Taunton Town (Page 2)

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Taunton Town have confirmed they are “communicating with” Yeovil Town after tickets for the New Year’s Eve fixture in the county town went on sale at the weekend……seemingly in error!

Having gone live on the Fanbase ticketing portal for online sales, a number of fans purchased their tickets for the all-Somerset encounter at Wordsworth Drive, only for them to disappear off sale later in the day.

We contacted Taunton on Monday morning and were told: “We are currently communicating with Yeovil regarding this issue.”

Beyond that, we don’t know what will happen with those tickets which were sold or with the allocation which will be given to the Glovers for what is expected to an anticipated fixture.

Watch this space……

 

Match Tickets

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Yeovil Town’s festive fixtures have been tweaked with the away game at Taunton Town brought forward.

The game at Wandsworth Drive will now take place on New Year’s Eve.

The fixture still kicks off at 3pm.

It was mentioned when the fixtures were announced that the league would allow flexibility with regards the New Year’s games with teams looking to maximise player availability and potential revenue from attracting a weekend crowd.

We’re all looking forward to the Wannell Derby double header at the back end of 2023.

 

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Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has named a strong side for the Somerset Men’s Premier Cup tie against Taunton Town.

On loan Bristol City man Will Buse starts in goal, making his first competitive start for the Glovers against the side he started the season on loan with.

Charlie Wakefield returns to the side after a spell out with injury and there are starts for Ewan Clarke and Lawson D’Ath who have been short of minutes recently.

Louis Britton, who has been waiting for his chance due to the form of Alex Fisher, also starts up top with the Glovers’ top-scorer named on the bench.

Youth players Ollie Haste, whose loan with Truro City allows him to represent the Glovers also, striker and Benjani Junior both make the bench.

The side in full (with something of a guess of formation…)

 

Substitutes: Chiori Johnson, Ollie Haste, Jamie Andrews, Alex Fisher, Benjani Junior.

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Joe Budd, Nick Grimes, Jake Wannell, Ollie Chamberlain, Lloyd James, Nick Mcootie, Ross Stearn, Ross Staley, Dave Sims-Burgess, Dylan Morgan. Substitutes: Dan Ball, Joe Guest, Zac Smith.

Referee: Stacey Pearson.

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Yeovil Town’s defence of the Somerset Men’s Premier Cup has been delayed by the weather.

The Glovers have confirmed tonight’s second round tie with Taunton Town has been postponed with rain forecasted for later today.

In a statement, the club said: “After an assessment of the pitch by a local referee and forecasted rain later today, tonight’s Somerset Premier Cup fixture has been postponed.

“Details of a further date will be released in due course.”

It added that tickets for the potsponed date would be honoured for the rearranged fixture.

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FA Cup giant killing and Yeovil Town have a long history. But, a season after setting the record for the non-League club with the most League scalps in the FA Cup, the Glovers’ campaign has been ended early by lower league Taunton Town.
As he was for the first match, Rich Willcox-Smith was watching on from the stands at Wordsworth Drive – we’ll not ask in which end – and here he gives his conclusions on another difficult night to be a Yeovil Town fan.
It started okay. In my conclusions after Saturday and on the podcast on Monday, I said that I was surprised how sluggish Yeovil were from the off in the first game. But from the off, they looked faster and fitter and the ball spent a lot of time in the Taunton half. If the personnel were the problem at the weekend, the arrival of experienced heads like Jamie Reckord, Alex Fisher and Gime Toure seemed to be the tonic – for the first 15 minutes at least.
We struggled with balls in to the box. We know we are struggling to score goals and, if that is an issue, a sound defence is absolutely crucial but we really struggled with Taunton’s balls in from wide and set pieces. It was one of these that got Taunton a penalty. It was a dangerous ball in that was on its way out if it was left, but a silly, more stupid, raise of a hand gave the ref no option to point to the spot. Couldn’t really be argued with. Even know Grant Smith did get booked for not agreeing with the decision.
The scoreline could have been a lot worse. As was the case of Saturday – I seem to be saying that a lot – Taunton could have been more than one goal ahead at half-time. In the second half, if they had got another two I don’t think anyone could have complained. They were more than deserving of their victory and an away tie at MK Dons in the first round.
If you don’t take shots, you don’t score goals. Forgive me the obvious comment, but the way we struggled to make Jack Bycroft in the Taunton goal work was painful. Over 180 minutes of football, there was nothing which made the keeper have to pull off a worldie for his cleano – sorry, Ben! This is the same team by and large that has managed to get results against the likes of Wrexham, Chesterfield and Solihull Moors in the league.

