One window closing opens plenty more for Torquay United

The closing of the EFL ‘transfer window’ on Friday opens a door of opportunity for National League clubs like Torquay United, and the Gulls will be trying hard to strengthen their squad over what is shaping up as a busy week on and off the pitch (writes Dave Thomas).

United (4th) travel to Essex to meet Aveley (5th) at their Parkside ground this Saturday (3pm) in search of a fifth successive win, before returning to Plainmoor to take on ambitious Farnborough on Tuesday and currently unbeaten Chelmsford City (2nd) next Saturday.

Those three games in eight days should tell us plenty about where Torquay really stand at this early stage of the season.

Manager Gary Johnson has been reiterating that, after Friday, players who’ve been hoping to secure moves between EFL clubs suddenly start turning their attentions elsewhere.

National League outfits like United can still do business outside the main ‘window’, and they have a list of targets who could turn from ‘potential’ to ‘actual’ in the next few days.

Johnson still has four loans available and, with the influential midfield pair of Asa Hall and Kevin Dawson expected to be sidelined for several more weeks, it wouldn’t be a surprise if that department is occupying his transfer thoughts at the moment.

But first things first, and another afternoon on an all-weather pitch at Aveley, who have made a good start after manager Danny Scopes led them up via the Isthmian League Play-Offs last season.

You’d think that teams with these 3G surfaces would try to pass the ball at every opportunity. In fact, many don’t, as United found to their discomfort at Slough Town recently.

They must also expect Aveley to be pretty direct this weekend, even if they must also counter the threat of midfield runners Siju Odelusi and captain Connor Witherspoon.

Johnson is waiting on a fitness check for defender Ross Marshall, who to come off near the end of the 2-1 Bank Holiday home win over Braintree Town.

It makes the return to fitness of Dean Moxey all the more timely, even if a ‘plastic’ pitch is hardly the ideal surface for Moxey’s 37-year-old legs these days.

The referee will be Adrian George from Norfolk.

On Saturday morning (10.30am) United’s Under-18 side open the defence of their SW Counties Youth League title against Brimscombe & Thrupp at South Devon College.

And on Sunday the United Women have a chance to avenge last weekend’s League Cup defeat at Moneyfields when they entertain the Portsmouth side in their first home National League Division One match at their new ‘home’ of Brixham AFC’s Wall Park ground (2pm).