Dover Athletic

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It was a dead rubber as the National League South’s bottom side, Dover Athletic, hosted the champions, that’s Yeovil Town, if you didn’t know! And the Glovers signed off the season in style with a 3-1 win at Crabble.

Dave was there to bring the curtain down on the campaign.

Farewell National League South: That’s all, folks! The National League South season is done and we wrapped it up nicely with a bow on it. For a game that meant nothing in terms of league positions to either side it was competitive in flashes with long periods of passing practice in between those flashes for the visiting champions. All respect to Dover, they have a lovely set-up at Crabble (no ‘the’ remember?) and I have no doubt they will be back up the pyramid again soon.

Picture courtesy of Gary Brown

Dylan Morgan could be a gem: If there’s one thing you can draw from yesterday it was that there could be a very handy player growing in Dylan Morgan. Yes, he was playing against a team which had been relegated three weeks previous, but the precision with which he finished his chances yesterday show he could be quite a goal-scoring midfield player. In the same way Jake Wannell has gone from a shaky start to life at Yeovil to a defensive colossus (he’s the Somerset Cannavaro), with the right coaching and no doubt a bit of luck, Morgan could do the same.

Was that goodbye from a few?: It was good to see some players we have not seen much of lately getting a good run out. Josh Owers got the full match, Jake Hyde got half-an-hour and both looked like they were enjoying being out there again. As we discussed on the last podcast, there was a definite feeling that this could have been farewell from a few. Alex Fisher’s wave to the travelling fans looked like goodbye. If I’m not just reading too much in to that, the man will bow out as a true hero – got us over the line and a thoroughly good chap.

This is how I always want to remember Alex Fisher.

An important summer: As Mark Cooper says, now it’s time to see what we are really made of. On the face of it the National League Premier is wide open, as he describes it, but every club in it will be thinking the same thing. What we decide to do this summer will be important, we’ve had a undoubtedly impressive budget on the playing side this season, and that will probably equate to something more middling at a higher level. You get the sense Cooper knows what he wants to do and it’s really down to the economic realities, but I am hopeful we can be competitive next season.

The Crabble burger was everything I remember: Now we are on to the real important stuff, but the Crabble burger was everything I remember it being. And at £4.80, it was a bargain as well. Maybe it could have done with the cheese slices melting for a little longer – but I’ll take it. If you got one, I trust you enjoyed it too.

The Crabble Burger

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Captain Matt Worthington has said his Yeovil Town team-mates will be looking to maintain their winning mentality when they finish their National League South campaign this weekend.

The champions travel to already relegated Dover Athletic on Saturday knowing that victory will see them reach 95 points and 29 wins for the campaign and, despite the game not having any influence on either side’s season, the skipper is still looking for the win.

Speaking on Thursday, he said: “We have built a winning mentality all season and that is not just something you turn on and off and that has helped us win the league.

“So we will be looking to win another game of football. As players you always want to win, it does not matter if you safe, not playing for anything or you are promoted, you still want to win a game of football. That leads on to next season, if you finish on a high, we can all go and enjoy our summer.

He added: “It starts from the training ground and then leads to on a Saturday. A winning mentality has been built up all season and we will be looking to take that in to next season.”

Worthy began last weekend’s win over Dartford on the bench.
📸 Gary Brown

Worthington, who started last weekend’s 3-1 home win over Dartford which ended with him lifting the championship trophy on the substitutes’ bench, completed a full training session on Thursday and said he will be available for selection.

Asked about next season back in the National League Premier, the 26-year-old said he believes that the team is capable of pushing towards the top of the league.

He said: “With the team we have got we are capable and if anyone comes in, it strengthens it more. We have got a really good core signed on for next season and there is no reason we cannot be pushing for play-offs and to go again, that is the target for everyone. We have winners in the changing rooms and that will carry on next season.

“Looking at the league, it is anyone’s league, there will be lots of teams pushing for those top places and it will hopefully be an exciting season.”

He admitted he was looking forward to taking a well-earned break over the summer and said he would begin his personal preparations for the next campaign from the middle of May.

