TALKING POINTS

Dom Roman – @DomRoman

Dom looks ahead to the game at Park View Road

LOOKING FOR MORE OF THE SAME

Tuesday night’s game was a perfect illustration of what Paul Wotton wants from his football team, and it made for a fantastic evening for the Yellow Army at Plainmoor. There was enthusiastic press, there was intensity, add to that movement, accurate passing and a finishing touch, and the Gulls had torn the Bluebirds apart in the first 30 minutes. The task now is replicating that kind of performance in the coming weeks and months, which will most likely be harder on our travels. This takes us to Welling United (a) and another very presentable chance for 3 points.

GOALS SPREAD AROUND

The goals have certainly been shared amongst the squad so far this season, with Carson, Palmer, Cooke, Ash, Hasani & Hayfield all bagging two. It’s lovely to have different players chipping in, because opposition teams may well find ways to stop the strikers, but if the others are arriving in the box like Hasani and Hayfield did the other night and making a nuisance of themselves, then it bodes very well for United’s chances. Palmer also added a goal from a set piece against Chippenham, and finding quality from corners and free kicks is always high on any manager’s agenda. After all, it doesn’t matter who’s on the scoresheet, as long as the results are going our way.

SEYMOUR FINDING HIS FEET

The start to Ben Seymour’s career at Torquay United has been fairly low key, and with the strikers being rotated, it’s clear that Paul Wotton is happy to juggle his options to suit the occasion. Ideally Ben would like to play every game I’m sure, to find rhythm and to find goals, but when he has played he’s shown plenty of willingness to work and plenty of work rate to help his team mates. Tuesday was his best game so far, his movement into the channels gave Chippenham a lot to think about and he also teed Hasani up perfectly for the first goal. Promising signs from the striker, if he keeps his place at Welling then maybe he’ll grab that valuable first goal for United as well.

THE LINE-UP

Jay Foulston is a doubt for this one after his injury on Tuesday night, so Dean Moxey could well come in for his first start of the season. Apart from that, barring injuries, fitness concerns or tactical tinkering, I would imagine that Paul Wotton will keep the same team again. Cody Cooke and Ben Seymour combined well, so I’d like to see that partnership given more time, with Brad Ash a more than capable substitute. Whoever starts should be full of confidence after the best performance of the season so far.

THE OPPOSITION

Rod Stringer did a great job last season after arriving at a Welling side that looked destined for relegation, and this season his team have started with 7 points from 6 games, sitting in 18th place in the National League South. Their recent form has been poor, with a 3-1 loss to Chesham and a 4-2 defeat to form side Hemel. Starting that Hemel game were ex-Gulls Rhys Lovett and Dan Martin, and whilst Lovett will face his former team, Dan Martin left the field with an injury so may well miss out. All in all a very good chance to back up the Chippenham win for Paul Wotton and his team.