Five Conclusions: Wealdstone Home
2023-02-01
Another draw… that’s 13, another clean sheet… that’s 12… and another 5 conclusions to go alongside.
Gloverscast Ben had his stream beaming into Barrett HQ, here’s how he saw it.
I was fearful of Jamie Reckord’s absence, but the introduction of Edwin Agbaje might rank very high for debut performances for a young loanee.
Just 18 years of age, I thought the borrowed Ipswich man looked assured beyond his years, trying to get forward at every opportunity, linking well with his team mates and not afraid to stick a boot in where it hurt at a vital time.
I’ve said before I wanted a little more in the full back areas and based on that introductory 90 minutes, I’m hopeful we’ve got a good one.
We need to talk about the pitch.
Just seven days on from the original postponement of this game the pitch was an early focal point.
The troublesome Thatchers End goal mouth was primed for sand castle building competition and the rest of it had its moments.
Lawson D’Ath tripped over nothing when trying to defend a through ball, the edge of the 18 yard box made a wonderful tackle on Andrew Oluwabori and if a Wealdstone attacker hadn’t turned his back on Grant Smith early doors, the keeper’s stumble and slip would have left a gaping goal.
There was plenty of misplaced footsteps and wobbles, the football you play is only as good as the surface its played on. Whatever has happened in the past couple weeks has clearly taken its toll on the surface and we could do with looking after it… not training on it to make a point.
The red card of course changed the game.
Firstly, I think it was a red card, not malicious or particularly dangerous, but certainly out of control and certainly worthy of the red circle of doom from Scott Jackson’s back pocket.
I think it forced our hands to make changes we didn’t want, or need to make and it means that our most assured defender will miss three games.
Ben Richards-Everton looked fairly comfortable when he came on, but Staunton is clearly hobbling more and is a warrior to the end.
I’m confident in Hunt, Williams or BRE to fill that gap, but I’d much rather have Bevan for the next few games.
JMD is human after all!!!
Our new star man had his first off day, his Sat Nav hadn’t been configured properly, his radar needs some recalibration.
A couple wayward shots, a few set pieces not quite on their mark and suddenly we’re taking off our new number 10 as the reshuffle followed the red card.
He will turn the machine off and on again and be back again for Saturday.
Finally… time for an unpopular opinion…
I cannot celebrate or even enjoy a home performance in its entirety, when we have 0 shots on target.
Off the back of a very good away win, it was important to back that up with another positive result.
The Wealdstone keeper didn’t have to get muddy (or sandy) at any point.
He was never troubled. Not with 11 Glovers on the pitch, not with 10.
I found myself getting increasingly wound up as the game wore on, I found myself begging players to pull the trigger, to get a shot in on goal that at least wakes the keeper up.
Yes, we are OK at the back, but let’s not pretend we didn’t give up chances, Grant Smith cements his title as the best keeper in the league and a better opposition strike force probably score 2 or 3 with minimal fuss.
If we’re happy with that as a 0-0, wrap the season up, call it a day and let’s try again in August.
We enter February sat in no man’s land (on and off the pitch), and I want to be entertained.
I don’t want to try and win 1-0 but settle for a stalemate, I want to try and win 4-0 but settle for a 3-3.
I’d like us to set our standards higher. Our players our better than they were, the manager is better, the whole club is better than enjoying another 0-0 draw.
Smith: A good clean sheet
2023-01-31
Yeovil Town goalkeeper Grant Smith has praised the side’s reaction to being reduced to 10 men as the Glovers picked up a point against Wealdstone.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, the stopper was happy with yet another clean sheet.
“The lads dug in well and we had chances to nick it at the end, but it was a good clean sheet and a good point.
We work on it daily, whoever it is we look solid, obviously Ben (Richards-Everton) stepped in today and a lot of the clean sheets are down to (the defenders).”
The goalless draw was not just a 13th stalemate of the league season but also represented a 12th clean sheet for Smith and the Glovers side, something which he says comes from hard work under Mark Cooper’s stewardship, with a focus on possession and being more involved in the middle of the pitch.
“He’s (Cooper) changed a few players and we have had a few weeks to work on (our style of play) with no games, we have changed little things slightly and I am enjoying it.
You can see we gain much more possession and momentum, when we are playing it short we have more bodies around so whenever we give it away we can press, whereas when we are going longer there is a lot more spaces between defence and midfield which makes it harder to gain control of the ball.”
