TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

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

Venue: Plainmoor

Date: Saturday 15th February 2025

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 0

Draw: 0

Hornchurch: 1

RECENT FORM (LAST 6)

Torquay – W1 – D3 – L2

D 1-1 St Albans A

D 2-2 Slough Town A

L 0-1 Hampton H

L 0-1 Maidstone A

W 2-0 Eastbourne H

D 2-2 Worthing A

Hornchurch – W2 – D1 – L3

L 1-2 Chelmsford City A

L 0-1 Dorking Wanderers H

L 1-1 Salisbury A

D 2-2 Tonbridge Angels A

W 2-0 Bath City A

W 2-1 Boreham Wood H

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Cody Cooke (12)

Hornchurch: Darren McQueen (8)

HORNCHURCH FACT FILE

Year founded: 1886

Home ground: Hornchurch Stadium, Upminster

Nickname: The Urchins

Last season’s league finish: 1st in Isthmian League Premier (promoted as champions)

Notable honours:

FA Trophy:

Winners: 2020-21

Isthmian League:

Premier League winners: 2023-24

THE MANAGER – DARYL MCMAHON

A former Republic of Ireland youth international, Daryl McMahon made a solitary substitute appearance for the Gulls while on loan from West Ham United under Leroy Rosenior in the 2003-04 campaign. Ironically – it came against a Yeovil Town side managed by former United manager Gary Johnson.

A brief spell at Port Vale then followed before he was signed for Leyton Orient by former Gulls’ boss Martin Ling in 2005. In his first season at Brisbane Road, the 2005-06 campaign, he was part of the Orient side that won automatic promotion from League Two.

McMahon later had spells in non-league football with Stevenage, Cambridge United, Farnborough, Boreham Wood (twice) and Ebbsfleet amongst others before entering management with Ebbsfleet in 2015, following a spell as caretaker manager.

In the 2016-17 season, he led Ebbsfleet to promotion from National League South via the play-offs and then guided them to the National League play-offs in the 2017-18 campaign.

After leaving Ebbsfleet by mutual consent in November 2018, he was appointed as manager of Macclesfield Town in August 2019 – in succession to Sol Campbell. He then resigned from the Silkmen before he took charge of Dagenham & Redbridge in January 2020, a role which he held until February 2023.

He took charge of the Urchins in January 2024 and led them to the Isthmian Premier League title at the end of the 2023-24 season.

PLAYER TO WATCH – ANGELO BALANTA

Born in Colombia, Angelo Balanta moved to England at the age of five and joined the youth system of Queens Park Rangers before progressing to their first team – signing his first professional contract with the R’s in 2008, where he made 25 appearances and scored three goals. He later enjoyed loan spells with Wycombe Wanderers, Milton Keynes Dons (three times) and Yeovil Town before signing for Bristol Rovers in 2014.

During his time at the Memorial Stadium, Balanta helped the Pirates helped the Pirates to win promotion back to the Football League at the first attempt and scored in their penalty shoot-out win in the National League play-off final against Grimsby Town. Following their play-off final victory, he opted to join Carlisle United, where he remained for one season before returning to the non-league scene to sign for Boreham Wood. He stayed with the Wood for two years and helped them to reach the National League play-off final in 2018, where they were beaten by Tranmere Rovers.

Balanta joined Dagenham & Redbridge in 2018, where he remained for five years until 2023 when he re-joined Boreham Wood before signing for the Urchins a year later.

BALANTA STATS – Position: Midfielder – Date of Birth: 01/07/94 – Height: 1.79m – Previous Clubs: QPR, Wycombe, MK Dons, Yeovil, Bristol Rovers, Carlisle, Boreham Wood, Dagenham – 24/25 NLS Stats: Appearances 17, Goals 2, Yellow/Red Cards 1/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

Hornchurch: None

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (3-4-1-2): James Hamon; Finley Craske, Ed Palmer, Sam Dreyer; Jordan Thomas, Dan Hayfield, Lirak Hasani, Matt Carson; Jordan Young; Matt Jay, Cody Cooke

Hornchurch (4-5-1): Mason Terry; Will Greenidge, Harry Gibbs, Nathan Bertram-Cooper, Bailey Clements; Charlee Adams, Tom Wraight, George Saunders, Angelo Balanta, Myles Weston; Darren McQueen

LAST MEETING

Last meeting: Saturday 26th October 2024, Hornchurch 2 Torquay United 1, NLS

In the end it was a bad day at the office for the Gulls as they fell to defeat against former loanee Daryl McMahon’s Hornchurch side. Goals from Liam Nash and George Saunders gave the Urchins a two-goal cushion before Cody Cooke reduced United’s arrears with his fourth of the campaign, as the Gulls four-match unbeaten run came to an end.

United were dealt an early blow when a clearance from Jordan Dyer landed invitingly at the feet of Hornchurch’s leading scorer Nash, who fired past James Hamon from 20 yards. It took the Gulls until the 23rd minute to threaten an equaliser when Brad Ash tested Urchins’ keeper Mason Terry from 15 yards with a shot which was parried away. The rebound then fell to Jay Foulston, who netted United’s midweek winner against Worthing, who was also denied.

Four minutes before the break, Finn Tonks produced a dangerous looking cross which Cooke failed to fully connect with, as the Gulls trailed at the break. At half time, Paul Wotton rung the changes with a triple substitution which saw Omar Mussa, Matt Carson and Ben Seymour replace Lirak Hasani, Brad Ash and Finn Tonks. Following his heroics on Tuesday after coming off the bench, it was hoped that might have the same impact again.

For a brief period it looked as though the trio’s introduction might have the desired impact, as United forced a couple of corners early in the second half, but never managed to make any of them count. Moments later, Dan Hayfield saw a 20 yard effort deflected behind. On the hour mark, the Urchins made what would ultimately prove to be their decisive blow as George Saunders connected with a ball from the left before his eventual strike hit the bar and bounced down and in off Hamon.

In the 68th minute, Wotton made what would be his fourth and final change as Dean Moxey replaced Jay Foulston. Eight minutes later, the Gulls pulled one back as Cooke converted from close range, but they couldn’t find a second despite a number of trademark long throws from Moxey.