TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Weymouth vs Torquay United – National League South

Venue: The Bob Lucas Stadium, Weymouth

Date: Thursday 26th December 2024

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 9

Draw: 2

Weymouth: 1

RECENT FORM (LAST 6)

Torquay – W5 – D1 – L0

D 0-0 Boreham Wood A

W 4-2 Weston-super-Mare H

W 4-1 Enfield A

W 2-0 Horsham (FA Trophy) H

W 2-0 Farnborough H

W 1-0 Hemel H

Weymouth – W1 – D1 – L4

L 0-1 Hornchurch A

L 1-4 Truro City H

L 0-1 Tonbridge Angels H

W 2-1 Yeovil Town A (FA Trophy)

L 0-3 Hemel Hempstead Town A

D 0-0 Chelmsford City A

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Cody Cooke (9)

Weymouth: Calvin Brooks and Charlie Rowan (3 each)

WEYMOUTH FACT FILE

Year founded: 1890

Nickname: The Terras

Last season’s league finish: 15th in National League South

Weymouth notable honours:

Conference South/National League South:

Winners: 2005-06

Play-off winners: 2019-20

Southern League (level 5):

Champions: 1964-65, 1965-66,

Southern League Premier Division South

Champions: 2018-19

Southern League Southern Division

Champions: 1997-98

THE MANAGER – WARREN FEENEY

Former Northern Ireland international Warren Feeney recently succeeded Mark Molesley as Terras manager. Feeney has experience of managing in four different countries (England, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland and Wales). His previous clubs include Linfield, Ards and Glentoran in his home province, Pirin Blagoevgrad in Bulgaria, Newport County in the Football League and Welling United in National League South.

As a player, he began his career with Leeds United before moving on to Bournemouth, Luton Town, Stockport County, Cardiff City, Oldham Athletic and Plymouth Argyle, where he was a teammate of not only current United manager Paul Wotton, but also his predecessor Molesley.

PLAYER TO WATCH – BRANDON GOODSHIP

Brandon Goodship first signed for the Terras at the start of the 2017-18 season having previously been at AFC Bournemouth and Yeovil Town. Brandon was at the Cherries since the age of 12 but, after having had his contract cancelled by mutual consent at AFC Bournemouth he joined the Glovers on a permanent basis in January 2017, after having a spell on loan at Huish Park in the 2015-16 season.

Goodship hit the ground running for Weymouth, scoring his first hat-trick at home to Merthyr Town in October 2017. He netted 38 league goals in his first season at the club and picked up the 2017-18 Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Golden Boot. He won his first England C cap in March 2019, as his goals played an important part in helping Weymouth win the 2018-19 Southern League Premier title; Goodship scored 39 goals which earned him the 2018-19 Southern League Premier Golden Boot again.

In June 2019, Goodship returned to the Football League to sign for League One side Southend United, following Mark Moseley’s appointment as Shrimpers boss. In June 2021, he returned to the Terras after he was released by Southend. Goodship then spent a season at Salisbury before returning to Weymouth for a third spell during the summer of 2023 and finished the 2023-24 campaign as the club’s top scorer.

GOODSHIP STATS – Position: Striker – Date of Birth: 22/09/94 – Height: 1.90m – Previous Clubs: Bournemouth, Dorchester, Hayes, Yeovil, Braintree, Southend, Salisbury – 24/25 NLS Stats: Appearances 9, Goals 0, Yellow/Red Cards 1/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: Cody Cooke, Ed Palmer

Weymouth: Josh McQuoid, Keelan O’Connell

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

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

Weymouth (4-4-2): Will Buse; Calvin Brooks, Jordon Thompson, Charlie Rowan, Leo Hamblin; Josh McQuoid, Andreas Robinson, Jake McCarthy, Christie Ward; Brandon Goodship, Jaiden Bartola

LAST MEETING

Saturday 2nd March 2024 – Weymouth 1 Torquay United 1

It was honours even in Dorset on Saturday, as United played out a draw with Weymouth. Arkell Jude-Boyd’s first goal for the club gave United the advantage midway through the first half, before Ezio Touray levelled things up just before the break. Although both sides probed for a winner, neither were able to find one, as it ended all-square at the Bob Lucas Stadium.