleman De Graft from the edge of the box was spilled in to his own net by keeper Jos Barker, before a Brett McGavin free-kick which deflected off a Worthing player levelled the game early in the second half.
There were opportunities for both sides to have grabbed all three points after the equaliser with Johl Powell coming close to adding to his recent scoring streak at one end while defenders Ben Radcliffe and Jack Kingdon had to make heroic blocks at the other end to deny the visitors.
Speaking to BBC Somerset reporter Josh Perkins after the game, Rowley said: “I was just talking to Adam (Hinshelwood, the Worthing manager) and we both said the same thing, we both thought our side could have won it based on the chances we created. But, I think when I wake up tomorrow, I’ll probably think it is a good point, so there are mixed emotions.
“You sit on the bench so often and you say to the staff ‘We’re in a good spell here, we need to score’ and then one mistake and you’re 1-0 down and thinking ‘how’s that happened?’ It was almost like two middleweight boxers just swinging at each other for 90 minutes, you’re open for the knockout blow, but equally they are, and we’ve finished the game on points.
“I thought it was a great advert for the league. Both teams actually finished completely on empty. It was a good night of football.”
Having fallen behind, Yeovil made the perfect start to the second half when McGavin fizzed a free-kick in to the box which deflected off Worthing defender Joe Cook on its way in to the net. The effort was on target, but widely credited as an own goal.
The manager said: “Brett’s probably one of the best ball strikers and set-piece takers I’ve ever seen in real life, some of the things he can do with both feet in training are an actual joke. I think he’ll probably feel that he should be getting more goals and assists from set-pieces. I know he gets a lot, but I think he would also feel he can do more because of how good his right foot is. I’m really pleased with him, though. It’s a great delivery and a nice start to the second half, it’s just a shame we couldn’t keep that going a little bit longer.”
Despite failing to pick up all three points, the Glovers retained their position in the National League play-offs as September draws to a close. Next up at Huish Park on Saturday are Boston United who were held to a 1-1 draw at FC Halifax Town on Tuesday.
Asked what he would like to improve, Rowley said: “I’m not sure there’s loads to improve, be a bit more clinical and we can finish this game with three or four goals but equally they could have scored a few as well. I think it’s more of the same, if we turn up and we’ve got a little bit more cutting edge to our attacking play and a little bit more conviction in our finishing, I expect us to score goals at home.
“I think our fans can see now that we’re trying to get the ball in the box more, we’re trying to run at people and we’re trying to play forward when we can. The idea is to come here and try to score a few goals on Saturday.”
Luke McCormick Update
Once again there was no place in the squad for club captain Luke McCormick who has not been involved in the Glovers’ last three matchday squads with Rowley repeatedly saying he is “unavailable for selection” due to an “internal matter.”
Before the interview with the boss closed on Tuesday night, there was a question about the midfielder’s situation:
Josh Perkins: Lastly from me, still no McCormick in the squad today. Is there any update on him at all?
Billy Rowley: No. Potentially, we’ll have an update for everyone on Saturday, but nothing else on that right now.