Solihull Moors

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Venue: The Racecourse
Tuesday, 18th April, 7:45pm kick-off

Pitch: A light green turf carpet
Conditions: Bright, breezy with little cloud cover

Attendance: 10106 (217 away supporters)

Scorers: Anthony Forde 59, Jamie Jones 71, Paul Mullin 76

Bookings: 

Yeovil Town: Cooper 42, Freckleton 44
Wrexham: None

Referee: Michael Barlow

Yeovil Town (5-3-2)

Substitutes: Grant Smith, Jordan Young (for Siziba 69), Malachi Linton (for Bevan 23), Max Hunt, Chiori Johnson (for Griffiths 63)

Wrexham: Foster, Barnett, O’Connell, Tozer, O’Connor, Forde, J.Jones, Cannon (for Young 79), Lee, Mullin (for Palmer 87), Dalby Subs: Howard, Cleworth, McAlinden


Match Report

Yeovil Town’s relegation to National League South was confirmed emphatically this evening at the hands of Wrexham.

The Glovers performed admirably but the league leader’s quality shone through as they saw off Mark Cooper’s side 3-0. Goals from Anthony Forde, James Jones and Paul Mullin put Wrexham on course for promotion to the EFL.

Here’s how the match went…

First half

The opening exchanges were even, with Yeovil keeping some nice control of the ball. In the 8th minute when Freckleton was dispossessed the Glovers got their first taste of the Wrexham attack. Mullin drilled a cross through the 18 yard box and Anthony Forde’s shot was charged down by Yeovil defenders.

Yeovil had a couple of efforts from corners shortly afterward, with Charlie Cooper drawing ire from the Wrexham faithful for his placement of the ball on the corner arc.

Wrexham nearly opened the scoring in the 13th minute with Andy Cannon’s drilled effort going wide of the post with Will Buse well-beaten.

Yeovil were forced into a 22nd minute change when Owen Bevan injured after a push in the back by Paul Mullin saw him pull his thigh. Malachi Linton entered the fray at left wing back. Despite Max Hunt being on the bench…

Yeovil managed to carve out an opportunity in the 26th minute with Matt Worthington’s effort stinging the gloves of former England international Ben Foster.

Both side traded possession with Wrexham finding gaping holes on their spacious pitch and moving the ball around nicely. 

Wrexham had a half chance through a header in box after Ben Tozer’s long throw.

After the early efforts, the Glover did find themselves under the cosh and were only able to clear the ball long and invite Wrexham pressure.

Reo Griffiths was dispossessed in stoppage which allowed Elliott Lee to turn and escape Charlie Cooper and Scott Pollock. Lee found Mullin on the edge of the box but he fluffed his lines and skied the ball into the building site behind Buse’s goal.

Half time: Wrexham 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

After the half time break it was much of the same, with Yeovil trying to soak up pressure and hit Wrexham on the counter. 

It wasn’t until the 56th minute that something gave, with Cannon having another effort from outside the box that was deflected wide as Buse scrambled across his goal.

Just before the hour mark, a slip by Pollock on the edge of the box allowed Anthony Forde time to pick up the ball and work some space and fire a deflected effort into the bottom corner past Buse. 1-0

As a response, Yeovil introduced Chiori Johnson for Reo Griffiths, moving Linton to centre forward.

Wrexham came close to doubling their lead in the 65th minute after a collision in the box fell to Mullin whose deflected effort looped over the bar.

In the 71st minute the second goal came. A scramble in the six yard box just couldn’t be mopped up and JAMES JONES doubled the league leader’s lead. 2-0.

It was nearly a third moments later but for terrific save from Buse. A sloppy touch from Josh Staunton allowed Paul Mullin the chance inside the 18 yard box but the Bristol City loanee was equal to it.

PAUL MULLIN scored his 45th goal of the season in the 76th. A cross from Barnett on the right hand side found him unmarked to nod to the far post past the helpless Buse. 3-0

Former Yeovil man Ben Tozer did his best to get a fourth but Buse made yet another impressive save.

Wrexham’s substitute Young called Buse into action again moments later as the Glovers desperately sought the final whistle.

On the 87th minute, Paul Mullin was replaced by Ollie Palmer. Depth.

Foster was called into his first action of the second half in the 88th minute as Jordan Young spotted the goalkeeper off his line and fired in a testing effort.

Yeovil tried for a consolation goal but couldn’t break down Wrexham whose jubilation was matched with the despondence amongst Yeovil supporters.

Full time: Wrexham 3 Yeovil Town 0

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An abject first half followed by a stirring comeback and even two goals to see Yeovil Town take a point from a 2-2 draw at Solihull Moors should be enough to cheer up that miserable curmudgeon Coatesie – right? Well, it kind of did, here’s his conclusions from his day out in the Midlands…..

