Club News

🔎 The Opposition: Yeovil Town

4th October

Exeter City moved back to second in EFL Sky Bet League Two on Tuesday night, courtesy of a 1-0 win over Stevenage. The victory moves the Grecians just two points behind Lincoln after they fell to a 1-0 defeat at Tranmere Rovers.

After extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven games, Matt Taylor’s side are one of the division’s form side. They visit a Yeovil side on the opposite end of the spectrum who are winless in four and have suffered back-to-back 3-1 league defeats.

However, the hosts have only just one league game so far this season.

Here is all you need to know about Saturday’s opponents:

Founded: 1895
Stadium: Huish Park
Nickname: The Glovers

Yeovil are one of the newest members of the Football League having been promoted into League Two (then Third Division) for the 2003/04 season. A 108-year hiatus since being founded in 1895.

The Glovers then achieved almost instant success in League Two after being crowned champions in the 2004/05 season. In 2012/13 they gained promotion from League One after finishing fourth and wining the play-offs, before instantly returning to League One after coming 24th.

The manager

Darren Way

A man very much regarded as a ‘one-club man’, Way amassed of 200 appearances as a diminutive, hard-tackling midfielder for the Glovers between 2000 and 2006. He then had a short stint at Swansea, but swiftly returned to the south-west first on loan and the permanently in 2010.

The 38 year-old retired in 2010 and instantly assumed coaching responsibilities at the club, before briefly working as assistant manager. He then took the managerial reigns on a full-time basis in 2015, leading them to 19th, 20th and 19th placed finishes in League two respectively.

The ground

Name: Huish Park
Capacity: 9565
Year opened: 1990
Address: Lufton Way, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8WF

Following an original relocation from Huish, in 1990 Huish Park became the permanent home for Yeovil.

The grounds record attendance was 9,527 in 2008 when Leeds United arrived in a League One game. When Manchester United played at Huish Park in the FA Cup in early 2018, 9195 were also in attendance.

One to watch

Diallang Jaiyesimi

After becoming Yeovil’s first recruit in the summer, Diallang Jaiyesimi has shown plenty of promise in becoming a regular fixture in the side in making ten appearances and scoring two goals.

The 19 year-old of Nigerian descent came through the youth ranks at Norwich and scored eight in 33 for the Canaries Under-23’s.

After joining the Glovers, Jaiyseimi scored on his home debut in a 2-2 draw with Mansfield and also the 6-0 demolition of Newport County.

Recent form guide

Darren Way’s side have reached a standstill of late, without victory in four games. Their previous two games have resulted in 3-1 defeats away to Crawley and Colchester, while they were always held at home to MK Dons and beaten 3-0 at home to Swindon.

However, a 4-0 win at Notts County earlier in the season and a 6-0 drubbing of Newport in September give a measure of what the Somerset side are capable of when on song.

2017/18 season in review

Position: L2, 19th
Average attendance: 2,941
Top scorer: Francois Zoko, 15

Yeovil got their 2017/18 season off to the worst start imaginable after an opening day 8-2 drubbing away to Luton Town. A porous defence then conceded two at home to Accrington despite winning 3-2, before losing 4-3 to Forest Green.

Always ones to entertain, Yeovil scored a respectable 59 goals, but leaked 75, as they loitered precariously close to the danger zone for much of the season. Though surprisingly, they were only in the relegation zone on one occasion – that opening day defeat to Luton.

Recent meetings

Yeovil 0-0 Exeter (3-4 after penalties) – EFL Trophy Cup (4/9/18)

Exeter have drawn first blood in fixtures between the two sides this season after edging out Yeovil 4-3 on penalties in an EFL Trophy Cup, group stage match.

Jack Sparkes was the Grecians here when he struck home the decisive penalty after Omari Patrick had blazed over his preceding spot-kick.

Exeter 0-0 Yeovil – League Two (13/3/18)

The Grecians kept pushing for the one goal that would make all the difference, but saw their promotion hopes falter as relegation candidates Yeovil held on for a well-earned point.

Jayden Stockley had the best chance to win it for the hosts, but extraordinarily failed to convert from six yards, as the visitors edged closer to safety.

Yeovil 3-1 Exeter – League Two (23/12/17)

The home side provided the League Two upset of the weekend after a comfortable 3-1 against Paul Tisdale’s men.

Goals from Jake Gray and Francois Zoko just before and after half-time gave their side the ascendency before Stockley finished from a parried effort in the 85th minute to give his side hope. Sam Surridge quickly allayed home fears by converting an 88th penalty to compound victory further.