1. The five year wait is over.
For the first time in five years, Torquay United will be featuring in the FA Cup first round draw. On that occasion the Gulls were beaten 2-0 by Rochdale at Plainmoor in the 2013-14 season - but they haven't appeared in the first round proper after losing in the fourth qualifying round to Aldershot Town (twice), Basingstoke Town and Woking in the intervening years. That, of course, was in complete contrast to the previous eight years between 2005-06 and 2012-13 when United made it at least as far as the second round in all seasons bar the 2012-13 campaign when they came unstuck against Harrogate Town in round one. It also included two runs to the fourth round proper in 2008-09 and 2010-11. United will be ball number 72 in Monday's draw.
2. The 'Ashton Gate four' come to the fore again.
Yet another Gulls' victory has a feel of 'made at Ashton Gate' to it, as three of the four goals that United scored were scored by their Bristol City loan contingent. Striker Saikou Janneh finally got off the mark with the Gulls' second of the game, as he headed home a Jamie Reid cross, before Connor Lemonheigh-Evans followed up his brace for Wales Under-21s against Switzerland with another double for United. If either Janneh, Lemonheigh-Evans or their fellow Ashton Gate loanees Opi Edwards and Jake Andrews need any inspiration then they'd need look no further than their contemporary Max O'Leary, who made his debut in goal for the Robins in their 1-0 away win over Brentford in the Championship. Last season, O'Leary was loaned out to Solihull Moors in the National League - a spell which played a big part in forcing his way into Robins' manager Lee Johnson's plans, and who would bet against either of the Robins' loan quartet currently at Plainmoor doing the same next season.
3. United strengthen their French connection.
Over the years, a number of French players have found their way to Plainmoor. Players as diverse as Jean-Pierre Simb, Khalid Chalqi, Morike Sako and Vincent Dorel have plied their trade for the Gulls and that link is continuing with Jean Yves Koue Niate and Kalvin Kalala. Niate was once again a key part of a defensive unit that kept Winchester at bay until Joe Hayward netted a consolation goal from the penalty spot on 71 minutes and Kalala opened his goal scoring account for the club with the afternoon's opening goal on what was his home debut. The duo look set to continue to be a big part of Gary Johnson's plans for the remainder of the campaign.
4. Is Asa Hall the 'new Chris Hargreaves'?
After taking on the captain's armband since Gary Johnson's arrival, Hall has revelled in the responsibility and can now be regarded as being every bit as integral to the current United side as Chris Hargreaves was to Paul Buckle's team between 2007 and 2009. As well as sporting long hair, Hall has proved to be highly effective at breaking up play and chipping with the odd important goal - two traits that Hargreaves possessed - and Johnson stated yesterday in his post-match interview that his choice of man of the match would have been between Hall, who also played under him at Cheltenham Town, and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans.
5. United have increased the number of goals that they have scored from midfield.
Last season the Gulls only managed to score nine goals from midfield as they were relegated from the National League, and five of those were scored by Luke Young. So far in the 2018-19 campaign, United's midfielders have overhauled that figure in all competitions following yesterday's result: Asa Hall and Jake Andrews have each scored three, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans' brace takes his tally to two and Kalvin Kalala scored his first for the Gulls yesterday and Chris Regis, who looks set to leave the club netted against Lymington Town.
If United are to challenge for promotion this season, they are currently one point off the play-offs, then goals from all positions are going to be important to the Gulls' cause. Left-back Liam Davis remains the only defender to have found the back of the net this season, but centre back Kyle Cameron has threatened to the back of the net once or twice from set pieces and it's surely only a matter of time before he finds the target from one.
