1. Player A*
He might have been listed as Player A on the teamsheet by Torquay United manager Gary Johnson, but the entirety of the 621 crowd that witnessed the Gulls' 3-0 pre-season friendly win over Chippenham Town. Former Yeovil Town midfielder Gabriel Rogers, who had featured against the Gulls for Tiverton Town in midweek, made a big impact following his introduction in the second half and scored a very early contender for goal of the season. In the 78th minute, he latched onto a loose ball and found the back of the net from 40-yards.
Rogers had previously been on trial with Wycombe Wanderers with their development side in July, but should he sign a contract with the Gulls he will be involved in and around the first team - which will no doubt aid his development further.
2. Last ditch signings.
Shortly before kick off, in a style that Gulls fans have become accustomed to, Gary Johnson revealed the permanent signings of Chiori Johnson and Dan Holman, who had previously been on trial with the Gulls during their 2021-22 pre-season preparations. Johnson, who includes Arsenal and Bolton Wanderers amongst his former clubs, can play at right-back, left-back and in midfield while Holman plays as a striker and is a player very familiar to Gary Johnson from his time as Cheltenham Town.
3. Dan Holman looked sharp.
As mentioned previously United's new signing Dan Holman is a player who Gary Johnson is well acquainted with from his spell as Cheltenham Town manager. On his first permanent outing for the Gulls, Holman rattled the crossbar twice in the first half and made it 2-0 to United with a delicate angled chip in the second half. He was previously signed by Johnson for Cheltenham midway through the 2015-16 season from Colchester United and he scored a phenomenal 16 goals in 18 National League appearances as the Robins won the National League title at the first attempt.
However, a toe injury sustained on the eve of the 2016-17 season, in a training ground challenge with United assistant manager Aaron Downes, meant that he wasn't able to recapture that level of form again for Cheltenham. Loan spells with Boreham Wood and Leyton Orient followed and then permanent spells with Aldershot Town, Kettering Town and Brackley Town, but he is now looking to resurrect his career under Johnson with the Gulls.
4. Danny Wright amongst the goals again.
While Dan Holman was at Cheltenham he formed a useful strike partnership with Danny Wright, and Wright was amongst the goals again as he scored United's opener early in the second half. Wright was in the right place at the right time to head home Keelan O'Connell's cross four minutes after the restart.
Wright was a big miss for the Gulls while he was injured in the second half of last season, but he returned to the side to show just why he was much a big miss for United in the Play-offs against Notts County. Hopefully he will enjoy better luck with injury in the forthcoming campaign.
5. Celebrating heroes of old.
Before and after the match Gulls fans' were able to enjoy a drink in the club's Gulls Nest bar, but with an added twist. Former United keeper John Turner has joined the club as matchday bars manager. Turner originally joined the Gulls from Reading in 1978 before he was sold to Chesterfield two years later for a fee in the region of £40,000. He rejoined United in the 1983-84 season and was one of the victims of Dave Webb's cutbacks once he took ownership of the club from the late Tony Boyce. John later had a spell as assistant manager at Plainmoor under John Impey. He also went into the pub trade and was most recently the Landlord of the Jolly Sailor in East Ogwell, which was lost to fire in April 2021.
