PREVIEW

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Torquay United versus Welling United, National League South

Venue: Plainmoor

Date: Saturday 21st October 2023

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 3

Draws: 2

Welling: 1

FORM GUIDE

Torquay: W, W, L, W, L, L

Welling: W, D, D, W, D, L

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Aaron Jarvis (6)

Welling: Nine players on 1

WELLING FACTFILE

Year founded: 1963

Nickname: The Wings

Last season’s league finish: 16th in National League South

Notable Honours:

National League South:

Winners: 2012-13

Southern League:

Winners 1985-86

MANAGER – DANNY BLOOR

Appointed as the successor to Warren Feeney in the close season, Danny Bloor is a vastly experienced manager in non-league circles having led Eastbourne Borough to third, sixth and eighth placed finishes in National League South during his three-and-a-half years in charge. He has also managed Worthing FC, Eastwood Town and Lewes.

BLOOR STATS

Date of Birth: 14/03/70 (53)

Appointed: 13th June 2023

Other Clubs Managed: Worthing, Eastwood, Lewes, Eastbourne

PLAYER TO WATCH – TRISTAN ABRAHAMS

A player with plenty of EFL pedigree, Tristan Abrahams first made his name with Leyton Orient, where his performances attracted the attentions of Norwich City in 2017.

Loan spells with Exeter City and Yeovil Town followed prior to a permanent move to Newport County in 2019. He then had spells with Carlisle United and Grimsby Town before he dropped into non-league for the first time to sign for National League side Eastleigh last season.

A brief return to the EFL followed with a deadline day move to Gillingham before he signed for the Wings as a free agent.

ABRAHAMS STATS

Position: Striker

Date of Birth: 29/12/98 (24)

Place of Birth: London

Height: 1.85m

Former Clubs: Leyton Orient, Cambridge, Norwich, Exeter, Yeovil, Newport, Carlisle, Grimsby, Eastleigh, Gillingham

NLS 23/24 Stats: Appearances 2, Goals 1, Yellow/Red Cards 0/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay United: None

Welling: None

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (3-1-4-2):

Mark Halstead

Shaun Donnellan – Ollie Tomlinson – Dean Moxey

Brett McGavin

Jack Stobbs – Tom Lapslie – Lewis Collins – Finley Craske

Brad Ash – Aaron Jarvis

Welling (4-2-3-1):

Ben Winterbottom

Crossley Lema – Lachie Byrd – Jack Burchell – Cameron Green

Dominic Odusanya – James Vaughan

Jephte Tanga – Antony Papadopoulos – Lewis White

Tristan Abrahams

LAST MEETING

Saturday 16th February 2019, Welling United 2 Torquay United 0 – NLS

A goal in either half saw Welling topple National League South leaders Torquay at Park View Road on Saturday.

Efforts from Jack Barham and David Ijaha did the damage as the Wings cemented their play-off spot by moving up to fifth place against a Gulls’ side reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Kyle Cameron.

The home side applied some early pressure and Shaun MacDonald had to be alert to make a fine save to deny Arnauld Mendy in the 19th minute.

On 28 minutes, the game threatened to boil over as home keeper Wilks, under pressure from Jamie Reid brought down Jake Andrews. The referee satisfied himself that a booking was suitable punishment, and United could not make the resultant free-kick count.

Just before half time, Welling made the breakthrough. Having beaten Jamie Sendles-White to Ijaha’s long ball, Barham shook off the attentions of Cameron and chipped the ball over MacDonald to give the home side the lead.

The whistle for half-time blew shortly afterwards and United returned to play up the slope in the second half, and they almost got off to a perfect start.

After conceding a disappointing free-kick inside a minute of the restart, United cleared the ball away and broke with speed upfield as Reid fed Andrews, who fired wide.

Torquay were made to pay six minutes later though as the home side doubled their lead. JJ Kiernan broke down the right and beat Davis. His cross into the box was only half-cleared and the ball fell to Welling’s captain Ijaha, who lashed the ball into the net.

Gary Johnson responded with a double substitution, sending on Kalvin Kalala and Jean-Yves Koue Niate in place of Andrews and Sendles-White.

As hard as United were trying, they just couldn’t find their rhythm. In the 66th minute, Reid managed to create enough space for a shot, but missed the target.

United came agonisingly close to reducing the deficit with 20 minutes to play as Ruairi Keating forced a corner, from which Cameron met Lemonheigh-Evans’ delivery but the ball rattled the post and away to safety.

United made their final roll of the dice moments later, with Frank Vincent replacing Keating, however it failed to change the course of the game and Cameron soon received his marching orders for a second bookable offence with fifteen minutes left to play.

XI: MacDonald, Wynter, Davis, Sendles-White (Niate 53′), Keating (Vincent 71′), Hall (c), Janneh, Lemonheigh-Evans, Cameron, Andrews (Kalala 53′), Reid. SUBS NOT USED: Burton, Dickson