TorquayFans.com | Torquay United Fans Forum

Another home game, another disappointment, it's often said by managers after a poor game, it's good to have another game come around quickly to try and put it right, that's certainly going to be the case for Kevin Nicholson, as Tuesday we entertain high flying and in-form Dover Athletic.

Dover are in only their second season in the non-league top flight since the end of the 2001-2 season. The Whites gained a very credible 8th place finish in last seasons conference premier table, Dover are living proof of what can be achieved by a part-time football club with a very small budget, The Whites are currently sat 5th in the NL premier division table, and purely on current form are forecasted to end the season in 4th place with 75 points, if they can maintain current form that would be some achievement for them.

This match gives us a chance to catch up with a couple of former Gulls in; Duane Ofori-Acheampong and Toby Ajala.

Featured Dover player

Nicky Deverdics; Born 24th November 1987, position, midfielder. Nicky Deverdics started his career as a youth player at Newcastle United, but would make his senior debut for Gateshead in 2006, Nicky Deverdics first came to the fore with the now defunct Gretna FC making 26 appearances in the Scottish premier league, after the closure of Gretna, Deverdics joined Barnet, he was thought to have a bright future ahead of him at that point.

Deverdics went on to have an interesting career mainly in the lower reach's of the non-league, but has played abroad in Iceland with
BÍ/Bolungarvík and with Faroese club TB Tvøroyri, Nicky Deverdics has made appearances for Bedllington Terriers, Blyth Spartans, Team Northumbria, Alfreton and Tadcaster Albion, Nicky Deverdics has played 44 games scoring 8 goals to date for Dover, since joining them in 2014, he's currently part of a very successful Dover team, and proof the players are out there if you look for them.

Dover top goalscorers and season stats

Stefan Payne 6
Nicky Deverdics 5
Ricky Miller 3
Jamie Grimes 2
Jack Parkinson 2
Tom Murphy 1
Duane Ofori-Acheampong 1
Sean Raggett 1
Aswad Thomas 1

HOME / AWAY ADVANTAGE

% Points (HOME) 62% (AWAY) 38%
% Goals scored (HOME) 41% (AWAY) 59%
% Goals conceded (HOME 27% (AWAY) 73%

Current form

Dover Athletic; L-D-D-W-W-W

12 Sep Cheltenham 3-2 Dover Athlet.
15 Sep Dover Athlet. 0-0 Braintree
19 Sep Dover Athlet. 0-0 Guiseley
22 Sep Eastleigh 2-5 Dover Athlet.
25 Sep Dover Athlet. 2-0 Woking
3 Oct Gateshead 2-3 Dover Athlet.

Last time out

Gateshead 2-3 Dover

01 Walker
02 Magri Booked
06 Orlu
12 Ajala (Murphy - 63' )
05 Raggett
18 Parkinson
21 Thomas (Sterling - 82' )
15 Grimes
09 Miller Booked (Ofori-Acheampong - 88' )
17 Deverdics
23 Payne

Substitutes
10 Murphy
11 Diallo
14 Ofori-Acheampong
16 Sterling
20 Gibbs

Fog delayed the arrival of Dover's plane into Newcastle and boss Chris Kinnear's side only had time for an eight-minute warm-up.

Jack Parkinson scored an 80th minute winner as Dover won 3-2 at Gateshead to register a third consecutive Vanarama National League victory on Saturday.

Parkinson, replacing the injured Liam Bellamy in midfield, headed home Nicky Deverdics' corner to secure the three points and a move up to fifth from eighth.
see more; http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/sport ... ver-44217/

From a Torquay United point of view

Oh just where do I begin, our current form in general can't be any worse, we are now bottom of the form table in the entire division, but our home form for so long, so bad, has gone from being an Achilles heel, to a leg beyond repair needing amputation, we are now bottom of the home form league table as well.

We knew Kevin Nicholson had no experience, I think deep down we know why he appointed as well. Kevin Nicholson is going to make mistakes, he should not have played yesterday, I'm not against him playing, but with out his assistant in place, with out an overview on the team and players individually, how can he learn what the problems are and what needs fixing, he can't do that from playing left back.

His biggest mistake to me has been boxing himself into a corner, it's alright being noble and saying I'll give these players a chance, but they patently need help and fast, there are some good players in there, confidence is low, and we do lack some quality and experience, Nicho if you're reading this three games and then call John Milton for help, we can't come adrift in the bottom four, after yesterday I feel confidence will only return with a boost that can come with some new players brought in to help out, our flagging squad.

For me also, players have to put in their natural positions, Butler just don't play him in the centre, if you're going to play Nicho, shunt Butler ahead of you, the combination of Berry and Hurst on the right, is a positive, Shepard looked like a fish out of water yesterday.

Torquay United on current form are forecasted to gain 45 points and be relegated.

Whilst I fully understand the feelings of all Torquay fans at the moment, I just feel we have to continue to support the club, staying away now, will lead to only one end, if we get behind Kevin Nicolson and the team, we're only 14 games in, there's still more than enough time to fix this, can only be done with our support though.

