TALKING POINTS

Dom Roman – @DomRoman

Dom discusses the key points

HERE WE GO!

So after 46 games in a very typical Gulls emotional rollercoaster season, United have the challenge of Marc White’s Dorking side at Saturday lunchtime and it’s a challenge the team must throw themselves into with everything they have. Looking at Worthing’s points tally you can only feel it’s been a missed opportunity not to win the title, but considering the struggles in February/March, finishing 3rd was a decent end result and credit to Jimmy Ball for injecting something into a Torquay side that looked tired and beaten by a long winter. Our club needs to be competing further up the pyramid for all sorts of reasons, but being a big fish in the NLS does not entitle you to promotion, so we must earn it and learn lessons from last year’s lacklustre loss to Boreham Wood. This is big, no doubt about that, and it’s time for United to produce.

EMBRACING THE PRESSURE

We have the quality players to beat Dorking I’ve no concerns about that, but like any sport, Football is also a mental battle and this will play a massive part in Jimmy Ball’s preparation for this game. There was nerves against Hemel last time out, you could feel an anxiousness to United’s play as they misplaced passes and struggled to get to grips with the pressure of the occasion in front of a big Plainmoor crowd. The squad must do better this time around and embrace the pressure of the occasion. The leaders in the dressing room need to ensure colleagues are calm enough to make the right decisions and ready to battle with the intensity fitting of a vital play-off game. It’s not easy, even the most experienced and decorated teams can struggle to hold their nerve in the biggest games, but I think if the mentality is right, then United will reach the play-off final. Fingers crossed!

THE LINE-UP

United have a fully fit squad to pick from, which will delight Jimmy Ball, but also give him some selection headaches for good measure! Top goal-scorers Jordan Young and Louis Dennis come back into contention, but one or both of them may have to be content with a place of the bench. Young hasn’t sparkled for a while. I’m not sure what the summer will hold for him and whether he’ll stick around if we remain in NLS, but I’m sure he’s desperate to remind everyone of his quality. In attack Dylan Morgan and Deon Moore are the two players on form, Morgan has been a revelation in recent months, and getting the ball to him in the right areas could be key to the whole game. Meanwhile Deon has started to show why we brought him down to Plainmoor – not a showy player, but a hard worker and able to sniff out a chance in front of goal. Whatever line-up is chosen, we have game changers ready to come on from the bench, and that could be very important in the later stages of the game.

THE OPPOSITION

We all know about Marc White, and I’m sure there will be plenty of noise and banter along the touchline on Saturday afternoon! I did wonder if Maidenhead would knock White’s team out on Wednesday – Dorking had been injury ravaged and in a poor run of form – but the home team were comfortable winners and looked to have gained back some swagger just in time (just in time for them anyway!). One of their main threats Alfie Rutherford scored on Wednesday, so did AFC Wimbledon loanee Harry Sidwell, whilst in midfield Charlie Carter can pull the strings if United allow him enough time. They certainly like to play of the front foot and take charge of possession, so United have to be alert and defend well, with the Dyer/Dreyer combo crucial (as always).

Will it be tight, tense and nail biting? Probably, this is the type of game where fine margins, a controversial decision or a bit of luck could swing the game one way or the other. All we can do is back the team to the hilt and make as much noise as we can, I know you’ll do that!

See you at Plainmoor.