Team News – AFC Fylde (H)
2026-09-12
Billy Rowley has made three changes to his Yeovil Town side for today’s visit of AFC Fylde. Ste Walker, Hayden Muller and Ben Radcliffe are in for Slavi Spasov, Zain Westbrook’s and Joe Gubbins, who are all on the bench today.
Foot In The Opposition Camp – AFC Fylde (H)
2026-09-12
Welcome to another Mini Matchday edition of the Gloverscast! This week, the opposition focus turns to AFC Fylde as they make the long journey down from Lancashire to South Somerset to face the Glovers.
We’re delighted to be joined by Jack Connor to get the inside track on the opposition camp and how things are shaping up for the visitors.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The Season So Far: Jack breaks down Fylde’s mixed start to the National League campaign and why early expectations for a top-half finish have had to be recalibrated.
- The Departure of Danny Ormerod: A deep dive into the massive exit of their goalscoring sensation, who netted 28 league goals and left for a record-breaking fee in the region of £600,000 plus add-ons.
- Rebuilding the Squad: How the team is adapting after scoring a record 112 goals in their National League North promotion campaign, and the mindset Craig has instilled in the locker room to keep the squad resilient.
- Players to Watch: A look at the key threats remaining in the Fylde squad and what kind of tactical test they will bring to the pitch this weekend.
Match Preview: Yeovil Town vs AFC Fylde
2026-09-11
It is a return to home surroundings for Yeovil Town this weekend as AFC Fylde visit Huish Park for the unusual spectacle (this season, at least) of a 3pm kick-off on a Saturday.
FORM…
YEOVIL TOWN
The Glovers got their first taste of defeat this season in their last outing. Having been 2-0 up with an hour played at Southend United, they were blown away by a rampant home side who roared back to claim a 3-2 win with three goals in 19 minutes.
It was a game which manager Billy Rowley admitted his side were second best in. And after a unheralded start to the season the result may have been a bit of a reality check to supporters and staff alike that we do have a long way to go if we want to compete at the very top end of the table.
That being said there are always some bright moments in defeat, and I don’t think it should be overlooked that we were 2-0 up, whilst being second best. The fact we actually scored twice is a positive as well, after a couple of years, with lets say some non goalscoring attacking players, it’s good to see we have got players who know where the net is. The third being Luke McCormick, that’s all I need to say.
AFC FYLDE
If Yeovil’s start to the new season has surprised a few non-League football watchers, AFC Fylde’s will have equally raised a few eyebrows. The Lancashire side arrive in Somerset with an identical record to their hosts – P6, W3, D2, L1 – and sitting in sixth place in the early season table – not that we look at that until the end of the month, of course.
Wins away at Tamworth and Solihull Moors and a home victory over Forest Green Rovers show they will be no pushovers, but there is perhaps a chink in the armour in scoring late. Their only defeat came at Woking when two goals in second half stoppage time was their downfall, and last weekend they were leading fellow new boys Worthing until the 89th minute.
The Coasters returned to the National League Premier Division after one season away in some style, winning the National League North with 100 points and having scored 112 goals. Under new manager Craig Mahon, who joined them having worked miracles at unfashionable Curzon Ashton, they finished five points clear of South Shields in a competitive division.
Their top scorer, Danny Ormerod, who bagged more than 30 goals in all competitions, was snapped up by League One side Peterborough United for a fee of £600,000 plus add ons at the end of August, but there are plenty of goals still in the side in the like of Luca Main, who scored twice against Worthing last Saturday, and full-back turned winger, Harvey Broad, who already has four for the season.
KEY PLAYERS…
YEOVIL TOWN – BRETT MCGAVIN
It’s the turn of another member of the midfield trio with brilliant locks of hair, and that’s Brett McGavin. As much as the praise has been toward his captain and midfield partner, Luke McCormick this season, McGavin is quietly going about his business in a spectacular way.
Even playing with a stomach upset in last weekend’s 3-2 defeat at Southend where manager Billy Rowley said the midfielder was “a bit of a shadow of himself”, McGavin was at the heart of the control Yeovil had on the game and that ebbed when he was substituted after an hour.
The 26-year-old has been as effective as ever for the Glovers and is making his mark on the team once again. Others may get the goals but the former Torquay man has played his role perfectly, providing three assists so far this campaign, and that’s where McGavin has excelled this season in his passing. The midfielder so far this season has been averaging 52 passes a match, 10 more than his closest teammate Ben Radcliffe. Of those 52 passes in a match 1.5 are considered key, the most of anyone in the team.