Worthington was speaking on Thursday, a year to the day since Yeovil were relegated out of the National League Premier with a 3-0 defeat at Wrexham, and reflected on the changes at Huish Park since the past year.

He said: “It is crazy how much this club has come on over that year. It has been a fun day back in training today and preparing for Saturday and everyone has been in high spirits. The club has come so far in that year, it is complete change and something everyone is really enjoying.”

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Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper has said his National League South title-winning squad must evolve if it is going to be competitive next season.

The Glovers finish their campaign with a long trip to already relegated Dover Athletic this weekend with the boss saying it will be “a big jump” back in to the National League Premier next season.

Ebbsfleet United, the team who Cooper’s men replaced as champions, are still not quite safe and could do with something from their final game at fellow strugglers Boreham Wood this weekend, whilst last season’s play-off winners Oxford City finished bottom with 33 points from their 45 matches to date.

Speaking to Three Valleys’ Radio’s Si Thyer on Thursday ahead of the trip to Kent, Cooper said: “This is the first step. All we have done this year is do what we should have done. We celebrated over the weekend and it’s now about next season for me and wanting to go again.

“When you taste success you want every season to be like that, so as a group we want to put things in place which means we have a chance to do that next year.

“But, we need to give the owner (Martin Hellier) a chance to get the finances in line as to what money we have to use to try and help this really good squad we have got.

“I do not think we would have got relegated, but looking at the teams who came up from the South last year, Ebbsfleet are just about safe, and Oxford City are relegated.

“You have to strengthen because there is a big jump. We have to be ruthless and make sure we improve and, even more importantly, bring in the right characters.”

Super Cooper’s Greens are gunna blind you…
📸 Gary Brown

He suggested that there will be exits as well as (hopefully) arrivals at Huish Park in the summer, but praised the spirit which has been forged between his players this season.

The boss added: “You can’t win a league without the squad without the team spirit being really tight. Even when we have had a couple of little blips along the way, they have remained tight and navigated it without too much trouble.

“There has to be evolution and as will happen at every club, some will move on, some will stay, but the ones that move on leave with a promotion on their CV. That gives them a better opportunity to get a better club next year.”

One of Cooper’s former clubs, Forest Green Rovers, who he led to promotion to the Football League via the play-offs in 2017, were relegated back to non-League this week, and the Glovers’ boss expects the Gloucestershire side to be among those challenging at the top next season.

He said: “It is sad that Forest Green fought so hard to get out of non-League. I think they were the longest-serving members of the National League when they got promoted. It looks like they have spent a massive amount in the last two years and got relegated twice.

“There will be a lot of frustration and anger and they will be looking to bounce back, so I expect them to have a top budget for the level. Straight away they will be favourites and it looks like Sutton and Colchester for the other team coming down.

“What we have been looking at is the logistics because it is a heavily southern-based feel to the league next year which is good for us. Looks like there could be 16-17 southern-based teams which is great for us.”

It was a brace from on loan Exeter City striker Sonny Cox which sealed a 2-0 win over Dover at Huish Park in November.

The trip to Dover appears the most dead rubber of any dead rubber match with the visitors already having their hands on the league title and the home side consigned to relegation three weeks ago.

But you’ll not be surprised to hear Cooper is looking for three points which would see Yeovil finish the season with 95 points and 29 wins – which would be one more than Gary Johnson’s Conference-winning side managed in the 2002-03 campaign.

The manager said: “I will be picking a team to win the game. I will not be handing out minutes for the sake of it, it will be players that I think can win us the game.

“I want to go out with a win, the players want to go out with a win. In my first press conference this season I said ‘whether we are playing in the car park, on top of a mountain, on whatever surface, whether it’s three-a-side, five-a-side, Tiddlywinks – we want to win every competitive battle we go in to and Saturday will be no different.”

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Two-goal hero Sonny Cox admits he is enjoying his time at Yeovil Town after scoring his first goals in green-and-white in today’s 2-0 home win over Dover Athletic.

The 19-year-old signed joined on loan from League One Exeter City last month, signing a deal to keep him at Huish Park until January, and has started the Glovers’ last two games.

