Review 2016–17_Yeovil_Town_F.C._season

1 review

1.1 pre-season
1.2 august
1.3 september
1.4 october
1.5 november
1.6 december
1.7 january
1.8 february
1.9 march
1.10 april , may

review
pre-season

midfielder alex lawless joined following release luton town.

the squad returned pre-season training on 1 july. first day of pre-season saw arrival of 3 new signings, attacking midfielder otis khan joined barnsley on free transfer signing one-year contract, forward tom eaves signed year having been released bolton wanderers, while defender liam shephard rejoined on six-month loan deal swansea city. following day yeovil confirmed 2 further signings, former west bromwich albion full-back josh ezewele, , midfielder joe lea southampton both on one-year contracts. on 8 july, yeovil confirmed signing of winger ryan hedges on six-month loan deal swansea city.

yeovil s first friendly of season saw them travel southern league premier side dorchester town, on 12 july. yeovil s squad included 8 trialists, , 1 of former norwich city forward jamar loza scored goal in 1–0 victory. 1 of 8 trialists former leicester city goalkeeper jonny maddison became club s seventh signing, on 14 july, joining on one-year contract. on 16 july, yeovil played second pre-season friendly home fixture against championship side bristol city, , suffered 2–1 defeat tom eaves scoring yeovil s goal. yeovil traveled south wales short training camp, on 18 july faced merthyr town side managed former yeovil midfielder gavin williams. goal swansea loanee liam shephard enough yeovil record 1–0 win. yeovil played 2 behind closed doors friendly matches against under-21 sides swansea city , tottenham hotspur. yeovil traveled salisbury, on 26 july, , welcomed new trialist form luton town midfielder alex lawless, brace ryan hedges , goal tom eaves saw yeovil run out 3–2 winners. on 29 july, lawless joined club signing one-year contract after successful trial. yeovil completed pre-season schedule 2–1 victory on league 1 side swindon town, courtesy of goal eaves , winger otis khan. on 1 august, last season s joint top goalscorer ryan bird left club after yeovil decided terminate contract allow him join national league side eastleigh. on 5 august, yeovil made loan signings of midfielder matt butcher , winger tahvon campbell bournemouth , west bromwich albion respectively, while club completed free transfer of defender bevis mugabi southampton.

august

yeovil started league 2 season @ home against notts county, on 6 august. glovers started match kevin dawson scoring first goal in 2 years, , winger otis khan scoring on debut earn yeovil 2–0 victory. yeovil traveled league 1 side walsall in first round of efl cup , won 2–0 after time, matthew dolan scoring goal inside own half. on 13 august, yeovil confirmed signing of former swansea city youth player kyle copp on non-contract terms subject international clearance, later day yeovil drew 1–1 away @ luton town tom eaves scoring first goal club. on 15 august, young attacking midfielder ollie bassett received first call northern ireland under-19 side training camp. yeovil s unbeaten start season came end, on 16 august, 1–0 defeat against mansfield town despite opponents playing 10-men 81 minutes. on 20 august, yeovil slumped second consecutive 1–0 defeat losing @ home against morecambe. yeovil traveled everton in second round of efl cup, on 23 august, outclassed premier league opponents losing 4–0. on 24 august, yeovil announced extension of ryan hedges , liam shephard s loans swansea city until end of season, hedges called wales under-21 side 2 2017 uefa european under-21 championship qualification matches. later day club confirmed kyle copp had received international clearance , eligible play, while defender bevis mugabi received first call uganda national football team friendly against kenya , 2017 africa cup of nations qualification match against comoros, mugabi subsequently withdrawn squad club citing short notice of call-up reason withdrawal. on 25 august, yeovil confirmed signings of former notts county striker izale mcleod until end of season , bournemouth attacking midfielder ben whitfield on loan until 3 january. on 27 august, yeovil suffered third straight league defeat losing 4–1 against doncaster rovers, ryan hedges scoring yeovil s consolation goal. yeovil ended august first match in group stage of efl trophy against portsmouth, high-scoring affair saw yeovil win 4–3 brace tom eaves , first goals club izale mcleod , bevis mugabi.

september

yeovil began month 3–0 home defeat against blackpool, defeat saw club slip relegation zone. on 10 september, despite taking lead against hartlepool united through matt butcher yeovil suffered fifth consecutive league defeat losing 2–1. youth team graduate ollie bassett joined southern league premier division side dorchester town on one-month loan deal, on 13 september, after not having made appearance in first month of season. on 17 september, yeovil traveled leyton orient , aided return injury of captain darren ward ended losing streak , recorded first away win of season courtesy of goal top scorer tom eaves. whilst on loan @ dorchester, bassett received call northern ireland under-19 squad 2017 uefa european under-19 championship qualification matches in october. 24 september, saw return of former yeovil manager gary johnson, new side cheltenham town visiting huish park. fast start saw yeovil take 2–0 lead after 16 minutes through goals otis khan , darren ward , despite fightback cheltenham further goals matthew dolan , tom eaves gave yeovil 4–2 victory. yeovil s final match of september saw them fall 1–0 defeat against bottom of table side cambridge united.

