TT MATCH PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @SteveHarris84
Match details: Torquay United versus King’s Lynn Town
Venue: Plainmoor, Torquay
Date: Saturday 20th March 2021
Kick-off: 3pm
Current form (all competitions):
Torquay United: L, W, L, L, D, L
King’s Lynn Town: D, D, L, L, L, D
Top scorers:
Torquay: Asa Hall 10
King’s Lynn: Adam Marriott 6
Head to Head:
Torquay: 0
Draw: 1
King’s Lynn Town: 0
Last time the two teams met: King’s Lynn Town 0-0 Torquay United, Saturday 12th December 2020
United saw their four-match winning run brought to an end following a goalless draw in their first ever meeting with King’s Lynn Town. The Gulls also played the final stages with ten men after skipper Asa Hall was dismissed in the 78th minute.
Torquay started brightly as Ben Whitfield dragged an effort narrowly wide and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans had a shot parried by Archie Mair. At the other end Jordan Richards hooked just wide of the post before Torquay’s Kyle Cameron saw the best chance of the first half turned away by Mair when he appeared certain to open the scoring.
Dayle Southwell volleyed over for the Linnets as they grew more into the game after the break. Hall received his marching orders for a foul 12 minutes from time but the Gulls still managed to hold out for a point that sees them sit six points clear.
Manager: Ian Culverhouse
King’s Lynn boss Ian Culverhouse will probably be best remembered for his spell as Norwich City right-back in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During this time, he helped the Canaries to finish third in the Premier League in the 1992-93 season under Mike Walker. He was part of the side that famously knocked Bayern Munich out of the UEFA Cup in the following 1993-94 campaign.
After serving as assistant manager to Paul Lambert at Colchester United, Norwich and Aston Villa Culverhouse embarked on his managerial with the Linnets in 2018 before a brief spell with Grantham Town. He then returned to the Walks and led King’s Lynn to promotion from the Southern League Central Premier in the 2018-19 season, via victory in the super play-off, which was followed by their National League North title triumph in the 2019-20 campaign after the outcome of the league was decided by PPG (points per game).
One to watch: Kairo Mitchell
After starting his career as a youth team player with Leicester City, Kairo Mitchell is looking to realise his potential with the Linnets after signing for the club in October 2020. A Grenadan international, Mitchell has previously had spells with Nuneaton Town, Coalville Town and Dartford; he has found the back of the net four times for King’s Lynn so far this season.
Probable line-ups:
Torquay (3-5-2):
Shaun MacDonald
Ben Wynter – Joe Lewis – Sam Sherring
Adam Randell – Armani Little – Asa Hall – Connor Lemonheigh-Evans – Ben Whitfield
Billy Waters – Scott Boden
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King’s Lynn (4-4-2):
Theo Richardson
Kyle Callan-McFadden – Chris Smith – Tyler Denton – Jordan Richards
Tai Fleming – Sonny Carey – Michael Clunan – Alfie Payne
Kairo Mitchell – Michael Gyasi