Yeovil Town return to Huish Park this weekend looking to respond to their first defeat of the season when AFC Fylde visit for an unusual 3pm Saturday kick-off.

The Glovers were beaten 3-2 by Southend United in their last outing after taking a 2-0 lead with an hour played. Southend scored three times in 19 minutes to turn the match around, with manager Billy Rowley acknowledging that his side had been second best.

Despite the result, Yeovil’s ability to score twice was a positive after recent seasons in which attacking players struggled to find the net. The match also underlined that the Glovers have made a strong start while still having plenty of work to do if they are to challenge at the very top of the table.

Fylde arrive with an identical record

AFC Fylde come to Somerset with the same record as Yeovil: six matches played, three wins, two draws and one defeat. The Lancashire club sit sixth in the early-season table.

Fylde’s victories have come away at Tamworth and Solihull Moors, as well as at home against Forest Green Rovers. Their only defeat was at Woking, where two goals in second-half stoppage time decided the game. The Coasters were also leading fellow promoted side Worthing until the 89th minute last weekend.

Fylde returned to the National League Premier Division after one season away by winning the National League North title with 100 points and 112 goals from 46 league matches. They finished five points clear of South Shields.

Their promotion-winning team was managed by Craig Mahon, who joined after establishing his reputation at Curzon Ashton. Mahon brought an attack-minded, possession-based approach to Fylde, a style the preview compares with the football Rowley is introducing at Yeovil.

Players to watch at Huish Park

Yeovil midfielder Brett McGavin is highlighted as a key player for the home side. The 26-year-old, formerly of Torquay, has provided three assists this season and is averaging 52 passes per match—10 more than his closest Yeovil team-mate, Ben Radcliffe.

McGavin is also averaging 1.5 key passes per game, the highest figure in the Yeovil squad, while recovering the ball eight times per match. His influence was particularly noticeable at Southend: although he was affected by a stomach upset, Yeovil’s control declined after he was substituted after an hour.

Fylde’s main threat is Harvey Broad, a 20-year-old listed as a defender but used on the left side of midfield. Broad leads the club’s scoring charts with four goals and has two assists. He has contributed to a goal in every match this season apart from the opening fixture against Tamworth.

The preview identifies Broad’s defensive positioning as an area Yeovil may try to exploit, with space potentially available behind him when he pushes forward.

Former Glovers return with Fylde

Thursday’s signing means striker Millar Matthews-Lewis is set to return to Huish Park. The 21-year-old spent time at Yeovil on loan from Burton Albion last March, playing 120 minutes across six appearances when the Glovers were short of both players and goals.

Matthews-Lewis had arrived with a strong scoring record for Hemel Hempstead Town in the National League North. Since then, he has made a substitute appearance for Burton in the League Cup.

There are also two former Yeovil players in Fylde’s squad. Captain and defender Corey Whelan is expected to start, while midfielder Tom Whelan is expected to miss the match through injury. Corey Whelan made 11 appearances for Yeovil during a loan spell from Liverpool in 2017-18. Tom Whelan made eight appearances during Yeovil’s first season back in non-League football in 2019-20.

Tom Whelan’s absence is described as a significant blow to Fylde after his performances during their National League North title campaign last season.

Recent meetings favour the Glovers

Yeovil won both meetings between the clubs during the 2024-25 season. Harvey Greenslade scored in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time to secure a 1-0 home victory in March 2025.

The earlier meeting in Lancashire was even more dramatic. Yeovil were 2-0 down at half-time before the teams traded goals in the second half, with debutant Dom Bernard scoring an 87th-minute winner in a 4-3 victory.

Paul Marsden is the appointed match official for this weekend’s fixture.