Yeovil Town travel to fierce rivals Weymouth on Tuesday evening (7:45pm) for the first competitive meeting between the two sides since November 1999.
Coming into the highly anticipated clash, Yeovil have secured back-to-back wins in the National League for the first time this season, overcoming top-of-the-table Torquay United with a heroic late turnaround thanks to goals from Josh Neufville and Luke Wilkinson.
Despite Torquay being somewhat local rivals, the magnitude of Saturday’s clash is dwarfed in comparison by Tuesday’s derby with the Terras.
Darren Sarll’s thoughts
Speaking to ytfc.net following the victory over Torquay, Darren Sarll spoke on his approach to Tuesday’s derby; “We’ll approach it with the same attitude, because I think that is us. It’s taken a while to ignite it again.
“What I’ve liked recently, is that the players, especially the ones we had here last year have suddenly stood up and got themselves back into form; Matt Worthington immense again, an incredible performance (against Torquay), who by his own admission hasn’t hit form. Lawson (D’Ath) was huge again, (Albi) Skendi, huge again, and I think it gives us all hope that we can bring this round.
Head-to-head
Last meeting in FA Trophy action in 1999, Weymouth took Yeovil to a replay, following a 0-0 draw at the Bob Lucas Stadium, the clash at Huish Park was a different story with a victory for Yeovil.
We most recently met Weymouth in league action in January 1989 in the old Vauxhall Conference, that afternoon the green and whites ran out the 0-2 victors away from home.
A memorable clash for many Yeovil fans came in the 1987/88 season where Town inflicted Weymouth’s first home defeat in their then new ground. The cup tie saw Yeovil come in as the underdogs as Weymouth were competing in a higher division at the time, yet it was the Glovers who advanced to the FA Cup first round following a 1-3 victory on the South Coast. Yeovil eventually made it to the FA Cup Third Round that season, a 3-0 defeat to Queens Park Rangers ending a heroic run of nine games which started in the first qualifying round.
Looking back over the 203 fixtures between the two sides, Yeovil have the more positive record, winning on 88 occasions, drawing 36 times and losing 77, however the goal difference between the two sides is a little tighter, with just an eight-goal swing, with Yeovil netting 318 to Weymouth’s 310.
A foot in the opposition camp
It’s been a mixed season for Weymouth so far as they sit in the drop zone at the time of writing.
Despite wins over the likes of Stockport County and King’s Lynn, Tuesday’s hosts have struggled to pick up points in tight games, losing by a one-goal margin on eight occasions this season.
Following the departure of Mark Molesley in the Summer, ex-AFC Bournemouth player and youth coach Brian Stock took the reins for his first senior management role. In his playing career, Stock managed three Wales caps and played Championship football for Doncaster Rovers and Burnley, eventually hanging up his boots after a spell at Havant & Waterlooville.
Many Yeovil fans would have expected to see a familiar face in Tom Whelan, but the ex-Glovers and Sailsbury midfielder left Weymouth to join Chesterfield last month. There will be a familiar face in the Weymouth ranks in the form of Alefe Santos who signed for Stock’s side in the Summer.
Coverage
With the game played behind closed doors, Yeovil Town fans can tune into Weymouth’s live streaming coverage, linked HERE.
Radio commentary will also be provided by both BBC Somerset and Three Valleys radio.
The Yeovil Town social media channels will offer text updates with a match report and interviews following after full-time.
