Goalkeeper Lavercombe, who hails from Torquay and is a
former Gulls’ season ticket holder, make his debut in a 2-0 away defeat at
Aldershot Town on Easter Monday. Since then, he held down the goalkeeper’s
jersey for United’s next three fixtures – against Altrincham, Lincoln City and
FC Halifax Town – and kept a clean sheet in all three of those matches.
Left-back Ives, a Northern Ireland youth international,
built on some impression pre-season displays with a sustained run in the first
team this season. His impressive displays have helped to keep the Gulls former
Arsenal starlet Thomas Cruise out of the side and has attracted interest from a
number of visiting scouts. Ives has been offered a professional deal by Torquay
manager Chris Hargreaves and it is hoped that he will remain at the Launa
Windows Stadium.
Central defender O’Neil Odofin has made a solitary
appearance as a substitute in the Gulls’ FA Trophy tie with Bishop Stortford. Odofin
looks set to sign a first professional contract in the summer and has also been
likened to former West Bromwich Albion defender Darren Moore, who also started
his career as a youth team player with the Gulls.
Cornish-born Liam Prynn nearly joined Aston Villa on the eve
of the 2013-14 season, but failed to settle in the West Midlands. He has
continued to make progress with United and has been prolific scorer in the
Gulls’ youth side and has made several cameo appearances for the first team.
As second-year academy scholars, all four of them will be
hearing their respective fates this week as to whether they will receive a
professional contract and, therefore, be included in Chris Hargreaves’ plans
for next season.
