National League South, Bob Lucas Stadium, Monday 1 April, 13.00 BST
We end the Easter weekend with a paramount clash against arch-rivals Yeovil Town.
The Glovers head down to Dorset top of the table, seven points clear of second-place Chelmsford City.
Interim-boss Jason Matthews described today’s match as a “massive derby…[with] bragging rights at stake.”
HOW TO FOLLOW…
Today’s 1pm kick-off will be broadcast HERE online. Viewers can sign up and pay a total of £10 to view the game
Live audio commentary will be available HERE, on our official radio website.
You can follow the action via our social media channels. Footage and exclusive reaction will also be uploaded online after the final whistle.
THE OPPOSITION…
In the words of Matthews’ pre-match preview, we need to “make our fans very proud,” against a team “fighting to win the league.”
Based on their form this season, their status as title-favourites is hard to argue.
With the chance to further cement their status at the top, our archenemies will be looking for all three points on our patch.
Currently sat top of the league, The Glovers are seven points ahead of challengers Chelmsford City, despite having played a game less.
Mark Cooper, in charge of the Somerset outfit since October 2022, will be looking to get his side back in the fifth tier of English football, having oversaw their relegation the previous campaign.
Our rivals, however, appear to be heading in the right direction this campaign, with three more league wins than any other side.
They also boast the second-most goals scored, only behind Worthing, alongside conceding the second-least amount of goals.
Their form has also shown major signs of consistency, picking up 43 points in their opening 20 matches, before earning the same number of points in their following 21 games.
These are perhaps the numbers expected from one of the league’s professional clubs.
Previously known for being Somerset’s sole football-league team for a number of years, The Glovers were competing as high as the Championship just 11 years ago, beating the likes of Nottingham Forest during their sole season in England’s second tier.
They have, however, undertaken a gradual descent into non-league territory over the past decade, re-entering the fifth tier in 2019 for the first time in 12 years.
Though, as any fan would say, previous form goes out the window on derby day…
PREVIOUS RESULTS…
Having faced today’s opponents 255 times (inc friendlies), no other team has played more games against the mighty Terras throughout our history.
Our home record in this derby appears somewhat impressive, with our 48% win rate, 64 out of 134 matches.
An early contest saw us win 4-0, in a game that, even then, suggested a level of mutual dislike.
Our players left the field with no intention of returning, after a shot, believed to have struck the inside of the post, was awarded a goal-kick.
The incident, which would not have occurred had goal nets existed back then, resulted in an abandoned game.
But, since this problem was rectified shortly after, we have had far more concerning issues, having not beaten Yeovil in a competitive match since 1988.
We had the chance to do so earlier this season at Huish Park, before goals from Jordan Young and Jake Hyde thwarted our plans.
Perhaps we can perform a resurrection of our own this afternoon…
Match preview
By Jack Webb