He was paired alongside Jake Hyde today and admitted it was tough to break down a dogged Dover Athletic side who cancelled out the National League South table-toppers in the first half.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, he said: “It was a very tough game. In the first half they sat in and made it hard for us, but we stuck at what we were doing and in the second half we broke through and got our chances.

“I was playing just in behind the striker (Jake Hyde) but I obviously I like playing down the middle. Wherever the manager needs me I will play. It was great to score the goals, we had to stay switched on and when the ball dropped luckily I was there. The fans were great today, so I loved scoring in front of the Thatcher’s End.”

The Exeter academy product, who has made 13 appearances in all competitions for his parent club this season, admits playing and training alongside the likes of Rhys Murphy, Frank Nouble and Hyde is really benefiting him.

He said: “All the lads are great, I get on with the Gaffer really well, so I am glad I came here. It is a bit of a difference from League football, but with the team we have got it is crazy where we could go with the kind of quality we have.

“I have to keep learning, going up against different opponents and learning ways to get around them and just keep at it.

“I’m learning a lot (from the likes of Murphy, Nouble and Hyde), they keep giving me little tips as the more experienced players and they have been everywhere. I am picking bits up from all of them.”

Unsurprisingly, Sonny was the player picked for the club’s official YouTube channel interview after the game, you can watch that here.

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Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper heaped praise on goal-scoring hero Sonny Cox as his double strike capped what the boss described as “the most dominant performance of the season for his side.”

The on-loan Exeter City striker netted twice in the second half to seal a new club record 13th consecutive victory with a 2-0 win over Dover Athletic at Huish Park today.

The result moves Yeovil six points clear at the top of the National League South table with at least one game in hand over all but one of the sides in the division’s play-off positions.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, the manager said: “We needed one of the forward players to step forward today. Youngy (Jordan Young) was great in possession, but he didn’t have his shooting boots on today and I think he put more in to the industrial park than he did anywhere near the goal. Sonny stood up today and they were two great finishes and it was a strong performance from him.”

The Glovers did not have it all their own way against a Dover side which sits second-from-bottom of the table, and endured a frustrating first half when they were unable to do much to trouble visiting keeper Billy Terrell.

The opening 45 minutes was punctuated by an 11-minute stoppage following a serious-looking injury to Dover defender Peter Ojemene who was stretchered off after falling awkward during a challenge.

But Cooper believes that despite going in goalless at the break, his side were always in control.

He said: “I thought it was a game we totally dominated from start to finish. The first half we just were not as incisive with our forward players and our end product was slightly off but it was all one-way traffic. We had 16 chances in the first half and probably more than that in the second half but it was a great, dominant performance from us.

“We have kept the opposition away from our goal with control of the ball and it was probably the most dominant performance we have had this season.

“I said to the players before the game that teams are not going to come here and lay down for us. We have to be patient and that was the big thing for us today. We had to concentrate, put the right weight on every pass and I never really felt we would not win the game and I thought some of our football was outstanding.”

With Cox and fellow frontman Jake Hyde, who was handed a start after scoring coming off the bench in recent weeks, unable to find a breakthrough, Cooper also had praise for his defence – goalkeeper Joe Day, full-backs Alex Whittle and Michael Smith, and central defenders Jake Wannell and Morgan Williams.

He added: “That is how it had to be. The base of our performance came from our two centre halves whose distribution was amazing and set off play in to midfield, our two full-backs were excellent with the ball, our two midfield players passed a record amount of passes for us today and we got from the edge of our box to the edge of theirs really smoothly. It was the last little bit in the first half was not what it would usually be.”

The win means that Yeovil are now just two points away from matching last season’s 40-point total for the National League Premier season – and it’s not even the middle of November.

On Tuesday night, Farnborough Town – who missed a stoppage time penalty to settle for a home draw with W*ymouth today – come to Huish Park looking to become the first side to overcome the Glovers on home soil.

Cooper is in no doubt as to what his side need to do. He added: “Every time we win a game when I go upstairs (to the boardroom) in a minute people will be saying ‘you’ve got to win the next one’, so it is great. Football is about dreams and we have to keep doing that and dream that we can keep winning.

