TT PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @steveharris84
Match details: Torquay United versus FC Halifax Town
Venue: Plainmoor, Torquay
Date: Saturday 27th November 2021
Kick-off: 3pm
Current Form (last six):
Torquay: W, W, D, W, L, L
Halifax: L, W, D, W, W, L
Top scorer:
Torquay: Armani Little (8)
Halifax: Billy Waters (10)
Head to Head:
Torquay: 33
Draw: 13
Halifax Town/FC Halifax: 23
FC Halifax Town fact file:
Year founded: 2008
Nickname: The Shaymen
Last season’s league finish: 10th in National League
FC Halifax notable honours:
National League North:
Play-off winners: 2012-13, 2016-17
Manager: Pete Wild
Former Oldham Athletic manager Peter Wild took charge of the Shaymen during the summer of 2019, following the resignation of Jamie Fullarton three weeks before the 2019-20 National League campaign got underway. Under his guidance, Halifax emerged as one of the surprise packages of the 2019-20 National League campaign, and reached the play-offs where they were beaten at the quarter final stage by Boreham Wood. A life-long Oldham fan, Wild had two caretaker spells in charge of the Latics; firstly in succession to Frankie Bunn and then Paul Scholes. Following Scholes’ departure, he took over on a permanent basis until the end of the 2018-19 season before resigning citing ‘personal reasons’.
Player to watch: Sam Johnson
After first joining the Shaymen on loan from Port Vale in November 2015, Sam Johnson has established himself as one of the leading goalkeepers outside the EFL in recent years.
Johnson’s initial loan spell was the first of two spells that he spent with the club – during which time he lifted the FA Trophy in 2016; He returned for a second loan spell in the 2016-17 season, in which he helped the Shaymen win promotion from National League North. After he was released by the Valiants in the summer of 2017, he joined Halifax on a permanent basis and has remained a fan’s favourite ever since. He also won the club’s player of the year award for the 2018-19 season.
In the 2020-21 season, Johnson played 45 games for the Shaymen as they narrowly missed out on the play-offs after losing to Chesterfield on the final day.
STATS
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 1.98m
Date of Birth: 1st December 1992 – 28 years-old
Birthplace: Newcastle-under-Lyme
Former Clubs: Port Vale, Stafford, Alfreton, Gateshead
National League Stats 21-22: Played 16, Goals Conceded 14, Clean Sheets 7, Yellow/Red Cards 0/0
Old boys:
Torquay: None
Halifax: Billy Waters
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Last meeting: Torquay United 2 FC Halifax Town 3 – Saturday 20th February 2021
Jeff King went from being a zero to a hero for FC Halifax Town when he struck a late winner for the Shaymen against league leaders Torquay United after conceding two penalties.
After taking the lead through an own goal from Sam Sherring, Pete Wild’s side had been trailing 2-1 after Gulls’ skipper Asa Hall successfully converted both spot-kicks. However, Halifax levelled matters through Jack Earing before King curled home the winner in the 88th minute – as the Shaymen bounced back from their midweek loss to Barnet to defeat the Gulls.
Torquay (3-5-2): MacDonald; Lewis, Sherring, Cameron (Andrews 13); Wynter, Randell, Hall, Lemonheigh-Evans, Whitfield; Umerah (Street 63), Waters
Subs not used: Koszela, Hamon, Sheaf
FC Halifax (4-4-1-1): Johnson: King, Byrne, Bradbury, Senior; Allen, Green, Maher, Williams (Hyde 62); Earing; Campbell
Subs not used: Benn, Tear, Renshaw
Possible 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
Sinclair Armstrong
FC Halifax Town (4-3-3):
Sam Johnson
Tyrell Warren – Niall Maher – Jesse Debrah – Jack Senior
Kieran Green – Kian Spence – Jack Vale
Matty Warburton – Jordan Slew – Billy Waters
TT Pre-Match Talking Points:
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The away form may be slumping but can Torquay win at home again?
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Will GJ ring the changes again to the line-up?
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Can the Gulls contain the returning Billy Waters?
TORQUAYTALK 