Yeovil Town v Colchester United

Match Preview by Dave Burch

Saturday 18 February 2012

Kick Off: 15:00

Huish Park, Yeovil
NPower League 1

Colchester face a trip to the South West of the country as they visit Yeovil Town at Huish Park. It is a ground that holds special memories for Colchester fans following our promotion to the Championship on the final day of the 05/06 season. It seems such a long time ago now and I will always remember the Yeovil fans staying behind to applaud our sides wonderful and unlikely achievement.

The Season So Far – Yeovil

League Campaign

Yeovil finished a credible 14th in League One last season, but unfortunately the loss of a few key players saw Terry Skiverton struggle to replace those out going and turning to social networking site Twitter to try to find the best players available.

The Glovers started their league campaign against the U’s last opponents Brentford and came away from West London pointless, falling to a 2-0 defeat. The first home game of the season saw Oldham travel to the South West and the Glovers picked up their first victory of the season with Ed Upson, Andy Williams and a Paul Wotton penalty securing a 3-1 victory for the home side. A second home fixture saw MK Dons visit Huish Park and a 10th minute goal from Sam Baldock was enough to seal three points for the visitors. A trip to the Midlands to take on Walsall was next for Yeovil and a Gavin Williams strike four minutes from the end of the first half cancelled out Jon Macken’s early goal, which ensured the side took a point back to Somerset. A tough start of the season saw recently relegated Sheffield United visit Yeovil. A scrappy 41st minute goal gave the Blades the victory leaving the Glovers in 18th place at the end of September.

The second month of the season started with a decent 0-0 draw against 5th place Tranmere at Prenton Park. A second away match saw a tough trip to Preston produce an entertaining spectacle. The Lilywhites won the game 4-3 with the Glovers coming close to producing a remarkable comeback after going 4-2 down. A smooth 30 yard strike from midfield man Ed Upson saw Yeovil claim their second three points of the season against Wycombe Wanderers at Huish Park and a second home match in a row saw high-flying Sheffield Wednesday visit Somerset in the next match. David McGoldrick gave the Owls the lead in the 10th minute, but the home side rallied and Kieran Agard equalised in the 28th minute and 10 minutes later he scored a second goal in controversial fashion as he latched onto an untested drop ball and put the ball into the net which enraged the visitors. The Owls managed to rally and struck twice in the second half to take all three points back to Sheffield. A trip to Lincolnshire followed and two Damien Mozika goals, sandwiched a Paul Wotton penalty to secure a 2-1 victory for the Iron and saw Yeovil finish another tough month in 19th place.

Newly promoted Bury visited Yeovil as the Glovers returned to home soil and they started well with Agard giving them the lead in the 17th minute. The Shaker’s drew level on the verge of half time through Giles Coke and added twice more in the second half to inflict a third consecutive defeat on the home side. A trip to an inconsistent Colchester side saw Yeovil stop the run of defeats with Gavin Massey scoring twice to earn the Glovers a valuable draw at the Weston Homes. Carlisle made the long journey South to Huish Park up next and won comfortably after Flavien Belson saw red in the 43rd minute on his Yeovil debut. The visitors took full advantage of their superiour numbers and scored three goals in the second half to take the points back to Cumbria. On loan West Ham youngster Marek Stech produced a world-class goalkeeping performance next time out against Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium. Luke Ayling saw red for a handball on the line with six minutes of the game remaining and the impressive Stech capped his performance with a fine penalty save from John Mousinho to secure a vital point. The Glovers missed a great chance to beat Leyton Orient at home as they came from behind to take a 2-1 lead at half time. Paul Wotton’s missed penalty in the second half cost Yeovil the chance of the three points as a late Dave Mooney penalty, his second goal of the game, gave the Londoner’s a point. Huddersfield Town travelled to Huish Park for the next fixture and the Yorkshire side extended their long winning run with a late goal to win 0-1. A terrible month saw the Glovers finish the month rock bottom of the league and three points off safety.

November proved to be a better month and the Glovers showed great character to bounce back twice at Chesterfield and draw 2-2. The largest crowd of the season saw a second consecutive draw against rivals Exeter at Huish Park and that was followed by a 0-1 away win at Hartlepool, with Bondz N’Gala scoring the only goal of the game to end a 10 game winless run to propel the Glovers to 22nd and a point away from safety.

A second consecutive win was sealed in the 88th minute against Notts County at Huish Park as substitute Andy Williams nodded in at the far post to give the side a much-needed three points. A trip to Spotland to take on Rochdale was next for Terry Skiverton’s men and they picked up a useful point, drawing 0-0, despite Kerrea Gilbert seeing red in the 77th minute. Boxing Day saw Charlton visit Huish Park and the Somerset side nearly caused a great upset, twice taking the lead before conceding a third goal in stoppage time to be cruelly denied a point against the league leaders. A second festive home match against Bournemouth on New Years Eve saw the Cherries secure a 1-3 victory, with the Glovers finishing 2011 in 22nd place in League One.

