TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS DORKING WANDERERS

 1. The ball starts rolling for Jimmy. 

Jimmy Ball's first introduction to Plainmoor faithful ended up being an entertaining 2-2 draw with league leaders Dorking Wanderers in front of a crowd of just over 3,900 in what was 'a great advert for National League South.' 

Many of the Plainmoor faithful would have taken a point beforehand, but, at the same time, would probably have returned home feeling slightly disappointed not to have taken all three - especially after the introduction of Callum Dolan (see number two) and Louis Dennis from the sub's bench. 

It certainly would have made up for some of the disappoint at losing his first game in charge against Dagenham and Redbridge. 

However, with another home game to look forward to on Saturday against Horsham, United have another shot at securing their first three points under Ball's reign. 

2. Callum Dolan's return. 

In a season where he has suffered two serious injuries as well as being handed a five-match suspension for an off-the-field incident, Callum Dolan rose from the sub's bench on 65 minutes to almost single-handedly win the match for the Gulls on his own. 

Dolan replaced Dylan Morgan and within 13 minutes of coming on he struck to pull the Gulls level and then, a minute later, he volleyed home a cross from Jordan Young to give United a 2-1 lead. 

However, the Gulls were undone by a ball from the right from Sam Pearson which took a deflection off Sam Dreyer that took it past on loan keeper Seb Stacey to level matters. 

Nevertheless, Dolan later drew a stunning save from Dorking keeper Harrison Foulkes, which denied him a hat-trick, but his goal tally for the season stands at five - and it's highly likely that he will add to that total behind now and the season's end. 

3. Deon is Moore the merrier. 

Tuesday night's game also gave the Plainmoor faithful their first glimpse of Jimmy Ball's first signing for the Gulls - striker Deon Moore. 

After a promising debut away to Dagenham and Redbridge, former Maidstone forward Moore worked hard and led the line well. 

On eight minutes, he teed up Jordan Young for a chance which could have altered the course of the game had it gone in, but leading scorer Young somehow contrived to hit the side netting. 

Late on, he attempted to lob Harrison Foulkes - but he was denied by an off-the-line clearance, but Gulls' fans could go home happy safe in the knowledge that they have found a suitable replacement for the injured Cody Cooke until the end of the campaign. 

4. Returning players. 

One of the big positives for Jimmy Ball heading into Tuesday's encounter was that he had a full bench to choose from. Loanee centre back Will Tizzard returned from suspension to fill in at right-back and Sam Dreyer also made a return to the starting line-up after coming off the bench at Dagenham and Redbridge. 

Also returning to take their place on the sub's bench were Jordan Thomas, Callum Dolan and Louis Dennis. Dennis also made an impact after coming on for Matt Jay late on as he cleared the cross bar in the dying minutes of the game, which would have been his 14th goal of the season had it gone in. 

5. United are still in contention. 

After Tuesday night's results, the battle for promotion from National League South remains as open as ever. Dorking are now four points clear at the top of the table with 75, ahead of Worthing with 71. Hemel Hempstead Town are third with 70, a point clear of fourth placed Hornchurch who are on 69. 

The Gulls, meanwhile, are sixth in the table with 65 points, level with fifth placed Maidenhead United and seventh placed Ebbsfleet United - but only separated by goal difference. 

THE SON OF A WORLD CUP WINNER

 After much speculation linking names such as Paul Tisdale and Kevin Nicholson to the vacancy, former AFC Totton manager Jimmy Ball was appointed as the permanent successor to Paul Wotton as Torquay United manager. 

Neil Warnock had briefly had a spell as interim manager, assisted by his trusted lieutenant Ronnie Jepson, but Ball has now been entrusted with leading the Gulls' charge towards the play-offs and a return to the National League. 

The son of 1966 World Cup winner Alan, Jimmy Ball has fashioned a promising coaching career, which included spells as caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, which saw him win four games out of eight, and assistant manager of Stevenage before taking charge of Hampshire-based side Totton. 