october

the start of october saw yeovil travel league leaders plymouth argyle suffered second consecutive defeat losing 4–1 glovers consolation goal captain darren ward. yeovil faced league 1 side bristol rovers in second round robin match in efl trophy after having been reduced ten-men when substitute kevin dawson dismissed second bookable offence, yeovil earned 0–0 draw before losing 5–3 in penalty shootout, bonus point. following day yeovil faced clevedon town in first round of somerset premier cup, yeovil side made entirely of youth team scholars lost 1–0. on 8 october, yeovil recorded second consecutive home victory ryan hedges goal enough see glovers record 1–0 victory on wycombe wanderers. yeovil followed 2 more 1–0 victories on newport county , crewe alexandra. during october, midfielder joe lea joined dorchester town on month s loan deal, , joined ollie bassett returned dorset club second spell. yeovil ended month 0–0 draw against grimsby town, recording fifth consecutive clean sheet in competitions. having overseen upturn in yeovil s fortunes in month of october, 3 victories, 1 draws , defeat, along 4 clean sheets, manager darren way nominated efl league 2 manager of month award, beaten eventual winner keith curle.

november

on 4 november, yeovil s under-18 side defeated newport county 1–0 in first round of fa youth cup. following day yeovil faced national league side solihull moors in fa cup first round. despite taking 2–0 lead goals ryan hedges , otis khan, after sending off of midfielder kevin dawson, solihull fought earn replay. yeovil traveled madejski stadium final group stage game in efl trophy play reading u23s, second half goals substitutes tom eaves , françois zoko secured qualification second round of competition. on 10 november, club confirmed striker izale mcleod has agreed mutual termination of contract on personal grounds having made 6 appearances club since signing in august. yeovil traveled stevenage, on 12 november, after taking lead through ryan hedges, yeovil needed 95th-minute equaliser ben whitfield rescue point , earn 2–2 draw. on 14 november, yeovil s under-18 progressed third round of fa youth cup after beating merstham 2–0 in second round. following day yeovil knocked out of fa cup after losing 4–2 on penalties solihull moors in first round replay, after 1–1 draw in time. on 17 november, yeovil announced young midfielder joe lea had extended loan @ dorchester town second month. on 19 november, yeovil came behind beat colchester united late goals substitutes françois zoko , tahvon campbell enough earn 2–1 victory. yeovil s next match against crawley town postponed due warterlogged pitch, yeovil traveled accrington stanley, on 26 november, otis khan free kick helped extend yeovil s unbeaten run in league 7 matches after 1–1 draw in lancashire. on 29 november, club confirmed ollie bassett has extended loan @ dorchester town month.

december

yeovil started december rearranged visit of crawley town, , earned second biggest victory since club entered football league in 2003. brace otis khan accompanied goals tom eaves, ryan hedges , françois zoko yeovil won 5–0 move play-off positions. on 6 december, yeovil faced league 1 side milton keynes dons in second round of efl trophy, after being 1–0 behind @ half time, 4 unanswered second half goals kevin dawson, françois zoko, alex lacey , ben whitfield saw yeovil qualify third round of competition. same evening yeovil s under-18 side knocked out premier league academy side west bromwich albion, 3–2 away @ hawthorns in third round of fa youth cup. on 10 december, yeovil s 8 game unbeaten run in league 2 came end after 1–0 defeat @ home barnet, glovers traveled promotion chasing carlisle united, on 17 december, lose 2–1 nathan smith scoring yeovil s goal. christmas period saw yeovil record pair of goalless draws @ home exeter city , portsmouth respectively, portsmouth game badly affected fog. during exeter city match swansea city loanee ryan hedges suffered serious ankle injury saw him make temporary return parent club treatment.

january

young defender tom james signed following release cardiff city.