With just 26 goals conceded in the league, the Glovers boast the joint-third best defencive record, but remain the lowest scorers in the division with just 23, Wealdstone has their chances to pick up the win, but Smith and his defence stood firm.
“Today they (Wealdstone) tried to play as well and it was two teams trying to play in the right way, but unfortunately we could not get that goal.
The fans sometimes don’t like the slow play sometimes, but we are doing it for a reason we are doing it.”
The former Chesterfield keeper is approaching the total number of clean sheets he achieved in the whole of last season already and said that his performances have been enjoyable, and consistent throughout the course of the season.
“For me, I am most happy with my consistency, keepers are always going to make saves when they are called upon but for me it is more about consistently playing well rather than being a 9/10 and then 4/10 rather than just a six or seven consistently.” (We need to talk about your rating scale, Grant…)
“Now it’s just about trying to get a clean sheet in the next game and try and get some wins so we are pulling the right way up the table.”
Here’s to “Cleano” number 13 on Saturday!
Cooper: We will take a point
2023-01-31
Mark Cooper said his Yeovil Town side would settle for a point after playing with ten men for the final 35 minutes of the goalless draw with Wealdstone.
The Glovers’ boss described his team as “immense” after a controlled first half performance saw them boss a visiting side seven points above them in the National League table, before holding out following the dismissal of defender Owen Bevan on 54 minutes.
But, once against they struggled in front of goal and failed to land a shot on target in the 90 minutes with forwards Jordan Maguire-Drew and Andrew Oluwabori both spurning good opportunities.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the match, the boss said: “You could clearly see what we were trying to do. We controlled possession, we were patient and created some really good chances. I thought we looked a really good football team even with ten men.
“But, if we are going to play like we did in the first half, we have to make good decisions once we get in the last third and the boys up front have to decide whether they shoot, cross, pull back or whatever it is. That is where they make their money, making those decisions and I thought that was the only thing missing tonight.”
Bevan, who is on loan from Premier League AFC Bournemouth, saw red after lunging in to try and reach an overhit pass, but Cooper was clearly agitated by the decision by referee Scott Jackson.
He said: “I would rather not talk about it. The referee was telling everybody he is not one that gives fouls and stops the game and the first tackle we make it is a red card, but you are never going to get it rescinded.
“I would rather not waste my energy on talking about referees and decisions, I would rather compliment our players tonight because they were outstanding even down to ten men.”
The draw meant Yeovil missed the opportunity to move from 18th place in the National League table with a number of the teams around them not having midweek fixtures.
But, Cooper added that he was starting to see his side deliver what he had been looking for since taking the job.
He added: “I want to play with a bit of control, not defending our box for 90 minutes as we were when I came in. We have brought in some technical players that can help us control games for longer periods and have less defending to do.”
Match Report: Yeovil Town 0 Wealdstone 0
2023-01-31
Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday 31st January, 7.45pm kick-off
Conditions: Dry and cold
Pitch: Heavily sanded in front of the Thatcher’s End
Attendance: 1,996 (84 away supporters)
Scorers:
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Edwin Agbaje 77
Wealdstone: Dom Hutchinson 90+1
Sendings off:
Yeovil Town: Owen Bevan, 54
Referee: Scott Jackson
Substitutes: Alex Fisher (for Jordan Young, 50), Ben Richards-Everton (for Jordan Maguire-Drew, 65), Charlie Wakefield (for Charlie Cooper, 72), Chiori Johnson, Jack Clarke.
Wealdstone: Howes, Cook, Freckleton, Allarakhia, Ferguson, Andrews, Obiero, Dyer, Ilunga, Barker, Habergham. Substitutes (not used): Hutchinson (for Habergham, 39), Kretzschmar (for Obiero, 72), Olomola (for Allarakhia, 82) Charles, Barrett.
Match Report
Yeovil Town recorded their third goalless draw against Wealdstone as on loan defender Owen Bevan was sent off on a cold night at Huish Park.
The on-loan AFC Bournemouth player saw red after 54 minutes having lunged in to try and win an overhit ball which derailed the Glovers’ hopes of going for the win after an impressive first half performance.
Here’s how it happened….
