TT BLOG

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

BUCKLAND 0-4 YEOVIL – 8TH JULY 23

With Torquay United opting to play a number of friendlies behind closed doors during the pre-season of 2023-24 I decided to take in a number of other local matches to fill the void.

After seeing Kevin Hill’s Exmouth Town face Paul Wotton’s Truro City on Friday night, I also opted to take a look at another of the Gulls’ National League South opponents in the form of Yeovil Town, who travelled to Homer’s Heath to face Buckland Athletic.

The Glovers had brought a sizeable following with them from South Somerset and new chairman/owner Martin Hellier was in attendance, and former United defender Ben Gerring was also in the crowd as well.

Yeovil took the lead in the seventh minute through a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area from Jordan Stevens after Benjani junior had been fouled.

Ex -Gulls striker Jared Lewington came the closest to scoring for Bucks on 26 minutes when he created space for himself with a neat flick, which enabled him to elude Glovers’ defender Ollie Haste, before volleying over the bar.

The Glovers were forced into making a change in the 31st minute when right-back Morgan Williams limped off, after surviving a heavy challenge earlier, and was replaced by youngster Jacob Shore.

A minute later, Yeovil doubled their lead when Malachi Linton had a shot in the box which Jake Hyde got the final touch on.

In the second half, Glovers boss Mark Cooper made wholesale changes, this saw the introduction of a number of former Gulls, including Jamie Sendles-White and Frank Nouble, who spent the final weeks of the 2022-23 season at Plainmoor, and former midfielder Matt Buse featured as a trialist at right-back.

Eight minutes after the restart, the Glovers added a third when a cross from the left from news signing Alex Whittle found it’s way to Nouble who curled the ball home.

With four minutes to go, Yeovil extended their lead to four when Jordan Maguire-Drew found Matt Worthington who found the bottom corner with a low drive as the Glovers underlined their status as National League South title contenders.

The game was marred by what has been described as an unsavoury incident at half time, but as I didn’t see it I am unable to comment any further.

Next up for me is a return to Buckland on Tuesday for their visit of Exmouth and then a trip to Liskeard to see Liskeard Athletic host Neil Warnock’s Huddersfield Town.

TACTICS & FORMATIONS

The Glovers opted to go with 4-4-2 diamond both halves and changed their personnel entirely at half time.

First half XI: Lewis Williams; Morgan Williams (Jacob Shore 31), Josh Staunton (c), Ollie Haste, Will Dawes; Trialist A (Andrei Dybra); Josh Owers, Jordan Stevens; Benjani; Jake Hyde, Malachi Linton

Second half XI: Will Buse; Trialist B (Matt Buse), Jamie Sendles-White, Jake Wannell, Alex Whittle; Charlie Cooper; Jordan Young, Matt Worthington; Jordan Maguire-Drew; Rhys Murphy, Frank Nouble

Buckland: Andy Collings, Sam Morcom (Finn Roberts, 70), Sam Leary (Frazer Clark 70), Rob Farkins (c), Pearce (Stone 70), Ben Carter (Cieran Bridger 53), Jared Lewington (Jesse Howe 78), Callum Watson (Reece Hendrickson 82), Teigen Rosenquest (Will Hall 86), Sammy Stayt (Reece Shanley 53), Josh Grant (Scott Crocker 57).