 

The first half was pathetic: Let’s do this chronologically and start with the biggest negative. Charlie Cooper spoke after the game about playing for personal pride and, on the basis of the performance in the first half, that was completely lacking from every single player in a Yeovil Town shirt. Yes, I know there’s some who are playing with injuries, yes, there are some who really do care, but the way a Solihull side with nothing left to play for carved us apart at will was embarrassing. If any player thinks that type of performance will make them appealing to a club at this level or above, I want some of whatever they’re having. The half-time whistle was met with complete apathy, it was a performance so weak it sucked even the anger out of those who remained on the terrace when it sounded. Those with any sense had departed to the bar long before.

What a difference three subs makes: The arrival of Zanda Siziba and Reo Griffiths changed the game. From the first minute of the second half, Siziba was a constant menace down the left side and, though he was not so in the thick of it, Griffiths’ quality inside the box created both goals. With the two of them on the pitch, we looked a different side. None of us know what exactly has (and has not) gone on with them and the manager and some of their team-mates have not exactly hidden their distaste for it, but they brought exactly what we were crying out for over those crucial fixtures against Gateshead, Aldershot and Dorking. If they’d been given the chance, would it have made a difference? Truth is we will never know, but given how well what we tried worked, I will say it seems a mistake not to have even given it a go.

Reo Griffiths and Zanda Siziba applaud supporters after the match.

It had to be those two, didn’t it? Whilst I was delighted with the performances from both Siziba and Griffith, their performances gave the petty, childlish side show which continues to play out an opportunity to raise its head again. It’s obvious to everyone these two players were recruited by the owners-in-waiting and even if he’s kept his promise to stay off Twitter so far, Matt Uggla could not resist posting on his Instagram. And, yes Wattsy, you did call it on the last podcast – keep your eyes on Vinted and Strava, folks! I don’t know what’s gone on, but I hate the fact the thousands of good people who support and work for this football club they love are being treated with such contempt by people who claim they love it as well. And, yes, I mean Matt Uggla. Yes, I mean Mark Cooper who can’t resist a petty comment. And, yes, I mean everyone involved in the embarrassing sh*tshow which our club has descended in to. You know who you are and you should be utterly ashamed of what you have ‘achieved’ with your antics. Will you be ashamed? I have my doubts, why not prove me wrong?

I can’t wait for it to be over. Tuesday night at Wrexham will (barring some kind of miracle) see our relegation confirmed and what a strange situation it will be for it to happen whilst our opponents put a foot in to the Football League. The optimist in me (believe it or not, there is one) says that we have to look to the Welsh side to see what can be possible with investment and people with a genuine plan (yes, spending millions of pounds does count as ‘a plan’) can achieve. Let’s not forget (as if we could be allowed to forget) that the ‘fairytale’ in the Hollywood hills of North Wales follows decades of mismanagement, more than a brush with extinction and plenty of suffering for their supporters. Do I sound bitter? Probably because I am. Whilst I do detest how it’s come about and the fairytale fantasy, I am also deeply jealous of what those in the home end at the Racecourse Ground have. We had something like that once and we could have it again…….couldn’t we?

I did enjoy myself. If you have got to this stage of this hissy fit, then kudos to you for that. I feel I owe it to our last conclude-r, Marcus Duncomb, to try and end on a positive because I did enjoy (the second half) of this game. We were all any Yeovil Town supporter wants us to be – committed, attacking, fearless and playing with some pride. We scored a good first goal and an absolutely sumptuous second – a lot to be said for just leathering it, eh? Hats off to Owen Bevan for that strike. Yes, it was too little too late as I’ve said, but I did enjoy it.

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Venue: Damson Park
Saturday, 15th April, 3pm kick-off

Pitch: In pretty good nick for this stage of the season
Conditions: Dry and bright

Attendance: 1813 (176 away supporters)

Scorers: Josh Kelly 23, 28, Zanda Siziba 53, Owen Bevan 83

Bookings: 

Yeovil Town: None
Solihull Moors: J Clarke, J Kelly

Referee: Farai Hallam

Yeovil Town (5-3-2)

Substitutes: Andrew Oluwabori (for Max Hunt, 29) Zanda Siziba (for Jordan Maguire-Drew, 45) Reo Griffiths (for Jordan Young, 45) Grant Smith, Scott Pollock

Solihull Moors: Boot, Beck, Clarke, Donawa (for Mills, 77), Gudger, Howe (for Jones, 60), Kelly, Morgan, Stevens (for Wood 81), Tiensia, Whelan Substitutes: Howell, Roberts


Match Report

Yeovil Town managed to turn round a dire first half performance to earn a point at Solihull Moors this afternoon. Second half goals from Zanda Siziba and Owen Bevan cancelled out Josh Kelly’s first half double.

The result see’s Yeovil cut adrift by eight points behind Aldershot with just nine points left to play for.

