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After last weeks welcome home win against Wrexham in the F.A Trophy it's back into league action , this Saturday we welcome Gateshead to Plainmoor. At the moment fans up and down the country at our level have one eye on the weather, and whilst it is raining as I write this and more rain is due tomorrow, it has been largely dry this week, and Saturday's forecast is for the weather to remain dry, so there must be confidence in this game going ahead.

Thanks to the strange way fixtures are worked out at this level, we meet Gateshead for the first time this season on Saturday, despite completing our fixtures against a number of other teams already this season, The Heed, now managed by former FC Halifax manager Neil Aspin, were believed to have the finance for a promotion push, however this didn't materialise as Gateshead finished 10th on 66 points. Gateshead went through a change of ownership in the summer, with Richard Bennett of Derwentside environmental services taking full control of the club.

Gateshead currently sit 10th in the league table on 41 points, but their form of late has been patchy of late, with only 1 win from their last 4 league games. Allthough Gateshead did win away at Eastleigh in the F.A Trophy last weekend. The Heed have strengthened their squad adding Alex Whitmore on a youth loan from Burnley, and Andre Bennett on loan from Middlesbrough. This game will also give us a chance to catch up with former Gull Ryan Bowman.

Gateshead Top Goalscorers

Ryan Bowman 12
Danny Johnson 5
Christopher Hamilton 3
James Phillips 3
Nathan Buddle 2
Josh Gillies 2
Patrick McLaughlin 2
Jon Shaw 2
Craig Baxter 1
Ben Clark 1
Jordan Cranston 1
James Curtis 1
George Honeyman 1
Augustin Mafuta 1
Simon Ramsden 1

Current form


Gateshead; W-W-L-L-W-D

28 Nov Gateshead 1 - 0 Chester
5 Dec Kidderminster 0 - 1 Gateshead
8 Dec Gateshead 0 - 1 Southport
19 Dec Gateshead 1 - 5 Woking
28 Dec Gateshead 3 - 0 Guiseley
2 Jan Gateshead 1 - 1 Barrow

Last time out


Gateshead 1 - 1 Barrow

01 Russell
02 Baxter
05 Curtis
26 McLaughlin
16 Cranston
06 Clark
08 Ramshaw
03 Pattison (Johnson - 81' )
28 Hamilton
09 Shaw (Mafuta - 65' )
19 Bowman

Substitutes
12 Mafuta
13 MacDonald
20 Johnson
21 Honeyman
29 Whitmore


Neil Aspin on the draw with Barrow


“Sometimes when you conceded a goal after you have been leading you are disappointed,” said manager Neil Aspin. “But on the balance of play, and the pressure we came under in the second half, I’m happy with a point.

“The number of corners, free-kicks and balls into the box we faced, and the possession Barrow had, meant we struggled to get out of our own half and it was a point gained.

“The wind was a big factor but we could have kept the ball better. Over the 90 minutes I’m not disappointed with the draw, though you obviously want to win your home games.

“We competed well, but the weight of pressure finally told. It’s the first game of 2016 and it was important we didn’t lose the game.

“Against Guiseley, and in the first half today, we have shown improvement. The players are working hard and battling for the club – and you can’t ask any more than that.”


From a Torquay United point of view

Well, for once Kevin Nicholson goes into this game with a squad and some selection headaches, with Ajala, Harrad and Blissett all available and hope of a midfielder addition in time for this game who plays and where, what makes the decision harder is last weeks win against Wrexham in the Trophy, many will feel the starting 11 should remain the same, after all the last 2 home games have been won with out the new additions.

I feel Ajala and one of Harrad or Blissett will start the game on Saturday, why not have go at prediction the starting line up for Saturday. As for the game itself, it's takes on a whole new importance, Southport and FC Halifax have shown how the picture can change very quickly and what pulling together a couple of results can do, we can't underestimate the importance of the crowd as well, the club and team deserve a big crowd in Saturday, and we must get behind our team.

