PREVIEW | Torquay United (A)
THE DETAILS Torquay United v Wealdstone Vanarama National League Plainmoor Saturday 2nd October, 3:00pm kick-off TICKETS Tickets for Saturday's game are priced at £16 Adults, £14 Concessions and £10 U16s and U7s go free with a paying adult. These can be purchased in advance online HERE and are available online up until 2pm on the day of the game and from the Torquay United ticket office up until 2:45pm on the day of the game.
Fans can find a comprehensive breakdown of ticket information in our Supporter Info page HERE.
THE CONTEXT After a slow start, Torquay United will be looking to pick up from their form showed last season as Wealdstone head down to the English Riviera this weekend. The Stones' 1-0 win away to King's Lynn Town pushed them up into 13th position above Torquay, but the Gulls picked up a competitive and positive point away from home to one of the title favourites in Chesterfield in a 2-2 draw at The Technique Stadium. Stones summer signings Josh Umerah and Matt Buse will also be coming into this game with a point to prove after both played for the Gulls last season. TEAM NEWS Wealdstone will be missing Alex Dyer who serves the final match of his three-match suspension and also Ira Jackson who will be serving the first of his three-match ban following his red card away to King's Lynn Town. Rhys Browne returned from illness last weekend and will be back in contention again, captain Jerome Okimo missed the away win in Norfolk following a knock but should be available once more. Loanee Charlie Barker had a solid debut last weekend, helping the Stones to a clean sheet and fellow loanee Jay Bird will also be hoping to make his Stones debut after joining from MK Dons in the week. Connor Stevens nears a return at the back and Danny Parish has yet to feature after picking up an injury whilst on loan at Billericay Town.
WHAT WAS SAID
Stuart Maynard: "I know Gary (Johnson) very well, he was my academy manager at Watford, he's a top manager who has had numerous promotions throughout the leagues. Their results have started to turn now after a slow start and they will get going. It's been difficult for them since the play-off final, they had two goals in the final that should've been goals and that's always in the back of your head that they should've been promoted, and they've now lost three or four key players which at this level are very hard to replace that are that key to what you're doing.
"They will get going again and it's going to be a tough, tough game, their fans are loud at their place, we've been down there a few times now and that's why we need now more than ever as many to travel down there and make sure we outsing them!
"Our fans have been absolutely unbelievable on the road this season, we had just under 200 away to King's Lynn and that's with high ticket prices, so we really appreciate it as a management team and the players, particularly as you've dug deep into your pockets to support the club. At times during games you've really drove us on and got us through difficult moments in the game, like when we had 10-men versus King's Lynn, it makes a massive, massive difference and we hope that this continues through the rest of the season." FORM GUIDE Stones: King's Lynn Town (A) 0-1 W (Cooper)
Aldershot Town (H) 2-2 D (Jackson, Umerah) Notts County (A) 3-2 L (Umerah 2) Altrincham (H) 1-0 W (Elito) Dagenham & Redbridge (A) 2-2 D (Umerah, Lewis) Torquay United: Chesterfield (A) 2-2 D (Little, Lapslie) Southend United (H) 1-0 W (Lemonheigh-Evans)
Solihull Moors (A) 2-1 L (Lolos) Grimsby Town (H) 1-3 L (Little) Maidenhead United (A) 3-4 W (Little 2, Hall, Lemonheigh-Evans)
WHO TO WATCH FOR? Armani Little: The Gulls lost a number of key players following their play-off final penalty heartbreak to Hartlepool United last season, but not Armani Little. The midfielder joined the Gulls following their National League South title win in 2019 and has really come of age as the new season has begun this year, scoring four goals in the opening six games, the midfielder had previously managed four goals in his entire Torquay career prior to this season. HEAD-TO-HEAD Played - 5 Won - 1 Drawn - 1 Lost - 3
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
Feb 2021 - Torquay United 1-1 Stones (Mendy)
Dec 2020 - Stones 1-2 Torquay United (Parish)
Mar 2019 - Torquay United 3-2 Stones (Monakana, Okimo)
Oct 2018 - Stones 0-3 Torquay United
Aug 1976 - Stones 3-1 Torquay United (Duck 2, Edmundson)
Preview by Chris Woods