Yeovil started 2012 with a trip to Exeter and took a first half lead through Andy Williams. Richard Logan scored an equaliser for the Grecians in the second half and the points were shared. Gary Johnson took over the managerial reigns in early January and his first match was a very tough trip to Bramall Lane to take on Sheffield United. The Blades proved to be too hot to handle for the Glovers, winning 4-0 and handing the Huish Park side their heaviest league defeat this season. Johnson’s return to Huish Park drew a large crowd to watch Yeovil take on Tranmere and the fans went home happy as the Glovers bounced back from a goal down to secure a 2-1 victory through Joe Edwards and a fifth minute injury time diving header from Andy Williams. A long trip to Bury saw the Gigg Lane side complete a league double of the Glovers with a late Steven MacLean goal not being enough as they lost out 3-2. Preston visited Huish Park next time out and Johnson secured his second home victory in a row through an Andy Williams double to win 2-1, a result that pushed the Somerset side to 18th and two points clear of the drop zone.

Yeovil travelled to a snowy Hillsborough for the first match in February and took a shock lead as Jonathan Obika slid the ball past Stephen Bywater in the 41st minute. An unstoppable rocket from Jermaine Johnson brought the scores level and defender Reda Johnson scored the winner to give the Owls a 2-1 win. A second away trip to Wycombe last time out saw the Glovers come from behind to score three second half goals and despite Joel Grant’s late reply, the Somerset side held on for a 2-3 victory to leave them in 18th and four points ahead of the 21st placed Chairboys.

League Cup

Yeovil exited the Carling Cup in the first round as Exeter ran out 2-0 victors at St James Park. The Grecians scored two second half goals through Guillem Bauza and Chris Shepherd to progress to the next round of the competition.

JPT

The Glovers had not won in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy for three years prior to their second round match with Bournemouth. Yeovil had been given a first round bye, however their poor run in the competition continued as they found themselves 3-0 down after half an hour. They improved in the second half and scored two goals through Steven MacLean and Max Ehmer, but were unable to find a third and crashed out of the competition.

FA Cup

Yeovil have a proud tradition in the world’s oldest cup competition and they were handed a first round tie against one time rivals Hereford United. Despite being forced into five changes, the Glovers secured a comfortable 0-3 victory with goals from Ed Upson, Andy Williams and Dominic Blizzard securing their passage into the second round.

The Glovers were drawn to face Blue Square Premier money men Fleetwood Town at Highbury Stadium, which was shown on ESPN. The Glovers took the lead through Ed Upson’s screamer and that was doubled by Conor Clifford’s neat finish to give the league side the advantage. A late comeback saw Kieran Charnock pull one goal back and then a last-minute penalty from Jamie Milligan forced an unlikely replay.

In the replay the Glovers failed to turn up and their progress was ended by their Non League opponents. Fleetwood took the lead after half an hour when Jamie Maguire fired a shot through a crowd of bodies and into the back of the net. Both sides were reduced to ten men in the second half with Bondz N’Gala seeing a second yellow card in the 70th minute and the visitors’ Steve McNulty also picked up his second booking with five minutes left to play. The Cod Army progressed to the third round proper when highly rated hot-shot Jamie Vardy raced through on goal and saw his shot go in off veteran ‘keeper Gareth Stewart.

Stat Attack

Form Guide

Yeovil

Last 6 Home	Last 6 Away	Last 6 Combined	GD	Points
DWLLWW	DDLLLW	LWLWLW	-3	9

Colchester

Last 6 Home	Last 6 Away	Last 6 Combined	GD	Points
WLWDLW	LDLWLW	WLDLWW	2	10

Season Guide

Next up is the Season Guide. I have detailed here the home and away form of both sides so far this season. Also included is the record of both sides against teams from the top half of the table and teams from the bottom half. The other information included is records of both sides from the first and second halves of matches this season.

Season Guide -Yeovil -18th

	Position	Played	Win	Draw	Lose	GF	GA	GD	Points
Home	17th	15	5	2	8	19	25	-6	17
Away	18th	15	2	7	6	17	25	-8	13
v Top Half	21st	15	2	2	11	14	30	-16	38
v Bottom Half	18th	15	5	7	3	22	20	2	22
1st Half Record	14th	30	7	15	8	19	23	-4	36
2nd Half Record	22nd	30	6	12	12	17	27	-10	30

Season Guide – Colchester – 11th

	Position	Played	Win	Draw	Lose	GF	GA	GD	Points
Home	8th	15	6	5	4	26	26	0	23
Away	14th	13	4	4	5	13	16	-3	16
v Top Half	17th	13	3	2	8	16	30	-14	11
v Bottom Half	8th	15	7	7	1	23	12	11	28
1st half record	7th	28	12	8	8	21	18	3	47
2nd half record	17th	28	7	12	9	18	24	-6	33

Top Goal Scorers, Assists, Clean Sheets & Other Stats

Yeovil

Top Scorers

Player	League	Cup	Total
A. Williams	8	1	9
Agard	5	0	5
Upson	3	2	5
MacLean	3	1	4
Massey*	3	0	3
*No longer with club. 5 players with 2 goals. 6 players with 1 goals.

