SIX TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS SOUTHEND UNITED

 1. A lack of service to the front two. 

In Aaron Jarvis and Tope Fadahunsi Gary Johnson has two forwards at his disposal who have the potential to get United out of trouble. However, the pair got very little change out of a stubborn Southend backline and received very little in terms of service from United's midfield. Therefore the duo, who have scored 14 goals between them (Jarvis 12 and Fadahunsi two) both had very quiet afternoons.

It wasn't until the 68th minute that the Gulls finally managed a shot on target through a shot from QPR loanee Dillon De Silva tested Southend keeper Blondy Nna Noukeu from distance.  

If United want to stay up, they need to score goals, which means that Jarvis and Fadahunsi need adequate service in order to do so.

2. Options from the bench. 

The inclusion of Newport County loanee Lewis Collins, following the end of concussion protocol, gave Torquay United boss Gary Johnson an option to change things from the bench - which he used to good effect. 

Collins entered the fray at half-time in place of Jacob Mensah, in a move that also saw the Gulls switch from 3-5-2 to 3-4-3. It had seemingly paid dividends when Collins opened his account for the club in the 85th minute before Cav Miley struck with Southend's late winner to secure the three points for the Shrimpers.

Nevertheless, Collins has staked his claim for a potential starting berth. 

3. Nico Lawrence comes through another test with flying colours. 

Since his arrival on loan from Southampton young centre back Nico Lawrence has faced a number of stern examinations from National League forwards and has come through them with flying colours. 

Against Southend he found himself facing the experienced Jake Hyde and the one time Barnet and York City striker ended up having a largely quiet afternoon - thanks in no small part to Lawrence. 

If Lawrence needs any inspiration to follow in his career, there is no better example than Newcastle United defender Dan Burn, who on the same weekend featured for the Magpies in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United. Burn also had a loan spell at Yeovil Town under Gary Johnson and went on to have a great career, which Lawrence has shown he has the potential to do himself. 

4. United need Asa Hall fit. 

He might be a few weeks away from fitness, but Torquay United need skipper Asa Hall back and fit. The Gulls have missed his presence and authority in midfield, and in a team that is short of leaders merely having him on the pitch will be of great benefit to United. 

5. Taking advantage of another club imploding. 

When Torquay United have been involved in relegation battles in the past the Gulls have taken advantage of other clubs going on a slump which they have found themselves unable to escape from. 

Think Lincoln City in 1986-87; think Halifax Town in 1992-93; think Barnet in 2000-01; think Oxford United in 2005-06. All of them ended up finding themselves in relegation scraps that they saw them relegated instead of the Gulls who, each time, proved that they have enough to pull themselves clear. 

Now the Torquay United of 2022-23 need to show those same qualities.

6. Southend's big day in court. 

This Wednesday will see Southend United face an opponent far tougher than the Gulls - HMRC in the High Court over an unpaid tax bill.  

Should the judge decide to liquidate the Shrimpers then their National League record would be expunged and any points won by their opponents against them would be wiped out - including the three points that the Gulls won at Roots Hall last September. 

Hopefully for all concerned it won't come to that.

PILGRIMS TO FACE TROTTERS AT WEMBLEY

Plymouth Argyle will face Bolton Wanderers in the final of the Papa Johns Trophy at Wembley on Sunday April 2. 

The Pilgrims overcame Cheltenham Town 3-2 on penalties in the Southern Area final - after drawing 1-1 in normal time - while the Trotters defeated Accrington Stanley. 

Goalkeeper Callum Burton, who recently established himself as Argyle's first choice keeper after Michael Cooper was ruled out through injury, saved three penalties for the Pilgrims to deny former Pilgrims' loanee Ryan Broom, Elliot Bonds and Alfie May - as they booked their third visit to Wembley. 

May had given the Robins the lead before substitute Ryan Hardie equalised for the Pilgrims, which sent the tie to penalties.

Argyle have now become the second team from Devon to reach the final of the competition and their run to the final draws certain parallels with the last team from the county to make it to the final in 1989 - Torquay United. 

Not only did the Gulls face Bolton Wanderers in the final of the Sherpa Van Trophy, as it was then known, they also had a stand-in goalkeeper to thank for an heroic display in the Southern Area final against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Veteran keeper Kenny Allen rejoined Torquay following an injury to first choice keeper Kenny Veysey and played out of his skin to keep a Wolves attack that included Steve Bull and Andy Mutch in the second leg at Molineux, as the Gulls won 2-0 to win 3-2 on aggregate.

