Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley has described the upcoming National League match against Southend United as a significant challenge that promises to be highly motivating for his team.
The Glovers travel to Roots Hall buoyed by three consecutive victories, including a narrow 3-2 win over Tamworth on Monday. Currently, Yeovil sit fourth in the National League standings with 11 points from their first five games.
Southend United, placed seventh with 10 points, enter the match off the back of two games without a win, their most recent result being a 1-1 draw against Woking. It is noteworthy that Southend completed a double over Yeovil last season, securing victories in both meetings.
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Despite the teams’ differing recent results, Rowley anticipates a stiff test, praising Southend’s style of play under manager Kieron Dyer. “I think Southend are a brilliant club, and Kieron is going to be a great manager,” he commented. “Stylistically they look really exciting, so it’s going to be a really good test for us.”
Rowley has noted the tactical shifts introduced by Dyer since his appointment, highlighting their increased focus on possession and the use of wingers, which presents a different challenge compared to their previous opponents. “We’ve got five games’ worth of footage, and they’re definitely more possession-based,” he explained. “Playing with wingers now, they are really exciting to watch. This is going to be quite a different game to what we’ve faced so far.”
Although Southend have not won their last two matches, Rowley cautions against taking results at face value. “I’m not going to look into the scoreline too much. They’re obviously a really good team with a good manager.”
While Yeovil have enjoyed a strong start to the season, Rowley is keen to ensure his players avoid complacency. “We’ve obviously started well. The message to the lads today was to not get too comfortable and keep doing what we’re doing.”
The team has also managed to rotate players effectively over the busy Bank Holiday period, revealing the squad’s depth. “I’ve learnt that we’ve got a really good group that are happy to step in at any given moment. I’ve learnt that we’ve got a great squad and a great set of lads,” Rowley added.
In terms of fitness, there are a few minor injury concerns as the team prepares for Saturday’s fixture, but Rowley remains optimistic. “We’re okay, touch wood. We’ve got a couple of lads with some niggles, but I don’t think anything’s too serious.”
One player definitely unavailable is midfielder Joe Haigh, who is currently in London undergoing further assessment of his ankle injury. “He’s seeing his ankle specialist, so we’ll have some news after lunch. In terms of playing with a ball, it shouldn’t be too long at all, but full training and contact might take at least three or four weeks,” said Rowley.
With the Glovers aiming to extend their winning streak, the upcoming match against Southend promises to be a competitive National League encounter.