“I am sure Farnborough will be looking and thinking ‘God, we have got to go to Yeovil on Tuesday’. They have to come here and play in front of a brilliant fanbase and, if we play well, we are a really tough team to play against.”

As is the way this season, the club’s official YouTube channel did a separate interview with manager Mark Cooper – you can watch it here.

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A double from on loan striker Sonny Cox saw Yeovil Town achieve a club record 13 wins in a row with a hard-fought win over Dover Athletic to extend their lead at the top of National League South to six points.

A frustrating first half was punctuated by a long stoppage for a serious-looking injury to visitors’ defender Peter Ojemen, who was stretchered off, and the Glovers huffed and puffed to little effect.

The second half began in similar style against a dogged Dover side belying their status in the division’s relegation zone until Exeter City frontman Cox bagged his first on 58 minutes before doubling the lead on 77 minutes.

A defeat for second-placed Aveley at Bath City means Yeovil extend their lead at the top of the division with at least one game in hand over all but one of the teams in the play-off places.

First half

The visitors started the match with only one win this season and sitting second-from-bottom of the National League South table, but they dominated the opening exchanges at Huish Park, moving the ball quickly especially down the right side.

However, it was on loan Exeter City striker Sonny Cox who had the game’s first opportunity, who showed some good footwork in the box and got his shot away which Dover keeper Billy Terrell was equal to.

On 12 minutes, Michael Smith got on the overlap down the right and put a good cross in which Jordan Young headed wide. After a patchy start, Yeovil slowly finding their groove and Smith and Young linked up soon after but the forward smashed his shot over the bar, an effort matched by Matt Worthington after 17 minutes.

The desire for an early goal seems to have us shooting on sight. The visitors will be happy for us to carry on doing that all afternoon.

Good play by Young saw him beat defender Peter Ojemen and get a ball in towards Hyde who could not get his shot away, it broke to Young who could not do any better.

More worryingly Ojemen stayed down after what looked like an awkward fall and medical teams from both sides quickly got involved and the 22-year-old left the pitch on a spinal board and wheeled stretcher to applause from all sides of Huish Park. Good news was Ojemen returned the applause given to him. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Dover defender Peter Ojemen, far right of shot, lies prone in front of the visiting supporters after an awkward fall.
Picture courtesy of Debs Curtis.

 

Following a delay of more than ten minutes, the game got back underway and Charlie Naylor came on to replace Ojemen for Dover. A strange atmosphere at Huish Park.

On 38 minutes (take at least ten minutes off that number), good play by Sonny Cox and the ball broke to Will Dawes and whether it was a miss or a Terrell save (nice one Terrell?) is difficult to tell, but either way it remains goalless.

Dawes had a better-struck shot with a minute of normal time remaining, but again it was a long range effort and Terrell gathered. The home side are being restricted to those kind of efforts with everything that is good coming from Michael Smith down the right side. You can almost here Rhys Murphy and Frank Nouble in Mark Cooper’s ear asking to be brought on to liven up a performance lacking in urgency.

With three minutes of the 11 added on played, Worthington (you guessed it) from range put a comfortable shot in to the arms of Terrell, who is yet to have a real testing shot. Not enough behind that one.

It took until the eighth minute of stoppage time for Terrell to get that test, who then got a quickfire second. Smith was in acres of space at the back post from close range and fired it straight at the keeper who did superbly to deny him, before repeating the feat from Cox on the follow-up. The teenager on loan from AFC Bournemouth has done superbly there.

A frustrating first half marred by the injury to Peter Ojemen. You sense Mark Cooper will be ‘having a quiet word’ with his players at the break. 

Half time:  Yeovil Town 0 Dover Athletic 0

 

Second half

Mark Cooper sent the same starting XI out for the second half with Messrs Murphy and Nouble surely not far from his thoughts as they attacked the Thatcher’s Stand in the second half.

But the turnaround certainly did not make an instant impact with a flat start which was lacking in midfield positions, not giving Cox and Hyde up front much to get on the end of.

On 52 minutes, a cynical trip on Will Dawes by Naylor led to a quick free-kick which found its way towards Hyde at the back post, but he could not do anything with it. Soon after another quick one from Worthington found Cox inside the box but his effort was deflected wide and, from the corner, Young found Hyde (there’s a script we’ve heard before) but unfortunately Sonny Blu Lo-Everton got in the way and the effort went over the bar.

