TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

Match details: Solihull Moors vs Torquay United

Venue: Damson Park

Date: Tuesday 14th September 2021

Kick-off: 7.45pm

Solihull Moors fact file:

Year founded: 2007

Nickname: The Moors

Last season’s league finish: 11^th National League

Notable honours:

National League North:

Champions: 2015-16

Head-to-Head:

Solihull: 2 Draw: 1 Torquay: 4

Top scorer:

Solihull: Joe Sbarra – 5 Torquay: Armani Little – 3

League Position and Recent Form:

Solihull: 13th – DDLW Torquay: 19th – LDLWL

Manager: Neal Ardley

Neal Ardley spent most of his playing career with the ‘original’ Wimbledon, for whom he made over 300 career appearances in all competitions between 1991 and 2002. He was also capped ten times by England at Under-21 level. Spells with Watford, Cardiff City and Millwall followed his departure from Wimbledon, before he announced his retirement from playing in 2007.

After his retirement from playing, Ardley’s coaching career began when he was appointed as Cardiff City’s academy manager. He would hold this role for five years until he took on his first senior managerial role with AFC Wimbledon, as successor to Terry Brown, in October 2012.

In his first season in charge, Ardley helped to the Dons to avoid relegation from the Football League, with a 2-1 win over Fleetwood Town on the final day of the 2012-13 campaign. Three years later, he guided the Dons to their first ever promotion as a Football League club when they beat Plymouth Argyle 2-0 in the 2016 League Two play-off final.

Ardley then went on to establish the Dons in League One and was the third longest serving manager in the Football League at the time of his departure on November 12, 2018. Eleven days later, he was appointed as Notts County manager, but after failing to prevent the Magpies from being relegated from the Football League for the first time ever. After missing out on an immediate return last season, when they were beaten in the play-off final by Harrogate Town. Ardley was sacked as County manager in March 2021 and took charge of the Moors in June 2021.

Player to watch: Kyle Storer

Position: Midfielder

Date of Birth: 30th April 1987 – 34 years-old

Birthplace: Nuneaton

Height: 1.80m

Former Clubs: Leicester, Bedworth, Tamworth, Hinckley, Atherstone, Nuneaton, Kidderminster, Wrexham, Cheltenham

National League Stats 21-22: Played 4, Goals 0, Yellow/Red Cards 2/0

Kyle Storer will be a familiar face to Gary Johnson after being an ever-present in Cheltenham Town’s National League title winning side in the 2015-16 season. Prior to his arrival at Whaddon Road, Storer, a central midfielder by trade, had appeared for several clubs at National League level, including Tamworth, Wrexham and Kidderminster Harriers. He arrived at Damson Park in January 2018 and is currently the Moors’ club captain.

Old boys:

Solihull: None

Torquay: Danny Wright

Helpful information for supporters ahead of tomorrow evening's visit of @TUFC1899. 📝

🔹Tickets
🔸Opening times
🔹Refreshments
— Solihull Moors FC (@SolihullMoors) September 13, 2021

Last meeting: Torquay United 2-0 Solihull Moors – 23rd March 2021

GOALS: TUFC – Andrews (9), Randell (40)

TEAMS:

Torquay United: Covolan, Wynter, Lewis, Sherring, Law, Little (Waters), Hall, Andrews, Randell, CLE, Boden (Umerah)

Solihull Moors: Boot, Williams, Cranston, Coxe, Storer (Ball), Ward, McNally, Donawa, Sbarra (Maycock), Hudlin (Rooney), Barnett

Torquay continued their return to form with a second successive home win in the National League as they beat Solihull 2-0.

The Gulls took a ninth-minute lead, Jake Andrews taking the credit though his free-kick appeared to go in off visiting keeper Ryan Boot. Scott Boden was just off target when he chipped Boot in the 26th minute, while Lucas Covolan saved well from Justin Donawa at the other end. It was 2-0 five minutes before the break, when Andrews crossed for Adam Randell to finish.

Donawa was narrowly off target with a volley and then a header in the second half, while Boot escaped a second nightmare moment when his clearance was charged down by Armani Little but bounced wide.

Possible line-ups:

Torquay United (4-4-2):

Mark Halstead

Ben Wynter – Joe Lewis – Ali Omar – Dan Martin

Connor Lemonheigh-Evans – Tom Lapslie – Asa Hall – Keelan O’Connell

Dan Holman – Danny Wright

Solihull Moors (5-3-2):

Ryan Boot

Ryan Barnett – Tyrone Williams – Callum Howe – Alex Gudger – Jordan Cranston

Callum Maycock – Kyle Storer – Louis Maynard

Andrew Dallas – Joe Sbarra

TT pre-match talking points…

Can TUFC’s defence stop leaking goals and will Mark Halstead remain in between the sticks?
Will Gary Johnson stick with the Holman/Wright partnership?
Are we going to see any new arrivals this week to bolster the squad?