PREVIEW

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Chippenham Town versus Torquay United – National League South

Venue: Hardenhuish Park

Date: Tuesday 23rd January 2024

Kick-off: 7.45pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 2

Draw: 0

Chippenham: 2

FORM GUIDE

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

Chippenham: W, L, D, L, L, D

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Aaron Jarvis/Brad Ash (9 each)

Chippenham: Mark McClure (7)

CHIPPENHAM FACTFILE

Year founded: 1873

Nickname: The Bluebirds

Last season’s league finish: 13th in National League South

Chippenham Town notable honours:

Southern League Premier Champions: 2016-17

MANAGER – GARY HORGAN

Gary joined Chippenham Town for a second spell as a player from Hungerford Town in September 2016 and joined the coaching staff for the 2017-18 season.

He was invited to take up the manager’s position towards the end of the 2021-22 season following the departure of the previous management team and has remained in charge ever since.

HORGAN STATS

Date of Birth: 19/04/77 (46)

Appointed: 13th April 2022

Other Clubs Managed: None

PLAYER TO WATCH – LUKE SPOKES

Central midfielder Luke Spokes joined the Bluebirds in the summer from Bath City. The Bristolian had previously started out in non-league football with spells at Mangotsfield Town and Yate Town before moving onto Taunton Town.

He earned a move to the professional ranks with Grimsby Town in the 2020-21 season where he remained until he was released in the summer of 2022 and returned to the South West to join the Romans. During his time with the Mariners, he also had loan stints with Boston United and Spennymoor Town.

SPOKES STATS

Position: Midfielder

Date of Birth: 06/08/00 (23)

Birthplace: Bristol

Height: 1.82m

Former Clubs: Mangotsfield, Yate, Taunton, Grimsby, Boston, Spennymoor, Bath City

OLD BOYS

Torquay: Ollie Tomlinson, Brad Ash

Chippenham: None

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay

Mark Halstead

Ross Marshall – Ollie Tomlinson – Dean Moxey – Dan Martin

Ethon Archer – Brett McGavin – Will Jenkins Davies

Dillon De Silva – Brad Ash – Lewis Collins

Chippenham

Will Henry

Nathaniel Williams – Dan Ellison – Aaron Amadi-Holloway

Will King – Caine Bradbury – Eddie Jones – Luke Spokes – Freddie Grant

Craig Fasanmude – Matt McClure

LAST MEETING

Tuesday 16th August 2023 – Torquay United 2 Chippenham Town 1, NLS

Gary-time was alive and well at Plainmoor again after Torquay United bounced back to beat Chippenham Town with a rousing 93rd minute winner from centre-forward Aaron Jarvis in front of more 2,000 vociferous fans.

Centre-back Ross Marshall, who had operations on both eyes during the summer, headed a brilliant opener early in the second half.

Chippenham, who had won both their first two matches, equalised through Craig Fasanmade within two minutes of Marshall’s breakthrough.

But they had Luke Spokes sent off in the 84th minute and in the third of eleven minutes of stoppage time, Jarvis pounced to finish Dillon De Silva’s cross for United’s first victory of the season.