TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Torquay United vs Truro City – FA Trophy

Venue: Plainmoor

Date: Saturday 16th November 2024

Kick-off: 3pm

FA TROPHY HISTORY

2007-08 Runners-up L Ebbsfleet United N

2008-09 Round two L Southport A

2014-15 Semi-finals L Wrexham H

2015-16 Quarter finals L Bognor Regis A

2016-17 Round one L Braintree Town A

2017-18 Round one L Maidstone United H

2018-19 Round one L Boreham Wood A

2019-20 Round two L FC Halifax Town H

2020-21 Quarter finals L Woking A

2021-22 Round three L Tonbridge Angels A

2022-23 Round five L Barnet H

2023-24 Round four L Hereford FC A

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 3

Draw: 0

Truro: 1

RECENT FORM (LAST 6)

Torquay – W2 – D3 – L1

W 2-1 Worthing H

L 1-2 Hornchurch A

D 2-2 Chelmsford H

W 1-0 Salisbury A

D 0-0 Tonbridge H

D 1-1 Maidstone H

Truro City – W2 – D3 – L1

D 1-1 Farnborough A

W 2-1 Tonbridge H

D 1-1 Slough A

D 1-1 Chippenham H

W 2-1 Welling A

L 0-1 Boreham Wood A

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Cody Cooke (6)

Truro City: Tyler Harvey (11)

TRURO CITY FACT FILE

Year founded: 1889

Nickname: The Tinners

Last season’s league finish: 16th in National League South

Notable honours:

FA Vase winners: 2006-07

Southern League Premier Champions: 2010-11

Southern League Division South and West Champions: 2008-09

THE MANAGER – JOHN ASKEY

One of the most experienced managers in non-league football, having won the National League title with Macclesfield Town in the 2017-18 campaign and guided York City to promotion from the National League North in the 2021-22 season.

As a player, Askey made a record 679 appearances for Macclesfield and scored 155 goals and was part of the Silkmen side that won promotion to the Football League under Sammy McIlroy in the 1996-97 campaign.

He later had two spells as manager at Moss Rose, between 2003 and 2004 and 2013 and 2018. His second stint in charge saw him emulate McIlroy by winning the National League title with the Silkmen in 2017-18. Askey led York City to a return to the National League following a victory over a Boston United side managed by former Gulls boss Paul Cox in the National League North play-off final in 2021-22.

Askey, who has also had spells in charge of Shrewsbury Town, Port Vale and Hartlepool United, moved to the South West to take charge of Truro following the departure of Paul Wotton to Plainmoor.

PLAYER TO WATCH – TYLER HARVEY

Former Plymouth Argyle starlet Tyler Harvey is currently in his second spell with the Tinners after re-joining the club from Bath City in 2019. Harvey broke into the Argyle side as a 17-year-old and scored his first goal for the Pilgrims against the Gulls in a 1-1 draw on Boxing Day 2012.

Harvey left Home Park in 2016 to sign for Wrexham– but would return to the South West midway through the 2016-17 season when he was loaned to Bath City. His next move would see him sign for Truro City, where he stayed until 2019 when he signed for Bath on a permanent basis.

He soon re-joined the White Tigers and has been the club’s top scorer in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. He is currently the leading scorer in National League South with 11 goals.

HARVEY STATS – Position: Striker – Date of Birth: 29/07/95 – Height: 1.85m – Previous Clubs: Plymouth, Salisbury, Bath, Wrexham – 24/25 NLS Stats: Appearances 17, Goals 11, Yellow/Red Cards 3/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: James Hamon, Ed Palmer, Finley Craske, Finn Tonks, Cody Cooke

Truro City: Dan Lavercombe, Billy Palfrey, Ryan Law

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (3-4-2-1): James Hamon; Jordan Dyer, Sam Dreyer, Jay Foulston; Jordan Thomas, Dan Hayfield, Will Jenkins Davies, Matt Carson; Jordan Young, Lirak Hasani; Cody Cooke

Truro City (5-3-2): Dan Lavercombe; Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tom Harrison, Sam Sanders; Will Dean; Connor Riley-Lowe, Billy Palfrey, Yassine En-Neyah, Ryan Law; Tyler Harvey, Jaze Kabia

LAST MEETING

Monday 8th April 2024, Truro City 1 Torquay United 2

Torquay United helped their cause against the drop to the Southern League by beating Truro City 2-1 in Gloucester. Although this was Truro’s home game, the game was played on the artificial pitch at Gloucester City to help clear their backlog of games, and it was the Gulls who came away with all three points.

Arkell Jude-Boyd opened the scoring with his fifth of the campaign before Brad Ash turned home a cross from Dean Moxey to give United a two-goal cushion. Former Gulls defender Ed Palmer did pull a goal back late on, but it wasn’t enough as United claimed the win.