Assists

Player	League	Cup	Total
Upson	8	0	8
G. Williams	5	0	5
Ayling	4	0	4
A. Williams	1	2	3
MacLean	1	1	2
Agard	0	2	2
10 players with 1 assist.

Clean Sheets

Home	Away	Total
2	4	6

Goal Times For

Minute	Total
0 – 15	5
15 – 30	6
30 – 45	8
45 – 60	4
60 – 75	7
75 – 90	6
Total Scored = 36

Goal Times Against

Minute	Total
0 – 15	9
15 – 30	8
30 – 45	6
45 – 60	10
60 – 75	7
75 – 90	10
Total Conceded = 50

Averages

	Home	Away	Total
Average Goals Per Match	1.27	1.13	1.2
Average Goals Conceded Per Match	1.67	1.67	1.67
Average Time First Goal Scored	32nd Min	32nd Min	32nd Min
Average Time First Goal Conceded	36th Min	28th Min	32nd Min

Miscellaneous

	Home	Away	Total
Failed to Score	4	5	9
Biggest Victory	3-1	3-2	3-1
Biggest Defeat	0-3	0-4	0-4

Colchester United

Top Scorers

Player	League	Cup	Total
Wordsworth	9	0	9
Henderson	7	1	8
Gillespie	5	1	6
Odejayi	4	1	5
Antonio*	4	0	4
James	1	2	3
Bond	2	1	3
*No Longer with club. 2 Players with 2 goals. 3 Players with 1 goal.

Assists

Player	League	Cup	Total
Odejayi	5	0	5
Wilson	3	1	4
Antonio*	4	0	4
James	1	2	3
Wordsworth
*No Longer with club. 6 Players with 2 assists. 1 players with one assist.

Clean Sheets

Home	Away	Total
2	4	6

Goal Times For

Minute	Total
0 – 15	6
15 – 30	8
30 – 45	7
45 – 60	6
60 – 75	8
75 – 90	4
Total Goals For = 39

Goal Times Against

Minute	Total
0 – 15	9
15 – 30	3
30 – 45	6
45 – 60	7
60 – 75	10
75 – 90	7
Total Goals Conceded = 42

Averages

	Home	Away	Total
Average Goals Per Match	1.73	1.00	1.39
Average Goals Conceded Per Match	1.73	1.23	1.5
Average Time First Goal Scored	32nd Min	35th Min	33rd Min
Average Time First Goal Conceded	36th Min	37th Min	36th Min

Miscellaneous

	Home	Away	Total
Failed to Score	1	5	6
Biggest Victory	4-1	4-2	4-1
Biggest Defeat	1-6	0-3	1-6

Team Talk

A focus on the Glovers

Here is the lowdown on the key members of the Yeovil squad.

