PREVIEW

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Yeovil Town versus Torquay United

Venue: Huish Park

Date: Friday 29th March 2024

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 9

Draw: 3

Yeovil: 7

FORM GUIDE

Torquay: D, D, W, L, L, W

Yeovil: W, D, L, L, D, W

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Brad Ash (12)

Yeovil: Jordan Young (13)

YEOVIL FACTFILE

Year founded: 1895

Nickname: The Glovers

Last season’s league finish: 22nd in National League

Yeovil notable honours: Division Four/Division Three/League Two:

Winners 2004-05

Conference/Blue Square Premier/National League

Winners 2002-03

FA Trophy winners:

2001-02

MANAGER – MARK COOPER

Former Exeter City, Birmingham City and Fulham midfielder Mark Cooper took charge of the Glovers in October 2022 following the dismissal of former Gulls player and manager Chris Hargreaves.

As a manager, Cooper made his name in non-league circles with Tamworth and Kettering Town – winning the National League North title with the latter. He was given his first shot at managing in the Football League with Peterborough United in 2009, when he was named as the successor to Darren Ferguson.

His tenure at London Road proved to be short-lived and his next role saw him take charge of Darlington, with whom he won the FA Trophy in the 2010-11 season. He was dismissed by the

Quakers early in the 2011-12 campaign and then had a second spell with Kettering before taking charge of AFC Telford.

In 2013, he became assistant manager of Swindon Town under Kevin MacDonald and would later succeed MacDonald early in the 2013-14 season. Under his guidance, the Robins finished 8th in League One in 2013-14 before reaching the Play-offs in the 2014-15 campaign where they were beaten by Preston North End in the final.

Following his dismissal from the County Ground, he had a short spell in charge of Notts County in 2016 before he was appointed as Forest Green Rovers manager. In his first full campaign in charge at the New Lawn, Cooper led the Gloucestershire side into the Football League for the first time as they defeated Tranmere Rovers in the National League Play-off final to win promotion.

After helping to establish the Green Devils in the Football League, Cooper parted company with the club in 2021. He then had a brief spell in charge of Barrow before taking charge of the Glovers, and he will be aiming to lead them back to the National League at the first time of asking following last season’s relegation.

Cooper is also the son of former Leeds United and England left-back Terry Cooper.

COOPER STATS

Appointed: 28th Oct 2022

Date of Birth: 18/12/1968 (55)

Other Clubs Managed: Tamworth, Kettering, Peterborough, Darlington, Telford, Swindon, Forest Green, Barrow

PLAYER TO WATCH – FRANK NOUBLE

A familiar face to the Plainmoor faithful from his brief spell with the Gulls towards the end of the 2022-23 season, Frank Nouble joined the Glovers in the summer of 2023, making Huish Park the latest stop in his much travelled career.

The phrase ‘have boots, will travel’ could easily be applied to Nouble, who counts the likes of West Ham United, Wolves, Ipswich Town and Coventry City amongst his former clubs in a career that has also includes a brief stint in China.

NOUBLE STATS

Position: Striker

Date of Birth: 24/09/91 (32)

Birthplace: London

Height: 1.90m

Former Clubs: Chelsea, West Ham, West Brom, Swindon, Swansea, Barnsley, Charlton, Gillingham, Wolves, Ipswich, Coventry, Tianjin Songjiang, Nei Mongol Zhongyou, Southend, Newport, Colchester, Plymouth, Leyton Orient, Torquay

OLD BOYS

Torquay United: Kevin Dawson, Finley Craske

Yeovil Town: Rhys Murphy, Frank Nouble, Alex Fisher

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United:

Mark Halstead

Ross Marshall – Asa Hall – Dean Moxey – Arkell Jude-Boyd

Brett McGavin

Jack Stobbs – Tom Lapslie – Kevin Dawson – Will Jenkins Davies

Brad Ash

Yeovil Town:

Joe Day

Brooklyn Genesini – Morgan Williams – Jake Wannell – Jay Foulston

Charlie Cooper – Matty Worthington

Jake Young – Sonny Blu Lo-Everton – Frank Nouble

Jahmari Clarke

LAST MEETING

Last meeting: Saturday 18th November 2023, Torquay United 2 Yeovil Town 1, FA Trophy

Yeovil Town’s club record 14-match winning run came to an end as they bowed out of the FA Trophy at the hands of Torquay United.

Goals from Dillon De Silva and Callum Dolan gave the Gulls a two-goal cushion before the Glovers pulled one back through an own goal from debutant Duncan Idehen.

The Gulls made a dream start as Dillon De Silva cut inside onto his left foot before slotting past Yeovil keeper Joe Day into the bottom corner on two minutes.

In the 17th minute, De Silva was denied by Day and the rebound fell to Bradley Ash, who saw his effort parried away by Day.

Ash went close again on 22 minutes when he curled a shot from the edge of the penalty area narrowly wide after being teed up by Theo Williams.

Yeovil mustered their first shot on target on 28 minutes when Will Dawes tested United keeper Rhys Lovett with a long range strike, which Lovett turned behind for a corner.

In the 38th minute, Glovers skipper Josh Staunton connected with a free-kick from Jordan Maguire-Drew, but his header was off target.

Four minutes into the second half, United doubled their lead when Dolan drilled home from 20 yards.

Dolan and substitute Asa Hall then both tested Day as the Gulls looked to increase their lead.

On 70 minutes, Maguire-Drew attempted to beat Lovett from distance, after the United keeper cleared the ball into his path, but his ambitious strike from distance sailed wide.

Maguire-Drew was the architect behind the Glovers’ consolation effort in the 90th minute, as his free-kick picked out Bristol City loanee Idehen, whose header appeared to take a touch off Bournemouth loanee Harris before hitting the back of the net.

However, despite this setback, the Gulls saw out the game to secure the win.