1. A complete contrast from their last meeting.
When Torquay United last faced Chesterfield in their final home game of the 2021-22 season they won 2-0 with the goals coming courtesy of a sublime individual effort from QPR loanee Stephen Duke-McKenna and an Armani Little penalty.
However, yesterday's meeting was a complete contrast as a second half blitz from the Spireites saw them blow the Gulls away to win 5-1 in emphatic fashion. Chesterfield now join Notts County, Wrexham and Solihull Moors in scoring four or more goals against United in 2022-23.
2. Is the Gulls' schedule taking too much out of them.
United manager Gary Johnson admitted that his side looked tired after they completed their fourth game in 12 days (Aldershot Tuesday 1 November, Derby Sunday 6 November, Dorking Wanderers 9 November and Chesterfield 12 November). Also Chesterfield had seen their midweek fixture with Wealdstone was postponed due to Wealdstone's Grosvenor Vale pitch being waterlogged.
However, ahead of their replay on Tuesday night, Derby also had an equalling punishing itinerary as they face an EFL Cup tie against Liverpool on the same night that United faced Dorking, which went to extra time and penalties, and have played the same number of games over the same period of time.
3. Dillon De Silva following the path of Sinclair Armstrong and Stephen Duke-McKenna.
Last season, Sinclair Armstrong and Stephen Duke-McKenna both excelled for the Gulls whilst on loan from Queens Park Rangers. In the current campaign, Sri Lankan international winger Dillon De Silva followed in their footsteps by making the move from Loftus Road to Plainmoor - and after adding to the brace he scored against Dorking Wanderers with another strike against Chesterfield, United once again have their former winger Paul Hall, who is also the R's Under-23's coach, to thank for lining up another superb loan signing.
4. Seven into five doesn't go.
United went into Saturday's game against Chesterfield with five loan players in their starting line-up: Lucas Ness (Charlton Athletic), Mark Ellis (Barrow), Dillon De Silva (QPR), Stephen Wearne (Grimsby Town) and Will Goodwin (Stoke City). Because only five loanees are allowed in a matchday squad, central midfielder Scott Smith, who is currently on loan from Wigan Athletic, missed out entirely. Also, Kieron Evans, who joined on a season-long loan deal from Cardiff City has resumed light training again after sustaining broken ribs against Maidenhead United in September.
Hopefully Gary Johnson will be allowed to turn one or two of these loan signings into permanent ones with some of the revenue that the Gulls have generated from their FA Cup fixtures against Derby County, or he and Aaron Downes will have some difficult decisions to make.
5. Corie Andrews is back.
Striker Corie Andrews made a long awaited return following a knee injury as he came off the bench to replace skipper Asa Hall in the 78th minute. In his absence, strike duo Aaron Jarvis and Will Goodwin have taken their goalscoring figures for the season to ten, having found the back of the net five times each, and Andrews will be keen to get off the mark himself - as he is yet to find the back of the net for the Gulls.
6. A series of 'six-pointers' coming up.
Whilst United won't be competing with the likes of Notts County, Wrexham and Chesterfield this season, they do have a number of 'six-pointers' coming up against Gateshead, Yeovil Town, FC Halifax Town and Maidstone United over the next few months. How they perform against them could go a long way to determining their fate at the end of the season.
