Fourth opening day defeat in the last 20 years for the Gulls.
By losing 3-1 at home to Altrincham, Torquay United suffered their first opening day defeat since they were beaten 2-0 by Macclesfield Town on the first day of the 2016-17 season. It was also the Gulls' fourth opening day loss in the last 20 years - along with defeats to Bristol Rovers in 2001-02 and Gateshead in 2014-15. It was also United's first opening day home defeat since losing 1-0 to Cambridge United in the 1998-99 season in Wes Saunders' first game as manager.
Six debutants start and two more feature from the bench.
Torquay United manager Gary Johnson named six debutants in his starting eleven. Mark Halstead started in goal, Ali Omar featured alongside Joe Lewis at centre back, Gabby Rogers, Tom Lapslie and Keelan O'Connell appeared in midfield and Dan Holman partnered his old Cheltenham Town colleague Danny Wright up front. In addition to this, Chiori Johnson and Klaidi Lolos also made their debuts from the bench. However, following yesterday's defeat United need to turn things around quickly and having built a Cheltenham side who won the National League from scratch, Johnson will no doubt know what is needed to make his team into a more cohesive unit.
A reminder of how tough National League life can be.
Exactly 62 days had passed since the Gulls lost to Hartlepool United in the 2020-21 National League Play-off final when they kicked off the new campaign against Altrincham. Their loss to Alty served to remind them of how tough the National League can be - namely a rough, tough world where results have to be earned and reputations often count for nothing. It's also a league which those competing in it need to learn to adapt to it quickly - and that's precisely what United need to do now.
Glimpses of promise from Holman and Rogers.
While it was a bad day at the office for the Gulls - debutants Dan Holman and Gabby Rogers did display glimpses of promise. Holman - who netted 16 times in 18 appearances for Cheltenham under Gary Johnson in the 2015-16 season - showed how dangerous he could be when he tested Altrincham keeper Tony Thompson with a shot on the turn in the 38th minute. Rogers, the former Gulls youth prospect who was released by Yeovil Town, was arguably United's greatest attacking threat and frequently troubled the Alty defence with his skill and trickery.
Asa Hall still a big influence.
He may have only been on the pitch for just over 17 minutes, but United skipper Asa Hall showed a calming authority when he came off the bench as a replacement for Tom Lapslie in the 73rd minute. If Hall is fit to start against Notts County next Saturday he should surely be starting for the Gulls. As well as the departed Kyle Cameron and Lucas Covolan and the returned loanees of Adam Randell and Sam Sherring, Hall and the injured Connor Lemonheigh-Evans took the number of players who started for the Gulls against Hartlepool at Ashton Gate to six.
Third biggest crowd of the day.
United' attendance of 2,599 was the third biggest attendance in the National League on the opening day of the campaign, behind King's Lynn's 2,683 against Southend United and Stockport County's 5,266 for their clash with Dagenham & Redbridge. Above all else, it was good to see the fans back inside Plainmoor.
