United head for Somerset on Good Friday, as they take on table-topping Yeovil Town at Huish Park.
With both sides having won a match apiece in league and cup encounters at Plainmoor already this term, tomorrow’s match could have a large bearing on both side’s prospects in the final standings, with both teams eager for three points for very different reasons.
Who’s the Boss?
Mark Cooper was appointed as Yeovil’s new boss following ex-Gulls manager Chris Hargreaves’s short tenure in charge, and despite being unable to maintain Town’s National League status last term, the backing of the new regime at Huish Park appears to already being paying dividends in the sixth tier.
As a player, Cooper featured for the likes of Birmingham City, Exeter City and Fulham, before in 2004 he made the switch to management with then Conference side Tamworth. However it wasn’t until his second management position that Cooper experienced promotion as a manager, as he guided Kettering Town to the Conference North title, who were clear at the top by 17 points.
A short spell in the Championship with Peterborough United followed, before Cooper spent 16-months at Darlington, winning the FA Trophy during his tenure with the Durham Club. In July 2013, Cooper took the helm at Swindon Town and secured an 8th place finish during his first season and just one year later, guided the side to the League One Play-Off Final.
Following his departure from Swindon in October 2015, Cooper went on to enjoy much success during a 5-year stint managing Forest Green Rovers. He guided the Gloucestershire Club to the Football League for the first time in their history, and tallied 101 wins during his time at the Club.
A stint at League Two outfit Barrow preceded Yeovil securing his signature on a two and a half year deal back in October 2022.
How have they been doing?
Clear at the top of the National League South by 7 points, Yeovil have been enjoying their 2023/24 campaign. Currently on 83 points accumulated from 25 wins, 8 draws and 7 defeats in their 40 games played, the Glovers have only so far this season tasted defeat on two occasions at Huish Park, with both defeats coming in March at the hands of Chippenham Town (1-3) and Welling United (0-1). It seems Coopers’ side have picked themselves up since though, registering a draw against Slough (0-0), before putting an end to Braintree Town’s 14 game unbeaten run with a 1-0 victory last Saturday.
Played for Both
Frank Nouble’s arrival at Plainmoor last spring was seen by many as a last throw of the dice in United’s battle to escape the National League drop, and although the side ended up falling just short on the final day of the season, Nouble so nearly provided the catalyst for a remarkable late survival act.
With his remarkable career seeing him represent a whole host of Clubs throughout the UK – and a brief spell in China, to boost – Frank’s experience and presence in the Torquay dressing room prompted an almost Lazarus-like turnaround in The Gulls’ fortunes, with his three goals in nine games doing little justice to his successful spell on the English Riviera.
Having spent almost the entirety of his career in the EFL, with the likes of West Ham, Ipswich Town and Coventry City to name a few, Nouble signed on for the challenge of National League South for 2023/24, but this time with The Glovers, rather than the The Gulls. So far this campaign, the 32-year-old has scored 11 goals in 44 appearances for the Somerset side.
Player to Watch
A versatile forward who is able to play across the forward line, Jordan Young has been one of Yeovil’s stand-out performers this term.
Starting his career with Swindon Town, Young was already familiar with manager Mark Cooper, who was the first manager to name him in a professional match day squad as a teenager. He scored his first Swindon goal later that season against Shrewsbury Town at the County Ground, whilst this season has seen him turn in a number of impressive performances, including an eye-catching showing in the league outing at Plainmoor earlier this season.
Previous Encounter
Yeovil Town 1 – 2 Torquay United, National League, 2nd January 2022
Back in January 2022, United came from behind to take the points following stunning goals from Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Dan Holman at Huish Park.
A sensational strike by Jordan Barnett gave the hosts the lead in the 66th minute, before Lemonheigh-Evans equalised direct from a corner ten minutes later. It was substitute Dan Holman who snatched the points with a 90th minute winner with his shot across goal finding the bottom left corner.
After a closely-contested first half it took until the 66th minute for the deadlock to be broken, however, unfortunately for United, it was the hosts who broke through via Barnett, whose well-struck shot from outside the box found the top right-hand corner. However, United were not deterred and continued to run at the Yeovil defence.
Ten minutes later however, United’s persistence paid off as a superb corner from Lemonheigh-Evans curled into the far corner to make it 1-1. Dan Holman then went on to strike in the final minute of normal time. Lemonheigh-Evans created a pass full of vision when he lobbed the ball up for Holman, who took one touch before slamming the ball into the bottom left corner from a tight angle, sending the Yellow Army into raptures.
Yeovil Town v Torquay United | Friday 28th March 2024 3pm KO | Huish Park, Yeovil BA22 8YF | Official TUFC Radio | Live On NLTV