TT PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @steveharris84
Match details: Torquay United vs Grimsby Town
Venue: Plainmoor, Torquay
Date: Saturday 11th September 2021
Kick-off: 3pm
Grimsby fact file:
Year founded: 1878
Nickname: The Mariners
Last season’s league finish: 24th League Two
Notable honours:
Division Two/Division One/Championship:
Winners: 1900-01, 1933-34
Division Three/Division Two/League One:
Winners: 1979-80
Division Three North:
Winners: 1925-26, 1955-56
Division Four/Division Three/League Two:
Winners: 1971-72
Football League Trophy:
Winners: 1997-98
Head-to-Head:
Torquay: 8 Draw: 7 Grimsby: 11
Top scorer:
Torquay: Armani Little (2) Grimsby: John McAtee (3)
League Position and Recent Form:
Torquay: 17th – L,D,L,W Grimsby: 5th – W,D,W
Manager: Paul Hurst
After leading the Mariners to promotion to the Football League in the 2015-16 season, Paul Hurst is aiming to repeat the feat in his second spell in charge at Blundell Park following their relegation from League Two at the end of the 2020-21 campaign. Hurst guided Grimsby to promotion via the Play-offs against Forest Green Rovers in 2016, 12 months after they lost on penalties to Bristol Rovers at the same stage. He then went to take charge of Shrewsbury Town, Ipswich Town and Scunthorpe United. He returned to Blundell Park in December 2020, but was unable to prevent the Mariners from being relegated from League Two.
Player to watch: John McAtee
Position: Striker
Date of Birth: July 23rd, 1999 – 22 Years Old
Birthplace: Manchester
Height: 1.80m
Former Clubs: Burnley, Shrewsbury, Halesowen, Telford United, Ashton United, Curzon Ashton, Scunthorpe United.
International: English.
National League Stats 21-22: Played 3, Goals 3.
Having previously appeared under manager Paul Hurst at both Shrewsbury Town and Scunthorpe United, John McAtee turned down a new contract at Glanford Park to be reunited with the Mariners boss in the close season. After netting on his debut on the opening day of the campaign, he followed up this feat by converting two penalties in Grimsby’s recent 4-3 win over Barnet.
Old boys:
Torquay: None
Grimsby: Michee Efete
Last meeting: Torquay United 1-1 Grimsby Town – 17th October 2015
GOALS: TUFC – Marsh (38), GTFC (79).
TEAMS:
Torquay United: Speiss, Berry, MacDonald, Smith, Nicholson, Hurst (Murombedzi), Richards, Heslop, Butler, Marsh, Fisher (Yeoman).
Grimsby Town: McKeown, Tait, Pearson, Clay, Townsend, Nsiala, Arnold, Disley, Marshall (Mackreth), Bogle, Amond (Pittman).
A second half penalty from Omar Bogle helped to extend the Mariners’ unbeaten run to 11 matches against Torquay United, who were denied their first win at home since the opening day of the campaign.
Tyrone Marsh had headed the Gulls in front in the 38th minute with his fourth of the season before Bogle scored from the spot on 79 minutes after he had been felled by Torquay keeper Fabien Spiess, to secure a share of the spoils for the Mariners.
Probable line ups:
Torquay United (4-1-3-2):
Mark Halstead
Ben Wynter – Joe Lewis – Ali Omar – Dean Moxey
Asa Hall
Armani Little – Tom Lapslie – Connor Lemonheigh-Evans
Dan Holman – Danny Wright
Grimsby Town (4-4-2):
James McKeown
Michee Efete – Luke Waterfall – Shaun Pearson – Adam Crookes
Enrico Sousa – Giles Coke – Alex Hunt – Will Bapaga
John McAtee – Ryan Taylor
TT pre-match talking points…
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Will Gary keep the same line up as the one that beat Maidenhead?
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Can United win their first home points of the season?
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Will Jake Andrews finally make an appearance?
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