PREVIEW

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Torquay United versus St Albans City – National League South

Venue: Plainmoor

Date: Saturday 3rd February 2024

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 4

Draw: 1

St Albans: 1

FORM GUIDE

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

St Albans: W, W, W, W, W, D

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Aaron Jarvis/Brad Ash (9 each)

St Albans: Shaun Jeffers (18)

ST ALBANS FACTFILE

Year founded: 1908.

Nickname: The Saints

Last season’s league finish: 6th in National League South (lost in play-off final to Oxford City)

St Albans City notable honours:

Isthmian League Champions:

1923-24, 1926-27, 1927-2

MANAGER – HARRY WHEELER & JOHN MEAKES

Following the recent departure of David Noble to Wealdstone, John Meakes and Harry Wheeler have taken interim charge of the Saints.

PLAYER TO WATCH – SHAUN JEFFERS

A prolific scorer since he joined the Saints in 2020, Shaun Jeffers is currently one of the leading strikers in the National League South, having found the back of the net 34 and 29 times in the last two seasons respectively in all competitions.

He started his career with Coventry City and later had spells with Peterborough United, Newport County and Yeovil Town before dropping into non-league football with Chelmsford City in the 2016-17 season. Jeffers later had stints with Boreham Wood and Brackley Town before re-joining the Clarets in the 2019-20 season, shortly before his move to Clarence Park.

JEFFERS STATS

Position: Striker

Date of Birth: 14/04/92 (31)

Birthplace: Bedford

Height: 1.85m

Former Clubs: Coventry, Cheltenham, Cambridge, Tamworth, Peterboro, Newport, Yeovil, Woking, Chelmsford, Boreham, Hampton, Brackley

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

St Albans: Ben Wyatt

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay

Rhys Lovett

Finley Craske – Ollie Tomlinson – Ross Marshall – Dan Martin

Brett McGavin – Asa Hall

Dillon De Silva – Tom Lapslie – Ethon Archer

Brad Ash

St Albans City

Michael Johnson

Michael Clark – Joe Partington – Nathan Carlyle

Jack James – Ryan Blackman – George Hoddle – Ben Smith – Zane Banton

Mitchell Weiss – Shaun Jeffers

LAST MEETING

Saturday 19th August 2023 – St Albans City 0 Torquay United 1, NLS

Defender Ollie Tomlinson’s first senior goal was enough for injury-hit Torquay United to follow up their 2-1 home victory over Chippenham Town in midweek with a solid if unspectacular first away win of the season against St Albans City at Clarence Park.

Dillon De Silva headed wide on the half-hour but the Gulls were in front eight minutes later when a curling corner from Jack Stobbs bounced off a defender, allowing Tomlinson to bundle in his first goal for the club.

After the break, United keeper Mark Halstead blocked an effort from Dylan Fage, while St Albans’ Shaun Jeffers fired over just before the hour.

Torquay had chances to double their lead with Stobbs curling a shot narrowly over.