First half
After an end-to-end start, the first real chance fell to the visitors as a fast-flowing move down the right caught Morgan Williams out at left-back as Brooklyn Ilunga found Tarryn Allarkhia breaking in to the box and forced a fine save out of Grant Smith…..thought everyone except for the match officials who did not give Wealdstone the corner they obviously deserved.
Ilunga was involved again on 14 minutes putting a ball in towards striker Corrie Andrews, but Yeovil captain Josh Staunton was just in time to get in ahead of him.
If there was one thing noticeable about the opening attacks for Yeovil it was the state of the Huish Park pitch which was heavily sanded (to put it mildly) in front of the Thatcher’s Stand, and one at least two occasions it led to the home players losing their footing.
Despite the visitors having the better chances, it was the home side who had the lion’s share of possession and pressure and their best chance fell to Andrew Oluwabori. A fantastic ball through from Edwin Agbaje put the Peterborough United loanee in on goal, but he dallied too long allowed the Wealdstone to nick in and clear.
One thing which was evident was the quality in the middle of the park with Jordan Maguire-Drew, Charlie Cooper, Lawson D’Ath and Jordan Young all looking exceptionally comfortable on the ball. What was missing was the finish….perhaps not surprising from the National League’s lowest scorers.
Two chances fell to Maguire-Drew, scuffing one and then putting another high and not so handsome, then with three minutes of the first half remaining Oluwabori cut inside and smashed a shot……..high over the bar.
In terms of possession and intent, that was Yeovil’s half – such a difference to the last match at home to Torquay United on New Year’s Day. But the missing element was a goal – how many times have we said that this season?
Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Wealdstone 0
Second half
Wealdstone started the second half brighter – as they had done in the opening 45 minutes – and with just five minutes played, Mark Cooper introduced Alex Fisher in to the fray in place of Jordan Young.
Young is definitely not an out-and-out centre forward, preferring to drop deeper and link up with his team-mates, notably Maguire-Drew, but in Fisher Cooper introduced more of a focal point.
But on 54 minutes, the game changed when Owen Bevan went bursting forward and appeared to overhit his touch and lunged in to try and win it back. It took a little while but the inevitable red card soon came from referee Scott Jackson.
On the hour mark, a rare Yeovil break saw Fisher and Maguire-Drew bursting forward and the play-maker spotted Howes off his line but lofted his effort over.
Two minutes later, great vision from Matt Worthington saw him pick out Maguire-Drew coming in from the left-hand side but his blazed his effort over.
Then it was Wealdstone’s chance to have a go, midfielder Alex Dyer broke in to the box and his effort looked like it was heading for the bottom corner before an outstretched hand from Grant Smith turned it away.
On 67 minutes, Oluwabori fired a ball across the face of goal with Fisher closing in…..just throw yourself at it, Alex! He didn’t and the game remained goalless.
Grant Smith was called in to action with ten minutes of the match remaining when defender Charlie Barker forced a fine stop out of Yeovil’s number one and then as the game ticked in to 90 minutes substitute Dom Hutchinson pulled one wide.
Full time: Yeovil Town 0 Wealdstone 0
Five Conclusions: Wealdstone 0 Yeovil Town 0
2022-08-30
A goalless draw away at a table-topping Wealdstone could be a positive result on the face of it, especially after picking up a win at home just 48 hours earlier.
But, whether it was from manager Chris Hargreaves or his players, the mood in the Yeovil Town camp at the end of Bank Holiday Monday was one of frustration,
We forced Dave to Rule 2 (Gloverscast Rule 2: Always sleep on it before judging a result) it, and here are his conclusions….
We have to credit our opponents. I’ll get to us in a minute, I promise, but I have to start by giving credit to Wealdstone. There was a mood of celebration around Grosvenor Vale at kick-off with the Stones top of the league, so going a man down after just nine minutes would not have featured in their plans, I’m sure. That said, they looked organised in those first nine minutes and in the 81 that followed, they had a plan and they stuck to it. And, no, this conclusion was not in the original five – but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have been!
The answer can’t always be Lawson. From the ninth minute, the opportunity was there for us to play a bit of HargBall (yes, I now accept that as its name), play it quickly, switch wings and frankly just have a go at our ten man opponents. Instead, we seemed to methodically passing it across midfield, the game was crying out for someone to grab the ball and do something. It’s too easy to say “well, if Lawson D’Ath had been there“, that simply cannot be the answer to everything – and, no, Sam Pearson can’t be the answer to everything either! There were players out there who can do more and should have done more. Even when Charlie Wakefield came on at half-time there didn’t seem to be an urgency for him to get at the Wealdstone defence enough.