Player/Position	Age	Season Appearances	Goals	Yellow/Red Cards
(1) Sam Walker Goalkeeper	20	4	0	0/0
Walker is a giant of a man and has recently signed for the Glovers on loan from Chelsea. The young ‘keeper was a schoolboy with Gravesend and Northfleet before coming through the Millwall youth set up. After showing signs of promise as a youngster, he was soon snapped up by Chelsea on schoolboy terms and turned professional in 2010. He has spent time on loan with Barnet and was with Gary Johnson earlier in the season at Northampton. After Johnson’s departure from the Cobblers, the Premier League side recalled Walker after he was replaced in the side by Shane Higgs. Walker linked up with Yeovil in January and has recently signed a 2-year deal with Chelsea to keep him with Blues until 2014.
(2) Luke Ayling Defender/Midfielder	20	32	0	7/1
Versatile utility man - Luke Ayling. © carlisleunited.co.uk A young and versatile utility man, Ayling came through the youth academy at Premier League side Arsenal and showed a tremendous amount of talent as a youngster. He played a large part of the Gunners successful youth FA Cup and Premier Academy League double-winning side in 2008/09, signing a professional contract at the end of that season. He never made any first team appearances for Arsenal and initially joined Yeovil on loan in March 2010. After his release in 2010, Yeovil soon snapped up Ayling on a permanent basis. He has made 76 appearances altogether (including the loan spell) in a Yeovil shirt without scoring.
(3) Nathan Jones Defender	38	20	0	5/0
Veteran full back - Nathan Jones. © skysports.com Veteran Welsh full back, Jones started his playing career in his native homeland with Merthyr Tydfil. He turned professional in 1995 after Luton Town paid £10,000 to take the left back to Kenilworth Road. Jones failed to make an impression with the Bedfordshire side and left the UK to try his luck in Spain, spending an unsuccessful time with Numancia, before becoming a favourite with Segunda League side CD Badajoz. He returned to England in 1997 and joined Colchester’s rivals Southend United making just over 100 appearances in total and spending time on loan with Scarborough before heading to Brighton in July 2000 on a free transfer. He spent 5 years with the Seagulls and helped them to promotion to League One and the twice to the Championship. He was released in 2005 and soon joined Yeovil where he has been since. He was assistant manager to Terry Skiverton until recently and has played 208 times, and has scored twice for the Glovers.
(4) Bondz N’Gala Defender	22	24	2	6/1
Powerful London born defender who came through the youth academy at West Ham United. He signed his first professional contract with the Irons in 2008 and made his debut in the League Cup against Bolton. It was his only appearance for the East London side and he spent the majority of his time at the club on loan, playing for Weymouth, MK Dons, Scunthorpe and Plymouth Argyle. He was released from the Upton Park side in the summer of 2010 and rejoined Plymouth on a 2-year deal. Due to the Pilgrims severe financial problems and subsequent relegation to League 2, N’Gala was allowed to leave the club and he soon signed for Yeovil last summer.
(5) Paul  Huntingdon Defender	24	28	2	2/1
Huntingdon seems to have found his feet with Yeovil. © sportinglife.com/ Former Newcastle United trainee who won England U18 honours early in his career. He was on the fringes of the first team for the Geordie’s before signing his first professional contract in 2006. He made a handful of appearances and scored once against Tottenham in his debut season, however he was sold at the end of the season with Leeds United paying an undisclosed fee for his services. He established himself in the side in his first season with the Yorkshire side, however injuries kept him out of the majority of his second season. He was allowed to join Stockport County on loan in September 2009 and he became a prominent member of the Hatters side. Upon his return to Leeds he was unable to break into the first team and had his contract ripped up in February 2010 allowing him to sign for Stockport on a permanent basis until the end of the season. After the expiry of his contract in May, Huntingdon soon signed for Yeovil and has gone on to captain the side. He has made 71 appearances and scored 6 goals for the Glovers.
(6) Dominic Blizzard Midfielder	28	16	2	1/0
Blizzard began his career at Watford and signed his first professional contract in 2002. He broke into the first team after Adrian Boothroyd took over the reigns at the Hertfordshire, but after contracting the Epstein-Barr virus in September 2005, he was to never make another first team appearance with the Hornets. He joined Stockport and MK Dons in 2007 on loan before his contract ended and joined the Dons permanently in the summer of the same year. New manager Paul Ince was unimpressed with the midfielder in pre season and came to a mutual agreement to end the contract just weeks after he joined. He again linked up with Stockport and spent two seasons with the Edgeley Park club before leaving to join Bristol Rovers on a free transfer in 2009. He was a regular in the first season at the Memorial Stadium, but failed to break into the side last season, spending time on loan at Port Vale, before his release last summer, linking up with the Glovers shortly afterwards.
(7) Andy Williams Midfielder/Forward	25	23	9	1/0
Andy Williams leads the scoring charts for the Glovers. © ytfc.net Williams started his career with his hometown club Hereford United and turned professional in 2004. He spent 3 years with the Bulls, helping them to get back to the Football League before signing for Bristol Rovers in July 2007. He scored on his debut for the Pirates and made most of his appearances from the substitute’s bench and was allowed to rejoin Hereford on loan for the following season. He was transfer listed upon his return to the Memorial Ground, but after some good performances off the bench he was taken off the list and forced his way into the side. He was released by Rovers in 2010, and soon signed for Yeovil, making 63 appearances and scoring 17 goals so far for the Glovers.
(8) Ed Upson Midfielder	22	32	5	12/0
Upson has become key man for the Glovers this season. © thisissomerset.co.uk Former England youth international, Upson came through the youth ranks at the U’s local rivals Ipswich Town. He scored the winning goal in the FA Youth Cup Final in 2005 and signed his first contract on his 17thbirthday in November 2006. He continued to play reserve team football until 2008 when he spent time on loan out with Stevenage. He made his Ipswich debut in the League Cup in 2009, but was on the fringes of the first team for the majority of the season before joining Barnet on loan. He was released from Ipswich in 2010 and joined Yeovil on a 2-year deal. He has become a key member of the Glovers side and has made 56 appearances and scored 5 times.
(9) Steven MacLean Forward	29	25	4	5/0
MacLean has never really hit the dizzy heights of his early career. © uk.eurosport.yahoo.com Scottish striker MacLean started his career with Forres Mechanics in the Highland Leagues in Scotland, before joining Rangers in 2002. He only made a couple of appearances for the Gers and had a hugely prolific spell with Scunthorpe in the 03/04 season scoring 25 goals. He was allowed to join Sheffield Wednesday on an undisclosed 6-figure fee in 2004 and top scored for the side as they pushed for promotion to the Championship. A serious leg-break kept him out for most of the following season, but on his return to action he picked up where he left off and was joint top scorer with Deon Burton in the 06/07 season. He left the Owls on a free transfer and joined Cardiff in the summer of 2007 and missed his first ever penalty on his debut for the Bluebirds. He soon lost his place to Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and worse was to come as he ruptured ankle ligaments whilst playing for the reserves. He left Cardiff for Plymouth Argyle in 2008, with Pilgrims splashing out a club record £500,000 to take the striker to Home Park. He struggled for form with the Devon side and spent time on loan at Aberdeen and Oxford before joining Yeovil last summer after his release from Plymouth.