Is this rock bottom? Two abject performances in space of three days, Ben Richards-Everton and Matt Worthington coming together after the match and supporters protesting against the manager the owner, it’s not a great look. In his post-match interview, Josh Staunton said that this has to be our rock bottom. [Think we said that was the defeat against York City, Rich, or was it the draw at Altrincham? – Ed] It is heart-breaking to see so many supporters say they have had enough and will not return until Hargreaves, Scott Priestnall or both are gone. As Dave keeps on saying, nothing changes until everything changes – but the big question is, who is going to bring about that change? Whoever it is and whatever it is, it needs one happen fast.

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Yeovil Town captain Josh Staunton said the club’s exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Taunton Town had to be “a wake-up call”.

He admitted there was “an air of negativity” in the dressing room which was “crippling” the squad, but he said the 300 travelling supporters were within their rights to boo the team off the pitch at the final whistle.

He said: “We have let them down. As a group of men we have not delivered a performance that a club or our stature deserved and that falls on the players.

”Those scenes at the end are a wake up call, that hurts me as captain of that team and trust me you will not find anyone more disappointed than me over these last two games.

“We need to be inspired to do something and when chances fall our way, we have to be the ones who want to make a difference.

”That is how you turn a season around, one bit of passion or heart to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and be the one to make a difference, at the moment we look like we are passing the buck.”

Manager Chris Hargreaves cited the inexperience of some of his side’s younger player saying that the occasion of the Cup tie may have got to some players.

Asked about the response to going behind to a first half penalty from Taunton’s Lloyd James, Staunton said that was the moment his team-mates had to react positively.

He said: “That is where you either become a player who has some longevity in your career and you want to make a difference, or you find it hard to galvanise yourself and go in to your shell.

”As soon as we concede a goal at the moment, it seems like we are climbing a mountain and it all comes down to belief and confidence and when things are not going your way you have to find that yourself.“

The captain concluded that there now needed to be a response as the team travels to Oldham Athletic on Saturday looking to their 17th place position in the National League.

Staunton said: “It is a test of resilience. You can either lay down and be someone who lets the game pass by or be someone who will stand up and say ‘this is it, this is our turning point.’

”This has got to be the rock bottom that we bounce back up from. It is now a case of galvanising the group, picking them up for Saturday and being the one who leads the group by putting your shoulders back and taking the responsibility and criticism.”

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Chris Hargreaves apologised to Yeovil Town supporters for a performance which was “nowhere near good enough” as his side went out of the FA Cup at Taunton Town.

A first half penalty from Lloyd James was enough to settle the fourth qualifying round tie and send the National League South side, who sit 24 places below the Glovers in the pyramid, through to the first round.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins, the manager said he “could not accept that kind of performance” from his players.

He said: “I picked a team I believe could win the game comfortably, it’s a group of lads that has been good enough to get results against good sides in the National League.

”So against a very resilient team, albeit one from a lower league, we did not deliver, so apologies to anyone who turned up tonight to watch that.”

The travelling 300 supporters at Wordsworth Drive made their feelings known with the team booed off at the final whistle for the second successive match. They faced a similar reception at the end of the tie’s first game at Huish Park on Saturday.

Hargreaves said he did not blame fans for the reaction: “They have to see something (from the team) which they can hold on to and get behind you. I have no problem with (the reaction of supporters.

”The players have got to step over that white line and give them something to cheer about over the two legs they haven’t which is bitterly disappointing.”