SIX TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITER VERSUS BARNET

1. Aaron Jarvis on target again. 

By opening the scoring for Torquay United against Barnet, Gulls striker Aaron Jarvis took his National League goal tally of the season to eight in 19 starts. 

His overall tally also includes two goals in the FA Trophy (against Taunton Town) and one in the FA Cup (against Hampton and Richmond) - which means he has equalled Danny Wright's goal scoring return of 11 from the 2020-21 campaign. 

Jarvis, who became the sixth Torquay United player to score a hat-trick under Gary Johnson's reign as manager when he netted a treble against Aldershot Town earlier in the season, also offers more than just goals in terms of his hold up play and work rate. 

2. Two assists for Kieron Evans. 

Replacing the creative attributes of Armani Little and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans was one of the key tasks facing Gary Johnson in the summer of 2022. However, Cardiff City loanee Kieron Evans is showing why Johnson agreed a season-long loan deal to bring him fo Plainmoor from the Cardiff City Stadium. 

Evans provided both assists for the Gulls as he teed up Jarvis and Fadahunsi for their respective goals and he could also have counted himself unlucky not to have found the target himself - in what was arguably his best display for United to date.

3. Tom Lapslie underlines his importance to the side.

Such were the energy levels shown by Tom Lapslie that it wouldn't be a great surprise if Barnet thought they were facing two of him, with a display similar to those produced in the Premier League by N'golo Kante for Leicester City and Chelsea in recent years.

However, as well making a numerous box-to-box runs, Lapslie also showed one or two glimpses of quality - most notably with the pass that sent Kieron Evans away down the left hand side to enable him to find Tope Fadahunsi for United's second.  

As previously stated in this column, keeping him fit will be important to United's chances of avoiding the drop. 

4. A century of wins for Johnson. 

United's win over Barnet was also their 100th win since Gary Johnson was appointed as manager in September 2018. It also gives Johnson a win ratio of 46.95% from 2013 - which is one of the highest of any Torquay United manager.

5. With three home wins out of four Plainmoor is becoming a fortress. 

Whisper it quietly, but Plainmoor is fast becoming a tougher place for opposite teams to visit. The Gulls win over Barnet was their third win in four league matches (FC Halifax Town and Maidstone United are the other two) and remarkably their narrow defeat to Notts County is United's only home loss in the National League since they were beaten 5-1 by Chesterfield last November. 

However, the Gulls are focusing on stringing a run of wins together rather just making sure that they win at home. 

5. Gulls edging closer to safety. 

After Saturday's result, United are now within one point of safety and a win over Dorking Wanderers, who are now only two points above them, could lift the Gulls out of the relegation zone if results elsewhere go their way. 

In addition to this, United are also within three points of Yeovil Town (19th) and York City (18th) and four points behind Maidenhead United (17th). 

 

 

WARNOCK'S WINNING RETURN

Former Torquay United and Plymouth Argyle manager Neil Warnock made a winning return to the dug out as he oversaw a win for Huddersfield Town against Birmingham City. 

Troy Deeney gave the Blues the lead before goals from Joseph Hungbo and Jaheim Headley enabled the Terriers to come from behind to secure the win. 

Warnock, 74, who guided the Gulls to a 'great escape' in the 1992-93 season and led the Pilgrims to promotion via the play-offs in the 1995-96 campaign, had previously announced that he had retired from management after leaving Middlesbrough in 2021. 

However, Warnock, who currently resides in Cornwall and was a guest at Torquay's FA Cup first round tie with Derby County, has taken a break from his media commitments and one-man shows to return to management with Huddersfield who he managed between 1993 and 1995. 

Their 2-1 in his first game in charge leaves the Terriers in touching distance of two of his former clubs, Rotherham United and Cardiff City, who sit above the final relegation spot of 22nd which they currently occupy. 

 

SIX TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS BARNET FA TROPHY

1. Trophy runneth over. 

After wins in the previous rounds over Chippenhan Town and Taunton Town, Torquay United's involvement in the FA Trophy came to an end against Barnet. It's a far cry from the first time that the Gulls entered the competition in the 2007-08 season when they reached the final - losing to Ebbsfleet United. Nevertheless it leaves United free to concentrate on their league campaign and retaining their National League status.