(10) Gavin Williams Midfielder	31	20	1	3/0
Gavin Williams has returned to Yeovil for his fourth spell. © thisisdevon.co.uk Welsh international midfielder, Williams started his career at Hereford United and showed a great amount of promise, scoring on his debut at 17 in an FA Cup victory over Sittingbourne. He spent 5 years with the Bulls and joined Yeovil Town in 2002, with a tribunal setting a large 5-figure fee to be paid for his services. His impressive performances helped the Glovers into the Football League and won the Player of the Year. he continued to impress and his fine form soon saw the vultures flocking and West Ham United spent £250,000 to take the midfielder to Upton Park in 2004 as they looked to return to the Premier League. It turned out to be a poor move for the Welshman as he struggled to make the first team, and a year after signing for the Hammers he was allowed to leave initially on loan to Ipswich with the Tractor Boys later paying £300,000 to take him to Portman Road permanently. He impressed initially with the Suffolk club, but soon found himself on the move again in June 2008 as he was reunited with Gary Johnson at Bristol City, with the Robins paying an undisclosed fee to take him to Ashton Gate. He made most of his appearances from the substitutes bench for City and had two spells on loan with Yeovil Town, before joined Bristol Rovers on a short-term deal in January 2011. He scored his first goal against the Glovers, but was released in a 15 man clear out at the end of the season. He rejoined Yeovil in June and has made a combined 144 appearances and scored 28 goals in his four spells with the Somerset club.
(11) Anthony Edgar Midfielder	21	12	1	0/0
Edgar came through the youth academy at West Ham. He is the cousin of Tottenham & England striker Jermaine Defoe and made just two FA Cup appearances for the Upton Park club. He spent time on loan at Bournemouth shortly after signing his first professional contract and heavily featured for the Irons reserve side. He failed to make the grade in East London and joined Yeovil on a free transfer in July 2011.
(14) Lawson D’Ath Midfielder	19	1	0	0/0
D’Ath is an academy product of Championship side Reading. He recently made his debut for the Royals in the FA Cup against Stevenage and linked up with Yeovil on loan on 9thFebruary.
(15) Joe Edwards Defender	21	4	1	0/0
Edwards is another recent arrival at Huish Park, signing on loan from Bristol City. He signed his first contract in 2010 with the Robins and has appeared twice for the first team. He spent his first season as a professional on loan at Bath City and had a spell with Stockport County earlier this season, before heading to Yeovil in January 2012, scoring on his debut against Tranmere Rovers.
(18) Kieran Agard Forward	22	25	5	5/0
Skiverton was made aware of Agard's availiabilty on Twitter. © ytfc.net Young striker who started his footballing career with Arsenal before joining the youth academy at Everton. He signed his first professional deal with the Toffees and became their reserve player of the year in his debut season. He made a just two appearances at Everton and had spells on loan at Peterborough and Kilmarnock last season. He was released from his contract last summer and was signed by Yeovil after he was suggested to Terry Skiverton on the social networking site Twitter.
(19) Curtis Haynes-Brown Defender	22	11	0	1/1
Haynes-Brown came through the youth system with Colchester, spending 7 years with the club before being released in 2008 after not being handed a professional contract. He moved to AFC Sudbury after his release and showed steady progress in his two seasons with the Isthmian League Division One side. He stepped up a level the following season joining Lowestoft Town and greatly impressed visiting scouts. He had trials at several league clubs before signing for Yeovil last summer.
(22) Dean Parrett Midfielder	20	5	0	2/0
England youth international who is currently on loan at Yeovil from Spurs. He joined the North London side from QPR in 2007, progressing through the youth system at White Hart Lane. He has played for Tottenham in European competition and has spent time out on loan at Aldershot, Plymouth and Charlton. He was a part of Spurs Europa League squad this season and will be at Huish Park until the end of the season.
(26) Kelly Youga Defender	26	1	0	0/0
Youga started his career at Olympique Lyonnais rubbing shoulders with some of the current French internationals coming through the youth ranks there before joining Charlton Athletic in 2005. He was immediately loaned to Bristol City and later to Bradford and Scunthorpe United. He broke into the Addicks first team in 2008 and cemented his place in the side. A series of injuries hindered the full back in his later career, with him missing the majority of last season through injury. His contract expired last May and despite training with the club in the summer he was not offered new terms and had remained a free agent until recently when he joined Yeovil.
(28) Richard Hinds Defender	31	2	0	0/0
Experienced defender Hinds is another recent capture at Huish Park. He started his professional career at Tranmere Rovers in 1998 and became a sturdy and reliable performer for the Super Whites. His promise took him to Hull City in 2003, where he spent two seasons, spending time on loan at Scunthorpe in his second season with the club. At the end of his contract with the Tigers, he joined Scunny full-time on a free transfer and became a key member of the side. He left Scunthorpe for his boyhood club Sheffield Wednesday in 2007 and became a regular for the Owls, but his second season was shortened as a severe leg fracture kept him out for a long period of the season. He soon bounced back and became a terrace favourite at Hillsborough, but with the improvement to the Owls side, he soon became back up and was released in the summer. He joined Lincoln for a brief spell before signing for the Glovers in January. Outside of football, Hinds attained a first-class honours degree in Law from the Open University in 2011.
(29) Jonathan Obika Forward	21	17	2	2/0
Journeyman loanee - Jonathan Obika. © thisissomerset.co.uk Obika is an England youth international and is on loan from Spurs. He has become a bit of a journeyman with this being his fourth spell in Somerset. He has made a handful of appearances for the North London side in European competition, but most of his football has been away from the club having other spells at Millwall, Crystal Palace, Peterbourough and Swindon. In his four spells with Yeovil, Obika has made 62 appearances and scored 16 goals.
(31) Alistair Slowe Defender/Midfielder	23	0	0	0/0
I recently came across a remarkable story, which blows the Ali Dia signing at Southampton out of the water. Slowe was said to be on the books of Brighton as a youngster, but moved out to Ghana with his family as his father had a business there. He is said to have played for Cantonments in the Ghanian third division before moving to second division Cypriot side Onisolis Sotira, although not many records exist of him being there. His “talent” was brought to the attention of Northampton Town, with an apparent Newcastle scout recommending him to the Cobblers. He was duly signed up by the Sixfields club and became an internet sensation with their fans. It was soon obviously clear that Slowe was never going to be a professional footballer and he was released. Amazingly, Slowe was given a trial in pre season by Yeovil and despite being unimpressive at best, he was given a developmental contract with the club! A truly bizarre signing and one can only assume his rich businessman father may have been pulling a few strings and the wool over the eyes of a few people.

