PREVIEW

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Torquay United versus Braintree Town

Venue: Plainmoor, Torquay

Date: Saturday 28th August 2023

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 2

Draw: 2

Braintree: 3

BRAINTREE FACTFILE

Year founded: 1898.

Nickname: The Iron

Last season’s league finish: 7^th in National League South

Braintree Town notable honours:

National League South:

Champions: 2010-11

Play-off winners: 2017-18

MANAGER – ANGELO HARROP

The son of former Gulls youth coach and Chief Executive Geoff Harrop, Angelo Harrop took charge of the Iron in May 2022 and led them to the National League South play-offs in his first season at the helm.

A former Colchester United youth team player, Harrop junior had previously managed Stanway Rovers, Brightlingsea Regent and AFC Sudbury.

HARROP STATS

Appointed: 22nd May 2022

Date of Birth: 07/07/1988 (35)

Other Clubs Managed: Stanway Rovers, Brightlingsea Regent and AFC Sudbury.

PLAYER TO WATCH – REGGIE LAMBE

Bermudan international Reggie Lambe has plenty of experience of playing in the EFL with spells with Ipswich Town, Mansfield Town, Carlisle United and Cambridge United, in addition to stints abroad with Toronto FC and Nykopings BIS in Canada and Sweden respectively.

Lambe, who plays as a midfielder, joined the Iron in the summer of 2023 from AFC Sudbury.

LAMBE STATS

Position: Right Midfield

Date of Birth: 04/02/91 (32)

Birthplace: Hamilton, Bermuda

International: Bermuda (42 Caps, 10 Goals)

Height: 1.71m

Former Clubs: Ipswich, Bristol Rovers, Toronto, Nykopings BIS, Mansfield, Carlisle Cambridge, Sudbury

NLS Stats 23/24: Appearances 5 Goals 0, Yellow/Red Cards 0/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay United: None

Braintree: Chris Regis

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (4-4-2)

Mark Halstead

Shaun Donnellan, Ross Marshall, Ollie Tomlinson, Dan Martin

Jack Stobbs, Will Jenkins Davies, Tom Lapslie, Lewis Collins

Aaron Jarvis, Bradley Ash

Braintree Town (4-5-1):

Jack Sims

Josh Dawadu – Kyran Clements – Ben Tompkins – Leon Davies

Alfie Payne – Arnold Matshazi – Joe Grimwood – Reggie Lambe – Tom Blackwell

Will Davies

LAST MEETING

17th April 2017

Torquay United 3-1 Braintree – NL

Brett Williams scored twice as Torquay gave their National League survival bid a massive boost with a 3-1 comeback victory against fellow relegation strugglers Braintree.

The visitors took just eight minutes to open the scoring, Chez Isaac delivering a great free-kick which Manny Parry headed in from close range for his second goal of the season.

The Gulls thought they had equalised in the 36th minute when Williams latched on to a blocked clearance to fire home the loose ball with a low shot, but referee Craig Hicks disallowed it after consulting with his assistant.

However, five minutes later Williams did level with a low shot into the bottom corner to give Torquay a lifeline and then added a second seven minutes after the break, rifling home a loose ball inside the area.

Williams nearly scored a hat-trick when his header struck the post and although the Iron later hit the crossbar, Jordan Lee made the points safe in the final minute to leave the Gulls just a point away from safety with two games to go.