PREVIEW

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Torquay United versus Slough Town – National League South

Venue: Plainmoor

Date: Saturday 10th February 2024

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 3

Draw: 1

Slough: 0

FORM GUIDE

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

Slough: L, W, D, L, L, W

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Aaron Jarvis/Brad Ash (9 each)

Slough: Nathan Minhas (9)

SLOUGH FACTFILE

Year founded: 1890

Nickname: The Rebels

Last season’s league finish: 18th in National League South

Slough Town notable honours:

FA Amateur Cup:

Runners-up: 1972-73

MANAGER – SCOTT DAVIES

One of two player-managers in the National League South, midfielder Scott Davies is a familiar opponent of the Gulls from his playing days, most notably with Aldershot Town and Wycombe Wanderers.

A former Republic of Ireland international at Under-19 and Under-21, Davies started his senior professional career with Reading and was loaned out to a number of clubs, most notably Aldershot and Wycombe. He won the Blue Square Premier title with the Shots in the 2007-08 campaign. Davies then joined Crawley Town in 2011 before moving onto Oxford United prior to dropping into non-league football.

He is currently in his second spell with the Rebels and became player-manager in November 2022, following a brief stint in caretaker charge.

DAVIES STATS

Date of Birth: 10/03/1988

Date Appointed: 15/11/2022

Previous Clubs Managed: None

PLAYER TO WATCH – JOHNNY GODDARD

After starting his career at Reading, Johnny Goddard progressed through the Royals youth system before signing his first professional contract in 2011. He was released a year later and spent one season at National League South club Hayes & Yeading United.

Goddard then signed for National League club Woking in September 2013 after a successful trial period. He became a fans’ favourite at Woking, scoring 25 goals in 116 league appearances before securing a move to EFL side Swindon Town for an undisclosed fee in May 2016. He subsequently signed for Stevenage in January 2018. He was loaned out to Bromley of the National League at the start of the 2018-19 season and then joined Aldershot Town on a six-month deal in January 2019. Goddard signed for divisional rivals Ebbsfleet United in July 2019. He re-joined Woking in August 2020, where he spent the 2020-21 season and then moved on to St Albans City who he joined the Rebels from in June 2022.

GODDARD STATS

Position: Midfielder

Date of Birth: 02/06/93 (30)

Birthplace: Sandhurst

Height: 1.78m

Former Clubs: Reading, Hayes, Woking, Swindon, Stevenage, Bromley, Aldershot, Ebbsfleet, St Albans

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

Slough: None

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay

Mark Halstead

Austen Booth – Ronny Nelson – Dean Moxey

Arkell Jude-Boyd – Will Jenkins Davies – Brett McGavin – Ethon Archer – Dan Martin

Tom Lapslie

Duane Ofori-Acheampong

Slough

Dan Lincoln

Dan Bayliss – Scott Davies – Temi Eweka

Jeanmal Prosper – Munashe Sundire – Josh Jackman – Matthew Lench – Christie Ward

Johnny Goddard – Nathan Minhas

LAST MEETING

Saturday 26th August 2023 – Slough Town 1 Torquay United 2, National League South

Two top-quality finishes by Bradley Ash – his first two goals for the club – saw Torquay United come from behind to beat Slough Town at Arbour Park and register their third win in a row.

Gary Johnson’s Gulls had goalkeeper Mark Halstead to thank for keeping them in the game for nearly an hour as they struggled to come to terms with the 3G all-weather pitch – and that was despite training all week on the similar surface at South Devon College.

Slough punished them with a first-half goal by Nathan Minhas, and it could and should have been far worse for United.

But Ash, signed in the summer after scoring 24 goals for Weymouth last season, turned it all around in the 58th and 72nd minutes.