Torquay United will head to Boreham Wood on Saturday in third place in the National League after midweek results went against them.
Sutton United's win over Yeovil Town sees the U's become the new leaders of the division, while Hartlepool United followed up their win at Plainmoor on Saturday with a draw against Altrincham which lifts them above the Gulls.
After being 11 points clear at one stage, United are now in their first serious title race since their maiden season following relegation from the Football League - the 2007-08 campaign - as they looked to bounce back at the first attempt under Paul Buckle.
Just like in 2020-21, the Gulls got off to a flying start in 2007-08 - losing only two of their opening 14 league fixtures and during the course of the winter it became the clear that the identity of the champions of the Blue Square Premier - as the league was then known - would be either United, Aldershot Town or Cambridge United.
In the end the Gulls eventually ended up becoming victims of their own success. Their runs in the FA Cup, which saw them reach the second round, and the FA Trophy, where they reached the final, ended up working against them as they didn't have a strong enough squad to compete effectively on three fronts. United's title eventually came to a shuddering halt on March 3, when they lost 2-1 at home to Aldershot in a match that was broadcast live on Setanta Sports on a Monday night - which itself came two days after a trip to Grays Athletic on the previous Saturday such was the level of fixture congestion they faced.
The Gulls' current squad under Gary Johnson has seen their form undermined by injuries to key players. On Saturday against Hartlepool United, Johnson was without Lucas Covolan, Gary Warren, Kyle Cameron, Liam Davis, Dean Moxey, Aaron Nemane, Andrew Nelson and Danny Wright. With them back in the team - United are a completely different proposition.
As a consequence of this, the Gulls are also yet to win at Plainmoor in 2021. You need to go back to Boxing Day and their 6-1 drubbing of Yeovil Town to find their last home win. However, on the road United have been surprisingly successful. Since their home win over the Glovers, the Gulls have won three times in the league on their travels (Weymouth, Barnet and Solihull Moors) - five if you include FA Trophy victories over Boreham Wood and Southport. United's exit to Woking, as well as their 2-1 lost to Yeovil on January 2, are their only away defeats during this period.
Hopefully they will be able to continue their away form when they face Boreham Wood in front of the BT Sport cameras on Saturday, in their new roles as the challengers as they aim to knock Sutton off top spot.
