TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Enfield Town vs Torquay United – National League South

Venue: Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Enfield

Date: Saturday 30th November 2024

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 1

Draw: 1

Enfield Town: 1

RECENT FORM (LAST 6)

Torquay – W3 – D3 – L0

W 1-0 Salisbury A

D 0-0 Tonbridge H

D 1-1 Maidstone H

W 1-0 Truro City (FA Trophy) H

D 0-0 Boreham Wood A

W 4-2 Weston-super-Mare H

Enfield Town – W0 – D3 – L3

L 0-1 Welling United A

L 2-3 Chesham United H

D 1-1 Salisbury FC H

D 1-1 Hornchurch H (FA Trophy) – won 8-7 on penalties

D 1-1 Dorking Wanderers A

L 1-2 Hornchurch H

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Cody Cooke (8)

Enfield Town: Sam Youngs (3)

ENFIELD TOWN FACT FILE

Year founded: 2001 (reformed as Enfield Town)

Nickname: The Towners

Last season’s league finish: 3rd in Isthmian League Premier (promoted through the play-offs)

Notable honours:

Isthmian League Cup:

Winners: 2018-19

THE MANAGER – GAVIN MACPHERSON

Gavin MacPherson joined Enfield in the summer of 2023 after parting company with Met Police FC, where he spent over twenty years as a player, assistant, and manager, and led the Towners to promotion in his first season in charge.

After a playing career with Barnet and Carlisle, as well as spells at Wealdstone, Slough Town and Woking, MacPherson took the managerial reins at the Met for the 2018-19 season after the resignation of Jim Cooper, guiding them to victory in the Southern League playoffs – only to be denied promotion at the final hurdle against Tonbridge Angels in the ‘Super Playoff’.

PLAYER TO WATCH – MICKEY PARCELL

The eagled eyed amongst you might remember Mickey Parcell from his brief spell at Plainmoor in the 2014-15 season. After signing a professional contract at Torquay United following a two-year scholarship, he spent most of the 2014-15 season on loan at Bideford under former United midfielder Sean Joyce.

He then joined Enfield after leaving the Gulls and would feature on 193 occasions during his first spell in blue and white – participating in the 2016-17 Isthmian Premier play-offs and earning man-of-the-match in Town’s 2018-19 Velocity Trophy victory against Hornchurch. He would then enjoy four hugely successful seasons with the Urchins, which included a remarkable FA Trophy win in 2021.

PARCELL STATS – Position: Right Back – Date of Birth: 02/12/95 – Height: Unknown – Previous Clubs: Torquay, Bideford, Hornchurch – 24/25 NLS Stats: Appearances 14, Goals 0, Yellow/Red Cards 2/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

Enfield Town: Mickey Parcell

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (4-3-3): James Hamon; Jordan Thomas, Jordan Dyer, Sam Dreyer, Jay Foulston, Dan Hayfield, Oscar Threlkeld, Will Jenkins-Davies; Jordan Young, Omar Mussa, Cody Cooke

Enfield Town (4-2-3-1): Rhys Forster; Mickey Parcell, Xavier Benjamin, Adam Thompson, Dan Cox, Joe Payne; Sam Youngs, Alfie Tuck, Christian Scott; Lennon Peake, Reuben Shakpoke

LAST MEETING

Saturday 10th August 2024, Torquay United 2-1 Enfield Town

Bouncebackability was the name of the game for Torquay United as they came from behind to win in Paul Wotton’s first game as manager against Enfield Town.

Enfield edged ahead on four minutes when Lewis Taaffe nodded home a cross from the left from Oliver Knight which looped over Gulls’ keeper James Hamon. However, United forced two successive corners in the 11th minute – the second of which fell to Torquay skipper Oscar Threlkeld, whose volley from the edge of the penalty area clipped the top of the crossbar.

The Gulls equalised on 15 minutes when a free-kick from Omar Mussa was cleared as far as Matt Carson who hammered home a strike from 20 yards, which took a touch off Enfield’s Scott Thomas before hitting the back of the net.

In the 28th minute, United overturned their early deficit as a cross from Carson picked out Brad Ash, who headed home to give the Gulls the lead. On 39 minutes, Mussa went on a solo run before firing straight at Enfield keeper Rhys Forster from distance.

In the second half, the Gulls came close to adding a third on 69 minutes when Ash went close again after being teed up by sub Lirak Hasani – only to be denied by Enfield keeper Rhys Forster. Enfield came close to equalising in the 78th minute when sub Hisham Kasimu was denied by United’s Sam Dreyer.

Sub Ben Seymour looked to have found a third for the Gulls in the 83rd minute, but it was ruled out for offside. Three minutes later, Dan Hayfield cleared the cross bar with a free-kick, which flew over before Jordan Dyer headed against the bar moments later. A combination of a double save from Hamon and some last ditch defending was then needed from United to deny Enfield in injury time as they secured all three points.