TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Farnborough FC vs Torquay United – National League South

Venue: Transport Community Stadium

Date: Saturday 17th August 2024

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

TORQUAY – 1

DRAWS – 2

FARNBOROUGH – 1

LAST RESULT

Torquay: W 2-1 Enfield Town H

Farnborough: W 2-1 Chippenham Town A

TOP SCORERS

Farnborough: Ricky Holmes (2)

Torquay: O.G/Brad Ash (1 each)

FARNBOROUGH FACT FILE

Year founded: 1927

Nickname: Boro, The Yellows

Last season’s league finish: 12^th in the National League South

Farnborough notable honours:

Isthmian League Premier Division:

Champions: 2000-01

THE MANAGER – SPENCER DAY

Formerly known as Spencer Trethewy, Spencer Day was previously a director of Aldershot and saved the Shots from going bust in 1989.

After changing his name to Spencer Day in 1998, he spent four years owner/manager of Chertsey Town and has managed Farnborough since 2011.

PLAYER TO WATCH – RICKY HOLMES

Ricky Holmes well-known figure in the game from his spells in the Football League with Barnet, Portsmouth, Northampton Town, Charlton Athletic, Sheffield United and most recently Southend United. The experienced attacker has made around 300 appearances just outside of England’s top flight, scoring well over 100 goals during that time.

During his time with Farnborough, Holmes helped the club secure promotion from The Southern League Premier South via the Play-Offs in his first season and took on a player-coach role at the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

OLD BOYS

TORQUAY: None

FARNBOROUGH: None

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (3-5-2): James Hamon; Jordan Dyer, Sam Dreyer, Jay Foulston; Finn Tonks, Dan Hayfield, Oscar Threlkeld, Omar Mussa, Matt Carson; Brad Ash, Cody Cooke

Farnborough (3-5-2): Jack Turner; Guy Hollis, Ollie Robinson, Josh Casey; Taylor Clark, Sam Smart, Olly Pendlebury, Reggie Young, Dan Bradshaw; Ricky Holmes, Mason Bloomfield

LAST MEETING – 20.02.24, Farnborough FC 0-0 Torquay United, National League South

United and Farnborough cancelled each other out on Tuesday evening, as the two sides played out a goalless draw in Hampshire.

For the Gulls, it was the end of a run of five straight defeats, but it was also another game without a win.

Mark Halstead warmed his hands with a solid early save to thwart Hady Ghandour from the edge of the box and the Yellow Army breathed a deeper sigh of relief when Ricky Holmes fizzed a drive narrowly over the bar from the next attack.

United showed some menace of their own with a sweet turn and pass from Lapslie that almost released Jarvis, swiftly followed by a free-kick pumped into the danger area. Farnborough cleared, but only after mild penalty claims from the Yellows.

Farnborough then went close with a Reggie Young cross that evaded the onrushing forwards before United responded with a lovely set pass from Dawson for Will Jenkins Davies to rifle a decent strike inches wide of the post.

After a sprightly start, the game descended into a scrappy spell. Olly Pendlebury tried to raise the temperature with a free-kick flashed over the bar but the Gulls immediately replied with the best chance of the half, Lapslie forcing a superb save from Jack Turner and Guy Hollis was in the right place to scramble clear the rebound under huge pressure from Jarvis.

Brett McGavin fired over in the final act of the half and the restart saw an exchange of handbags between Jarvis and CJ Fearn, earning the duo a booking each. Aaron Kuhl, son of former United assistant boss Martin, was also sniffing around to see if he could get involved in the mini fracas.

Back to the football, and Farnborough’s Jordan Norville-Williams struck the bar from a corner and then a Fearn header was cleared off the line. Heroic defending from United and desperately needed in the current circumstances.

Ofori-Acheampong for Dawson was the first United change on 64 minutes but the Gulls were soon thankful to the referee for waving away strong penalty claims after a possible handball.

Farnborough were looking the more likely in a tense finish, Pendlebury whistling a shot past the post and a robust challenge on Ghandour in the box again went unpunished.

Jack Stobbs was a welcome sight from the bench after a long spell out with injury, replacing Dean Moxey for the final ten minutes, and United came so close to pinching a vital win, Jenkins Davies thwarted by the legs of Turner.

Ofori-Acheampong headed wide with the final chance and it was a point on the road for United. It would be Gary Johnson’s last game as Torquay United manager.