He admitted there was “no hiding place” from criticism of his record since taking the manager’s job and compared the situation with Bristol Rovers, where he was previously part of the youth team set up.

He said: “I have seen (Bristol Rovers manager) Joey (Barton) take a lot of stick and then turn it round and that is all you can do in football – prove people wrong, fight and believe and I do.

”If I didn’t (believe) I would not have taken the job and I want everyone else to do that.”

The final whistle saw some Glovers’ players clashing with each other with defender Ben Richards-Everton and midfielder Matt Worthington involved in some fiery exchanges.

Asked about it, the manager said it was a product of their annoyance at the performance and result.

He added: ”The boys are giving everything, but tonight a few nerves showed with some of the younger players and the occasion got to them.

”We have to work with them quickly because we need them to play.”

He added that he would “have to see a reaction” from the players when they returned to training on Wednesday morning.

They travel to Oldham Athletic in the National League on Saturday looking to build on a 1-0 home win in their last league match.

Hargreaves said: “I will now move on to a National League game having won the last one, that is my mindset. I can’t forget about that.

”Since that game there has been a very disappointing two (games) against a team in a lower division.

”This club needs to be in the Football League, not win the FA Cup. I go in to the next game on Saturday as determined as I was when I walked in the door.”

 

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Venue: Wordsworth Drive
Tuesday October 18th, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Dry but cold
Pitch: Narrow and slopey

Attendance: 2,347 (350 away supporters)

Scorers: Lloyd James (pen) 26

Bookings: 

Yeovil Town:  Worthington 33
Taunton Town: Grimes 13, Z.Smith 48

Referee: Paul Johnson

 

Yeovil Town : (3-5-2)

Grant Smith

Max Hunt  Josh Staunton Ben Richards-Everton

                                 Chiori Johnson                                                       Jamie Reckord

Sam Pearson       Callum Rowe (for Will Dawes, 70)      Matt Worthington

Gime Toure  (for Jake Scrimshaw, 78)   Alex Fisher (for Malachi Linton, 78)

Substitutes: Will Buse, Morgan Williams, Sam Perry, Ollie Hulbert.

Taunton Town: Bycroft, Foulston, Grimes, Ball, Chamberlain, James, Jarvis, McCootie (for Sims-Burgess, 83), Guest, Smith, Lucas. Substitutes: Budd, Warwick, Stearn, Staley, Morgan, Irish.

 

Match Report

Yeovil Town’s FA Cup campaign came to an end

Thanks to Jake Farrant from the Green & White Supporters’ Club who allowed us to use his match report – you can read it on the club’s own page – here – with none of the Gloverscast trio in attendance.

Here’s how he saw it…..

First half

Yeovil had the better of the opening exchanges but they weren’t able to put Taunton under any sort of pressure and the game soon began to be a bit dull, much like the first game at Huish Park.

As Taunton began to have some play of their own they were awarded a penalty on 26 minutes when Chiori Johnson handled the ball in the box and Lloyd JAMES stepped up to fire the ball past Grant Smith.

On 30 minutes the home side almost made it 2-0 when Ollie Chamberlain broke through the Yeovil defence but he fired his effort wide.

Very little happened for the remainder of the half as Yeovil just didn’t look like getting an equaliser and they trailed at the break.

Half time:  Taunton Town 1 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

Neither side made changes at half time and the game continued with Yeovil playing poorly.

Both teams struggled to create chances during the second half with Yeovil being limited to half chances.

As time ticked away it was inevitable that Yeovil were heading out of the cup and when the full time whistle went the fans were less than impressed.

Full time:  Taunton Town 1 Yeovil Town 0

 

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Tickets for the FA Cup replay at Taunton Town on Tuesday night will go on sale to season ticket holders only, the club has confirmed.

In a post on its Twitter channel after Saturday’s goalless draw, the club said it expected to receive “a very limited capacity” for the match and promised further details “in due course.”

If the police allow the stadium to operate at a theoretical 2,500 capacity, which seems unlikely, the maximum allocation would be 375 – so probably bank on it being a bit lower than that. Our guess is the allocation will be around 300 people.