After a successful playing career, which also included a title win with Everton in 69-70, as part of the midfield holy trinity alongside Colin Harvey and the late Howard Kendall and a 'double' win with Arsenal in 70-71, Ball senior had a mixed career as a manager, which included promotion to the top-flight with Portsmouth in 86-87 and relegation from the Premier League with Manchester City in 95-96. 

However, Ball junior has carved out a decent reputation of his own, particularly with a spell in charge of AFC Totton that saw him win two promotion in three seasons prior to the start of the current campaign. 

He also has had a brief taste of Football League management on CV with Forest Green in April 2021, in between the departure of Mark Cooper and the arrival of current Wolves boss Rob Edwards, and if he can get the Gulls punching at their weight, then he can put himself within a shot of adding to those appearances. 

United's first game of his reign didn't quite go to plan as they lost 1-0 away to Dagenham and Redbridge, but with two successive home games coming up against league leaders Dorking Wanderers and Horsham Ball has a chance to put down a marker heading into the final stages of the campaign. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS CHESHAM UNITED

1. Feed the Fish. 

After missing pre-season through injury, the Plainmoor faithful had to wait a while to see a glimpse of Sonny Fish in action. As part of his recovery, he was loaned out to Folkestone Invicta in the Isthmian League and he started for the first time against Salisbury FC in midweek following injuries to Louis Dennis and Cody Cooke. 

In his second start for the Gulls against Chesham, he slotted home his first for the club on 36 minutes following good work from Matt Jay. He was unlucky not to score a second in the 65th minute when he connected with a corner from Jordan Young, but it was ruled out for a push. 

Hopefully he will score a few more between now and the end of the campaign. 

2 Matt Jay excelling as a number ten. 

In the 2025-26 season, Matt Jay has found himself down the pecking order - in part due to the form of Louis Dennis and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton - and mainly used as an impact sub. 

However, with United light on numbers in the centre of midfield, which has meant that Lo-Everton has been playing more centrally, and Dennis currently injured Jay has been restored to his preferred number 10 role. 

He showed a good range of passing throughout and it was his ball that teed up Sonny Fish for United's equaliser in the 36^th minute and in the second half he turned provider for a pass to Dylan Morgan on 59 minutes, which was turned behind for a corner.

Jay later ended up playing as a central midfielder following right-back Will Tizzard’s dismissal after receiving two yellow cards, alongside Lo-Everton. He ended up playing almost as a ‘quarter back’ as he played a key role in helping United retain possession, in what became a ‘10 versus 10’ game as Chesham’s Alfie Young had earlier seen red for an ‘off-the-ball’ incident.

3. Dan Hayfield. 

Not only did Dan Hayfield pick seemingly the perfect moment to score his first goal of the 2025-26 campaign when he turned home Dylan Morgan’s low cross on 74 minutes, he only played a key role in keeping Chesham at bay at the other end.

After Will Tizzard was dismissed for being awarded two yellow cards in quick succession, Hayfield dropped back to play at right-back in his place and made an important block in injury time to deny the Generals a dramatic late equaliser.

When you are in the hunt for the play-offs, as United still are, your unsung players can have a big say in the outcome, and Hayfield is one such player who maybe goes under the radar a bit, but is an important part of the team nonetheless.

4. Stacey saves.

In his second game after joining the Gulls on loan from Milton Keynes Dons, goalkeeper Seb Stacey made a number of important saves in the second half.

On 50 minutes, he made a stunning one-handed stop to deny Chesham’s leading scorer Mitchell Weiss and also made two more saves that kept the Generals at bay.

5. Resilience. 

United’s win took the number of points that they have won after conceding first to 24, a record that includes seven wins and three draws.

6. Ronnie Jepson's 100% record. 

In 1983, a disagreement between then manager Bruce Rioch and Steve Cooper and John Turner on the team coach resulted in Dave Thomas, then of the Herald Express, being placed in charge of an away trip to York City. United duly won 3-2 and Thomas 'retired' with a 100% record as Torquay United manager. 

