Exeter City

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Maybe it’s the heat, but I cannot for the life of me put a Fisher and Pond joke together, anyway…

Alfie Pond

Yeovil Town have announced the loan signing of Exeter City’s Alfie Pond.

The central defender had been on loan with Tiverton Town during the 2021-22 season with Grecians’ gaffer Matty Taylor describing him as someone who “is going to be a serious player” following his first team debut in a JPT game.

6ft 3, Pond becomes the 6th Glovers loanee meaning one of Sam Pearson, Sam Perry, Will Buse, Finley Craske, Matty Grivosti and Pond will have to sit out of each match day squad as per FA rules only permitting five in a match day squad.

He has been linked with Celtic and Rangers in the past with Exeter’s academy regularly on the big clubs’ scouting lists after numerous successes.

Commenting on the loan move, Hargreaves said; “Alfie is certainly an exciting prospect, but he’s someone who we believe can make an impact now.

“He’s proven he can make the step up to men’s football whilst at Tiverton, and will become another valuable member of our squad.”

There were no details of the length of the teenager’s loan agreement in Somerset, however, at tweet from Exeter suggests he is with us until January.

 

Here’s hoping for a successful stint in green and white.

Welcome Alfie!

 

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Chris Hargreaves said he was pleased with the fitness level and mentality of his Yeovil Town side following the 1-1 draw with League One newcomers Exeter City at Huish Park today.

A Tom Knowles goal gave the Glovers the lead before they were pegged back by a Matt Jay goal shortly before half-time with the second half seeing a flurry of changes on a very hot day in Somerset.

Speaking after the game, the manager said: “I was really pleased, we were resilient, looked a threat at times and were in the mindset of working their socks off all day.

“We are a fit bunch of players and even in the second half when we were making changes and putting out a team of young boys and trialists, they bought in to it with the mentality we have and the fitness levels.

“There is lots to work on, we could keep the ball better at times, but (new signing, striker) Alex (Fisher) has added a different dimension because you have a focal point which you can look to at times.

“But the main thing today was the fitness levels and attitude which was spot on.”

The boss said he expects his side to play “percentage football” when the National League season kicks off in three weeks time.

He told the Gloverscast‘s Ian Perkins: “I don’t think we can be obsessed with the way we are playing, we want to play the right way but in this league we have to play percentage football.

“We’ve also got to add to the squad, so we can only do what we can do at the moment is how I would summarise it.

“We are trying to work on a couple of things to give us a couple of options in the way we play and I was pleased with some of it.

“Against a good opposition (in Exeter), you are not going to dominate the ball, so to have that type of resilience was good.

“What I would like to see in more games is more play in the final third, more shots on goal and more crosses, but that is difficult against a good side.”

Hargreaves is still looking to add more to the squad with four more trialists getting an outing against the Grecians.

Ex-Torquay United full-back Chiori Johnson played 70 minutes in his second appearance having played in the midweek draw at Taunton Town, and forwards Pierre Fonkeu and Stanley Anaebonam also appeared after the break.

Fonkeu appeared against Taunton and was most recently with National League South side Hemel Hempstead and had a spell at W*ymouth (which we’ll not talk about),whilst Norwegian Anaebonam most recently played in the Irish League with Shelbourne.

The manager said: “We still have a couple of add and we are working hard to do that at the moment, but on today’s evidence the application was evident.”

New signing striker Alex Fisher played 75 minutes against one of his former clubs and impressed his manager.

Alex Fisher in action against Exeter in his last spell at Huish Park in 2018. Pictures courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The boss said: “Alex wants to be here and that is something I have maintained with the lads we have talked to, they have different reasons for being here.

“The captain, Josh Staunton, wants to leave a legacy of his time at the club which is great because you can go back to the era you are at with Yeovil and you are well thought of.

“It’s the same for Fish, he wants to play a certain amount of games and score a certain amount of goals for the club. (Let’s hope that means ‘lots’)

“I love that because it means you are absolutely up for the challenge, so I am delighted to have him.

“(Full-back) Jamie Reckord has been fantastic since he joined, as has (striker) Malachi Linton, they have shown me why they wanted to come here.”

Lawson D’Ath. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz

Playmaker Lawson D’Ath sat out the friendly at Huish Park having missed the Taunton Town game, but Hargreaves insisted the knock was “nothing to worry about.”

He said: “I have a lot of sympathy for Lawson because he’s had a couple of pre-seasons where he’s not been able to get fit, some with serious injuries and some with bad luck.

“He just had a reoccurrence of an injury, ever so slight but we have to make sure when he gets back, he gets back fully fit.

“Nothing to worry about, just a frustration really.”

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Venue: Huish Park
Saturday July 16th, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: “I like it hot, but I don’t like it this hot.”
Pitch: Exquisite

Attendance: 926

Scorers: Tom Knowles 20, Matt Jay 34

Referee: Gary Parsons


Yeovil Town : (5-3-2)

Grant Smith

Chiori Johnson (Trialist) (for Charlie Wakefield, 70), Max Hunt, Josh Staunton (for trialist, 70), Morgan Williams, Jamie Reckord (for Ollie Haste, 76)

Sam Perry (for Toby Stephens, 80), Matt Worthington (for Matt Buse, 70),

Tom Knowles (for Pierre Fonkeu, 56)

Malachi Linton (for Ollie Hulbert, 56) Alex Fisher (Triallist, 75)

Substitutes (not used): Max Evans

Exeter City: Lee, Caprice, Sweeney, Stubbs, Hartridge, Sparkes, Kite, Trialist, Dieng, Nombe, Jay..(and a lot of unnamed substitutes)

 

Match Report

Chris Hargreaves first friendly at Huish Park ended in a 1-1 draw against League One Exeter City.

