Billy Rowley is preparing his Yeovil Town side for what he calls a 'slugfest' when AFC Fylde visit Huish Park this Saturday. The manager told reporters he expects a 'good toe-to-toe battle' as his team look to respond to their first loss of the campaign.
Yeovil's unbeaten start ended last weekend in a 3-2 defeat at Southend United, a result that left them eighth in the National League table with 11 points from six games. Rowley said that setback has sharpened the squad's focus. "It really motivated me to improve," he explained. The Glovers had led 2-0 through goals from A. Davies and L. McCormick before conceding three times in the final 24 minutes.
Squad rotation ahead
With three games in six days, starting with Fylde and followed by trips to Aldershot Town and Solihull Moors, Rowley confirmed he will rotate his options. Several players are returning to training after illness or injury, giving him more choices. "I think it’ll be a slugfest and a good toe-to-toe battle," Rowley said of the upcoming fixture. "We'll need everyone over the next 10 days or two weeks."
Tight table clash
The match pits two sides level on points against each other. AFC Fylde, promoted last season, sit sixth and are unbeaten in three games, having drawn 2-2 with Worthing last time out. Yeovil have a slight edge in recent form, with three wins, one draw, and that single defeat from their last five outings. The last meeting between the sides at Huish Park was a dramatic 1-0 win for Yeovil in 2025, sealed with a last-minute goal.
Rowley's men have scored 12 goals this season while conceding eight, giving them a positive goal difference as they look to close a five-point gap to leaders Boreham Wood. The manager's immediate task is to select a side capable of winning what he predicts will be a physical contest at 3pm on Saturday.
