Sunday 17 October 2010

Ciderspace Is Back

Please use the Main Site until further notice. Thank you for your patience, and fingers crossed!

Ciderspace Downtime Latest (Sunday Morning)

For those who stumble upon this site, it's not an attempt to replace the actual Ciderspace Website which remains in a state of ill-health. In fact this blog will probably disappear once we are confident the site is back up again. However, whilst it stays down, we're aware that some of the news/match related stuff becomes dated fairly quickly, and so this is an opportunity to read the text of that stuff. When the site returns, we'll merge this back into the actual Ciderspace site along with all the other usual stuff. Obviously things like the Statistics pages and Man of the Match voting form will stay inaccessible for the moment.

As for the site itself, apologies that it continues to be unavailable. Our ISP has offered us numerous false dawns and missed deadlines, supposed fixes, occasional reappearances of the site, followed by further downtime. You get to the point where you wonder if it's really worth the stress and hassle of trying to deal with it. Naturally we'll review where things stand when the site comes back up, but as we're locked out of our own site entirely (the username/password request you get on any site page affects us as well) there's not much we can do at present. Our ISP have now stopped giving us an ETA for any fixes now and it's not even certain if their latest fix will work. In the meantime, this blog will stay open, and the more major articles will be published here. Thanks for your patience; we lost ours on the 99th support call a long time ago.

Skivo's Verdict On The Sheffield Wednesday Game

Yeovil Town manager Terry Skiverton spoke to BBC Bristol reporter Ed Hadwin after his side had lost 0-2 at home against Sheffield Wednesday on October 16th 2010.

EH: Terry, I don't think you could have done much more in your efforts to win that game.

TS: No, I don't think we could. As you can tell, I'm a bit hoarse. I think we had 60:40 in possession. I think we had double the chances and double the corners. It just shows you that they had the likes of Jermaine Johnson to bring on, who we had on loan funnily enough, and it's shocking that he's come back to haunt us. But both goals came from something that we've been working a lot on, which is to not show people inside (from the wings), especially on their strong foot. I felt that both goals caused us problems by doing that.

But on the positives, I thought that our performance today was magnificent. We more than matched them. I think the main talking point of the game was that I feel there should have been a sending off for a stamping. But I don't want to talk about it any more, and I don't want to talk about the referee. The goals that they did take were very good, but for me there are turning points in games and that was massive for us.

But also, we've got to take our chances. It's no good us creating that many chances but not taking them. We have been, and I've got full faith in the people that I'm putting out there, but we just need to get that goal, especially against the bigger teams. We've got to take our opportunities. It's probably similar or exactly the same to what I spoke about before the game, which is that Yeovil huffed'n'puffed but that Sheffield Wednesday won 2-0. That will be the headline tomorrow, where we were trying to create something, trying to go on a run, to try to let people know that we are trying to do something down here. But we have to go back to the drawing board. But we will do so, and we'll keep fighting like we did today.

EH: Particularly after the first 10 minutes when they'd had you under the cosh, the response was exactly what you'd hoped for.

TS: Yes that's right, but they're Sheffield Wednesday. They think that they're going to turn up and just play us off the pitch. For the first 10 minutes, they did. Then we made a minor adjustment and put Sam (Williams) out on the right and put Gav (Williams) in the hole and they couldn't deal with that really. And it's probably a compliment to us that they then changed their shape. So for us, there were more positives out of the game. It's just that it always ends up being that one step too far against the bigger teams. I don't think they played particularly well, but they won the game. So they'll be laughing all the way home on the coach.

EH: I suppose that's the availability that someone who has a lot of money, to have someone like that on the bench and do something like Jermaine Johnson did.

TS: Yes, good luck to them. I don't want to talk about other teams. I want to talk about us and what we did today. I think we gave them more than a game, but it just keeps on going back down to the same thing about is it fair and is it even? There's a gulf between the clubs. I think that Sheffield Wednesday are a good enough side not to be helped out by officials. They're good enough; they don't need a helping hand from anybody else. Obviously I've got to watch what I say, but it's not just happening once, it's happening quite often.

EH: So from your side of things, you had so much possession and so much territory. Is there a slight frustration at the number of really good chances you created?

TS: I wouldn't have said that there were too many gilt-edged chances, but there were a couple cleared off the line and we hit the crossbar and their goalkeeper made a fantastic save. The ball dropped to Dean Bowditch in the box and he skied it over. At the opposite end, apart from their two goals, I can't really remember Stephen Henderson having to make a save. So for us, it's a little bit of a backward step. But we are more than capable of doing something in this league, and we've got to keep believing.

EH: It did look as though the players out there came up against a big team but didn't then go back into their shells. They gave everything out there.

TS: Yes, I think that the supporters that came today could see that and hopefully they can come back for the next game, as we had a very good crowd there today. I think that both teams try to play it the right way and it was just unfortunate that we came out with a defeat. But I saw enough going on there today to give me hope and give me courage to keep going on with that belief that if we keep training that hard during the week and doing loads of stuff in one-v-ones and making it hard for other teams, that this place is not an easy place for other teams to come to and get a victory, no matter who you are.

