Massive pressure on Torquay United to deliver a result

Torquay United set out on a major retrieval mission, on the pitch and on the terraces, when Chippenham Town come to Plainmoor on Tuesday night (writes Dave Thomas).

The Gulls have looked anything but pre-season favourites in a 2-2 draw at Dover Athletic and Saturday's numbing 3-0 home defeat by Worthing.

Many in a 2,700-plus crowd voted with their feet before the end and those who stayed to the final whistle made it abundantly clear how they felt about United's performance.

Manager Gary Johnson's best sides, here and elsewhere, have always achieved success with a vibrant, high-tempo style of play designed to get the opposition on the back foot as soon as possible.

The plan against Worthing was to press high, disrupt the Rebels' passing game and win the game from there.

But it takes more than a couple of players to be 'at it', and it simply didn't happen. Worthing were able to play their way through United's outpaced midfield and counter-attack with increasingly effective regularity.

Johnson rightly pointed out that he was without some of his 'busy' players, notably Tom Lapslie and Kevin Dawson.

He hopes to have Lapslie back soon, although Dawson won't be fit until mid-October after hamstring surgery. But United have several sets of other young legs and nobody should be running through them like Worthing did.

"It was the last 20 minutes that made it embarrassing," admitted Johnson.

"Nothing much went for us on the day, including our team performance for sure.

"I know some people may have lost a bit of faith in us, but I would ask our supporters to keep with us.

"We have come through adversity before, and when we turn this around, we will do it for them."

United's young centre-back Ollie Tomlinson spent the second half of last season on loan at Chippenham, earning many fans there in the process.

He and the rest of the Gulls' currently makeshift defence are likely to be busy again, especially if their team-mates don't provide better protection. 

Chippenham, the only club to do the 'double' over the Gulls in their 2018-2019 NL South Championship season, would be arriving as leaders now if it wasn't for Worthing's third goal at Plainmoor at the weekend.

The 'Bluebirds' have also started with two wins, 1-0 at home to Aveley and 4-2 at Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday.

That turned into a feisty affair which saw two players, including Town's Nat Willams, sent off and five bookings, including both managers.

Chippenham boss Gary Horgan still has a capable side, nowhere more than in attack where experienced centre-forward Matt McClure (Wycombe, Dagenham, Aldershot) and pacy ex-Woking winger Tyreke Johnson are sure to pose a threat. 

Tuesday's referee is Craig Scriven (Somerset).