Torquay United squad down to 17 ahead of Totton test

FOREWARNED should be forearmed for Torquay United as they prepare to take on new boys AFC Totton, who took over from them at the top of the National League South at the weekend, at Plainmoor on Tuesday (7.45pm).

It’s only Game Three, of course, but the Gulls have already experienced the very different demands that the NLS will pose, and emerged intact – just.

After a comfortable 3-1 first-day win over Enfield Town, United had a few feathers ruffled by no-nonsense Maidstone before snatching a 95th minute equaliser (1-1).

Manager Paul Wotton insisted that his players were warned what was coming their way in Kent, which was why he delivered a few home truths at half time there.

“We felt like we had a divine right to play, and you can’t do that against a team like Maidstone,” he said afterwards.

That lesson should have been well learned now, and it may need to be against a Totton side with maximum points from two games. With Sonny Fish and Callum Dolan already sidelined and Matt Carson on loan at Weymouth, the main new concern for Torquay is a thigh injury to striker Louis Dennis.

Apart from anything else, it reduces Wotton’s squad to 17 players, including non-contract teenager Aidan Edwards. Not being able to fill a subs bench at this early stage of the campaign may well be prompting some fresh transfer thoughts at Plainmoor.

Another factor is that this match is the second of four in ten days, followed by Bank Holiday fixtures at Horsham on Saturday and home to Dover Athletic next Monday. Totton, promoted through the Southern League Play-Offs last season, are managed by Jimmy Ball, son of former World Cup winning midfielder Alan Ball.

They’ve been on a heady run in recent years, and six goals in their first two games have earned wins at Dover (3-2) and home to Tonbridge (3-0) on Saturday.

Ex-Premier League striker Charlie Austin was one of several players who moved on during the close-season – he’s now playing for Basingstoke Town.

Two veteran former Gulls, and one who nearly moved here, are expected to feature. Joe Oastler, 33, was a popular attacking right-back in League Two under Paul Buckle and Martin Ling, while centre-forward Scott Rendell, 38, scored 13 goals for United in 41 L2 games on loan from Peterborough in 2009-2010.

The Gulls under Gary Johnson also tried, unsuccessfully, to buy striker Tony Lee from Poole Town in 2022. Lee, a prolific marksman at Southern League level, scored twice in the win over Tonbridge.

Experienced defender Tyler Cordner (Scunthorpe, Southend, Weymouth, Aldershot) was an important summer signing for Ball, on a season-long loan from York City.

Tuesday’s referee is Said Ouchene from Somerset.