Defensively he has been just as influential, as he sits back whilst over go forward. This has led to him recovering the ball 8 times a match and is rarely dribbled past. What does this mean in the grand scheme of things? It means Billy Rowley has found his midfield lynchpin, the Mr Reliable, a lower league Rodri if you will.
AFC FYLDE – HARVEY BROAD
The ‘defender’ has been by far and away the most impactful player in the Coasters side this season, featuring heavily in the attacking stats. At 20-years-old, Broad is one of the younger players in the team, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the first names on the team sheet.
When looking at Fylde’s goal scoring stats this campaign it’s Broad’s name that sits atop the list with four goals, he currently lies second on the assist chart as well with two to his name. In fact the last time he didn’t contribute to single goal in a game was in the opening fixture vs Tamworth.
Broad is listed as a defender but so far this season has been deployed down the left side of midfield. This role change under Craig Mahon has been effective with his contributions in the final third. If there is one weakness of the youngster that Yeovil may look to exploit is that he doesn’t get back much to do the defensive work, so any balls in behind him could leave Fylde’s defence a tiny bit exposed.
THE GAFFER…
Craig Mahon took over at AFC Fylde following their relegation out of the National League at the end of the 2024-25 season with a strong reputation from his first managerial role at unfashionable National League North side Curzon Ashton.
He brought an attack-minded style of play to the Lancashire club and finished last season as champions of the North with 100 points and 112 goals in their 46 league games. Under the Irishman, Fylde have adopted a possession-based style not dissimilar to that we are seeing at Yeovil under Billy Rowley.
As a player, he made more than 200 appearances at Chester in a career in non-League football before joining the coaching staff at Curzon Ashton. Having briefly held a role in interim charge at the Manchester club, he took the job permanently in 2023 and guided them to the highest-ever points tally in the North in 2024-25 before leaving to join Fylde.
LAST TIME WE MET…
When these two sides last met in the 2024-25 season, both games were memorable for different reasons – but both ended with the Glovers on top.
Striker Harvey Greenslade bagged the only goal in a 1-0 home win for Yeovil in March 2025 when he struck in the sixth minute of second half stoppage time. That match saw Mark Cooper’s side struggle to break down a resilient Fylde before the substitute grabbed a late winner.
But even that drama is topped by the ding-dong encounter the two sides had when they met in Lancashire in September 2024. Having been 2-0 down at half-time, the two sides traded blows throughout a gripping second half with ended with debutant Dom Bernard grabbing an 87th minute winner for the visitors to seal a 4-3 win.
Picture courtesy of Gary Brown
DON’T I KNOW YOU?
A Thursday afternoon signing has set up the return of striker Millar Matthews-Lewis to Huish Park. Remember him? Don’t worry, you are forgiven.
The 21-year-old striker played 120 minutes in a six-game loan spell after signing on loan from Burton Albion last March when the Glovers were desperately short on numbers and even shorter on goals. He arrived with an impressive scoring record for Hemel Hempstead Town in National League North which earned him his move to the League.
In fairness, the situation made it an uphill struggle for the player who did made a substitute appearance for his parent club in the League Cup around a month ago – but he was fairly forgettable in green-and-white. Don’t say it!
Corey made 11 appearances during a loan spell from Liverpool in the 2017-18 season whilst Tom is a more recent face having made just eight appearances in Yeovil’s first season back in non-League in 2019-20.
The missing midfielder’s absence is a major blow for Fylde having been one of the stand-out performers in their charge to the National League North title last season.
THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…
Paul Marsden is our match official this weekend and……well, we will leave you to find out more about him Ben’s article – here.
Gloverscast #524 – “More surnames than goals”
2026-09-11
August was good – September has started a little rocky, but the Glovers are back and it’s Fylde up next at Huish Park.
Ben and Dave are joined by Chris Fox to pick that one apart and take your GCQs.
MOTM Result – Southend (A)
2026-09-10
We’re not sure if it was the early kick off or the gut punch of a result, but a low turnout on this week’s Man of the Match vote.
Nevertheless, someone has to take the crown and that honour went to goalkeeper Jos Barker.
