December 2019

December 2019
During the month of December, Yeovil Town F.C played 6 League matches, 1 Checkatrade Trophy match and 2 FA Cup fixtures.

They ended the month 1st in the League.

League 1: MD21
Fleetwood Town Post-match Interview

"Great game to kick start a busy month for us! O. Olomola completely deserves his MOTM award today, his three crosses were perfect assists that helped us get control of the game when it looked to be getting out of hand. S. D'Almeida with another brace too was well deserved! Back-to-back cup fixtures next so it's a chance for us to advance in the FA Cup and potentially earn some silverware in the Checkatrade Trophy!

Congratulations to R. Browne for picking up the EFL League 1 Player of the Month for November too - he earned it!"

FA Cup: Round 2
"The last thing we needed was for this month to have yet another fixture added into the mix - but we'll have to settle for that. It was a solid performance and I don't think they deserved a replay but no one was stopping that equaliser. It's the first time that C. Hawkins has come up against his former team, so maybe they had a point to prove, but there was no need to smack in a shot into the top corner from 30-yards that late into the game... No matter. We look ahead to Crawley Town!"

Checkatrade Trophy: Area Semi-Final
"Turns out that there isn't much to look too... That's the first time in a while that we've been shut out and on balance, that's fair as we only managed to create 2 chances. I could have fielded the first team, but I wanted to stay true to the players who got us this far, even if most of them played a few days ago in the FA Cup. But it's ok. It would have been nice to earn some silverware but it will just make it sweeter if we do eventually win a cup!"

League 1: MD22
"We left it late but we deserved the three points, so I am glad we managed to find a way!

We'll have to assess R. Browne after the game but I don't think it'll be that serious, as he managed to play for quite some time after picking up the injury."

FA Cup: Round 2 Replay
Burton Albion Post-match Interview

"That was an electric first half and I am only disappointed that we couldn't add to that in the second! Granted, I mostly set us up today with our first team, but that's only because I wanted to get the job done and avoid extra -time, which I don't think we could have managed. Some great wing play today which is pleasing to see. I am really liking L. Price in this role, which is great for the team as he can play both on the wing and central. With the news that R. Browne will miss around 2-months of action, it's a chance for Liam to earn a place in the team on a more permanent basis.

I think we had an extra layer of motivation knowing that we would face Premier League opposition Leicester City in the next round and it's great to welcome such an established club to Huish Park in January!"

League 1: MD23
Doncaster Rovers Post-match Interview

"A powerful display today that really cemented our position at the top of the table. Some great crosses too! I played M. Reuvers on the right wing due to some players needing a rest, but much like Price, he displayed a level of proficiency that you might not expect from a player who has primarily spent his career playing down the middle. MOTM, however, is once again C. Duffus with his brace and assist. An outstanding player who's really loving his football right now!"

League 1: MD24
"Very poor game from us, but credit to Bolton who was sharp in defence and limited us to just 2 shots. It was much the same in the reverse fixture 2 matchdays ago but we lacked the final touch this time around. As far as Boxing day fixtures go, this one won't go down in the history books!

But today's game signalled the halfway point of the season. 11 points clear of second (58 points v 47 points), I back our lads to repeat everything they have done up until this point and remain top come April."

League 1: MD25
Fleetwood Town Post-match Interview

"Where to even start! First up is that obviously this freak result can be explained by the necessity of having to rotate the entire first team with the reserves, given that this match was 2-days after Bolton. And we have a similar case with Bradford in 2-days too. It's just not realistic to expect teams to play this frequently. But we made due.

At halftime, 1-3 down, I felt as though this game was beyond us. Certainly when they scored right after us to make it 2-4. But we kept pushing. I brought on Gary Warren as we needed more solidity, hence playing him at CDM. But also because it will be his last appearance at Huish Park and likely for the club in general. But for him to make the lung-bursting run at the end of the match to get into 1 v 1 position... well, my heart was in my mouth! But he finished it like a seasoned Striker! I am so pleased for him and I don't doubt that he'll have a special place in the fans hearts after that!

Finally, we're at the end of December. Just Bradford City to go and we're not going to have a repeat of today, I promise."

League 1: MD26
"That was a very tough game. Probably one that we didn't deserve to take 3-points from, but we held out well! Fatigue was clearly a factor but we pushed through and resisted all of their attacks.

Now that December is out of the way, we can return to a calmer schedule and push on with the season.

With the window opening in a couple of days, I don't think fans should expect a lot of movement bar the sales that have already been announced. J. Grant will be returning to Chelsea and we are looking to bring back R. Clarke who isn't getting enough game time as AS Beziers. Which is just as well as we're losing a CB and a RB, which are two positions he can cover. But one the whole, I prefer not to bring in players in January unless it is needed. As we're sitting first, I think we'll be alright with this squad! But we may look to secure some players on pre-contracts if there are any that can complete our squad ahead of our potential year in the Championship!"

YeoLaTengo Monthly Review
What a monster month! No fewer than 9 matches were played and we took a bit of a beating on some occasions. It's disappointing that we were knocked out of the Checkatrade Trophy at the same stage as last season, but we progressed in the FA Cup and hopefully, we'll give a good showing of ourselves against Leicester City!

What's a funny coincidence this month is that we ended up playing Burton, Bolton and Fleetwood twice! It's rare that happens with one team, let alone three. Some of them really tested our defence, but on the whole, we should be pleased with our results.

YeoLaTengo Player of the Month
There are a number of players who deserve this award. O. Fane had a fantastic month. Having played in every game, he was the bedrock of the team that kept everyone going when it seemed easier to slow down. He kept on running and that certainly inspired everyone else to keep on going. C. Duffus had a brilliant month in front of goal again and scored with some exceptional finishes. S. D'Almeida is another obvious candidate for his exceptional goals from midfield, while T. James had a great month in defence and even grabbed an assist.

It's a tough call, but for consistency alone, it has to go to Ousmane Fane who truly gave everything he had. Given the lack of options at CDM, his presence cannot be understated. Well done Ousmane!