Previous Meeting

Colchester United 2 – 2 Yeovil

Saturday 10 September 2011

Weston Homes Community Stadium

Npower League 1

Attendance: 3,521

What a frustrating game of football this game was for Colchester fans!

Colchester’s home form has been patchy at best this term, but this was a game most U’s fans expected to gain victory from seeing as Yeovil had lost their last three games.

Gavin Massey opened the scoring. © ytfc.net

Less than a minute had passed before the U’s game plan was thrown out of the window. A quick break from the Glovers, straight from kick off saw the U’s defence suddenly go missing and presenting Gavin Massey with the chance to score, which he gratefully took!

Colchester toiled and struggled to break down a resolute Yeovil side, who looked happy to settle for the goal and camped in their own half. They must have been watching the previous home game against Walsall, who did exactly the same and saw the U’s unable to breach the defence.

Despite the U’s possession advantage all they had to show for it was a comical inadvertent header by Kayode Odejayi against the post. Ian Henderson’s shot was well saved by Jed Steer, with the rebound smacking the big striker on the head and bouncing off the woodwork without him knowing too much about it.

Andy Bond celebrates his strike. © cu-fc.com

The U’s finally got back into the game in the 38th minute when Andy Bond went for the spectacular, shooting from a long way out. There was a stroke of luck for the midfielder as the ball took a slight deflection on its way to goal, which left Steer bamboozled.

Colchester came flying out of the blocks in the second half and scored an early second half goal through Michail Antonio. Ben Coker put a sublime cross into the box, just under the crossbar, and Antonio rose highest to put the U’s deservedly in front.

Yeovil decided to go on the attack after the goal and they took just 9 minutes to get themselves level as Max Ehmer’s shot seemed to be too hot to handle for Ben Williams, who spilled the ball straight to Massey, who calmly slotted home. It was harsh on the home side, who had dominated for long periods, but it was really quite poor goalkeeper by the U’s custodian.

The Glovers goal did open things up a bit more and the U’s thought they had taken the lead through Steven Gillespie header. The goal was bemusingly cancelled out for a foul on Jed Steer, but it appeared that the U’s man was too quick for the ‘keeper.

Colchester had further chances with Gillespie twice going close, but it was a late show from Yeovil, which nearly stole all three points with Kieran Agard heading against the crossbar at the death.

It was a frustrating day for Colchester, as the Glovers scored twice despite only having four attempts all day. But football is all about taking your chances and the Somerset did that and defended really well to keep the U’s at bay.

Head to Head

	Yeovil wins	Draws	Colchester wins
League	1	3	5
Cup	0	1	0
FA Cup	1	2	2
Total	2	6	7

Team News

Ashley Vincent has handed John Ward a boost with his return to fitness. © skysports.com

John Ward will have positive selection headache with all three of his substitutes making a difference to the outcome of the U’s recent game with Brentford. Ashley Vincent will be hoping to grab a space on the bench as he continues his return to fitness. The U’s only injury doubt is John-Joe O’Toole who is still a week or so away from returning to fitness. Former Glover Gavin Massey has been recalled by his parent club and now will not be travelling to Huish Park.

Prediction

Colchester have won two on the bounce and will trek to Yeovil full of confidence.

The U’s have been fairly inconsistent this season, but have been much stronger on the road than they were last season.

Yeovil have lost eight times at home this season, so I definitely feel that the U’s could take something from the game at Huish Park, a ground where we have a decent record.

I think the Gary Johnson factor may have a say in the matter though, as the Glovers are unbeaten at home under the former Bristol City, Peterborough and Northampton manager.