I feel for Fish at getting hooked. I’ve been critical of Alex Fisher’s impact on the times I’ve seen him this season, but I felt he was impacting it more than many of his team-mates at Wealdstone. There was a look of disbelief on his face when he saw his number came up to be replaced by Jake Scrimshaw in the 72nd minute which suggests he felt he had more to give and. I know hindsight vision is 20:20, but letting him take the penalty would have been something more he could have given. As for Malachi Linton, it was not his day. After 68 anonymous minutes, it was brave of him to step up to take the penalty. It’s important he recalls the same mentality he did after missing a chance against Wrexham and the scoring a worldie. Channel that frustration, Mal, there’s a good player there.
We can’t be too nice about all this. I listened to Chris Hargreaves’ post-match interview (twice, in fact) and I hope I am reading between the lines here. “What I’ve said in the changing rooms will remain the changing rooms” and there had been “a few words” exchanged between players. I’m pleased to hear that. There’s always a lot of talk about ‘commitment’ and ‘giving everything’ which is well-placed and well-deserved, but if we’re going to improve on last season (which is surely the minimum) then we can’t be too nice about performances like this. With the best part of 650 appearances to his name, I’m sure the manager knows what needs to be said.
We’ve still got September. I’ve checked the Green Day lyrics and we don’t need to wake up until September ends. It is still half-a-dozen games in to the season and we’ve still not lost more than we have lost, but they don’t get any easier. York City at home and then Woking and Eastleigh away (both of whom have started the season well) and then the small matter of Chesterfield and Boreham Wood at Huish Park. Not easy games to get the show on the road, but that’s what we’re going to have to do.
Staunton: Disappointed, frustrated but not too downbeat
2022-08-29
Yeovil Town captain Josh Staunton has urged his side not to get too downbeat after a frustrating 0-0 draw with Wealdstone.
The part time outfit held the Glovers at bay for more than 80 minutes with ten men, but Yeovil did have their chances, missing a second half penalty and seeing multiple opportunities cleared off the line.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins the skipper praised the Stones’ defensive resolution and backed his team mates to come good.
“I think it’s always a challenge when a team sits in like that, especially when the pitch is quite sticky, and the fine margins didn’t go our way.
It’s very disappointing right now, but at the end of the day it’s one point away from home against a team which are right on form, so as a group we will try and look at the positives.
If someone had said to us at 3 o’clock at the end of the bank holiday we will win the home one and draw the away one I don’t think there would be too many complaints.”
“Obviously the situation makes it a bit more frustrating, but there’s a long season to go.”
Tactical changes and substitutions were all make with attacking alterations in mind, but Yeovil just couldn’t find a way through.
“When you’re chasing a game you’re searching a little bit. In the first half we were three at the back and we were ok, but we probably didn’t utilise the four at the back as well as we probably should have.
As players we kind of shot ourselves in the foot, I think we didn’t get high enough up the pitch.”
Looking ahead the captain urged caution at getting too low at the early season frustration and backed Malachi Linton to come back from the disappointment at missing the penalty.
“It’s a long season so it’s about keeping the group level and not feeling like it’s the end of the world in there.”
“I’m sure Mal is very down in there, I don’t need to sit hear and try and say otherwise, strikers want to score goals, it’s never nice when you put yourself forward to take a penalty in a tight game like that… unfortunately today for Mal, it went the wrong side of the crossbar and he’s a young lad with a great future ahead of him and he’s started the season well.
At times like that it’s about rallying round him and make sure he picks himself up.”
Wise words from the captain, who went on to back up those thoughts, even further.
“Obviously we’re very downbeat right now, but on another day we could have had three or four and if we’d have got one in the first half when we were on top we make it a much easier game.”
“We’re understandably frustrated right now, sometimes when you’re like that it’s a kick for you, because if we’d have got six points out of the bank holiday weekend then it would have been a brilliant return.
In this league if you do well at home and draw your away ones, regardless of the situation, you’ll be OK.
Overall, however disappointed we are, it’s that old cliché of it being a marathon not a sprint.”
The next stop on the 26.2 mile journey that is the National League season is a home game against York City this coming Saturday.