Here’s how Coatesie saw it…

First half

After the opening exchanges between a team all but relegated and another with nothing to play for came to the anticipated amount – very little – the it was Solihull Moors who settled in to their rhythm the quicker.

On six minutes, a misplaced pass in midfield gifted the ball to hosts’ striker Jake Stevens whose effort was turned around the post by Will Buse, making his first start of the season. That sparked a flurry of attacks with Solihull captain Callum Howe arriving at the back post to head against the outside of the post before a long range effort from full-back Junior Tiensia warmed the palms of Buse. I’ve seen hot knives have more trouble tackling a block of butter than Solihull had getting through our defence.

Going forward, the script for this one was identical to almost any other you have read for Yeovil Town this season. A lot of play through the midfield, plenty of running around from Jordan Young and Malachi Linton up front, but zero in the way in terms of efforts to trouble Ryan Boot in the hosts’ goal.

The breakthrough came after just 23 minutes, Justin (‘The Boy’) Donawa found James Clarke on the overlap, he pulled it back to Josh KELLY who tucked away the opener. Former Yeovil striker Mark Beck, who looks every bit the head on a stick he did when he played for us, indicated the direction he expected his former employers were heading. Hard to argue.

If that was game and set, match was soon to follow. Four minutes after the first goal, along came the second when Stevens’ shot was blocked by one of a scrum of Yeovil defenders – and the referee adjudged it had hit a hand. Hard to say from my angle but there was not too much by way or argument from the visiting defence. KELLY stepped up and sent Buse the wrong way from the spot. Game. Set. And you have to feel, match.

Assistant manager Chris Todd was the man on the touchline with manager Mark Cooper suspended for too many booking this season. I therefore assume it was Todd (maybe after a text message from Cooper) that introduced Andrew Oluwabori in place of Max Hunt with Owen Bevan moving across to the right side of defence after 29 minutes.

Ten minutes from half-time a rare foray in to the box saw efforts (such as they are) from first Matt Worthington and then Jamie Reckord. Pot shots would probably be a better way to describe them.

In fact, the nearest we got to a meaningful effort came at the start of the one minute of first half injury time was mercifully awarded and Oluwabori broke forward down the left, beat at least two players on his own and then fired over the top.

Resigned dejection is the best way to describe the noise from the away end which met the referee’s whistle. So, so soft.

Half time: Solihull Moors 2 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

The half-time break saw striker Reo Griffiths and midfielder Zanda Siziba replace two of our Jordan’s – Young and Maguire-Drew. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll be in no doubt what the view of the manager and many of their own team-mates think of the two players who joined the fray. A ‘Hail Mary’ is what you call that, I think.

Whatever it was, Siziba was straight in to action with a ball in from the left wing which almost found one of Oluwabori or Linton at the back post. As it was it didn’t find either of them.

But, it was the two half-time arrivals who combined to create a goal which at least gave the long-suffering away support something to cheer about. Griffiths showed great close control down the left side before laying it back to SIZIBA who finished coolly in the corner.

It would not be an exaggeration to say the desire of that pairing, both quite obviously brought in by owners-in-waiting SU Glovers, has been openly questioned. But on the basis of their effort in even the opening ten minutes, you have to question why it’s taken until everything was lost (in this game and this season) for them to be thrown in.

That seemed to add some of the spark which was so sadly lacking in the first half and, lo and behold, a little attacking intent led to some efforts on goal. Firstly, Oluwabori’s 65th minute effort was turned over by goalkeeper Ryan Boot, and then Linton saw two breakaways see him denied by the keeper.

On 73 minutes, it is almost inexplicable how the game was not level. A clever free-kick from Charlie Cooper bamboozled goalkeeper Ryan Boot and came back off the post. Griffith and Oluwabori were both in close attendance, but the quality of the effort caught them as unawares as the keeper and neither were able to turn the loose ball home.

You could literally see the confidence return to the likes of Oluwabori and Siziba as the game progressed. They tried things and they came off, it was like shackles coming off them. I enjoyed it, it was great to see, but my mind keeps going back to why it’s taken until now for it to happen.

Play swung straight to the other end with Kelly breaking clear of the Yeovil defence but curling his effort wide. Defensively, we still looked suspect but our attack was (for once this season) proving the best form of defence.

Ex-Glover Tom Whelan put a chance over with 80 minutes gone, but three minutes later Yeovil were deservedly level and again it was a goal which owed a lot to the skill and intent of Griffiths. It was the on loan Doncaster Rovers man’s footwork which kept the ball alive inside the box and broke to Owen BEVAN to thunder home his first goal for the club for the edge of the box.

The irony that Griffiths, whose desire was publicly questioned by his manager in the week, and Siziba, whose name fits the Tequila-themed chant far better than Dale Gorman’s ever did, were at the heart of both goals was not lost on anyone in the away end at Damson Park.

