TT PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @steveharris84
Match details: Torquay United versus Dover Athletic
Venue: Plainmoor, Torquay
Date: Saturday 13th November 2021
Kick-off: 3pm
Current Form (last six):
Torquay: L, D, L, W, W, D
Dover: D, L, L, L, L, L
Top scorer:
Torquay: Armani Little (5)
Dover: Aaron Cosgrave (4)
Head to Head:
Torquay: 5*
Draw: 1
Dover: 4
*Result of last meeting between the two sides was expunged.
Dover fact file:
Year founded: 1983
Nickname: The Lilywhites
Last season’s league finish: results expunged
Notable honours:
Conference South:
Play-off winners 2013-14
Isthmian League:
Premier League winners: 2008-09
Southern League:
Premier Division: 1989-90 & 1992-93
Manager: Andy Hessenthaler
A vastly experienced manager at National League level, Andy Hessenthaler is currently in his second spell as manager of Dover Athletic – having returned to the Crabble in October 2018 to succeed Chris Kinnear. During his first spell in charge of the Lilywhites he won the Isthmian League Division South and the Isthmian League Premier Division in successive seasons between 2007 and 2009, and combined the manager’s role with playing.
As a player, he was released by Charlton Athletic as a youngster before dropping into non-league football but made a return to the pro game with Watford in 1991. Hessenthaler, a midfielder by trade, spent the bulk of his career with the Hornets and Gillingham, who he also managed three times (which included one spell as caretaker). Other clubs that he has managed include Leyton Orient.
Player to watch: Ben Williamson
After being given a second chance in the professional game through the Glenn Hoddle Academy in Spain, Ben Williamson re-ignited his career with spells at AFC Bournemouth and Hyde in the National League North. He then made his mark in the Football League with stints at Port Vale, Gillingham and Cambridge United before returning to the non-league game in 2017 with Eastleigh. Two years later, he made the move to Hayes Lane and he was on target in the Ravens’ 4-1 win over Dover Athletic in their opening fixture of the 2020-21 season, which was the first of three goals that he scored for Bromley during the course of the campaign – including the winning goal in their 1-0 win over Notts County that secured the Ravens’ National League play-off spot.
He was reunited with his former Eastleigh boss Hessenthaler when he joined the Lilywhites in the close season.
Position: Centre-Forward
Height: 1.80m
Date of Birth: 25th December, 1988 – 32 Years Old
Birthplace: London
Former Clubs: Worthing, Jerez Ind, Bournemouth, Hyde, Port Vale, Gillingham, Cambridge Utd, Eastleigh, Bromley.
National League Stats 21-22: Played 13, Goals 1, Yellow/Red Cards 0/0
Old boys:
Torquay: None
Dover: None
Last meeting: Torquay United 2-0 Dover Athletic, Saturday 17th October 2020
GOALS – Cameron (26, 44)
TEAMS:
Torquay: Covolan; Wynter, Cameron, Sherring, Moxey (Andrews 79); Nemane (Warren 79), Lemonheigh-Evans, Randell, Whitfield; Britton (Hall 70), Wright,
Dover (4-5-1): Mersin; Passley (Wratten 90), Spencer-Adams, De Havilland, Wood; Rigg, Munns, Cumberbatch (Hinchiri 85), Gobern, Bramble; Rose (Collins 63),
A brace from skipper Kyle Cameron made it four wins out of five for Torquay United against Dover Athletic, as the Gulls moved to the top of the National League table.
The former Newcastle United prospect hit a first half double to delight of Johnson, who was also pleased to see the goals being spread around the team – as Cameron became United’s seventh different goal scorer of the 2020-21 campaign in the process.
Probable line-ups:
Torquay United (4-4-1-1):
Shaun MacDonald
Ben Wynter – Joe Lewis – Harry Perritt – Dean Moxey
Byron Moore – Armani Little – Tom Lapslie – Jake Andrews
Connor Lemonheigh-Evans
Dan Holman
Dover Athletic (3-5-2):
Adam Parkes
Danny Collinge – Reda Johnson – Harry Ransom
Seth Nana Twumasi – Ryan Hanson – Koby Arthur – TJ Bramble – Junior Tiensa
Ben Williamson – Aaron Cosgrave
TT Pre-Match Talking Points:
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Can we cope without Sinclair up front?
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Will Hall be back to re-enforce the squad?
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Can we continue our good form at home?