There wasn’t much in it, with Archie Davies getting just a couple of votes less and as such taking second spot whilst the Skipper Luke McCormick was back in third.
| DATE | OPPONENT | RESPONSES | 1ST (Votes / Percent) | 2ND (Votes / Percent) | 3RD (Votes / Percent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUGUST | |||||
| 08.08.26 | Scunthorpe | 130 | JORDAN NORVILLE-WILLIAMS (91 / 70%) | Mason Obeng (16 / 12.3%) | Jos Barker (12 / 9.2%) |
| 15.08.26 | Carlisle United | 152 | JOS BARKER (71 / 46.7%) | Jordan Norville-Williams (34 / 22.4%) | Zain Westbrooke (14 / 9.2%) |
| 22.08.26 | Gateshead | 168 | RYAN JONES (57 / 33.9%) | Luke McCormick (42 / 25%) | Archie Davies (24 / 14.3%) |
| 28.08.26 | Barrow | 174 | JOS BARKER (114 / 65.1%) | Jordan Norville-Williams (35 / 20%) | Luke McCormick (10 / 5.7%) |
| 31.08.26 | Tamworth | 156 | BRETT MCGAVIN (87 / 55.8%) | Luke McCormick (24 / 15.4%) | Jos Barker (10 / 6.4%) |
| AUGUST PLAYER OF THE MONTH | 780 VOTES | 🥇 JOS BARKER (8 PTS, 2 MOTM) | 🥈 JORDAN NORVILLE WILLIAMS (7 PTS, 1 MOTM) | 🥉 LUKE MCCORMICK (5 PTS, 0 MOTM) |
|
| SEPTEMBER | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| 05.09.26 | Southend United | 47 | JOS BARKER (12 / 25.5%) | Archie Davies (10 / 21.3%) | Luke McCormick (8 / 17%) |
| 12.09.26 | AFC Fylde | 88 | RYAN JONES (47 / 53.4%) | Luke McCormick (13 / 14.8%) | Archie Davies (10 / 11.4%) |
| 15.09.26 | Aldershot | 110 | RYAN JONES (49 / 44.5%) | Archie Davies (17 / 15.5%) | James Daly (13 / 11.8%) |
| 18.09.26 | Solihull Moors | 127 | RYAN JONES (52 / 40.9%) | Zain Westbrooke (18 / 14.2%) | James Daly (16 / 12.6%) |
| 26.09.26 | Kidderminster Harriers | 157 | JOS BARKER (80 / 51%) | Ryan Jones (17 / 10.8%) | Johl Powell (15 / 9.6%) |
| 29.09.26 | Worthing | 112 | BRETT MCGAVIN (38 / 33.9%) | Ryan Jones (35 / 31.3%) | Jordan Norville-Williams (21 / 18.8%) |
| SEPTEMBER PLAYER OF THE MONTH | 641 VOTES | 🥇 RYAN JONES (13 PTS, 3 MOTM) | 🥈 JOS BARKER (6 PTS, 2 MOTM) | 🥉 ARCHIE DAVIES (5 PTS, 0 MOTM) |
|
| OCTOBER | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| 03.10.26 | Boston Utd | 175 | JOHL POWELL (47 / 26.9%) | Jordan Norville-Williams (37 / 21.1%) | Ryan Jones (29 / 16.6%) |
| 10.10.26 | Wealdstone | 150 | BRETT MCGAVIN (136 / 90.7%) | Jack Kingdon (6 / 4%) | Johl Powell (3 / 2%) |
| 17.10.26 | Leatherhead (FAC4Q) | 62 | JOHL POWELL (17 / 27.4%) | Archie Davies (9 / 14.5%) | Jordan Norville-Williams (8 / 12.9%) |
| 20.10.26 | Leatherhead (FAC4QR) | 112 | JACK KINGDON (74 / 55.2%) | Slavi Spasov (20 / 14.9%) | Ryan Jones (16 / 11.9%) |
| 24.10.26 | Altrincham | ||||
| 27.10.26 | Hornchurch | ||||
| 31.10.26 | FC Halifax Town | ||||
| NOVEMBER | |||||
| 14.11.26 | Boreham Wood | ||||
| 21.11.26 | Forest Green Rovers | ||||
| 24.11.26 | Eastleigh | ||||
| 28.11.26 | Harrogate Town | ||||
| DECEMBER | |||||
| 05.12.26 | Hartlepool United | ||||
| 09.12.26 | Wealdstone | ||||
| 19.12.26 | Boston United | ||||
| 26.12.26 | Sutton United | ||||
| 28.12.26 | Woking | ||||
| JANUARY | |||||
| 02.01.27 | Altrincham | ||||
| 09.01.27 | Hornchurch | ||||
| 16.01.27 | |||||
| 23.01.27 | Carlisle United | ||||
| 26.01.27 | Eastleigh | ||||
| 30.01.27 | Scunthorpe United | ||||
| FEBRUARY | |||||
| 06.02.27 | Forest Green Rovers | ||||
| 13.02.27 | Kidderminster Harriers | ||||
| 17.02.27 | Worthing | ||||
| 20.02.27 | Solihull Moors | ||||
| 23.02.27 | Aldershot | ||||
| 27.02.27 | Gateshead | ||||
| MARCH | |||||
| 06.03.27 | Barrow | ||||
| 09.03.27 | Tamworth | ||||
| 13.03.27 | Southend United | ||||
| 20.03.27 | AFC Fylde | ||||
| 26.03.27 | Woking | ||||
| 29.03.27 | Sutton United | ||||
| APRIL | |||||
| 03.04.27 | FC Halifax Town | ||||
| 10.04.27 | Boreham Wood | ||||
| 17.04.27 | Hartlepool United | ||||
| 24.04.27 | Harrogate Town | ||||
Daly: We’ve clicked for a reason
2026-09-10
Yeovil Town winger James Daly has said the club’s impressive start to the new season is down to its business in the transfer market over the summer.