That record is now shared by Ronnie Jepson following United's 2-1 win over Chesham United, after he stepped in due to Neil Warnock being unavailable due to a prior commitment. However, as the Gulls' search for a permanent replacement to Paul Wotton goes on, might United turn to Jepson, with Warnock advising him, until the end of the campaign? 

 

WARNOCK'S BRIEF RETURN

 A 77-year old Neil Warnock returning to management would have been a story in itself, but the fact it came after Paul Wotton's dismissal as Torquay United, with the Gulls still in contention for National League South, has added to the drama surrounding it. 

Very few clubs in the sixth tier of English football have the ability to attract gates of over 3,000 on a regular basis, and very few are blessed to be able to call upon an interim manager with Warnock's experience and know how. 

Warnock previously took charge of the Gulls in 1993, where he famously led United to safety in the 'new' Division Three - following the formation of the Premier League at the start of 1992-93 - shortly after his departure from Notts County. 

United's two games under Warnock have so far yielded a 2-2 draw at home to Farnborough and 3-0 loss away to fellow play-off challengers Ebbsfleet United. These results followed the five matches without a win, which ultimately cost Wotton his job. 

Incidentally, the first game of Warnock's tenure in 1993 was a 4-0 defeat away to Cardiff City; however, he only expects to be in charge for tomorrow night's home fixture with Salisbury and possibly Saturday's fixture at home to Chesham United. The latter might with the new manager in the stands with a watching brief. 

KEVIN HILL AT 50

 Such is the passing of time that the majority of  Torquay United fans who were born after 2002 wouldn't have seen Kevin Hill make any of his record 474 appearances in all competitions for the Gulls. 

When he first joined United in the summer of 1997, few could have imagined that he would one day overtake Dennis Lewis’ seemingly untouchable club appearance record and become a bona fide Torquay United legend in the process.

As a youngster, he had been rejected by Exeter City for being ‘too small, not strong enough and couldn’t win headers.’ If you consider that he gained the reputation for being able outjump players far taller than his five feet nine inch frame, you begin to wonder just how wrong you can be about somebody!

I've often wondered how I would describe what kind of player Hilly, primarily a left winger - who also filled in at left-back, centre midfield, centre back and even centre forward, was. 

First of all, I would say that he was physically average; he was quick, without being super quick; he was strong, without being bulky and at standing at five feet nine, he certainly wasn't the tallest. 

However, the latter on the above list never stopped him from being able to outjump players far taller than him. Nevertheless there was more to him as a player than that, as well as having incredible work rate and stamina, he could deliver a decent cross and his knack of making runs into the box also helped him score a number of goals; he finished the 2000-01 season as United's top scorer with ten. 

Having got to know Hilly during my brief time working for the club as programme editor towards the end of his 11 years at Plainmoor between 1997 and 2008, I can also say he is the most positive person that I've ever known and a shrewd judge of character. Two traits that have served him well as a manager of Exmouth Town, who he has helped guide from the South West Peninsula League to the Southern League Division One South. 

I'll leave you now with a selection of five of his most memorable moments in a Torquay United shirt, many of which can be found on Youtube. 

1.      Versus Stockport County (H) New Year’s Day 2004.

On the stroke of half-time, with the game poised at 0-0, Stockport keeper Neil Cutler was poised to take a goal kick, but little did he know that Hilly was standing behind him.

Hilly then preceded to nick the ball off Cutler before calmly slotting home into an unguarded net to give United the lead with arguably the cheekiest goal ever scored by a Torquay United player.

2.      Versus Barnet (A) May 5, 2001.

United’s brief heading into their final day decider with Barnet at Underhill was simple: avoid defeat or face relegation from the Football League for the first time ever.

Playing down Underhill’s famous slope in the first half, the Gulls took the lead on ten minutes when Jason Rees found the back of the net with a 25 yard strike. In the 25^th minute, Hilly doubled the Gulls lead when he rose highest to head home a corner from the late Paul Holmes to give United an invaluable two-goal cushion. It was also his tenth goal of the season, which put him top of United’s goal scoring charts.

David Graham later added a third just before half time, but Barnet pulled two goals back before forcing the Gulls to survive a late onslaught and Hilly was one of a number of players who made several important blocks to keep the Bees at bay.