But Yeovil did not seem in the mood to stop at two goals. The attacks kept coming, I know, I’m thinking the same as you are – where has that been all season?! Linton battled, Oluwabori looked a constant threat with that magic ingredient of confidence injected in to him, and Siziba was involved in most of what was good.

The best chance in six minutes of injury time fell to Oluwabori, following good play by Griffiths, but the on loan Peterborough United player could not get his effort on goal.

So, a point it was. Not enough for today, not enough for the season, not enough to secure survival on the National League which will almost certainly be extinguished at the hands of Wrexham on Tuesday night – but something to shout about. You’ve got to take what cheer you can.

Full time: Solihull Moors 2 Yeovil Town 2

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On loan goalkeeper Will Buse is handed his first National League start of the season as Yeovil Town take on Solihull Moors today (3pm kick-off).

The Bristol City stopper replaced number one Grant Smith who drops to the bench.

Up front Jordan Young comes in place of Scott Pollock, who is named among the substitutes, and Max Hunt is in for the suspended Chiori Johnson, who was red carded in the 1-0 home defeat to Dorking Wanderers last time out.

 

Substitutes: Grant Smith, Zanda Siziba, Reo Griffiths, Scott Pollock, Andrew Oluwabori.

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said he wanted to retain his integrity as he was quizzed about comments from prospective owner Matt Uggla.

Following the 1-0 defeat to Dorking Wanderers on Easter Monday, he made a series of comments on his Twitter account claiming he had backed the manager in the transfer market after Cooper claimed a decision not to sign striker Frank Nouble had damaged any hopes of surviving in the National League.

The posts have now been deleted, but Cooper said on Thursday that he was contacted by a number of players who had read the posts.

Speaking about the incident ahead of Saturday’s trip to Solihull Moors, the manager said: “For me it is about trying to be as professional as I can be in really difficult circumstances and trying to be there for the players and prepare them as best as I can for the last few games.

“There was a period not so long ago when we played really well against Eastleigh when everything was rosy and since then it has been downhill for one reason or another.

“I want to try and retain my integrity and be professional and, if I’m not, then I lose the respect of the players and I think it is important that I am there for them and they know I have got their back.

“We can’t change what has happened, it is done. It’s been a challenging few weeks for everybody, and we have to go in to these next four games and give it all we’ve got.”

On Nouble, who has since joined relegation rivals Torquay United, he reiterated that he wanted the former Colchester United striker to come to Huish Park, adding: “Frank was on his way here but somewhere along the line it didn’t happen, I would have loved Frank here, but we can’t change that, that’s gone.”

Cooper now takes his side to Solihull Moors on Saturday sat third from bottom of the table, six points adrift of safety, knowing that relegation to National League South is now just a matter of time.

And, just in case the task was not any harder, they then travel to top-of-the-table Wrexham on Tuesday night when the big-spending Welshmen could clinch promotion back to the Football League.

Asked about the task, the manager added: “If we won on Saturday, the picture could change and, of course, we have an unbelievably difficult game on the Tuesday where Wrexham can probably win the title and be promoted, so we will be there to see the champions led in – but this is football, you never know. We have to be professional right to the very end.

“I gave the players a couple of days off to try and clear their heads, they’re not going to get any fitter, it’s about clear heads and getting focused now. There’s been a lot of emotion, chaos behind the scenes, but we have to rise above it all.

“Our performances have not been bad, from our goal to the edge of their box, we have been fine, we just have to be a bit more of a threat inside the penalty box.”

Speaking about an interview given by on loan striker Reo Griffiths – which you can read here – Cooper responded to claims that the Doncaster Rovers player was ready to score goals.

He said: “Talk’s cheap, it’s actions I need to see and that is not just on the pitch, that is during the week as well. If there is somebody in that squad that I see is going to score goals to give the team a lift, I am not going to cut my nose off to spite my face.”

Cooper also spoke about the performance on Easter Monday of referee Elliott Swallow who he described as “horrendous” after sending off defender Chiori Johnson.
The boss also pointed to a penalty appeal from striker Malachi Linton, saying: “It’s a clear red card when you see it back, I can’t see how you can’t get that right.”

He also revealed that he sent a video nasty of the 1-1 draw at FC Halifax Town last month in to the Professional Game Match Officials League (PGMOL).

The boss said: “There were some incredible decisions – there were two penalty shouts in there and a horrendous tackle on Edwin Agbaje that broke his leg, and the feedback I got was that the referee was correct in all their decisions.

“Until that changes, there is no point me doing a report for a referee or ringing up an assessor because they are just going to back the referee. So until that changes, we are wasting our time.”

Sadly, Mark, the Gloverscast’s Rule #1 agrees with everything you say. For reference, Rule #1: All National League referees are useless, there’s no point wasting your breath on them.