Money in the bank for Torquay United but Maidenhead matters more

A minimum of four points from away games at Farnborough and Maidenhead United was seen by many Torquay United fans as an urgent priority after last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to leaders Hornchurch dropped the Gulls out of the National League South Play-Off places.

Three of those are already in the bank after Wednesday night’s 3-1 win at Farnborough, and Paul Wotton’s Gulls will now try to top up the kitty at York Road on Saturday.

It’s a quicker than usual turnaround, and Wotton will wait until the morning of the game before making decisions on Louis Dennis and a couple of other players who picked up knocks in midweek.

Dennis, who scored twice before going off before half-time, has not pulled a hamstring as first feared.

If the former Bromley favourite doesn’t make it, and with Cody Cooke still out, the chances shorten of Sonny Fish making his first start.

Wotton says he’s been increasingly encouraged by Fish’s substitute displays, even though he may still be short of 90-minute fitness.

“Centre-forward is always a focal point of the team, and that’s what he’s been brought into the club for,” Wotton said of Fish, 21, while acknowledging that it’s still a big responsibility for a young player.

Another win for Torquay might lift them back into third or even second place with an away record that would be on a par with most of their rivals.

If pressure is something that United have to live with every week in the NLS, then Maidenhead are having a taste of it too.

A National League club last season, they were expected to be challenging this time under veteran manager Alan Devonshire.

But after a good spell in September, a run of one point from 15 has dropped them down the table.

There should be no problem on the experience front, where players like Kane Ferdinand, Remy Clerima, Will De Havilland and Matt Robinson have all earned a few T-shirts over the years.

They also have two Ex-Gulls forwards in Josh Umerah and Corie Andrews.

Umerah has scored three times so far, including a penalty in Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at AFC Totton – a game which Wotton watched in person - and former Cheltenham youngster Liam Dulson and Josh Popoola, signed from Buxton in the summer, both have four.

Saturday’s referee is Kai Morgan from Portsmouth.