Torquay United top goalscorers

Tyrone Marsh 7
Dan Butler 2
Andre Wright 2
Durrell Berry 1
Josh Carmichael 1
Exodus Geohaghon 1
Angus MacDonald 1
Courtney Richards 1
Aman Verma 1

Current form

Torquay United; D-L-L-W-L-L

28 Nov Braintree 0 - 0 Torquay Utd
5 Dec Torquay Utd 0 - 1 Wrexham
19 Dec Chester 4 - 1 Torquay Utd
26 Dec Torquay Utd 4 - 1 Forest Green
28 Dec Cheltenham 1 - 0 Torquay Utd
1 Jan Forest Green 3 - 1 Torquay Utd

Last time out

Forest Green 3 - 1 Torquay Utd

Lavercombe
Berry
Smith
Gerring
Nicholson
MacDonald
Geohaghon (Murombedzi 86),
Butler
Verma
Wright
Marsh

Subs not used:
Corderoy
Chaney
Hancox

SETTING THE STANDARD



“I am very pleased,” he said with a smile. “We got what we deserved out there; we worked extremely hard in tough conditions.

“I felt that we out-willed them. Wrexham are good at what they do, but we stopped them and carried on from where we left off in our games over the festive period.

“The commitment from the lads has been excellent over the last four games and the fans have responded to this. We’re driving each other on and that can only be a positive thing.

“We now go into the next game with plenty of belief; the morale has always been high, but now we need to start backing that up with results and this is a good start.

“I’ve got decisions to make now for the next game because the new signings will be available, so it’s a good position to be in.

“Everyone grafted today and did their job; it would be unfair to pick anyone out in particular.

“We’ve set our standard now and got our name into the hat for the next round but the focus turns to Gateshead and getting vital League points in the bag next weekend.”

Read more at http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... aBEbbFy.99

Head to Head meetings


English Division Four (old)

04.04.1959 Torquay United 0-1 Gateshead
13.04.1959 Gateshead 1-0 Torquay United
12.09.1959 Gateshead 0-2 Torquay United
23.01.1960 Torquay United 1-0 Gateshead


English Conference


09.08.2014 Gateshead 3-1 Torquay United
22.11.2014 Torquay United 2-2 Gateshead

With all the new signings, progress and positivity at the club can only be a win!

This really is a must win game. As simple as that. 3-1 to the Gulls.

With both existing and new players wanting to impress, plus the mentality of this being a must win game, I predict a 2-1 to the Gulls. Here's hoping!

A win and Bowman not scoring would make my Saturday a peachy one!!

Gateshead also added a Loan keeper from Newcastle. Plenty of new players from both sides wanting to impress thier respective bosses.

No idea how this game is going to pan out so I'll make a total guess 1-1

Got to get a win but I suspect we won't. I'm going to plump for a 2-2 draw.

Why so negative? We'll win this one convincingly.

Can't see it myself, so:
TUFC (0)0
Gateshead (1) 2

Att: 1779

Absolute must win but what about the condition of the pitch after 14 hours of continuous rain.? Is there any pitch inspection planned?

I wouldn't have thought so, It's dry and sunny now, no further rain forecasted until late tomorrow afternoon, going to be heavy but should be playable considering it's been dry most of the week, apart from yesterdays downpour.

forevertufc wrote:I wouldn't have thought so, It's dry and sunny now, no further rain forecasted until late tomorrow afternoon, going to be heavy but should be playable considering it's been dry most of the week, apart from yesterdays downpour.

As I'm coming from Wigan for this match with 2 friends(albeit 1 a heed fan) I e-mailed the club this afternoon , the response was that no pitch inspection is needed and with no rain until sat afternoon/ evening, it's game on.

I take it that you may well have left by now so won't see this message. The info from Steve Breed regarding the prospects of the match going ahead are not quite as positive as the info you have been given.

He stated that following a very wet night on Thursday the pitch is very wet, I understand that they were still working on the pitch last night. Its possible there may be further rain this afternoon. I am thinking of going but am waiting for further updates - I hope that don't have a wasted journey.

Added in 5 minutes 49 seconds:
It was an honest assessment ime sure people would not want me to lie.. it was very wet but with no rain forcast until 5 pm today and the fact we have 3 guys working full time on it the club are hopeful the game will go ahead.. gateshead set of at 7 am yesterday morning.. the club are fully aware of the ramifications of these postponed games in a nut shell it kills us but unfortunately i have not got juristiction over the weather..


Above was posted by Steve Breed around twenty minutes ago - still doesn't appear to want to confirm match is on.......

Something really must be done about the Plainmoor pitch when the season's over. It seems just a single short spell of low-level rainfall two days before a game makes the pitch unplayable; ridiculous in this day and age. I'm told the rain on Thursday night in other parts of the town was not that bad; why is it always Plainmoor that suffers the worst of it?

Report from the club that no inspection is needed, the pitch is ok and the game is on.