The Glovers lost their first game of the new National League season with a 3-2 defeat at Southend United last weekend, but had been unbeaten in their opening five fixtures despite facing heavyweights including Carlisle United, Scunthorpe United and Barrow.
They take on newly-promoted AFC Fylde at Huish Park on Saturday looking to get back to winning ways ahead of a run of three games in six days. They travel to Aldershot Town on Tuesday night followed by a home game with Solihull Moors next Friday.
Speaking to BBC Somerset reporter Jack Killah on Thursday, Daly said he believes the squad is capable of handling the rigours of a hectic schedule: “From the first couple of weeks of pre-season, I think the boys who have been here understood that the group we have this season is full of great characters, with a lot of work ethic, and boys who are really hungry to succeed. It’s been a breath of fresh air coming in this season and seeing the way the lads have taken to it. How well we’ve come together in the first few weeks has been really good to see.
“I think we have proven we have options all over the pitch. Our ability to bring players on to affect games now is a lot greater, and that comes down to the investment in the squad. Now, when we’re in games, we almost have a Plan B. We’ve got boys who can come on and affect the game even more, which is a massive relief, and it really brings the boys together as well.
“The boys who have come in have taken to it like a duck to water because (manager Billy Rowley and his staff have) profiled the positions so well. Everyone probably thought it would take longer to click, and I know it’s only early, but it’s clicked for a reason. They’ve profiled the right players for the right team and that’s why we’re winning. There’s a lot more to do, but we’re in a good spot.”
Fylde will arrive in Somerset this weekend looking to maintain a good run of form of their own having returned to the Premier Division after a season away last year. They won the National League North title with 100 points under new boss Craig Mahon and have lost just once all season, matching Yeovil’s record of winning three, drawing two and losing one in their opening six matches.
Daly said: “They look a very high-energy, high-pressing team, so it’s another challenge for us. We’ve done our review pretty well and we’re working on a plan to beat them and hopefully use our strengths to our advantage. They’re high pressing and we’re composed on the ball, so it’ll be a good match down at Huish. It’ll be a clash of styles, but we’ve just got to take confidence and know that our style is good enough.
“We’ve started really well (at home). The boys have come out and the fans have been our 12th man. It really gives us players that added emphasis to do well there and create some special memories, which is what we’re trying to do.“
Rowley expects Glovers to be at full strength
2026-09-10
Yeovil Town will go in to this weekend’s home game with AFC Fylde with a full strength squad as they look to bounce back from their first defeat of the season.
Manager Billy Rowley said that defender Ben Radcliffe midfielders Brett McGavin and Luke McCormick, who both left the field early in the 3-2 defeat at Southend United last Saturday, are available along with defender Joy Mukena who has been suffering with illness earlier in the week.
The only omission from the Glovers’ first-team is midfielder Joe Haigh who is in training having undergone surgery in the summer and is yet to kick a ball in green-and-white since signing from Dagenham & Redbridge in the summer.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah on Thursday, Rowley said: “Luckily, we’ve had a couple of boys back training today. Joy (Mukena) was sick, I think he might have caught something a couple of days after the Southend game. He was probably 85 or 90 per cent back today as well. So, touch wood, we’ll have a full selection and a really good squad to pick from.
“Brett (McGavin) had what I think was food poisoning or a virus. He was throwing up two or three times before the game and also threw up at half-time (at Southend). He did so well to stay on, but he looked a bit of a shadow of himself. Macca (McCormick) had some issues with his calves which blew up and he had to come off. (Radcliffe) pulled out on the day of the game, so it left us limping into that game a little bit. But we’re a little bit stronger this week.”
