PREVIEW

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Torquay United versus Bath City

Venue: Plainmoor

Date: Saturday 4th November 2023

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 3

Draw: 0

Bath: 1

FORM GUIDE

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

Bath: D, D, L, L, W, L

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Aaron Jarvis (9)

Torquay: Scott Wilson (10)

BATH CITY FACTFILE

Year founded: 1889

Nickname: The Romans

Last season’s league finish: 11^TH in National League South

Notable Honours:

Southern League:

Champions: 1959-60, 1977-78, 2005-06

MANAGER – JERRY GILL

Jerry Gill returned to the club in October 2017 as the successor to the Torquay United-bound Gary Owers. Highlights of his reign have included reaching the National League South play-offs in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns.

He firstly joined the Romans as a player in 1990, following spells with Trowbridge Town, Leyton Orient and Weston Super Mare. After appearing over 200 times for the club, he joined Yeovil Town in 1996 and helped the Glovers to win promotion to the Conference under Graham Roberts before moving back into the professional game when Birmingham City paid £30,000 for his services in the summer of 1997.

Spells with Northampton and Cheltenham Town followed, he won promotion from League Two with the latter in the 2005-06 season, before moving into coaching with Forest Green Rovers in 2008. Gill had a brief spell as Weymouth manager in 2010 and then held coaching roles at Birmingham City, Bristol Rovers and Kidderminster Harriers. He later managed Norwich City’s Under-18 and Under-23s as well as Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-18’s before his appointment at Twerton Park.

GILL STATS

Date of Birth: 08/09/70 (60)

Appointed: 5th October 2017

Other Clubs Managed: Weymouth, Bristol Rovers U18s, Norwich U18/U21s, Wolves U18s

PLAYER TO WATCH – SCOTT WILSON

Currently in his second spell at Twerton Park, Scott Wilson was Bath City’s top scorer in the 2022-23 season with 24 goals in all competitions.

After progressing through Bristol City’s youth set-up, Wilson appeared for a number of Westcountry sides, including the Romans in the 2013-14 campaign, before joining Eastleigh in the summer of 2016.

He then headed to the North West to join Macclesfield Town and Oldham Athletic and he then had spells with Notts County, Dagenham & Redbridge and Aldershot Town before returning to the Romans.

WILSON STATS

Position: Striker

Date of Birth: 11/01/93 (30)

Place of Birth: Bristol

Height: 1.82m

Former Clubs: Bristol City, Paulton, WSM, Eastleigh, Macclesfield, Oldham, Notts County, Dagenham, Aldershot

NLS 23/24 Stats: Appearances 14, Goals 10, Yellow/Red Cards 1/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

Bath City: Alex Fletcher

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 – Theo Williams

Bath City (4-5-1)

Will Buse

Joe Raynes – Jack Batten – Kieron Parselle – Danny Greenslade

Jordan Thomas – Dan Hayfield – Luke Russe – Tom Smith – Ewan Clark

Scott Wilson

LAST MEETING

Saturday 19th January 2019, Bath City 3 Torquay United 2 – NLS

A club record National League South crowd of 3,492 at the ground witnessed Bath City complete an astonishing comeback as two goals in the final eight minutes downed league leaders Torquay United.

The game ebbed from an early City lead, earned through Freddie Hinds’ first Romans goal, to the Gulls appearing set for victory having turned matters around themselves, Asa Hall and Jamie Reid converting corners either side of the break.

Torquay could even have killed off the match when Jake Andrews blazed a penalty over the bar, yet it was from the spot that City levelled through skipper Anthony Straker.

And Straker then turned provider, burning past two defenders down the left flank and sweeping in a low cross for substitute Ryan Brunt to expertly divert into the far corner.

The final act in stoppage time saw former City academy youngster Saikou Janneh scoop over the top from a couple of yards out to close out a genuinely remarkable contest, which ended the Gulls’ club record unbeaten run of 16 league matches.