High hopes for Torquay United’s Bank Holiday double header
Torquay United welcome Hampton & Richmond before Monday’s trip to Farnham
If ever proof was needed of the expectation levels that everyone at Torquay United has to handle, it’s been underlined as Jimmy Ball’s squad heads into a Bank Holiday weekend at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough on Saturday and away to newly-promoted Farnham Town on Monday.
The National League South season is only four games old, and United’s early record reads W1 D2 L1 – hardly a disaster.
But a combination of a 0-0 draw with Weston-super-Mare and last Saturday’s 0-2 defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge has already furrowed a few brows around the place.
Throw in some transfer speculation, and the rumour-mill which seems to turn quicker than ever these days, and you have a recipe for ‘It’s Never Dull At Plainmoor!’
The biggest frustration of the Dagenham defeat was that United were at least a match for the division leaders for long periods.
The Gulls were on top before conceding both goals, before their fate was effectively sealed by substitute Dan Hayfield’s dismissal with just over 20 minutes to go.
Hayfield – United have also collected 15 bookings so far – begins a three-match suspension against Hampton.
Ball was pretty scathing in his post-match interview last Saturday, although he did ease back on that verdict at his Thursday press conference
But he did admit: “We’re getting a bit angry, a bit militant, with a bit of a chip on our shoulder.”
Ball acknowledged that the transfer talk was not off the mark, commenting: “We’ve got good players here, and if they go and get pinched by League clubs, we won’t stand in their way.”
Of Hampton, he added: “I am expecting a massive challenge here at Plainmoor, where everyone wants to come and play.”
Ball’s 23-man squad is already a fair bit smaller, with injuries to Jordan Dyer, Harry Shield and Sean Robertson, and he reported that striker Isaac Westendorf has also been nursing a groin problem.
Until they came from 2-3 down and scored twice in stoppage-time to beat struggling Slough Town 5-3 last week, Hampton had lost their opening three matches.
They’ve also conceded 13 goals in four games.
But veteran manager Alan Dowson, who hauled them out of relegation trouble last season, is a canny operator.
He’s completely overhauled the squad, to the extent that only two players last weekend survived from the Beevers group that the Gulls beat 4-1 here last January.
Among 13 new signings are experienced defender Will de Havilland and well-travelled striker Tobi Sho-Silva.
Saturday’s referee is Callum Fisk from Stratford-upon-Avon.
Over a busy weekend United’s unbeaten Westcountry rivals Truro City have a couple of eye-catching fixtures, at home to leaders Dagenham and away to Dorking Wanderers.
On Saturday Chelmsford, one of several teams a game behind because of Ebbsfleet’s suspension, entertain Tonbridge, Weston-super-Mare go to Hemel Hempstead and Maidstone are at home to Salisbury.
Possibly the pick on Monday is Weston against Chelmsford at the Optima Stadium, while Dagenham host Slough.