You got the feeling a goal was coming and on 58 minutes it arrived. Great play by Will Dawes saw him get his shot in which Terrell turned away, but only as far as Hyde who did superbly to pick up the pieces and fire it back across the face of goal and there was Sonny COX to fire home his first goal in green-and-white.  The announcer gave it to Jordan Young, but we know it was you Sonny!

On 68 minutes, Cox thought he had a second goal. Good delivery from Worthington found Hyde who forced a great save out of Terrell and Cox was on the spot to fire in to the net…..but the flag was up for offside.

The goal had understandably lifted Huish Park and the team and Yeovil continued to press for a second and Cox curled an effort just wide with 20 minutes remaining.

On 71 minutes, Rhys Murphy replaced Hyde and he was almost in immediately. Dawes’ through ball found the top scorer who ran on, but the Dover defence stepped up and the flag was raised.

With 77 minutes gone, it was 2-0 to Yeovil and Cox was in on the action again. Dawes was again involved and it was his ball in from the left which a grounded Dover defender tried to clear, hit Alex Whittle and the ball broke  COX who showed superb finishing to smash home his second. 

As the celebrations continued, Frank Nouble replaced Jordan Young (who did not immediately hear the substitution) and, as if there was not enough to deal with for the Dover defence, the pairing of Murphy and Nouble was re-established. Cox moved out to the right with Dawes keeping on the left. 

On 79 minutes, Murphy forced a fine save out of Terrell and the keeper was back in action six minutes later when Cox had a shot which may have led to more if he’d passed. But he’s on a hat-trick, so who else would have passed? No-one is the right answer.

Zac Bell, who one would imagine will replace the suspended Alex Whittle when Farnborough Town come to Huish Park on Tuesday night, replaced Smith with one minute of normal time remaining, and the three points were confirmed soon after.

Full time: Yeovil Town 2 Dover Athletic 0

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Saturday 11th November, 3pm kick-off

Pitch: Cut up slightly, but held up okay
Conditions: Dry after more torrential rain during the week

Attendance: 3,162 (43 away supporters)

Scorers: Sonny Cox 58 (1-0), Sonny Cox 77 (2-0).

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Jordan Young 50
Dover Athletic: James Dunne 43, 

Referee: Robert Ablett

Yeovil Town (4-4-2)

Substitutes: Rhys Murphy (for Jake Hyde, 71), Frank Nouble (for Jordan Young, ) Zac Bell (for Michael Smith, 89), Josh Owers (not used), Jordan Maguire-Drew (not used).

Dover Athletic: Billy Terrell, Peter Ojemen (for Charlie Naylor, 28), Sinn’kaye Christie, James Dunne, Josh Anifowose, Zidan Sutherland (for Luke Baptiste, 63), Jacob Mensah, Henry Young, Nick Dembele (for Archie Hatcher, 71), John Oyeunga, Paris Lock.
Substitutes (not used): Luke Baptiste, Dontai Stewart, Johl Powell.

 

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said striker Jake Hyde is coming back to fitness having handed him a starting place for today’s visit by Dover Athletic in National League South today.

The former Wrexham frontman has scored three times coming off the bench in his past five matches and has been paired up front alongside Exeter City loanee Sonny Cox as the Glovers go in search of a record-breaking 13th consecutive win.

Top scorer Rhys Murphy and fellow frontman Frank Nouble, who scored in the 3-1 win at his former club Torquay United in midweek, are both named on the substitutes’ bench with Cooper looking to manage his frontline with Farnborough Town coming to Huish Park on Tuesday night.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins ahead of the match, the manager said: “Hydey has come off the bench and scored goals which we knew he would. He had a fragmented pre-season and he is just starting to look fit and free of any niggles and he’s done really well coming off the bench. It’s important we try and manage the older guys up front and keep everyone fresh.

“The data was really high (against Torquay United on Tuesday night), Frank was amazing, he was playing like a man possessed and he got cramp towards the end. We have two big games today and Tuesday (at home to Farnborough Town) and we have to spread the workload.”

