TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

Steve discusses the win over the Beavers

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF INACTIVITY

With many of United’s promotion rivals inactive due to cup commitments and postponements, the timing of the Gulls’ win over Hampton and Richmond Borough was more or less perfect. After manager Paul Wotton had said that United were ‘one thousand, million trillion percent in the title race’ in his Thursday pre-match press conference, the Gulls are now within three points of league leaders Worthing, who lost 5-4 away to Salisbury FC. Finding the back of the net four times also had a positive impact on United’s goal difference.

BOUNCING BACK

By recovering after conceding first against Hampton and Richmond, United have now won ten points from a losing position over the course of the 2025-26 campaign. After falling behind on 21 minutes to Aaron Lacey’s effort for the Beavers, the Gulls equalised on 39 minutes when Callum Dolan curled home. In the second half, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton gave United the lead for the first time before Jordan Young and Dylan Morgan struck to give the score line a more complete look.

Previously, the Gulls had come back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Maidstone United away and also beat both Dover Athletic and Worthing 3-2 at home. This has become something of a trait for United under Paul Wotton, they amassed 20 points from losing positions in the 2024-25 season, but hopefully they won’t have to do it too many more times.

SONNY AMONG THE GOALS

Paul Wotton employed Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in the ‘number ten’ role just behind Louis Dennis of his usual role as a central midfielder following the return to fitness of Matt Worthington. It was a move that paid dividends as he scored United’s second goal on 52 minutes when he fired home from distance after being teed up by Jordan Young.

Wotton also revealed in his post-match interview with BBC Radio Devon that he had originally Lo-Everton as a ‘number ten’ – even though he has previously appeared in the centre of midfield for the Gulls until now. Playing as a ‘number ten’ also means that he is also being deployed 20 to 30 yards further up the pitch, which will mean he will get more chances to score. Hopefully, he might end up with similar goal returns previously enjoyed by Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Armani Little, who both hit double figures for a season during their respective stays at Plainmoor.

POSITIVE CHANGES

Shortly after Lo-Everton netted United’s second, Paul Wotton shuffled his pack to send Cody Cooke on in place of Matt Worthington and Lo-Everton reverted back to his central midfield role, with Louis Dennis dropping back to play as a ‘number 10.’ It was a change that sent the message out to Hampton that the Gulls weren’t prepared to sit back and settle for holding on to their lead at 2-1, but were intent on pushing forward and adding to their tally. This is exactly how the game panned out as Jordan Young added a third on 63 minutes before Dylan Morgan struck in injury time.

GOALSCORING CHARTS

By scoring United’s third of the afternoon, Jordan Young is now level on 13 goals as top scorer with Louis Dennis. Also, Dylan Morgan is now in third place outright after netting the Gulls’ fourth with four, whilst Callum Dolan moves level on three with Matt Jay and Cody Cooke.
However, Dennis could be considered unlucky not to have added to his tally after seeing his long- range strike acrobatically turned behind by Hampton keeper Matt Rowley in the 77th minute.