Rowley admitted he had spent the days since the defeat at Southend, where Yeovil led 2-0 before losing to an 85th minute winner from a rampant home side, looking at how he and his side could improve as they look to get back to winning ways at Huish Park.
He said: “What it does is really motivate me to improve heavily. When you win, you can sometimes just enjoy it for 24 hours but when you lose a game, as soon as you step foot on the coach home, you’re looking at the game back and figuring out how you can improve. It speeds up the process of trying to improve.
“We have had good meetings with some of the lads this morning, looking at ways to improve every week. Everyone’s fully on board and today was one of the better training sessions we’ve had in a while.
“I’ve always been pretty good at that and try to stay as level-headed as possible. For young players to see that from the management team is also very important because it is a long season. We’re going to have so many ups and downs with this group. We’re going to have good spells and bad ones, and as long as we can stay consistent in our behaviours, how we train and what we’re working on, I think it will improve them much quicker.”
This weekend’s opponents, AFC Fylde, suffered their own late heartbreak last Saturday as they conceded an 89th minute equaliser to draw 2-2 at home to fellow new boys Worthing. The Lancashire club won the National League North with 100 points last season and Rowley is expecting a tough test at Huish Park.
He said: “I have been very impressed with Fylde and I’ve been talking about this all week with the lads. They press really high, they’ve got a high defensive line and they really get after the ball. We’re going to need to be a really good version of us. We’re going to need to be really clean and have some fantastic ideas about how we’re going to score, which is what we’ve been working on in training today and will continue tomorrow. I’ve got a lot of respect for what they’re doing there and we’re hoping for a really good test against them.
“They’ve got some really good individuals with a lot of talent, but they’re also really well coached. Marrying those two together forms a strong potion. They’re trying to play football the right way. They get it down and have some really good ideas in build-up, very much like us. So I think it’ll be a slugfest and a good toe-to-toe battle.”
The game is the start of a run of three games in six days for Yeovil who travel to Aldershot Town on Tuesday night before facing bottom club Solihull Moors at Huish Park next Tuesday night.
Rowley is expecting to have to utilise every part of his squad and is confident he has the quality to bring in to his starting line-up to compete.
He said: “Naturally in football, every player wants to play every game. But over the next 10 days or two weeks, there will be a chance for everybody to be used. In training today, everybody looked hungry to play, which is exactly what you want to see. They just need to be ready to be called upon, which I’m sure they will be.”
Match Officials – AFC Fylde (H)
2026-09-10
Paul Marsden will take charge of Yeovil Town’s home game against AFC Fylde. This is his third National League game of the season, he’s averaging SIX yellow cards across the previous two.
He has taken charge of three previous Yeovil games, but not since a 1-0 defeat to Oldham back in 2024.
He sent off manager Mark Cooper that day, a red card that was rescinded by the FA after the official’s accusations were found to be not proven.
After the match the first of Dave’s five conclusions said this;
“Let’s just scrap Rule 1: I’m going to get the obvious point out of the way straight off, referee Paul Marsden had a stinker…”
Eek.
He’s only been to Huish Park once too, a 2-0 home win over Altrincham in the 2021/22 season.
His season stats for the 2025/26 season in the National League was 11 games, 35 yellows and just the one red card, a double booking for Gateshead’s Fenton John.
He awarded three penalties.
Mr Marsden’s asssitants are Scott Chalkley and Kevin Morris whilst Dean Trevealen will be hoping to have a quieter afternoon than the fourth did during that Oldham game!
Yeovil Town FC (First Team) v AFC Fylde (First Team)
National League – Premier
Referee: Marsden, Paul
Assistant Referee: Chalkley, Scott
Assistant Referee: Morris, Kevin
Fourth Official: Treleaven, Dean
Rowley and McCormick get monthly nominations
2026-09-09
Billy Rowley and Luke McCormick have been nominated for manager and player of the month by the National League.
The Glovers went unbeaten in August and the Skipper was key in front of goal with four goals in the month.
Billy Rowley (Yeovil Town)
P5, W3, D2, L0
D 1-1 v Scunthorpe United (A)
D 1-1 v Carlisle United (H)
W 3-0 v Gateshead (H)
W 2-1 v Barrown (A)
W 3-2 v Tamworth (H)
Luke McCormick (Yeovil Town)
A great start for the Glovers who are one of only two unbeaten sides in August. Helped hugely by the contribution of Luke McCormick who hit four goals across wins against Tamworth, Barrow and Gateshead.
The gaffer is up against Luke Garrard, Chris Agutter and Daryl McMahon.
Luke McCormick will face off against Matt Rush, former Glover Tristan Abrahams and Dan Urpins.
Congratulations to both!