TALKING POINTS

Ben Wade

Ben discusses the key points

NY SURGE REQUIRED

After finishing a mixed 2025 with a 0-0 stalemate at Bath on Tuesday, TUFC will definitely need a run of wins if we going to be challenging for the title at the end of the season. Last season’s ending felt very anti-climactic, considering how far we had come on the pitch and away from it with The Bryn Consortium. The Gulls would have absolutely taken a play-off place at the start of that campaign but after the squad showed its capabilities and quality, the Yellow Army always felt as if we would be able to snatch the title away from Truro at the last. Now five months into this season, we have built a solid foundation with our performances and results putting us into the top 4 just five points of leaders Worthing. TUFC must feel that January is a good opportunity to get some solid form and momentum going as we start the year off with a trip to Dover, before mid table Hampton and Richmond and 6th place Maidstone visit Plainmoor in consecutive weekends. We then go to Enfield and face Farnborough here under the lights. January is rounded off by travelling to high flyers Hornchurch.

JORDAN YOUNG DROUGHT

Jordan Young has been absolutely crucial to us winning games, he is the player you expect to come out with a moment of pure class or a quality finish to cut open tough NLS defences. However, recently his displays have dropped and his shoulders are slumped a little. Jordan Young just does not seem his usual confident self and the bright spark in his play has been missing. After a prolific start to the campaign, hasn’t scored in four matches. The minor problem is that whilst Jordan is a brilliant player on his day, there is no doubt about it, but when not producing a moment of magic or score an all-important goal, he does not hugely contribute to the defensive side of the team. Him playing on the right often isolates Jordan Thomas in a 2v1 scenario making the full back vulnerable to crosses to the back post and overlaps. Hopefully ‘Youngy’ can come out firing in Dover and cause the problems we know he can.

LEFT WING CONUNDRUM

Callum Dolan’s displays were classy and convincing before being sanctioned for four games along with Matt Worthington. Since the incident, both of his starts have been lacklustre displays and he could be starting on the bench this time, making way for Dylan Morgan in the line-up. Versus Weston Dolan had a mediocre performance and was unable to impact the game enough. At Bath, again his end product was not at the levels that he had showcased before. It is very arguable whether his best position is in the number ten where the team can maximise the benefits of his creativity. Morgan was lively and sharp when Callum made way for him on Tuesday. Dylan is a different type of player, direct and quick and tries to provide crosses, whereas Dolan is more skills based.

FRONT FOOT START

The Dover fixture is sure to be a very chilly afternoon and it would be huge to start positively and get an early goal. This will settle any apprehension surrounding away form and the Bath result and display. The TUFC fans that do travel will have got up early to support the Yellow Army and the journey will be challenging with the icy conditions so hopefully TUFC can award us with three points on the road. Despite the inevitable negativity about two points being dropped, there are some positives that can help us into the Dover trip. The defence was very sturdy and Dyer and Dreyer were rocks stopping ex Torquay forward Brad Ash. Also, a point away from home should never be taken for granted as very few fixtures in this league are strolls in the park (as we know only too well!).

THE OPPOSITION

Dover Athletic currently sit 15^th in the National League South table. This puts them comfortably sitting 7 points from the drop zone. On Tuesday night, ‘The Whites’ hosted Ebbsfleet and suffered a 2-1 defeat. In their last six league fixtures, Dover have won three and lost three. They have been unpredictable all campaign losing 5-2 to Eastbourne at home but beating Weston Super Mare and drawing to Horsham, Dorking and Hornchurch.