Johnson has recently brought in a mix of youth and experience to bolster the Glovers squad and the recent form of Andy Williams is something the U’s will need to be careful of. Yeovil have plenty of attacking options we’ll need to be wary, but they are susceptible at the back.

Steve Gillespie will be looking to start against Yeovil. © gazette-news.co.uk

They have a rather youthful midfield area and should Kem Izzet and Martin Rowlands start, I think Colchester could dominate this area.

I would like to see Steven Gillespie given a start up front in the place of Karl Duguid, with Henderson reverting back to the wing. Gillespie is a natural in front of goal and I feel he links well with both Wordsworth and Henderson. It is certainly going to be interesting how we line up as we have plenty of options.

In terms of the score I am going to go for a 1-1 draw with Gillespie to score for the U’s and Williams to continue his goalscoring run.

The Opposition View

1) After losing a few of your better players last summer, are you happy with how you have coped this season?

Terry Skiverton patched the side up with free transfers and loans. © http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk

Rich_the_Glover - I think the two biggest losses were Smith (LB) and Bowditch (striker) and we’ve struggled in these areas pretty much up till now. With Andy William’s recent form and the potential for new signing Youga to slot in at left back when fully fit things might be starting to settle again.

Parf - I think we have to be, in the past this season we’ve been told we have a better group of players, we don’t and we’re lucky with all the changes that we’ve made.

Wurzel – We have done OK but I think we would have done far better if Gary Johnson had been there from the start of the season.

ToggsYTFC - Think Skiverton’s got lucky with his Summer dealings, as we could be in a far worse position. Think Blizzard was a mystery one when he did sign, and he’s proved that way. N’Gala ineffective, sometimes a liability. Agard should be in the GB 100m team, and not playing football. Maybe they just need time mind, Huntington/Ayling prove that point. His loan market dealings though are still the best I’ve seen in this division.

Tommyboy – Overall very happy with how we have coped considering i thought with a whole new squad it could either go both ways, but we always seem to be down where we are so its no suprise!

2) What are your opinions on Gary Johnson’s return to the club? Do you think you would have gone done under Skiverton?

Gary Johnson returned to the Glovers in January. © midwestradio.co.uk

Rich_the_Glover – One word: excitement. The circumstances are so different to when he last joined but I think everyone associated with the club got a big lift with this news. Still early days but the faith seems to be paying off.

Parf - Came as a bit of a shock, I was happy with Skivo as manager and didn’t think we played that bad football, just a bit of experience was lacking to grind out results.

Wurzel – Glad he is back and we would have gone down under Terry Skiverton for certain.

ToggsYTFC – He wouldn’t of gone under Skiverton, 100%. He could walk into a better job in my opinion, so credit to him for coming back. Skiverton was dis-regarded for what was sometimes, miracle making with our circumstances, and did a great job when looked at overall, but changes were needed, and Gary’s second coming was definately a positive!

Tommyboy – No words are needed to describe Gary’s re-appointment, but its given not just the club but the fans a huge lift in terms of belief… Seems to be bringing commitment back, and decent football.

3) How would you describe your current style of football, and are you happy with it?

Rich_the_Glover – Only seen the one game since GJ has returned (Wycombe) but I was happy with the performance, attacking football if still a little more direct than the style under GJ’s first stint.

Parf - Umm quite attacking, lots of passing, defence needs work though.

Wurzel – We play entertaining football now, and this is the gary Johnson Style….you score 4 but we’ll get more…

ToggsYTFC – Nervous? Until recently anyway. You can see some intent now to play good football and get the ball down, but towards the end of Skivo’s reign as manager, you could see he was trying to score a goal, and then sit in front of our six-yard-box. Complete opposite to a year ago, when we played some seriously attractive stuff.

Tommyboy – Current style of football is ‘good’ not perfect but it seems to suit our players well, and seems to be working to our advantage at the mo.

Key and most improved played - Ed Upson. © greenun24.co.uk

4) Who has been your key man this season?

Rich_the_Glover – Andy Williams, has been a revolution up front recently, his pace, skill and finishing can damage most defences in this league.

Parf – Ed Upson, most improved player by a mile, bossed the midfield in a lot of games. Most would say Andy Williams but he still wastes far too many chances and should have scored way more than 8.

Paul Huntingdon has been Mr Consistency. © carlisleuntied.co.uk

Wurzel – Paul Huntingdon has been absolutely immense in defence and is a massive loss to us as he is currently suspended. Also Andy Williams could well get 20 this season if he continues as he is.

ToggsYTFC – Slowe? haha, well Paul Huntington’s been as consistant as ever, we will struggle to keep hold of him if a bigger club comes sniffing. Both the Williams, and a vastly improved Ed Upson come to mind. Credit to Ed by the way.

Williams goals have been vital for the Glovers.© sportinglife.com

Tommyboy – Key man has deffo got to be Ed Upson, i think he has been the key to our midfield this year and has chipped in with some vital goals. He has the ability to change a game with his quick thinking, and his awareness to see what is around him. It was a tough decision to place him over A. Williams but i feel Ed deserves it simply because of how he has developed so quickly.

