PREVIEW
Steve Harris
@steveharris84
MATCH DETAILS
Match details: Torquay United vs Exeter City
Venue: Plainmoor, Torquay
Date: Saturday 22nd July 2023
Kick-off: 3pm
EXETER CITY FACTFILE
Exeter City fact file:
Year founded: 1901
Nickname: The Grecians
Last season’s league finish: 14th in League One
Notable honours:
Division Four/Division Three/League Two champions: 1989-90
MANAGER – GARY CALDWELL
Former Scotland international Gary Caldwell was appointed as Exeter City manager in October 2023, following Matt Taylor’s departure to Rotherham United.
Caldwell started his playing with Newcastle United, but after failing to break into the Magpies’ first team he joined Hibernian in 2004. His form for Hibs earned him a move to Celtic in 2006 and he won all three domestic trophies (the SPL, the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup) before moving to the Premier League to sign for Wigan Athletic in 2010. He was part of the Latics’ squad that shocked Manchester City to win the FA Cup in 2013; he was an unused sub, but he lifted the trophy together with playing captain Emmerson Boyce.
In addition to this, Caldwell was also capped 55 times by Scotland and scored twice.
As a manager, Caldwell was appointed as Wigan Athletic manager in April 2015 and was unable to stop the Latics from being relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2014-15 campaign. However, under his guidance, Wigan bounced back to win the League One title in the 2015-16 season.
After a poor start to the 2016-17 campaign, Caldwell was dismissed by the Latics before he was appointed as Chesterfield manager in 2017, but was unable to prevent the Spireites being relegated from League One at the end of the 2016-17 season. Nevertheless, after a poor start to the 2017-18 campaign he was dismissed by Chesterfield.
A spell in charge of Partick Thistle followed before Caldwell had a brief stint as Under-23’s manager at Newcastle United. He then returned to Hibs as assistant manager under his former Celtic and Wigan teammate Shaun Maloney, a post which he held until Maloney was sacked in April 2022 following a Scottish Cup game semi-final defeat to city neighbours Hearts.
PLAYER TO WATCH – SAM NOMBE
After joining Exeter City from MK Dons in 2021 on a three-year contract, Sam Nombe has emerged as the Grecians’ main attacking threat.
In his first season at St James Park, the Croydon-born striker helped City to win automatic promotion from League Two. On their return to League One for the first time since 2012, he netted 17 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions to finish the season as top scorer.
NOMBE STATS
Position: Centre-Forward
Date of Birth: 22nd October 1998 (24)
Birthplace: London
Height: 1.80m
League Stats 22-23: Appearances 43, Goals 15, Yellow/Red Cards 2/0
OLD BOYS
Torquay: Dean Moxey
Exeter City: None
TUFC SUMMER TRANSFER BUSINESS
In: Kevin Dawson (Gloucester City), Jack Stobbs (Oldham Athletic), Bradley Ash (Weymouth), Lewis Collins (Newport County)
Out: Frank Nouble (Yeovil Town), Ali Omar (Larne), Olaf Koszela and Alex Moyse (Dorchester Town), Jack Winsor (Bideford), Lewis Brooks, Ben Wyatt, Jacob Mensah
LAST MEETING
23rd July 2022: Torquay United 1 Exeter City 0 – PSF
Brett McGavin’s 81st minute strike proved to be the difference for Torquay United against local rivals Exeter City in their final home pre-season friendly ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
United also had goalkeeper Mark Halstead to thank, as he made a number of important saves throughout the match to keep the Grecians in what was their final warm-up before the start of their own season in League One.
The opening chance of the game fell to the Gulls as Ryan Hanson blasted over with an angled effort in the fourth minute.
In the 28th minute, McGavin fired a tame shot straight at Grecians keeper Scott Brown from 20-yards.
City went close a minute later when a Tim Dieng header was turned behind by United keeper Mark Halstead.
On 33 minutes, the Grecians looked to hit the Gulls on the counter attack as Sam Nombe looked well placed to score, but Halstead reacted quickly to deny him.
Halstead was called into action again a minute before the break, as he pushed a close range header from Nombe onto the bar.
Exeter continued to pile on the pressure in the second half as Halstead made a double save to deny Dieng and Nombe – although the latter was adjudged to have been offside.
Eight minutes later, Dieng had yet another header saved by Halstead, which rebounded into the path of Grecians skipper Matt Jay who saw his backheeled effort blocked by Ross Marshall.
With nine minutes to go, the deadlock was broken as a Kieron Evans’ free-kick was cleared as far as Dean Moxey, who saw a close range effort palmed away by Brown. The rebound then fell invitingly to McGavin who volleyed home for the Gulls.
COYY – STEVE
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