EH: I'm just wondering if the fixture computer is against you. Every time you get two in a row, they throw up a big team for you.

TS: That's right. But that's the league and I love it. I love being part of this football club. I love the challenge and the players do. That's why they go out and give it their all. We'll keep fighting and we'll keep plugging away. We'll stay strong mentally and physically to make sure that we're definitely punching in this division.

EH: Adam Virgo had to go off before half time. Anything serious?

TS: No, it's just a slight groin (strain). I brought Craig (Alcock) on for him though and Craig has really done his back in now. Craig couldn't move in the second half. We had a few walking wounded, with Gavin Williams again. It's very difficult for him to go into the second half of games, because his ankle keeps swelling up. But they're all out there walking wounded and we keep patching them up and they keep giving them their all.

Skivo's Pre-Match Sheffield Wednesday Interview

Yeovil Town manager Terry Skiverton spoke to BBC Bristol reporter Ed Hadwin just before kick-off in the home game against Sheffield Wednesday on October 16th 2010. Wednesday went on to win the game 0-2.

EH: You had a couple of injury doubts. How have they all shaped up?

TS: Yes, I think they've all scraped through. I'm picking the same team again, which is a novelty to me. There's not many games where I've been able to pick the same team. Gavin (Williams) passed (a fitness test) late yesterday. I'm looking forward to the game today. I think it's an opportunity for us. It could be another first for me today, and that's to go three games and three wins on the bounce. I've not done it so far, and today is a very good opportunity.

For us, we need to write our own script today and not be part of Sheffield Wednesday's script. When we've come to these games, especially at home, we've huffed and puffed and it's always been the same sort of scoreline of 2-0. Yeovil are a good team, but the bigger clubs have come away with a victory. So we've got to make sure that doesn't happen today.

EH: That belief must be there after two such good away performances?

TS: Yes, it is there, but you always come crashing back down to earth. The last time I've won on two occasions where I've won two games on the spin, we've played Leeds and we've played Norwich. So what we need to do is to get over that hurdle of every time we face a big club, don't let them break into your run. We're going to try our hardest for that not to happen today. The players are aware of it, and we need to make sure that we don't go back into the thing of needing to regroup and rebuild ourselves again. So it's important for us today, and it's a difficult game, but it's one that we're looking forward to and we'll definitely be on the front foot.

EH: Is there a mentality issue against the bigger teams? As some players might thing that we could struggle here today?

TS: It wasn't against Southampton, and I'm counting recent games with that. Last year it was tougher because we had a younger group of players. I don't feel that our group is that young now, with the experience that we have with people like Gavin Williams, Owain Tudur Jones and Adam Virgo. We have got good experience right across the spine of the team and we have to make sure that counts for us today. We watched the game that they had against Leyton Orient last week and Leyton Orient had six or seven chances. But this is what I'm talking about. If you don't take your chances in that period then they'll come back to haunt you. They are a very good side. They haven't quite clicked yet, and we need to make sure that they don't use us as a battering ram to get back on a run that they're trying to create themselves.

EH: That prospect of three in a row is a great incentive as it's so tight in the table that three points today could see you shoot up several positions.

TS: That's right, and again as I speak it's all about opportunities. We have to try to take the opportunities. They're not going to be given to you. You've got to go out there and grab them yourself. So hopefully we can grab it with both hands today.

Saturday 16 October 2010

Yeovil Town vs Sheffield Wednesday Match Report

Yeovil Town had their three game unbeaten run broken by a resolute Sheffield Wednesday side, who grabbed a flattering 0-2 away win, thanks to two late goals scored after the Glovers had gained excessive possession, albeit without taking the few chances that came their way. Wednesday took the only on target chances they got - a Jermaine Johnson screamer, followed by a Tommy Miller penalty after Luke Ayling was judged to have fouled inside the box.

For the third match running, manager Terry Skiverton named an unchanged starting eleven, whilst his only change on the bench was midfielder Jean-Paul Kalala's recall from a knee injury - the first change to any of the seventeen players Skivo has needed to make in three matches. The game was preceded by a minute's applause for three of Yeovil Town's former managers and players, with former boss Malcolm Allison and former full-back Derek Warren's lives celebrated. However, there's little doubt that the more recent two year spell that Colin Lippiatt had at the club was the reason why many had lumps in their throat just before kick-off - the man who brought current manager Terry Skiverton to the club.

The Owls got off to a positive start, with Daniel Jones' left wing cross being headed wide of the target by Clinton Morrison when he should have done better. Then Morrison turned provider as he drew Stephen Henderson to his near post, putting the ball across the face of goal only to find Gary Teale spooning the ball over the bar from eight yards out with the goal gaping.

The Glovers took around 20 minutes to get seriously into the match, with Gavin Williams beginning to find space to pull the strings, often swapping positions between namesake Big Sam, presumably with the aim of shaking off any man-to-man marking Wednesday might have been attempting to cut out Yeovil's chief playmaker. The downside to that was that it often left Sam out in a wide position as he covered for Gavin's meanderings, giving the Glovers a somewhat lopsided attacking outlook at times.

