TALKING POINTS

Dom Roman – @DomRoman

Dom discusses talking points ahead of the game at Plainmoor

FORGET THE CUP!

Tuesday night’s game will be occupying both the minds of supporters and players in the coming days, but I’m sure the message from Gary Johnson will be “forget about the Derby game, we need league points”. For the supporters that means rallying ourselves for yet another game at Plainmoor, and willing this team on once more. For the starting XI it means showing the commitment and heart that has been a big part of our recent mini-resurgence in form. ‘One game at a time’ is a perfect saying for achieving anything in Football, take care of Saturday and get ready for Derby (a) from Sunday onwards.

FINDING ENERGY

With two games a week in recent times and a team barely shuffled, Gary Johnson will be wary of United struggling to keep up with a fresh Spireites team who haven’t played for a little while. This is where the manager’s ability and skills to motivate and lead will come to the fore, tiredness is creeping in but these players must ignore this and renew their efforts. Can the likes of Tom Lapslie, Will Goodwin, Asa Hall or Shaun Donnellan find more in the tank three days later considering the emotional and physical demands of recent weeks? Lets hope so. Big efforts required all-round.

THE LINE-UP

Had another midfielder been trusted to start on Wednesday, there is no way Asa Hall that would have been in the line-up. The skipper has been pushed to his limits and despite attempts to get past this, it showed against Dorking. This could mean an enforced recall for either Ryan Hanson or Brett McGavin against Chesterfield. In defence, unless Dean Moxey is ready to return, Dylan Crowe will continue at left back (a real concern considering the form of Chesterfield’s marauding right back Jeff King). Otherwise it’ll be as you were for the Gulls barring other injuries, because despite 3 loans the squad is still threadbare and lacking any depth at all. Striker Cameron Thompson was missing on Wednesday. I don’t know if we’ll see him again, but there’s no doubt the Gulls could do with another attacker on the bench, whoever that may be..

CHESTERFIELD FC

Paul Cook brings down a Chesterfield team currently 3rd in the NL, with 34 points from 17 games. After some wobbles of form, the Spireites have been on a good run, including a win over Northampton in the FA Cup. Notable players include Kabongo Tsimanga who has recently been on the bench, with target man Joe Quigley preferred upfront. Right back Jeff King is their top scorer and a constant threat down the wing, whilst Liam Mandeville is a clever attacking midfielder who’ll be looking to find room in front of Torquay’s defence. They have 13 different goal-scorers this season and will come to Plainmoor expecting to take charge of the game and take home all 3 points. Tough opposition for a slightly bruised and battered United, it’ll need a big performance to swing the game in our favour.