5) Yeovil have been fairly busy in the transfer/loan market recently, are you happy with the players you have brought in?

Rich_the_Glover – Yes, mostly loans but a few savvy free transfers to bolster squad strength in defence.

Parf - Yes, the players brought in have been quality. Usually we get class loanees.

Wurzel – Yes…we are a small club in a big pond and survive with loan signings. The ones we have are currently doing a decent job in digging us out of the mire.

ToggsYTFC – Very much so. Can’t say im surprised though, we work the loan market expertly. We need to though!

Tommyboy – Yes, there’s been some quality players brought in just when we need them, and when we have either lost someone to injury or somebody has returned to their parent club from loan then weather it was either Skivo or GJ, there was always a replacement pretty much straight away.

6) Gavin Massey is a recent signing at the U’s. How did he do for you and were you sad to see him leave?

Massey has just been recalled by Watford. © greenun24.co.uk

Rich_the_Glover – Looked alright in places, wasn’t sad to see him leave though. Given regular football and service I think he will score goals for you.

Parf - He never really broke into the team, was impressive when he played, his pace is great but I don’t think he scores enough. Not too bothered to see him leave though.

Wurzel – Massey is quick but can’t hit a cows arse with a banjo…good luck with it and I hope he doesn’t come back to haunt us Saturday!

ToggsYTFC – He’s the sort of player that you wouldn’t really want to play against as a defender… fast and fairly unpredictable. His footballing attributes need to improve though.

Tommyboy – I was a fan if I’m honest, I preferred him to Agard, as he worked hard, one of those players who was unpredictable but could change a game in the blink of an eye.

7) Is Alastair Slowe as bad as made out by the Northampton fans and does anyone actually know the circumstances surrounding his signing for the Glovers?

Phantom Player - Alastair Slowe in Northampton colours. © skysports.com

Rich_the_Glover – It’s a mystery. Clearly never going to play a league match for us.

Parf - Never seen him play so can’t comment, he doesn’t look like a footballer though.

Wurzel – is Slowe still here? Someone else will have to answer that! He seems to be a ghost player that pops up every now and then with a mention.

ToggsYTFC – Yes.

Tommyboy – Still don’t know anything about Slowe, and if I’m honest don’t plan on knowing anything either.

8) In regards to the match on Saturday, what do you think the score will be, and scorers (if any)?

Rich_the_Glover – 2-1 to us, Upson and A. Williams the scorers.

Parf - 2-2 A.Williams and Obika with Yeovil’s goals.

Wurzel – Who knows with Gary’s style of football? we could win 6-5 as our defending is kamikaze at times but we are far more potent up front than under Terry Skiverton…seriously? I think 3-2…we’ll blow you away for 80 minutes then fall to bits and make the game interesting….

ToggsYTFC – Think we’d do well to get a point, and i’d take one. We have good belief though, going to go for a cheeky 2-1 win!

Tommyboy – With all respect to the U’s I think their a great side, but with our home situation under GJ and the way we are playing now I can only see the match going one way. I would say 2-0 Yeo, with A. Williams and Parret.

9) Which team has impressed you most in League 1 this season?

Rich_the_Glover – No comment, sadly haven’t seen enough games this season.

Parf - Charlton, their football when we played them at home was unbelievable.

Wurzel – Stevenage Borough…fantastic for a small club…they could go up or playoffs. Would not surprise me.

ToggsYTFC – Stevenage. Small budget and doing fantasically, well run clubs have a chance.

Tommyboy - I would say Charlton, they are finally living up the the expectations and considering their situation at the start of the season where they had to bring in a whole new side and allow them to gel i think that they have done fantastic and totally deserve to be where they are.. Second to Charlton I would have to congratulate Stevenage, done fantastically well considering they only came up last year.

10) Who are your bets for promotion and which teams do you think will fall through the relegation trap door at the end of the season?

Rich_the_Glover – Sheff Utd for promotion. Think Wycombe will go down, not sure who the other three will be but quite confident we won’t be one of them!

Parf - Charlton and the Sheffield teams will go up. I think Wycombe, Chesterfield, Walsall and Rochdale will go down.

Wurzel - Sheff United and Charlton up, and Stevenage in the playoffs…they deserve it.
Walsall, Rochdale, Chesterfield and Wycombe down, although I want Wycombe to stay up as it will get us 6 points next season! We seem to be having a good rune against them!

ToggsYTFC – Promoted: Charlton, Sheff Utd… and as much as it hurts to say it, MK Dons. Relegated: Rochdale, Walsall, Wycombe & Exeter (PLEASE BE EXETER), but we are far from out of it…

Tommyboy – Couldn’t call the relegation battle but hopfully we’re not involved but promotion would have to be, Charlton, Sheff Wed, Sheff Utd, and play offs are anyone’s guess.

Ticket News

Here are the prices for the game at Huish Park.

Terrace
Adults: £16
65+: £11
U16s: £6
16-12 yrs: £9

Seated
As above with the exception of seniors who are £12

The seated tickets are only for families, seniors and disabled.

All prices go up by £2 on the day, apart from juniors.