Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley expressed a mixture of frustration and optimism following his side’s 2-1 defeat to League Two’s Newport County in their final pre-season match at Huish Park.
The Glovers got off to a flying start with Luke McCormick scoring inside the opening four minutes. However, Newport responded effectively with two set-piece goals: Shaquille Gwengwe equalised before Lee Jenkins secured the win early in the second half. Despite the loss, Yeovil displayed several promising attacking moves and came close to an equaliser on multiple occasions.
Reflecting on the game, Rowley highlighted encouraging aspects within the performance, recognising that the season’s journey so far involves natural ups and downs. “I just reminded the lads inside we’ve been together four weeks, had about 15 sessions and it’s not going to be a linear process,” he said. “This journey is going to be ups and downs.”
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Rowley also emphasised the attacking chances created throughout the match, noting, “I just watched some highlights back in the office and there were some really good bits. We had six or seven chances which we should have or could have scored from.”
New defender Ben Radcliffe, who joined Yeovil on loan earlier that day, made his debut and impressed the manager. “Sometimes you get a gut feeling about a player when you first see them and I’ve got that feeling with him,” Rowley remarked. “He’s a very assured defender, brilliant with the ball and he’s only trained with us once, but he’s organising the line and communicating with players.”
Although the pre-season concluded with defeat, Rowley remains positive about the progress made during his first pre-season in charge. “I’ve really enjoyed it,” he said. “We’ve been together four weeks and we’re still learning, I am as well. We’re going to have so many ups and downs, but I think it’s important to realise what we’re trying to achieve and how we want to get there.”
Looking ahead, Rowley praised the squad’s character and camaraderie, stating, “I’m looking forward to working with the boys, I think they’re a great group of lads and the characters are really good. We’ll have to stick together in the next few months, keep building relationships and keep trying to improve.”
Yeovil Town now turn their focus to the National League opener, which will see them embark on a 500-mile round trip to face Scunthorpe United.