New Taunton date deepens Gulls' Fixture logjam

TORQUAY United’s playing squad, already hit by injuries, will now be stretched to the limit by a schedule that will force them to play more than a game every four days until the end of the year. (From Dave Thomas)

The Gulls’ National League South derby match at Taunton Town, postponed this midweek, has now been rearranged for Tuesday, December 19 (7.45pm). It means that United are now committed to play ten league and cup matches in just 36 days, from this Saturday at Dartford (Nov25) to Truro City away (Dec30). That packed programme already included a rearranged league match at home to Weymouth (Dec 5) and, in the wake of last Saturday’s FA Trophy win (2-1) over Yeovil Town, a Third Round tie at Frome Town (Dec 9).

It comes after Torquay were without eight injured players, plus cup-tied winger Ethon Archer, at the weekend.

The new date for Taunton came after Town’s Trophy tie at Welling United last Saturday was called off because of a waterlogged pitch. It was put back to this Tuesday (Nov21), when the Peacocks were supposed to be playing Torquay

United’s full schedule for the rest of 2023 now reads: Nov 25 – Dartford A, Nov 28 – Eastbourne Borough A, Dec 2 – Tonbridge Angels H, Dec 5 – Weymouth H, Dec 9 – Frome Town A (FAT), Dec 16 – Hemel Hempstead Town H, Dec 19 – Taunton Town A, Dec 23 – Chelmsford City A, Dec 26 – Truro City H, Dec 30 – Truro City A.

The Truro away game, at Plymouth Parkway’s Bolitho Park ground, had already been brought forward from New Year’s Day.