League 2: Torquay United vs Stevenage

[Plymouth Gull]

Plainmoor
Saturday 5th March 2011
KO: 3pm

We host Graham Westleys Stevenage in a tough looking league encounter tomorrow. Both sides sit looking towards the top 7, so a victory for either team would be a great 3 points, as it would also create a 3-point gap between each other. Stevenage have had a very memorable first year in the football league, although recent good form has given them a lookin for the playoffs come May. The famous defeat of Newcastle was excellent, one that will live in the memory of all fans at Broadhall Way.

GULLS NEWS.

We welcome Ben Pringle into the squad, signed on loan from Derby County. Mark Ellis returns from suspension, while Damon Lathrope is yet to know his punishment for getting sent off on Tuesday, at Buckland.

LAST 5 SEASONS.

2005/06 - Conference - 6th place - 69 points
2006/07 - Conference - 8th place - 70 points
2007/08 - Conference - 6th place - 79 points
2008/09 - Conference - 5th place - 81 points - LOST IN PLAYOFF SEMI FINAL.
2009/10 - Conference - 1st place - 99 points

As you can see, the club have steadily improved as each year has gone on. Their points tally has bettered as each season has gone by, and that all culminated in the club winning the Conference by 11 points last season. They would have smashed the 100 point barrier, but as Chester were kicked out of the League, they had their points from those two games chalked off.

HEAD TO HEAD.

Torquay wins - 3
Stevenage wins - 0
Draws - 2

These two clubs have only ever met 4 times. And all four of them were recent. When we were in the Blue Square Premier, we met them 4 times, over the two seasons. In our first year, we did the double, winning 4-2 at Plainmoor, and 3-1 at Broadhall Way. The following season, we won 3-0 at Plainmoor, before drawing 0-0 at Broadhall Way. That was the last time we have met Stevenage. Another 0-0 draw at their place earlier this season, could turn out to be a good result, come May. Stevenage are yet to record victory against us, though, so hopefully we'll continue it.

FORM (LAST 6 GAMES).

LLDWWW

Two defeats at promotion chasing sides, Bury (3-0) and Shrewsbury (1-0), seem to have had a good effect on Stevenage. A 0-0 draw at home to Oxford has been followed by 3 successive wins, and good ones at that. Away wins at Crewe (1-0) and Port Vale (3-1) and a home demolition of Cheltenham (4-0) have moved Stevenage to 10th. They'll obviously be hoping to pick up a 4th straight win on Saturday.

PROBABLE LINE UP.

This is the side that beat Cheltenham 4-0 last weekend:

Day

Wilson
Laird
Ashton
Roberts

Henry
Long
Bridges
Bostwick

Harrison
Winn

Subs: Reid, Charles, Mousinho, Bayes, May, Sinclair

PLAYERS TO WATCH.

For me, the players that pose a threat from that side are Byron Harrison, Michael Bostwick and Craig Reid. Harrison has scored a few goals since joining in January, including 2 against Cheltenham. Craig Reid's fantastic scoring record at Newport (66 in 2 and a half years, including 18 this season) prompted Westley to pay £125,000 for him, a club record. Bostwick has been linked to bigger clubs in the past, although he commited his future to Stevenage for now, which delighted Boro fans.

PREDICTION.

Hmm, can't get much worse performance wise than Tuesday.

2-1 either way.

[Southampton Gull]

Excellent job as always Nick, fantastic effort.

[ferrarilover]

Plainmoor
Hmm, can't get much worse performance wise than Tuesday. 2-1 either way.

Oh Nick, if only that were true.

Matt.

[Fletch]

Be a difficult one this, both to call the result and for the boys to play in. They seem a big, physical side (which we usually struggle against) so im going for a 1-1 or 2-2.

[Yellow4life]

Lathrope IS available for this game. His ban kicks in on Tuesday.

Going for a positive 1-0 win here.

[PlainmoorRoar]

4-4-2

Potter
Nicho
Ellis
Branston
Robbo

Stevens
Mans
Stanley
Robinson

Zebs
Kee

or

4-3-3

Potter

Nicho
Branston
Robbo
Mansell

Stanley
Oastler
Pringle

Robinson
Zebs
Kee

[ferrarilover]

[bHEAD TO HEAD.

Torquay wins - 3
Stevenage wins - 0
Draws - 2
These two clubs have only ever met 4 times. And all four of them were recent. When we were in the Blue Square Premier, we met them 4 times, over the two seasons. In our first year, we did the double, winning 4-2 at Plainmoor, and 3-1 at Broadhall Way. The following season, we won 3-0 at Plainmoor, before drawing 0-0 at Broadhall Way. That was the last time we have met Stevenage. Another 0-0 draw at their place earlier this season, could turn out to be a good result, come May. Stevenage are yet to record victory against us, though, so hopefully we'll continue it.

.

:slap:

Couldn't pick the single most appropriate smilie, so I went with the top three.

Matt.

[gulls_aloud]

Thanks Nick. Big 6 pointer today. I fancy a 4-3-3 and since I have the memory of a goldfish I am confident that we will win in the dying moments of the game, but it will be tight.

[Trojan 67]

BIRTHDAY TODAY !!!

Not mine, it's my bruv's, so a few drinks will be in order. That is very very generous of him.

As he missed the Rotherham game due to his wedding anniversary ( unforgivable, but understandable),he'll be looking forward to today's game, as am I.

3-1

Kee, Zebroski, Robinson.

2323 (the attendance, not the formation)

[cosmic74]

Trojan - you could be right with that formation!!!!!

Going for a very positive 3-0 win with Robinson gettng the opener, Kee and Stanley with the others.

Crowd - 2011(oh no that's the year!!) 2012 then! Very noisey after Stanley blasts in a free kick in the 53rd minute, and I win the 50/50 drawer, and hit the crossbar.

Andy

[bixieupnorth]

very tricky game today

not sure how i think it'll go, hopefully 2-1 to us? kee and lil danny, 1986 there

[eastyorksgull]

a convincing 3 1 win,a brace from kee,and branno off the mark,2176 crowd,ha ha easy this predicting ha ha,joking aside am confident of 3 points today...simon :devil:

[Jeff]

1-1. Stevenage are a tight unit on the road and don't give much away. However they don't win much either and certainly don't score many. Dour, tight game

[Jeff]

Team is in:

* 16 Potter
* 03 Nicholson
* 05 Robertson
* 07 Mansell
* 23 Branston
* 06 Stanley
* 10 O'Kane
* 29 Pringle
* 08 Kee
* 09 Robinson
* 26 Zebroski

So Pringle in for Oastler then. Shame as I think Oastler brings a lot to the party. Have to see what sort of player Pringle is, but that looks like a reasonably forward-thinking midfield. Usual shape up front and at the back.

[eastyorksgull]

CMON U YELLOWS