That said, Yeovil's best chance of the half came when Sam Williams broke through with a clever pass, cut past a Wednesday defender onto his left foot, forcing Owls keeper Nicky Weaver to come off his line and smother his shot, and the Glovers couldn't grab the loose ball to poke it home. Overall though, Yeovil were beginning to dominate the midfield excessively, and gain strong possession, albeit with their other chances being largely attempts from distance, rather than getting in behind the visitors' back line.

The second half opened with the temperature of the game being raised when Wednesday centre-back Darren Purse appeared to land his studs on the leg of Gavin Williams after the Welshman had landed on the deck. Referee either gave Purse the benefit of the doubt regarding intent, or didn't see what had happened, but the crowd made it clear what they thought after Mr Scott let Purse off with just a ticking off.

Owain Tudur Jones drove an excellent strike at goal that Nicky Weaver smothered well, whilst Dean Bowditch snatched at a chance a little too quickly midway through the half when he received a loose ball - missing the target when he should have done better. The Glovers were looking fairly comfortable throughout the second period, with Wednesday doing little to threaten their goal.

All that changed though with the introduction of former Glovers loan player Jermaine Johnson, who failed to make a first team appearance for the club back in 2003 after picking up an injury during an introductory Reserve Team match for former boss Gary Johnson. He had played for Wednesday Reserves in midweek, making his comeback from injury and came on as a 62nd minute substitute. Ten minutes after his arrival, Johnson threatened to cut down the outside of his wing, but instead cut inside onto his right foot, and rifled a terrific shot into the top corner that gave Stephen Henderson utterly no chance. Their first on target shot of the game but an utterly clinical one.

The away side's second shot on target produced their second goal, after they won a penalty six minutes from time. Whilst Wednesday had been sitting on their 1-0 lead to an extreme, the Glovers went to sleep a little when right-back Jon Otsemobor advanced up the flank, no-one closed him down, and Luke Ayling's tackle was judged to be a foul and a spot kick. Up stepped Tommy Miller, and he sent Stephen Henderson the wrong way to double Wednesday's lead. Two shots on target, two goals, and with time running out, it was more or less game over.

Jon Otsemobor was Wednesday's hero for the penalty. Two minutes later he became their villain - a studs up tackle on Nathan Smith the next time the pair met down the flank saw referee Graham Scott immediately reach for his red card, and the away side had to complete the final four minutes of the game with 10 men. A glimmer of hope, although perhaps the man advantage had come too late.

In an injury time period, announced as five but extended to seven following the goal net getting broken, Yeovil Town hit the crossbar, as Owain Tudur Jones produced a looping header that saw Nicky Weaver wrap himself around his own goal net in his attempts to peddle backwards and stop it from going in. Then Gavin Williams produced a stinging shot that Weaver had to block out, but it was one of those days for the Glovers, and one where for the second week running Sheffield Wednesday could count themselves fortunate to have come away with three points. To their credit, the away side snuffed out the volume of possession that the Glovers had during the match, but to win by two goals when having only had one on target shot in open play across the whole 90 minutes is somewhat flattering on the visitors, and cruel on the Glovers.

Final Score: Yeovil Town 0 Sheffield Wednesday 2.

Scorers: Jermaine Johnson (72 mins, 0-1), Tommy Miller 84 mins, pen, 0-2)

Yeovil Town: (4-4-2)
13. Stephen Henderson
8. Luke Ayling 5. Paul Huntington 19. Adam Virgo 6. Nathan Smith
24. Gavin Williams 25. Shaun MacDonald 20. Owain Tudur Jones 11. Andy Welsh
9. Sam Williams 10. Dean Bowditch

Substitutes:
22. Ben Roberts (GK) 2. Craig Alcock (36 mins for Adam Virgo) 7. Andrew Williams (77 mins for Dean Bowditch) 16. Edward Upson 17. Craig Calver 18. Luke Freeman (65 mins for Andy Welsh) 21. Jean-Paul Kalala

Sheffield Wednesday:
1. Nicky Weaver
36. Jon Otsemobor 3. Lewis Buxton 4. Darren Purse 11. Daniel Jones
8. Tommy Miller 14. Darren Potter 17. James O'Connor 21. Gary Teale
7. Marcus Tudgay 30. Clinton Morrison

Substitutes:
25. Arron Jameson (GK) 2. Tommy Spurr 5. Richard Hinds 9. Paul Heffernan 23. Jermaine Johnson (62 mins for Gary Teale) 24. Chris Sedgwick (81 mins for Clinton Morrison) 33. Neil Mellor (70 mins for Marcus Tudgay)

Yeovil Bookings: Shaun MacDonald (75 mins, foul)

Sheffield Wednesday Bookings: Gary Teale (62 mins, foul). Red Card: Jon Otsemobor (86 mins, serious foul play)

Referee: Graham Scott

Attendance: 5,927 (including approx 1,800 Wednesday fans)