Alex Whittle will be missing against Farnborough Town on Tuesday night.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Once again, the home side’s defence is unchanged and Cooper said the continuity they been able to achieve has been a major part of their success. Full-back Alex Whittle starts today but will be missing against Farnborough having picked up his fifth booking of the season at Torquay.

The manager added: “You can see the benefit of the continuity we have had there. The relationships, the understanding and the work we have done with them in terms of their distances has been first class. Jake Wannell looks a super player now, Morgs (Williams) is a Rolls-Royce and the two full-backs (Alex Whittle and Michael Smith) have been outstanding, as has the goalkeeper (Joe Day). 

“Whittle is a big miss for us on Tuesday, but you are never going to get through a season with all your players fit, ready and free of suspension every game.”

Dover Athletic, who are managed by former Yeovil youth team player Mitch Brundle, come to Somerset second-from-bottom of the National League South table with only one win to their name.

But, as Cooper often says, he has done his homework on the opposition and is not getting carried away with talk of records.

He added: “It is a big message for us, we have to respect every team we play and Dover are no different. We have done loads of homework and they have serious threats they can pose and we have to be at the top of our game to get a result.

“It seems to be every week we are talking about a record, but we just have to do the job that is in front of us and that is getting three points today. Whatever it means, it is only three points and that is what we have to focus on.”

 

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Jake Hyde has been handed a place in the Yeovil Town starting XI as the Glovers go in search of a record-breaking 13th consecutive win against Dover Athletic at Huish Park today.

The striker, who has three goals coming off the bench in his last five matches, is paired alongside Exeter City loanee Sonny Cox, with top scorer Rhys Murphy and frontman Frank Nouble among the substitutes.

Will Dawes also returns on the left of midfield. He appeared as a second half substitute in Tuesday night’s 3-1 win at Torquay United.

On the substitutes’ bench, play-maker Jordan Maguire-Drew having been left out for the previous two league matches, but there is no place for Jordan Stevens who appeared as a substitute in midweek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yeovil Town have the chance to go 13 unbeaten as they welcome Dover Athletic to Huish Park.

The Glovers have been emphatic recently, beating their past 12 opponents, which equals a club record. This side will want the top spot though and with a win at the weekend, they will surpass the 1963 team’s long-standing 12-game winning streak.

Dover Athletic however will be hoping to play the role of party poopers and in turn, change their fortunes. Currently sat 23rd in the league (second bottom) the Kent team will want to get their season back on track with a victory against table-topping Yeovil.

Yeovil Town News

Boss Mark Cooper feels all the pressure will be on his side when they take on Dover. He said: “There’s no pressure on them, they can relax a little bit and do what they do and try and be the ones to end the run.”

The ex-Swindon manager made it clear his team “are concentrating on themselves” and will “keep trying to put points on the board.”

Cooper also talked about how solid the back line has been recently. He said: “The back four has been really settled, it looks like a really competent back four and long may that continue.”

The 54-year-old kept his cards close to his chest when talking about injuries, stating “There were a few knocks and bruises.”

Jordan Young and Jake Hyde were both on target in the 2-0 win over W*ymouth.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

In-form striker Jake Hyde spoke about the difficulties the Glovers will face on Saturday. He said: “They’ll be a very tough side to beat in set-pieces and they will be organised… but we just have to concentrate on us.”

Rhys Murphy, Alex Whittle, Charlie Cooper and Matty Worthington are all one yellow card away from suspension.

Jamie Sendle-White still misses out through injury.

Dover Athletic Team News

Manager Mitch Brundle spoke to Dover Athletic TV after their game against Welling United. He said: “We need to start winning games, regardless of who we play against, we need to go there and try and win the game. There is no pressure off in any game, my job is to go there and try to get a result.”

He continued: “I started my youth career there so it’s going to be strange standing in the dugout. I want to go there and win. I want my team to perform and be proud when I walk away.”

One player to watch for the Kent side is Zidan Sutherland who has bagged four goals so far this campaign.

Another former Glover Iffy Allen misses out on a return to Huish Park as he serves the last game of his three-match suspension.