Crazy things can happen in Torquay United’s gripping promotion race

Torquay United’s players threw themselves into Thursday’s training session with such gusto that manager Jimmy Ball cut it short for fear that they might overdo things.

That’s what two days off after three successive wins at a crucial stage of the season does for you.

Buoyed by those two big Easter victories at Weston-super-Mare (3-0) and home to Bath (4-1), the Gulls may still be four points behind Worthing and Dorking Wanderers, but they have nothing to lose and everything to gain as they head for mid-table Slough Town on Saturday with three games to go.

“Lots of crazy things will happen between now and the end of the game at Tonbridge (Apr 25),” says Ball.

“We’re in a great position. Ten days ago we were sixth or seventh, and now we’re third.

“This is all just gravy. This is great fun – let’s enjoy it.”

No one should kid themselves from those remarks that Ball is anything other than seriously set on a fourth successive victory at Slough’s 3G Arbour Park.

“Slough are comfortable with the ball, athletic and lively,” said Ball.

“They are an excellent counter-attacking side.”

Ball’s old club AFC Totton could do Torquay a favour against Dorking at home, and he commented: “I wish them all the best, and I hope they go and win.

“Totton have lost eight home games in four years, and I hope they can make it as hard as they can.

“But we’ve just got to go to Slough and win – there’s nothing else in my mind.”

United are expected to be cheered by around 500 supporters in Berkshire, and perhaps Ball’s biggest problem will be how to explain it to the several players who won’t even pull on a pair of boots.

He went without a reserve goalkeeper when James Hamon was recalled against Bath on Monday, because on-loan Seb Stacey was nursing a niggling groin problem.

Ball has already shown that he’s not afraid to exploit the full range of his increasingly strong squad.

Joint leading scorer Jordan Young was among half-a-dozen substitutes against Bath who would probably walk into any other National League South starting XI.

As things stand, with midfielder Munashe Sundire fit again, centre-forward Cody Cooke (shoulder op) is the only absentee.

Slough may be safe, earning it mainly with a strong spell from Christmas/New Year when they won nine and drew three of 15 games.

They then sold their most dangerous forward Wiktor Murkowski to Worthing, and the wind has gone out of their sails of late – only two points from their last seven matches.

Their squad at Chesham (1-4) on Monday included four teenagers on the bench and rookie Ben Honey in goal after loanee Alfie Marriott was recalled by Watford.

They do have some real pace on the break, notably through Reading loanee Basil Tuma and ex-Dover player Jaiden Drakes-Thomas.

Ball and his staff may rightly be fully focused on United’s match, but everyone else will be keeping one ear on events elsewhere.

As things stand, four points cover eight clubs from Torquay down to Weston-super-Mare (10th). Worthing, leaders on goal-difference, are home to Dagenham, Dorking travel to Totton, while Hornchurch (5th) and Ebbsfleet (4th) lock horns in Essex.

Maidenhead (6th) have a tough trip to Chelmsford, Hemel Hempstead host relegated Eastbourne and Chesham will hope to keep their good run going at home to Bath. In-form Maidstone (9th) are at Horsham and Weston-super-Mare, who have a game in hand, entertain doomed Enfield.

Saturday’s referee at Slough is Joseph Dann-Pye from Kent – he booked eleven players in United’s 1-0 defeat at Chesham in October, but has been pretty restrained ever since.