3.      Versus Carlisle United (A) April 29, 2006.

Once again, United found themselves looking to complete another ‘great escape’ and they headed to League Two champions elect Carlisle United needing a result to avoid what would be a second successive relegation.

After keeping the Cumbrians’ strike duo of former Sunderland and Leeds frontman Michael Bridges and Karl Hawley, who would later find his way to Plainmoor in his career, at bay before Hilly gave the Gulls the lead on eight minutes.

Jo Kuffour drifted out to the right and produced a cross which picked out Hilly and he leapt off the ground and headed home to score his ninth of the campaign, with what could be described as the nearest thing to human flight as he appeared to hang in the air momentarily!

Four minutes before half-time, Kuffour went from being provider to scorer with a shot on the turn following good work from Martin ‘Buster’ Phillips and Lee Thorpe. In the second half, Carlisle pulled one back through Zigor Aranalde, but the Gulls held on to secure an important win.

4.      Versus Macclesfield Town (H) January 24, 2004.

In the eighth minute, a corner kick from Alex Russell was flicked on by Steve Woods towards Hilly, who, with his back to goal, opened the scoring with a ‘bicycle kick’ over his head as United went on to win 4-1.

5.      Versus Exeter City (H) May 5, 2008, Blue Square Premier Play-off semi-final.

The Gulls lead 2-1 on aggregate after winning the first leg at St James Park and they led further on 58 minutes when Tim Sills crossed to Chris Zebroski on the right, and Zebroski – in turn – rolled the back into the path of Hill, who beat Grecians keeper Paul Jones from 10-yards with a left-footed strike.

It was Hilly’s first goal against Exeter and on the same day that he equalled Dennis Lewis’ club appearance record; the script seemed to perfectly written as his effort had put United closer to reaching Wembley and the chance to secure an immediate return to the Football League. However, it would all go horribly wrong as the Grecians came back to win 4-1 to reach the final against Cambridge United. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS CHELMSFORD CITY

 1. Winless run goes on. 

United's defeat to Chelmsford City extends the Gulls' winless run to five games, which includes four defeats and a draw, and a team that 18 days previously sat top of National League South now sit fourth in the table, which ultimately has cost Paul Wotton his job as manager, 

This season and last has proved that the National League South to be the most unpredictable of divisions in English football, and United's recent run of form has left them needing a run which is the opposite of the run that have previously been on. 

2. Saturday-Tuesday can work to United's advantage. 

With United now facing a Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday routine which sees Farnborough and Salisbury FC visit Plainmoor for successive Tuesday night fixtures on March 3 and 10, with Saturday afternoon clashes with Ebbsfleet United away (March 6) and Chesham United at home (March 14). 

Therefore the Gulls have the opportunity to put things right very quickly, starting in what will be the first of Neil Warnock's interim reign as manager - however long that may be. 

3. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. 

In recent weeks, central midfielder Sonny Blu Lo-Everton has emerged as one of United's key performers, and Saturday was no exception. Lo-Everton always looked to get on the ball and tried to make things happen and never hid. His efforts were recognised with being named as the sponsor's man of the match. 

4. Will Tizzard's cameo. 

Not included in the starting line-up due to his late arrival at the club, therefore he hadn't had a chance to get to know his new teammates properly, Sutton United loanee Will Tizzard made a promising cameo from the bench. He was part of a triple change by Wotton, which saw Matt Jay and Exeter City loanee Kieran Wilson enter the fray along with Tizzard in place of Jordan Thomas, Cody Cooke and Dylan Morgan. Wotton also switched the formation from 4-2-3-1 to 3-4-3. 

With first choice centre back duo Jordan Dyer and Sam Dreyer still injured, I would say it's dead cert that Tizzard will be named in the United starting XI against Farnborough on Tuesday night. 

PAUL WOTTON: SO NEAR, YET SO FAR

 It wasn't supposed to end this way, surely? 

