After eight games throughout August, Darren Way’s side prepare for their ninth and final match of the month as they take on Portsmouth at Huish Park on Tuesday in the opening group stage fixture of the Checkatrade Trophy.
Pompey come into the match unbeaten in the last two matches having won 1-0 at Exeter at the weekend off the back off victory at home to Colchester the week previous.
For the Glovers, they come into the fixture off the back of a 4-1 defeat at Doncaster Rovers where Town were also reduced to 10-men.
The opening game in the Checkatrade Trophy will be new territory for both teams with the group stage format being newly introduced from last season’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.
Development sides from Premier League and Championship clubs have also been introduced, with Reading’s development squad in a group alongside Town, Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers in Southern Group A.
Head-to-head
Both sides come into the match having enjoyed stalemate in the previous two fixtures. In early October last season, Yeovil battled to a 0-0 draw at Fratton Park before sharing the spoils in the return fixture in February when Francois Zoko’s opening goal was cancelled out late on by Gary Roberts.
The previous meeting between both sides came in the Checkatrade Trophy’s predecessor – the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – back in September 2014. Pompey ran out 3-1 winners at Huish Park thanks to three second half goals from Jed Wallace (2) and Craig Westcarr, with Nathan Ralph’s goal little more than consolation for the home side.
The only other two competitive meetings came in 2012 with both clubs competing in League One. Both fixtures ended with 2-1 scorelines, with both teams picking up three points away from home. In October, Reuben Reid’s penalty for Yeovil was sandwiched between Izale McLeod (now with the Glovers) and Gabor Gyepes strikes either side of half-time. Whilst in the return fixture at Fratton Park in December, Dominic Blizzard and Byron Webster cancelled out Paul Benson’s strike.
Referee
Kevin Johnson is the man in charge on Tuesday, having taken charge of the Sky Bet League Two clash between Leyton Orient and Mansfield Town at the weekend, a match which featured just two yellow cards (both for the O’s).
Johnson last took charge of a Glovers match back in March during the 2015/16 campaign when Yeovil hosted Carlisle at Huish Park. The match finished 0-0 with just three yellow cards awarded, with Matty Dolan receiving Yeovil’s only booking.
Coverage
Minute-by-minute updates will be provided by our official Twitter account, with updates also available via our official Facebook page.
A full match report will follow shortly after full-time, as well as post-match video reaction from Darren Way and a member of the playing staff.
29th August 2016