One of our shortest away trips takes place tomorrow night as Bournemouth travel to Yeovil for the first time in a Football League fixture.
Preview
Bournemouth are expected to name the same team that defeated Gillingham with a last minute winner on Saturday afternoon. The winning goalscorer Drew Surman, who The Bournemouth Daily Echo report has extended his stay at Dean Court for an additional month while negotiations continue with Southampton, has along with Stephen Foley been a major concern for manager Sean O’Driscoll this week at the January transfer window has started to creep up on us.
O’Driscoll admitted the loss of Andrew Surman would be ‘massive’ and although he was hopeful the 19-year-old would extend his stay, he knows his loss would leave a gaping hole. ‘It would be a massive loss to us as we’d have to replace him,’.
Stephen Foley also looks set to stay at Dean Court for another month. Speaking to The Bournemouth Daily Echo O’Driscoll said: ‘The situation at the moment is that I think we’ve secured both boys for a further month, and, within that month, we’ll try to push negotiations to take them until the end of the season.’
In Yeovil it has been reported in today’s regional press that Yeovil Town skipper Terry Skiverton is looking to secure a new contract with the club. The influential Skiverton will see his current contract run out next summer.
Club officials in Yeovil and the police have urged supporters to arrive in plenty of time for the 7.45pm kick-off as they expect it to be a virtual sell-out crowd.
Steve Fletcher will be chatting to Alan Brazil on TalkSport at 8am tomorrow morning in the Breakfast Show, so listen out, and The Cherries are featured on Soccer Night on ITV Meridian this evening at 11pm.
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Yeovil Team News:
Yeovil boss Steve Thompson is hoping on-loan defender Liam Fontaine will be fit to face The Cherries. Fontaine went off with a groin strain with six minutes remaining of Saturday’s 2-1 win over Barnsley. Darren Way is still out however.
BBC Sport reported this week that midfielder David Poole has been challenged by Steve Thompson to make the right wing spot his own.
Former Manchester United Trainee Poole scored in the 2-1 win over Barnsley, in only his second start for Town since joining on the 1st of June this year on a free transfer.
Thomspon told local radio ‘We’re looking for more effectiveness in the wide role and I though he had a very good half an hour in the second half.’
Yeovil have won their last two matches, the 2-1 win at Home to Barnsley on Saturday, and prior to that won 2-1 at struggling Rotherham, an own goal from Colin Murdock and a 36th minute winner by Matt Harrold.
Player to watch: Matt Harrold
Top scorer Matt Harrold, currently with 6 goals to his name, joined Yeovil for a nominal fee from Brentford in the summer. Before leaving The Griffins he spent a month on loan to Dagenham & Redbridge and then a further month at Grimsby.
AFC Bournemouth Team News:
Former Pompy defender Sean Cooper, who is expected to keep his place in defence for tomorrow night’s trip to Yeovil told the Daily Echo ‘Before I came here, I was confident I could do well for Bournemouth.
‘But I have surprised myself a bit with how many games I’ve played – not that I am going to complain about that!
‘There are a lot of experienced defenders coming back from injury and I know it will be difficult to try and stay in the side.
‘So I know there is no room for slip-ups. I cannot afford to have a bad game because Jason, Eddie, Purchy are all back and Shaun Maher looks like he’ll be back soon.’
Both Eddie Howe and Steven Purches, who have been out of the game for a while now, came on as substitues at the weekend – marking their return to contest for a place in the Bournemouth starting lineup.
Midfielder Stephen Cooke (knee) is still out, but defender Neil Young should be fit despite carrying a knock.
Expected starting Lineup:
Stewart, O’Connor, Young, Cooper, Hart, Surman, Stock, Browning, Foley, Fletcher, Hayter.
Player to watch: James Hayter
James scored the equaliser to bring the Cherries back from from 1-0 down and then shook off pressure from the Gillingham keeper to set Surman up for the winner.
Match Facts & Stats
The Cherries last met Yeovil at Huish Park two season ago for a pre-season friendly. I forget the score (possible 2-0?)- but The Cherries won – with debutant Dani Rodrigues scoreing two on his Cherries ‘debut’ (his first match since leaving Yeovil after a very successful, yet short, spell with the club).
As the only fixture in League One on Friday night, The Cherries start this match 9th in the table – but could move up to 5th. However, this would mean winning by at least 8 goals. A win is more likely to put the Cherries 7th. A draw would move the Cherries up one place to 8th.
A Yeovil win could see them move up to 10th, but again, a lot of goals would be needed. A win is likely to put them 11th, and a draw 15th.
Ref Watch:
Scott Mathieson will be in charge of tonight’s away clash against Yeovil. Our experience of the Chester based referee goes back a long way. We first came across the official in 1998 when he took control of three games, all away, against Blackpool, Walsall and Millwall. Unfortunately not much can be remembered from the game at the New Den. It was the day that Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis apologised to his fan for their team’s poor performances that season by including a free beer voucher in each programme.
The experienced ref has one of the lowest card counts we’ve seen this season with no red cards given out and 26 yellows from 15 games so far.
Next Fixtures:
Football League One
28-12-2005, Kick Off 3:00pm
Bournemouth vs Barnsley
Tranmere vs Yeovil
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