On Sunday lunchtime, the National League South Peacocks provided an update to its own supporters saying that details were for its own fans only adding that “Yeovil Town FC will manage their own allocation“.

Tickets for home supporters were priced at £15 for Adults, £10 for Concessions and £5 for all Under 18s, which probably suggests the cost of tickets for travelling fans – but we will wait and see.

The match at Wordsworth Drive – or the Cygnet Health Care Stadium, if you like sponsored names – will kick-off at 7.45pm.

The Taunton update adds: “Supporters are reminded that any form of smoke bomb or pyrotechnic is strictly forbidden inside the stadium. Any person identified breaching this regulation will be notified to the Police and be subject to an immediate football banning order.”

Watch this space for details on tickets for away fans…..

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The FA Cup has always been an important competition to Yeovil Town – who still hold the record for the most League club scalps as a non-League club – and this season’s campaign got underway with a 0-0 draw at home to Taunton Town yesterday.

The final whistle was met with boos from the stands at Huish Park and a recognition that it will take a journey up the A358 to the county town for a replay on Tuesday night if Chris Hargreaves’ men are to make it to the competition’s first round.

It was a hard watch for any Yeovil fan and here Rich Willcox-Smith, who some of you will have heard on last Friday’s podcast was in the away end this weekend, gives his  conclusions…..

Grant Smith. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Yeovil were slow to start: After last weekend’s impressive 1-0 home win over a decent Solihull Moors side, I was expecting Yeovil to come out with an extra spring in there step but actually they were very slow to start. For large parts of the first half, they were second best to a side sat a division below them. The crossbar was the Glovers’ friend to save them going into the half-time interval a goal down. Taunton midfielder Ross Stearns effort hitting the woodwork gave the Yeovil back line a sigh of relief. The big frame of Ben Richards-Everton is usually enough to scare most forwards. But today he looked like he had met his match in visiting striker Nick McCootie.

Players looked uninterested and frustrated: The first shot on target for the home side did not come until a minute in to the second half, by which time Taunton had called Grant Smith in the Yeovil goal in to action on a number of occasions. There was at least a fr*st*a*t*ion [the F-word is still banned here, Rich – Ed] from the Glovers players which could easily have been described as many of them looking uninterested. Presumably something was said in the dressing room at half-time – possibly ‘have a shot’ – but it was still limited to efforts from outside the box and not enough to test Jack Bycroft in the Taunton goal.

Malachi Linton. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The lack of goals is concerning: Building upon my previous two points, we saw Malachi Linton, Alex Fisher and Jake Scrimshaw – the three out-and-out strikers in the Yeovil Town squad – and there was very little to threaten. No Charlie Wakefield isn’t a striker. It is now 14 games in to the season and 13 goals have been scored with our top scorer is still left wing-back Jamie Reckord. For context, that’s exactly the same number we scored in the first 14 games of last season when our strike force was widely considered as powder puff. Yeovil could still have been playing come Sunday morning and no goals would have come, the only saving grace from that is that Taunton didn’t really give Grant Smith much to do.

There’s no Plan B: The plan yesterday seemed to be to play the ball sideways and back, there was very little going forwards and even when Fisher and Scrimshaw came on, it seemed to be the same tactics and nothing to try and take on a fired up Taunton side. We can only hope that seeing the Peacocks in the flesh will give Chris Hargreaves something to work on in the 72 hours before the replay – otherwise, it’s difficult to have too much confidence going in to the replay.

The final whistle was toxic: The final whistle was met by boos from the home supporters in the biggest crowd of the season at Huish Park. I could hear it over the cheers coming from the away supporters, so it must have been loud! I’ve not heard anything like that since the dark days of Darren Way’s time as manager and our slump out of the Football League. I thought those days were gone, but it looked – or more to the point sounded – like they were back with a vengeance yesterday. To be fair, it’s hard to argue with the response of the paying public – that was one of the poorest displays I have seen from a team playing in green-and-white.