TALKING POINTS

Danny Burnell – @dannyburnell_92

Danny discusses talking points ahead of the NL clash

THE BIGGEST GAME OF THE SEASON

We’ve had a few of these already this season, but this one genuinely feels like the biggest of the lot. A Tuesday night in the middle of February is where the men are sorted from the boys as survival is at stake. A win could potentially see the Gulls climb out the relegation zone for the first time since September, but it will need to be earned as both sides battle for points. A win for Torquay will see them grappling with the likes of York, Yeovil & Maidenhead as they all look to be getting dragged into the fold. The table didn’t look to rosy a few weeks back, but come 22.00 Tuesday evening, it could look a lot more pleasing on the eye.

FORM

24th hosts 5th if the form table is anything to go by. Dorking have conceded 16 in their last 5 league outings, scoring just once. That has resulted in Wanderers being dragged right into the mix, leaving them just one point better off than the Gulls. The part-timers showed promise in the early season months but now they will need to prove their worth if they are to avoid the drop. United should be buoyed by the Barnet performance, as they play just their third away match this calendar year!

FOUR AT THE BACK

A change in formation resulted in a change of attacking fortunes against Barnet. Johnson reverted to a back 4 on the weekend with Lawrence and Marshall being flanked by Donnellan & Moxey. Barring any fresh injuries, you’d expect the same line-up at Dorking. It’s a system that many neglect nowadays, with a back 3 a much preferred option, but sometimes back to basics makes sense when much needed points are at stake.

THE CROWD

Dorking are in a position they have never been in. The club, formed in 1999, have won countless promotions since the days of playing park football in the County leagues. They are a club that expect to win, and their growing fanbase over the years have come to expect the same. Relegation scrapping is new territory for Wanderers’ and should things not go to plan early on in the game, the crowd may well start to get restless. United can play on that, and use the nervous energy as bait, as they try to overcome their relegation rivals.

DAYLIGHT BETWEEN THE BOTTOM TWO

Even given their recent upturn in form, Scunthorpe will have to go some to get anything at Wrexham this evening. A win for the Gulls’, and defeat for the Iron would see a sizeable 6 point gap open up as United look to down two of their relegation rivals. Maidstone will have to improve dramatically to beat anyone at the moment, as they host 8th placed Eastleigh.