Plainmoor, Tuesday 6th March 2012, 7:45pm.
We’re back on home soil for two more games this week, starting with tomorrow nights tie with Aldershot Town. Both sides are in good form, we’ve won 8 of the last 10, whereas Aldershot set a new club record for consecutive victories with 6 on the trot. Both sides will be hopeful of increasing their good runs, so it should be a good game to watch. Aldershot are slowly entering the push for the playoffs, and if they continue in this rich vein of form I see no reason why they can’t make it theirs. There is still several points to pick up, and Dean Holdsworth seems to have settled on a formation that works. It is fascinating how the former “Crazy-gang” member has turned the club around, after seemingly struggling just a few months back, some Town fans wanted him out. However, with no worry of relegation now, the club are looking towards gatecrashing the top 7 than the bottom 2. They come to Plainmoor as the inform team in the league, as no other can boast a 100% record over the last 6 games.
Holdsworth joined the Shots 14 months ago.
TEAM NEWS.
Starting with ourselves. Brian Saah comes back into contention but whether he returns is up to Martin Ling. Angus McDonald came out of Saturday with some high reviews, so it’ll be interesting to see who partners Mark Ellis. Unfortunately, Danny Stevens looks set to miss the rest of the season, so it could be a first start for Ryan Jarvis.
For the Shots, young loanee Troy Brown will be missing after a straight red card at the weekend. Josh Payne signed permanently from Oxford, and Michael Doughty has signed for a month from Queens Park Rangers.
HEAD TO HEAD.
16/08/11 – Aldershot 0 – 1 Torquay
Torquay took the points in this early-season fixture thanks to Lee Mansells effort (and Jamie Youngs blunder!)
08/03/11 – Aldershot 1 – 0 Torquay
Luke Guttridge scored the only goal of the game to ensure the Shots won the match.
28/09/10 – Torquay 0 – 1 Aldershot
Marvin Morgan hit an 86th minute winner at Plainmoor to give the Shots the 3 points.
13/04/10 – Aldershot 0 – 2 Torquay
First half goals from Scott Rendell and Elliot Benyon saw the Gulls stun their promotion chasing hosts.
29/09/09 – Torquay 1 – 1 Aldershot
Tim Sills both scored and received a red card in the final 10 minutes to cancel out an earlier penalty by Marvin Morgan.
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As you look at that, it suggests that Plainmoor is a happy hunting ground for the Shots, while we enjoy going to the Recreation Ground (or EBB Stadium, whatever you like). They don’t have Marvin Morgan to score a goal for them this time though!
THE FORM TABLE.
Lets take a quick look at the form of the sides over the last 6 games;
Torquay – WWWLLW
Aldershot – WWWWWW
Both sides are in good form, as I mentioned earlier. We are still in a decent run of 3 defeats in 20 matches, whereas the Shots have picked up 18 points from a possible 18 over the last 6 games. Four of those have been at home though, against Morecambe, Barnet, Southend and Hereford, while the two victories on the road have been at AFC Wimbledon and Macclesfield. Similar to ourselves, 4 of those victories have been a single goal margin, so it could well be a case of whoever scores first wins tomorrow night.
HOW THEY LINED UP.
This is how Holdsworth set his side for the win over Morecambe on Saturday;
Jamie Young
Ben Herd, Darren Jones, Aaron Morris, Anthony Straker
Peter Vincenti, Troy Brown, Sonny Bradley, Josh Payne
Danny Hylton, Guy Madjo
Subs; Ben Smith, Adam Mekki, Wilko Risser, Darren Murphy, Reece Connolly
THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE.
..Is Mr David Coote. This is his second Gulls match of this season, having officiated our 2-1 defeat at Cheltenham in the Johnstones Paint Trophy back in August. In 25 matches this season, he has given 73 yellow cards with 5 reds.
Mr Coote in action at Home Park earlier this season
PREDICTION.
It won’t be easy. Saturday’s result brings a certain level of expectancy back on the lads, but hopefully people realise Aldershot are no mugs and this will be a difficult game. Another tight game, I’ll say..
1-0 either way.
allthingstorquayunited 