TT MATCH PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @Steveharris84
Match details: Torquay United versus Maidenhead United
Venue: Plainmoor
Date: Saturday 8th December 2020
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Current form (all competitions):
Torquay United: W, L, D, W, W, W
Maidenhead: W, W, D, D, L, W
Top scorers:
Torquay: Danny Wright 6 Maidenhead: Sam Barratt 9
Head to Head:
Torquay: 2 Draw: 0 Maidenhead: 1
Last time the two teams met: Torquay United 0 Maidenhead United 2, 13th August 2019 – National League
Maidenhead made it two wins from two on the road with a 2-0 victory over the Gulls.
United started brightly, with Connor Lemonheigh-Evans firing straight at the goalkeeper and Kyle Cameron sending a header against the crossbar.
Maidenhead opened the scoring against the run of play after 31 minutes when Shaun MacDonald parried a Ryan Upward shot into the path of Josh Kelly who could not miss.
Gulls striker Jamie Reid came close to an equaliser at the start of the second half, while at the other end Jake Cassidy fired wide from close range for the visitors.
Maidenhead made the game safe at the death when former United loanee Shamir Fenelon rounded Gulls keeper Shaun MacDonald and slotted home.
Manager: Alan Devonshire
As a player, Alan Devonshire made his name with West Ham United who he joined from non-league side Southall in 1976 when the Hammers paid £5,000 for his services. While at the Boleyn Ground, he helped the Hammers win promotion back to the top-flight and reach the 1981 League Cup final in the 1980-81 season. Devonshire was also part of the West Ham side that finished third in the ‘old’ First Division in the 1985-86 campaign.
Devonshire is currently in his second spell in charge of Maidenhead, he previously managed them between 1996 and 2003, after returning to York Road in 2015. He led them to the National League South title in the 2016-17 season. In between his two spells in charge of the Magpies he managed Hampton and Richmond (2003-2011) and Braintree Town (2011-2015).
One to watch: Nathan Blissett
A player who will be fondly remembered for the part he played in the Gulls’ ‘great escape’ of the 2015-16 campaign, Nathan Blissett scored eight goals in 17 appearances to help United spectacularly avoid relegation under Kevin Nicholson – following his arrival at Plainmoor in January 2016, after his release by Bristol Rovers.
His form for United would earn him a £30,000 move to Plymouth Argyle in January 2017, where he helped the Pilgrims win promotion to League One in the 2016-17 season. He then went onto appear for Macclesfield Town, where he won a National League title winner’s medal in 2017-18 and Solihull Moors before signing for Maidenhead in the summer of 2020.
Torquay (4-4-2)
Shaun MacDonald
Ben Wynter – Kyle Cameron – Sam Sherring – Jake Andrews
Aaron Nemane – Adam Randell – Asa Hall – Ben Whitfield
Connor Lemonheigh-Evans
Danny Wright
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Maidenhead (4-2-3-1)
Taye Ashby-Hammond
Remy Clerima – Manny Parry – Alan Massey – George Wells
Alex Addai – Shaun Donnellan
Rohan Ince – Ryan Upward – Sam Barratt
Nathan Blissett
