TT REVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

OPEN DAYS OFTEN DON’T GO TO PLAN..

In the mind of a lot of managers, the first day of the season is also regarded as the last day of pre-season. It’s the first time that a team can put into practice everything that they have worked on in both pre-season friendlies and training, and sometimes things don’t go quite to plan – as evidenced by the Gulls’ display against Horsham on the opening day of 2026-27.

United started positively as Deon Moore opened the scoring in the 13th minute, but Greg Luer equalised for the visitors on 54 minutes. Isaac Westendorf was denied a debut goal in the 67 minutes (see point number 3) before Horsham came close to taking the lead three minutes later when Jamie Yila was denied by United keeper Toby Savin with a, b block that fell to sub Ronan Silva who blasted over.

Subs Matt Jay and Cody Cooke had chances late on, but the Gulls were forced to settle for a point instead of the three that the fans had been hoping for.

However, there have been examples of where the opening day of the season hasn’t quite gone to plan for United over the years, but they’ve still gone on to have good campaigns. They include the goalless draw on a late Sunday afternoon at Plainmoor against Grays Athletic in Paul Buckle’s first game in charge in 2007-08.

However, United bounced back to go on a six-match unbeaten run, and eventually finished the campaign in third place after challenging for the title before eventually winning promotion a year later.

Four years later, Martin Ling had succeeded Buckle and oversaw a 2-2 draw with Burton Albion on the opening day of the 2011-12 campaign, in which debutant goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik made a number of big saves to keep the score level. United, of course, eventually clicked and ended up reaching the play-offs.

Jimmy Ball will now spend the week assessing what went right and what went for wrong for the Gulls before they head to Tonbridge Angels next Saturday.

HARRY SHIELD

After some promising displays in pre-season as Trialist A, Harry Shield signed a contract with the club, with his signing being funded by the Torquay United Supporter’s Trust’s Forever Yellow fund.

Shield, who can play as a right-back and as a right midfielder, was selected by Jimmy Ball in place of Jordan Young, who was absent on paternity leave after his partner recently gave birth, and underlined Ball’s faith in him with a promising first half display.

His second minute cross picked out fellow debutant Isaac Westendorf, who fired over, and he made several dangerous runs which asked questions of the Horsham defence.

He was eventually replaced by Callum Morton on 56 minutes after picking up a knock, but his display bodes well for the future.

DISALLOWED GOAL

Isaac Westendorf looked to have restored the Gulls lead on 67 minutes, after Horsham’s Greg Luer had cancelled out Deon Moore’s 13th minute opener in the 54th minute, when he headed home a cross from Dom Bernard.

However, it was disallowed as the ball was deemed to have gone out of play before Bernard made his cross.

Replays have shown that the ball may not have gone out of play, which won’t be of much consolation to Westendorf who was denied a debut goal.

MORTON DEBUT

Over a decade after he joined Yeovil Town’s academy after the Gulls disbanded their youth academy in 2015, Callum Morton finally got to make his debut for his hometown club who he grew up supporting.

Morton entered the fray in the 56th minute in place of Harry Shield and he showed a willingness to run in behind and stretch the Horsham defence.

His next milestone will be his first goal for the club, and if he achieves that feat at Plainmoor then the roar it would generate deserves to be heard for miles.

THE OPPOSITION

United’s crowd of 4,219 was by far and away the biggest crowd in both National League’s North and South, and it was only beaten by three attendances in the National League.

Scunthorpe United versus Yeovil Town attracted a crowd of 5,111, Hartlepool United versus Barrow was attended by 5,830 and the biggest crowd of the day of 8,394 witnessed Carlisle United’s clash with Worthing at Brunton Park.