A vintage Tom Knowles finish opened the scoring in the 20th minute for Yeovil but that was cancelled out by Matt Jay’s equaliser just before the half time break.

On a hot afternoon in Yeovil, neither side particularly over-exerted themselves as the game wore on and petered out in true pre-season friendly fashion.

First half

On the most glorious of glorious days, Huish Park was looking resplendent in this sunshine and the early exchanges were cautious in the heat. 

The returning Alex Fisher nearly put his new partner Malachi Linton through on with a chested pass that just about ran on to the Exeter keeper.

Soon after, a cross to the back post was headed wide of Grant Smith’s goal by Sam Nombe under pressure from Morgan Williams and Chiori Johnson.

Nombe had the next chance for Exeter in the 14th minute as the Grecians nicked the ball from Yeovil’s midfield and broke away. The striker slipped as he attempted a hopeful left-footed effort from distance that comfortably rolled through to Smith.

The Glovers took the lead 20 minutes in through Tom Knowles. Making amends for his penalty miss at Taunton, he picked the ball up after sloppy play from Exeter and drove purposefully through the defence to strike a low left footed effort past Harry Lee in true Knowles fashion #DFILWF. 1-0

Yeovil held a strong defensive shape and kept Exeter to efforts from distance and in the 28th minute a curling effort from their left back Jack Sparkes had Smith at full stretch as it flew wide of the post.

Exeter found an equaliser on 34 minutes after a poor header by Max Hunt fell to skipper Matt Jay in the six-yard box who couldn’t miss. 1-1

 Half time:  Yeovil Town 1 Exeter City 1

Second half

As the temperature reached 38 degrees on the pitch (according an Ian Welch announcement), the action started to liven up after five minutes of the second half. A driving run and low cross by Sparkes forced an important stop in the box by Smith and created a breakaway for Knowles who was pulled back by an Exeter trialist who received a booking. 

The Glovers made their first changes of the game after 56 minutes, with Ollie Hulbert and a trialist (Pierre Fonkeu) replacing Knowles and Linton.

The action tempered away in the heat with Exeter reduced to optimistic pot shots against a well-organised green and white striped back line.

As the clocked ticked past the hour, Huish Park was treated to more substitutes from both teams with former Yeovil academy player Pedro Borges coming on for the Grecians and Stanley Anaebonam (trialist) joining the Glovers attack.

As more trialists (and Charlie Wakefield at wingback) entered the fray on 70 minutes, a mix up in the Exeter defence nearly allowed Hulbert to put Yeovil ahead but the ball ricochet in the box before trickling into the keeper’s gloves.

No real action followed that as the substitutions and heat saw the flow disrupted and both sides play it safe through to the 90th minute.

Full time:  Yeovil Town 1 Exeter City 1

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There is just one trialist named in the Yeovil Town starting XI for today’s pre-season friendly against League One new boys Exeter City at Huish Park today (3pm kick-off).

Alex Fisher in action against Exeter in his last spell at Huish Park in 2018. Pictures courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Trialist A appears to be playing at right back on the team-sheet and therefore we assume it is Chiori Johnson, the former Torquay United player who played in the goalless draw at Taunton Town on Tuesday night.

Four other trialists are named on the substitutes’ bench whilst striker Alex Fisher, who joined on a two-year deal in the week, makes his first start since returning to the club.

Charlie Wakefield and Ollie Hulbert are both named on the bench having missed the midweek game through injury, but there is still no place for Lawson D’Ath.

Yeovil Town: Grant Smith, Trialist A, Morgan Williams, Max Hunt, Josh Staunton, Jamie Reckord, Sam Perry,  Matt Worthington, Tom Knowles, Malachi Linton, Alex Fisher. Substitutes: Max Evans, Ollie Haste, Toby Stephens, Charlie Wakefield, Ollie Hulbert, Trialist B, Trialist C, Trialist D, Trialist E.

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? Ciderspace

No sooner had the 2021/2022 season finish, did the preparation for 22/23 begin and we have our first pre season friendly in the books.

Exeter, fresh from Promotion to League One will come to Huish Park on Saturday July 16th with a 3pm Kick Off and…

Plymouth Argyle will visit Huish Park on Saturday July 23rd, with a 3pm Kick Off.

Argyle are preparing for their season in League One as well and will take in other local games against Bristol City and Truro.

Ticket news will be made available in due course.

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Exeter City defender Jordan Dyer has joined Bath City on a season-long loan – less than 24 hours after returning from a loan spell with Yeovil Town.

The 21-year-old arrived at the National League South side on Friday having played just two minutes during a one-month spell at Huish Park.

He and fellow Grecians’ loanee, striker Ben Seymour, returned to their parent club on Thursday with manager Matt Taylor saying neither had got enough game time with the Glovers.

Speaking about the return, the Exeter boss said: It’s a shame because, we sent them out on loan to get game time, the experience and opportunity and they didn’t quite feel that they got that due to whatever reason”

He added then that one of the two could be going back out on loan “sooner rather than later“, which it appears referred to Dyer.

Whilst Dyer’s game time was limited during his time with Yeovil, Seymour played the equivalent of just over three-and-a-half games during his one-month spell.

The young forward was unavailable for the game at Grimsby last weekend after a member of his family tested positive for COVID-19.