Yeovil Town manager Richard Dryden expressed his frustration after his team’s slow start and inability to overcome ten-man Hemel Hempstead resulted in a disappointing exit from the FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round—marking the second consecutive year they have fallen at this stage.
Hemel Hempstead began the match strongly, but the tide seemed to turn when Isiah Noel Williams was sent off for an off-the-ball incident involving Kyle Ferguson. Despite being a player down, Hemel took the lead six minutes before halftime thanks to captain Kyle Ajayi.
Yeovil introduced several substitutes who made an impact, with Harvey Greenslade leveling the score at 71 minutes. However, Hemel remained resilient and secured the victory in the final three minutes through replacement Finley Wilkinson.
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Reflecting on the match, Dryden admitted: “We didn’t start well at all. In the first 10 to 15 minutes, we were lucky to escape unscathed. Our style suffered—we went long and didn’t play our game. After their sending off, we should have seized the moment, but we didn’t.”
He added, “Defensively, we were poor. Conceding from a corner is unacceptable—we had prepared for that. Hemel pressed us effectively, disrupting our defense, and we never managed to match the high tempo and intensity we’ve shown in recent weeks.”
Dryden acknowledged the disappointment within the squad but emphasized the need to regroup. “This was a crucial FA Cup day, yet the group didn’t perform. Many players are hurting, but we must focus on future games.”
The manager also touched on transfer efforts, revealing, “The board has funded us to sign new players. We’ve explored several options but haven’t finalized any deals yet. With injuries mounting, bringing in the right players quickly is essential.”
Defender Luke McCormick shared in the disappointment, stating, “It’s a tough loss, especially exiting the FA Cup this early. The red card should have shifted momentum in our favor, and we had chances to win. We owe an apology to our traveling fans. Now, it’s back to league matters—we must stay united.”
Yeovil Town now looks ahead, determined to bounce back and build momentum in their league campaign.