the opening of january transfer window, saw yeovil confirm signing birmingham city forward jack storer on loan until end of season, while midfielder kyle copp departed southern premier league side merthyr town after making 1 appearance club. on 2 january, yeovil s first fixture of new year saw them travel crawley town suffered 2–0 defeat. after game club announced bournemouth loanees matt butcher , ben whitfield had extended loans until end of 2016–17 season, while forward tahvon campbell returned west brom upon completion loan. on 9 january, young right-back joined national league side kidderminster harriers on one-month loan deal. following day yeovil faced reading u23s in third round of efl trophy, berkshire side reduced ten men inside opening 20 minutes. allowing yeovil run out comfortable 4–2 winners, goals otis khan, françois zoko, omar sowunmi , own goal jake sheppard sending glovers quarterfinals. on 13 january, yeovil confirmed signings of defender tom james , forward brandon goodship on contracts until end of season following release cardiff city , bournemouth respectively. yeovil traveled fifth placed wycombe wanderers , took lead through kevin dawson penalty wycombe equalised through penalty of own, 2 clubs shared 1–1 draw. on 17 january, yeovil announced loan signing of andre wright west bromwich albion until end of season, following day loan deal collapsed after revealed wright s appearance west brom s u23 in efl trophy in august counted first team appearance , therefore meant wright had appeared 2 clubs during 2016–17 season , not registered third. announced youth team scholar callum morton had signed west bromwich albion, , academy manager geoff harrop leaving club @ end of january rejoin former club torquay united general manager. after failed transfer of wright, yeovil moved sign young tottenham hotspur striker shayon harrison on loan until end of season. on 21 january, yeovil traveled blackpool. glovers took lead twice through françois zoko , darren ward conceded 95th-minute equaliser through nathan delfouneso yeovil held 2–2 draw. following day, young midfielder joe lea sent out on loan national league south side gosport borough until end of season. on 24 january, yeovil s efl trophy quarter-final against luton town postponed due frozen pitch, while jack storer s loan birmingham terminated due personal reasons after having made 1 appearance yeovil. on 28 january, yeovil faced league leaders doncaster rovers , lost 3–0. transfer deadline day saw yeovil lose swansea city loanee ryan hedges barnsley, completed 3 loan signings owain jones swansea city, french forward jean-louis akpa akpro barnet, , young striker kabongo tshimanga milton keynes dons until end of season. deadline day saw yeovil face promotion chasing plymouth argyle, 2 goals centre-backs nathan smith , alex lacey enough earn glovers 2–1 victory. after plymouth argyle match, club announced former first team manager steve rutter had rejoined club head of coaching in glovers academy.

february

on 3 february, youth team goalkeeper kingsley latham became second scholar depart club premier league side, joining southampton. following day, club traveled hartlepool united , secured 1–1 draw courtesy of matthew dolan penalty against hometown club. yeovil faced luton town in quarter-finals of efl trophy, despite goals françois zoko , omar sowunmi, glovers knocked out after suffering 5–2 defeat. on 11 february, yeovil faced relegation-threatened leyton orient after taking lead through françois zoko, club denied victory after late equaliser former yeovil player gavin massey. after completing month loan spell @ kidderminster harriers right-back josh ezewele joined national league north side permanently on free transfer. on 14 february, yeovil faced cambridge united , despite once again taking lead through françois zoko late equaliser forced them settle second consecutive 1–1 draw. yeovil traveled former manager gary johnson s side cheltenham town , suffered 2–0 defeat. club ended february consecutive goalless draws away @ notts county , @ home against mansfield town respectively.

march

march began yeovil s academy head of youth recruitment dave hedges departing club following geoff harrop torquay united. on 4 march, yeovil lost opening game of month 4–0 @ home against promotion chasing luton town. start of march, saw return of young attacking midfielder ollie bassett loan spell @ dorchester town. after 8 match win, yeovil traveled morecambe , recorded 3–1 win goals matt butcher, alex lacey , bevis mugabi yeovil won first away game since october. on 12 march, club announced death of post-war record goalscorer dave taylor @ age of 76. yeovil faced barnet, on 15 march, , took lead through ben whitfield forced salvage late 2–2 draw courtesy of liam shephard s first goal club. on 18 march, yeovil faced accrington stanley held 1–1 draw despite visitors playing 70 minutes 10 men. yeovil ended month short trip west county rivals exeter city, , took 3–0 lead goals françois zoko, shayon harrison , alex lacey, 3 goals in 238 seconds saw exeter complete remarkable comeback secure 3–3 draw.

april , may

yeovil opened month of april, 2–0 defeat @ home against carlisle united, opponents ended seven-game winless , run without scoring after midfielder ben whitfield shown straight red card. glovers suffered 2 further defeats 3–1 away @ promotion chasing portsmouth, , 1–0 away @ relegation threatened newport county. on 17 april, yeovil eased relegation fears comfortable 3–0 win, first in 7 games, against crewe alexandra goals matthew dolan, jean-louis akpa akpro , otis khan. club s poor away form continued though suffered 4–2 defeat away @ grimsby town, on 22 april, despite first goal club alex lawless , thirteenth of season top goalscorer françois zoko. yeovil s final home match of season, saw them entertain stevenage, glovers took lead akpa akpro scoring second goal club josh mcquoid earned play-off chasing stevenage point yeovil confirmed safety game spare. club s end of season awards, followed conclusion of match defender alex lacey collecting 2 awards, artur krysiak , matthew dolan won 1 award each , otis khan won bobby hamilton young player of year award, while krysiak collected community champion award. yeovil ended season 2–0 defeat away @ colchester united finish season in 20th place.