PREVIEW
Steve Harris
@steveharris84
MATCH DETAILS
Chelmsford City versus Torquay United – NLS
Venue: Melbourne Stadium
Date: Saturday 23rd December 2023
Kick-off: 3pm
HEAD TO HEAD
Torquay: 3
Draw: 1
Chelmsford: 0
FORM GUIDE
Torquay: L, W, W, W, W, W
Chelmsford: W, L, L, W, W, L
TOP SCORERS
Torquay: Aaron Jarvis/Brad Ash (9 each)
Chelmsford: Charlie Ruff/ Freddie Hockey (2 each)
CHELMSFORD FACTFILE
Year founded: 1938
Nickname: The Clarets
Last season’s league finish: 5th in the National League South
Chelmsford notable honours:
Isthmian League Premier Division:
Champions: 2007-08
Southern League:
Champions: 1939-40, 1945-46, 1967-68, 1971-7
MANAGER – ROBBIE SIMPSON
No stranger to the South West from his time as an Exeter City player between 2016 and 2018, Robbie Simpson initially joined the Clarets as a player in 2019 and became interim manager in 2020, following the departure of Rod Stringer.
As a player, Simpson started his career with Cambridge City before moving to near neighbours Cambridge United and progressed on to the likes of Coventry City, Huddersfield Town, Oldham Athletic and Leyton Orient.
SIMPSON STATS
Date of Birth: 15/03/85 (38)
Appointed: 30th Jan 2020
Other Clubs Managed: None
PLAYER TO WATCH – JAZZI BARNUM-BOBB
Many of the Plainmoor faithful will remember Jazzi Barnum-Bobb from his loan spell from Newport County during the 2017-18 season, and he is currently in his second spell with Chelmsford.
He initially joined the Clarets following his release by the Exiles, and went on to have spells with Wrexham, Dartford and Dulwich Hamlet before returning to Chelmsford in 2022.
JBB STATS
Position: Right Back
Date of Birth: 15/09/95 (28)
Birthplace: London
Height: 1.81m
Former Clubs: Watford, Cardiff, Newport, Torquay, Wrexham, Dartford, Dulwich
OLD BOYS
Torquay: None
Chelmsford: Jazzi Barnum-Bobb
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Torquay
Mark Halstead
Ross Marshall – Ollie Tomlinson – Dean Moxey – Archie Harris
Will Jenkins Davies – Tom Lapslie – Ryan Hanson
Ethon Archer – Theo Williams – Lewis Collins
Chelmsford
Jacob Marsden
Jazzi Barnum-Bobb – Finley Barbrook – Luke Jenkins – Josh Castiglione
Callum Watts – Henry Ochieng – Ody Alfa – Charlie Ruff
Callum Jones – Jermaine Francis
LAST MEETING
Saturday 9th September 2023: Torquay United 2 Chelmsford City 1
There may have been an element of fortune to their winner, but Torquay United made it six wins out of seven against fellow promotion hopefuls Chelmsford City.
United took the lead through a wonder strike from Brett McGavin which was cancelled out by a late equaliser from Ben Brookes. However, the Gulls restored their advantage in injury time through an own goal from Samir Carruthers, when he deflected a Will Jenkins-Davies free-kick into the back of his own net.