Stevenage Was The Right Way

Interim manager Darren Way got off to a winning start in this weekend’s one nil FA Cup second round victory over Stevenage.

Having recently replaced manager Paul Sturrock earlier in the week, Way took charge for his first game and saw Yeovil book their place in the third round draw with Ben Tozer’s late strike.

In quotes carried by the Western Morning News following the win, there was a lot of pleasure for Way following the result and whilst he talked about hoping for a big third round draw to give the fans something to get excited about and a much needed cash injection into the club, he knew it was only one win and one step where many more were needed.

‘It is a good feeling. Not so much for me but for the players and the supporters. I have changed the environment and got a win in my first game. Speaking to the fans it has been a difficult time, but we have stayed strong and hopefully that is the echoes of what it used to be like at Huish Park. The conditions were horrendous and trying to manage a game in those conditions is difficult. But the players responded and we had a game plan and they stuck to it.’

With Tozer being a late substitute in the game and then clinching the winner with his first goal for the club, Way said that especially with his ten month lay off with injury, he couldn’t have been more pleased for the side.

‘I am really proud of Ben because he has had a tough time, so to finish like that was fantastic. Two days I have had to prepare with the players and it is not easy with the run of form we have been on. I am enjoying it and as I have said before, I am the manager of this football club, I make the decisions and hopefully we can continue this work. The one objective was to get through to the next round and they have done that. As I said before, sense it, feel it and see it and we had that today.’

Tozer was interviewed by the same outlet as well following the game, and in his interview he said.

‘I`m buzzing to get my first goal for the club. I could see Shaun Jeffers on the ball for a while and I was just thinking: ‘Come on, see me, pass to me.` The touch felt perfect to hit it straight away and I hit it and thought this has got a chance and the `keeper got a hand to it, but fortunately it went in. A goal like that can definitely turn seasons around, and hopefully that is the turning point.’

With the win being a boost, Tozer also admitted it was the perfect start for Way and on that score he was pleased for everyone.

‘It is a massive boost for him and a massive boost for us. I am happy for him, but more importantly I am happy for the lads. We were on the front foot with five or ten minutes remaining and I don`t know whether that was because it was a cup tie and we had nothing to lose. But nobody wanted a replay and to go 200 or 300 miles away on a Tuesday night because that can hamper your league form as well. We just want to kick on with the league now because we definitely need to turn the form around drastically and very quickly. That is the most important thing.’