When the Bryn Consortium were unveiled as the new owners of Torquay United after bringing the club out of Administration, with Neil Warnock being announced as football advisor and Paul Wotton appointed as manager, it really did feel like a dream team to take the Gulls forward again, following several years of stagnation. 

In Wotton, United appeared to have found an upwardly mobile managerial talent who would be the man to lead the club back into the National League challenge for a return to the Football League. 

After he finishing his playing career in his second spell with hometown club Plymouth Argyle, Wotton remained at Home Park as first team coach and assistant manager under John Sheridan and Derek Adams respectively before taking his first steps into management with Truro City in 2019. 

Following a couple of Covid-19 curtailed campaigns, Wotton eventually led the White Tigers to promotion from the Southern League Premier Division South through the play-offs in the 2022-23 season. This was then followed by a 16th place in National League South prior to his appointment at Plainmoor. 

Wotton went about building his squad in a pragmatic manner; for any former player who can count Warnock, Paul Sturrock and Tony Pulis amongst their former managers fitness and organisation were  always likely to be a given when they became a manager themselves, and so it proved with Wotton. 

He built a new squad virtually from scratch, with central defender Austen Booth the only player under contract at the time of his arrival. United started the 2024-25 campaign with a side that was set up to be tough to beat with a 3-5-2 formation that had a strong defensive trio of Jordan Dyer, Sam Dreyer and Jay Foulston. The three aforementioned names also formed part of a strong spine of goalkeeper James Hamon, his former Argyle charge Oscar Threlkeld in centre midfield and Cody Cooke up front. 

It was a move that paid early dividends as the Gulls won four of their opening six matches of the 2024-25 campaign. However, a set back would come in the FA Cup second qualifying round when they were beaten 3-0 by Bishops Cleeve of the Southern League Division One South. 

As his first season went to, Wotton added more flair to his squad with arrivals of Jordan Young and Dylan Morgan mid-season and they were followed in January 2025 by the capture of former Exeter City captain Matt Jay following his release by Colchester United. 

Despite a strong finish to the season, which included winning their last four games against Slough Town (h), Truro City (a), Weymouth (h) and Hemel Hempstead Town (a), United missed out on the title on goal difference to his former club Truro. Then, in the play-offs, the Gulls were beaten by a Boreham Wood at Plainmoor, who would go on to win promotion and are currently in the play-off places in the National League at the time of writing. 

Nevertheless, Wotton set about refreshing his squad for another crack at promotion to the National League adding to midfield with Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Matt Worthington, who had both won promotion from National League South with Yeovil Town in the 2023-24 campaign. Zimbabwean midfielder Monashe Sundire also joined with Tamworth and experienced attacker Louis Dennis arrived following his release by Bromley. Callum Dolan a loanee from the Gary Johnson era returned to the club on a permanent basis. 

At the start of the season, it seemed to be going to plan as United won their opening five home league fixtures for the first time since the 1982-83 season under Bruce Rioch. 

The Gulls' form in January 2026 also helped to earn Wotton the manager of the month award for January 2026, but their form in the next five games - four defeats and a draw - ultimately cost him his job. There were calls for him to go in his final game in charge against Chelmsford City, as there had been earlier in the campaign, but many supporters were prepared to back him until the end of the season. 

Injuries also conspired against him, against Chelmsford he was without influential centre back duo Jordan Dyer and Sam Dreyer after having already lost Callum Dolan for the remainder of the campaign. Cody Cooke also added himself to the list after going off with a shoulder injury. 

With a record in all competitions that reads played 87, won 44, drawn 20 and lost 23, Wotton can leave with his head held high, but his departure also reflects the levels of expectation at Plainmoor. Parallels can be drawn with managing a side who used to be in the Premier League, who were relegated from the Championship and then fell through to League One. Those expectations became increasingly higher after the Gulls went so close to winning the title in his first campaign in charge.  

In spite of his departure, the hope is that Wotton won't be lost to the game forever, and personally I think it's unlikely that will prove to the case. 

The challenge now is to revive United's fortunes in the final 13 games of the campaign, starting with Farnborough at home with Warnock in interim charge.