TT MATCH PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @SteveHarris84
Match details: Torquay United versus Solihull Moors
Venue: Plainmoor, Torquay
Date: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Kick-off: 7pm
Current form (all competitions):
Torquay United: W, L, L, D, L, W
Solihull Moors: D, L, D, L, L, L
Top scorers:
Torquay: Asa Hall 10
Solihull : Jimmy Ball, Kyle Hudlin, Joe Sbarra 4 each
Head to Head:
Torquay: 3
Draw: 1
Solihull Moors: 2
Last time the two teams met: Solihull Moors 1-2 Torquay United, Tuesday 23rd February 2021
Torquay remained at the head of the National League after 2-1 win over Solihull Moors.
Asa Hall opened the scoring in the 18th minute, converting a penalty that was awarded when Kyle Howkins was deemed to have handled the ball in the area. Billy Waters doubled Torquay’s lead in the 63rd minute, collecting a Connor Lemonheigh-Evans ball before shooting into the bottom-right corner.
Torquay had goalkeeper Shaun MacDonald sent off in stoppage time and Alex Gudger then struck for Solihull in the closing moments of the game, clawing a goal back for the hosts in the ninth minute of injury time.
Manager: Mark Yates
Mark Yates made a return to Damson Park on an interim basis after his current club Stourbridge saw their season declared null and void due to Covid-19. In his previous spell in charge, he successfully helped the Moors avoid relegation to National League North in the 2017-18 season before taking charge of Macclesfield Town. In addition to this, Yates has also managed Kidderminster Harriers (twice), Cheltenham Town –who he led to the League Two play-off final in the 2011-12 season- and Crawley Town.
One to watch: Jamie Ward
For Torquay United fans, Jamie Ward will always be regarded as the one that got away.
Ward spent just six months on the English Riviera after joining the Gulls in the summer of 2006, after he was persuaded to move to south Devon by the then Torquay manager, and fellow Brummie, Ian Atkins, amid interest from Stockport County and Wrexham.
During his time at Plainmoor, he scored 11 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions before he was sold to Chesterfield in January 2007 for a fee of £95,000.
At this time the Gulls were in the midst of Chris Roberts’s brief but calamitous reign as Chairman, during a campaign in which Torquay were relegated from the Football League for the first time.
Ward’s career then went from strength to strength as he moved on to Sheffield United, Derby County, Nottingham Forest and Scunthorpe United. He also represented Northern Ireland at Euro 2016, which was their first appearance at a major finals for 30 years.
He joined the Moors at the start of the 2020-21 campaign and has scored three goals in 18 appearances.
Probable line-ups:
Torquay (4-4-1-1):
Lucas Covolan
Ben Wynter – Sam Sherring – Joe Lewis – Ryan Law
Adam Randell – Asa Hall – Connor Lemonheigh-Evans – Jake Andrews
Armani Little
Scott Boden
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Solihull Moors (4-4-2):
Ryan Boot
Cameron Coxe – Reiss McNally – Tyrone Williams – Jordan Cranston
Ryan Barnett – Jimmy Ball – Kyle Storer – Mitch Hancox
Adam Rooney – Jamie Ward
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