TT MATCH PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @SteveHarris84
Match details: Torquay United versus Notts County
Venue: Plainmoor, Torquay
Date: Saturday 24th April 2021
Kick-off: 3pm
Current form (all competitions):
Torquay United: L, W, W, W, W, W
Notts County: L, W, W, L, L, L
Top scorers:
Torquay: Asa Hall 11
Notts County: Kyle Wootton 14
Head to Head:
Torquay: 7
Draw: 18
Notts County: 20
Last time the two teams met: Notts County 0 – 0 Torquay United, Saturday 23rd January 2021
Torquay United remain top of the National League following a goalless draw with Notts County.
Both sides struggled to create chances in a game lacking in inspiration, but the point was still enough to move Torquay nine clear of Sutton and Hartlepool at the top of the table, although the former have three games in hand. The visitors went into the game looking to bounce back from an away defeat to Yeovil in their last National League game, which was only their third loss in 17 games this season.
They edged a tight first half but were unable to test Sam Slocombe in the County goal, with Ben Whitfield’s cross which deflected off Connell Rawlinson and almost caught out the keeper the closest they came.
Whitfield was also involved in one of Torquay’s most promising situations in the second half too. His ball into the area shortly after the hour mark just evaded Josh Umerah. Whitfield then picked out Umerah with a left-wing cross after a fine run down the flank only for the forward to head wide. Umerah was also unable to convert from a Connor Lemonheigh-Evans cross as County held on for a point.
Manager: Ian Burchnall
After spending the bulk of his coaching and managerial career in Scandinavia, with Sarpsborg 08 and Viking Stavanger in Norway and Ostersund in Sweden, Ian Burchnall was appointed Notts County manager on March 25, 2021 as successor to Neal Ardley. While at Sarpsborg 08 he was assistant manager to former Sheffield United, Leeds United, Benfica and Middlesbrough striker Brian Deane. Burchnall then went on to manage Norwegian side Viking before succeeding Brighton and Hove Albion manager Graham Potter as manager of Swedish Ostersund; In the 2018 Allsvenskan season he led Ostersund to a sixth place finish with 49 points – one place below their highest ever league finish and one point below their record points haul set during Potter’s reign.
One to watch: Kyle Wootton
Position: Centre Forward
Date of Birth: Oct 11, 1996 – 24 Years Old
Height: 1.88m
Former Clubs: Scunthorpe, North Ferriby, Cheltenham, Stevenage, Halifax, Notts County.
International: English.
National League Stats 20-21: Played 32, Goals 12.
After progressing through the youth ranks of Scunthorpe United, Kyle Wootton appears to have found a home at Meadow Lane since making his loan move from the Iron to Notts County permanent in January 2020. Wootton made his debut for Scunthorpe in the 2014-15 season and then enjoyed loan spells with Lincoln City, North Ferriby United, Cheltenham Town, Stevenage and FC Halifax. He found the back of the net 18 times in all competitions over the course of the 2019-20 campaign, and is currently Notts County’s top scorer in the 2020-21 season with 14 goals.
View from the Sofa by Sam Jones:
Don’t we all just love a win against Woking? An absolute meltdown from the Surrey side meant that Torquay strolled all over The Cards to win their 5th in a row. Notts County, with their Graham Potter wannabe manager, are ripe for the picking at the moment. They seem to be struggling with the bizarre sacking of Neal Ardley, and are slipping down the table. The title is still very much on for United, but with Sutton and Hartlepool showing no signs of slowing, we need to win every game. Even if we are missing Danny up top (and about 12 other players), I still have every faith that the Yellows will take all three points.
Probable line-ups:
Torquay (4-4-1-1):
Lucas Covolan
Ben Wynter – Sam Sherring – Joe Lewis – Dean Moxey;
Adam Randell – Asa Hall – Matt Buse – Jake Andrews
Connor Lemonheigh-Evans
Scott Boden
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Notts County (3-5-2):
Luke Steele
Connell Rawlinson – Ben Turner – Alex Lacey
Dion Kelly-Evans – Jake Reeves – Regan Griffiths – Lewis Knight – Adam Chicksen
Jimmy Knowles – Kyle Wootton
TORQUAYTALK 