Torquay United top goalscoers and season stats

James Hurst 5
Alex Fisher 4
Tyrone Marsh 2
Dan Butler 1
Josh Carmichael 1
Exodus Geohaghon 1
Angus MacDonald 1


HOME / AWAY ADVANTAGE
% Points (HOME) 40% (AWAY) 60%
% Goals scored (HOME) 35% (AWAY) 65%
% Goals conceded (HOME) 52% (AWAY) 48%

Current form

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

12 Sep Welling Utd 1-1 Torquay Utd
15 Sep Kidderminster 2-2 Torquay Utd
19 Sep Torquay Utd 3-7 Bromley
22 Sep Torquay Utd 1-2 Boreham Wood
26 Sep Lincoln City 2-0 Torquay Utd
3 Oct Torquay Utd 0-2 Aldershot To.

Last time out

Torquay Utd 0-2 Aldershot Town

01 Spiess
29 Berry Booked
05 MacDonald
26 Heslop Booked
24 Nicholson
18 Smith
02 Hurst
11 Murombedzi (Bell - 70' )
10 Marsh (Yeoman - 83' )
03 Butler
07 Briscoe (Fisher - 59' )

Substitutes
14 Yeoman
17 Fisher
21 Lavercombe
27 Bell
28 Hickford

Player-manager assesses Aldershot defeat


The main aim for us right now is to get the players enjoying their football again,” he said. “I want to see them playing with a smile on their faces and the way to do that is to snap this bad run that we find ourselves on.

"Once we can do that, all of a sudden the players will be doing things that they’ve not probably done yet but are more than capable of.

“There is no doubt that we have the ability amongst the group and we have an instant opportunity to bounce back on Tuesday evening.”

Read more at http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... 2ErWgiR.99

Head to Head meetings

20.09.2014 Torquay United 2-0 Dover Athletic
02.12.2014 Dover Athletic 2-2 Torquay United (last meeting)

Any manager taking over a side with a record like ours would settle for a clean sheet I'm hoping we achieve this but he needs to make changes from the side that played Saturday. Bell if fit needs to play but he looked injured when he came on Saturday. We only need to score then to win if only.

Did not see enough on Saturday to suggest we could win this game.
1-1 is the most optimistic result that I can summons

http://doverathletic.freeforums.org/pre ... t5063.html

Oh dear, what has happened to our once proud football league club, we go into to home match with Dover as the underdogs, mind you can't say I disagree with many of their predictions.

Part time outfit, with a tight budget. But arrive to Gateshead by plane. What luxury.
However that's good planning from the chairman. Know the date, book cheap flights in advance and save on overnight stay and coach.

lucy6lucy wrote:Part time outfit, with a tight budget. But arrive to Gateshead by plane. What luxury.
However that's good planning from the chairman. Know the date, book cheap flights in advance and save on overnight stay and coach.

They flew up there last season as well. Even though they are part time, they also made a lot of money last season in the FA cup.

Yes only 14 games in, time to fix this, get behind the team and support.
It is now time for the players on the pitch to shape up and produce a performance regardless of how many decide to turn up to watch.
But don't worry according to the OS Tuesday night is pie night. Let's hope it's not a custard pie variety.

Pie night? as in pies on sale in the ground? I'm definitey going to be there for this one!

Dover are defintely punching above their weight and being part time it can't be easy with Tuesday night games (with a bit of luck) and they're bound to come unstuck at some point.

Aswad Thomas is an odd player. Brilliant one match and then invisible the next. If he played okay Saturday he'll be awful Tuesday

RichyMills wrote:Pie night? as in pies on sale in the ground? I'm definitey going to be there for this one!

Dover are defintely punching above their weight and being part time it can't be easy with Tuesday night games (with a bit of luck) and they're bound to come unstuck at some point.

Aswad Thomas is an odd player. Brilliant one match and then invisible the next. If he played okay Saturday he'll be awful Tuesday

http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... 18656.aspx

On current form, this is going to a tough match. Dover are on a very good run, beating Gateshead on Saturday, whilst we are ......... well, we all know what we are. However, stranger things have happened in football so perhaps this could be the game when Kevin Nico starts to turn things around. Let's hope so.

The best decision Nico can make is to be in the dug out on Tuesday night.

nickbrod wrote:The best decision Nico can make is to be in the dug out on Tuesday night.

Yes. Rain forecast!

0-5 Payne x2, Miller, Ajala x2, Achaempomg

TUST_Member_Rob wrote: http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... 18656.aspx

Ta! Not quite what I was expecting - a pie and a cup of tea at half time. Makes the trip to Kidderminster something special

gullno4 wrote:0-5 Payne x2, Miller, Ajala x2, Achaempomg

Er, um ....... that's SIX !!! It was a gamble by Nicholson to play himself on Saturday and to be fair to him, he had a reasonable game. If the gamble had worked and we'd won, he would have been a hero overnight. It didn't work. He would have been better off watching his new team and also Dan Butler didn't look comfortable in centre midfield. So stay on the touchline, Kev, and put Dan back where he belongs at left back. Marsh needs more support up front and as there's nobody else except Yeoman, play Fisher alongside Tyrone.

Has anyone heard when the appointment of an assistant is to be made? Is Shaun North still one of the favourites? I can't understand why John Ramsden's generous offer to stay at the club until an appointment was made was turned down. It seems to me that any help that Nicholson could get would have been very welcome.