2. United denied by the woodwork twice. 

Twice in the first half, United were denied by the woodwork. The first occasion came in the fourth minute when leading scorer Aaron Jarvis hit the bar - shortly after Harry Smith had given the Bees the lead. 

Then, in first half injury time, early sub Tope Fadahunsi struck the post after being teed up by Jarvis. Had these both gone in we could well have been looking at a 3-2 win for the Gulls - a popular scoreline in this fixture. 

3. Gary Johnson forced into an early change. 

An injury to Newport County loanee Lewis Collins forced United boss Gary Johnson into a 28th substitute as Sutton United loanee Tope Fadahunsi entered the fray in place of the former Wales Under-21 forward. 

Fadahunsi struck the post in first half injury time, after being teed up by Aaron Jarvis, and got very little change out of Barnet's three centre backs in the second half. 

4. Kieron Evans is off the mark. 

Cardiff City loanee Kieron Evans finally got off the mark for the Gulls when his 56th minute crept past Barnet keeper Laurie Walker into the corner of the net. Although it did appear did Shaun Donnellan got a final touch on it Evans' initial effort was on target, so therefore it should be accredited to him. 

Hopefully he can score a few more between now and the end of the season. 

5. Plenty of graft, but need more craft. 

While United's effort cannot be faulted, the Gulls do need to show more creativity in the final third. Brett McGavin made his return to the side - after several weeks out injured - and he looked comfortable in possession and kept the ball well, but United need him to play the kind of passes that could unlock an opposition defence. Also, Dillon De Silva needs to be given the licence to run at defenders more and whip in dangerous crosses. 

6. We go again next week in the league. 

Next week the two sides will reconvene at Plainmoor for a league encounter. It will be interesting to see how both Gary Johnson and Dean Brennan, the Barnet manager, approach the game - and to see whether or not they both learned anything from their initial meeting.

PILGRIMS LOOKING TO COME OUT ON TOP IN BATTLE OF THE PORTS

Whether or not you refer to it as the 'Battle of the Ports' or the 'Dockyard Derby' Plymouth Argyle will be aiming to get their League One promotion bid back on track against Portsmouth. 

Their 1-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, who are managed, of course, by former Torquay United defender Darren Moore, saw the Pilgrims surrender top spot in the division to the Owls. However, Argyle still lead third placed Ipswich Town by six points having played the same number of games. 

It will be a challenge that the Pilgrims will head into without their highly rated young goalkeeper Michael Cooper, who sustained a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) which will keep him out of action for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign. In his place will be his understudy Callum Burton as he looks to add to the ten appearances that he has made for Argyle so far this season. 

For Burton there might be a sense of de ja vu about his new opportunity with the Pilgrims; whilst at Cambridge United he spent the majority of the 2020-21 season as understudy to Dimitar Mitov before an injury to Mitov saw him make 26 appearances for the U's - as they ended the campaign as runners-up - after only playing in cup ties previously. 

Also, losing your first choice keeper during a promotion is nothing new for Argyle. Romain Larrieu experienced the same injury as Cooper in the 2003-04 campaign after making only six appearances, Luke McCormick, then a promising young 20-year old, stepped into the breach and appeared 40 times as the Pilgrims won the Division Two title. 

The opportunity is there for Burton and the Pilgrims' class of 2022-23 to emulate that glory of almost two decades ago. 

SIX TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS NOTTS COUNTY

1.   A lack of potency. 

After Notts County's Portuguese midfielder Ruben Rodrigues was dismissed for handling the ball as it was going out of play in the 65th minute, Torquay United played the remainder of the match against ten men - but failed to make their numerical advantage. 

Defensively, the Gulls have become more resolute - as evidenced with back-to-back clean sheets in addition to back-to-back wins against FC Halifax Town and Maidstone United and followed by a 1-1 draw with Woking. 

However, their clash with Notts County that they also need to address the issue of showing more creativity in the final third and re-discover scoring goals in 'Gary time'.

2. Professional display from Lewis Collins on debut. 

After joining the club on loan from Newport County, Lewis Collins was handed his debut on 35 minutes when he entered the fray in place of Sutton United loanee Tope Fadahunsi. Collins then had a hand in United's equaliser when he teed up Shaun Donnellan whose cross then found Tom Lapslie who scored to draw the Gulls level.

3. Lapslie on target. 

Tom Lapslie's equaliser three minutes before half-time was his third goal of the campaign, which now means he has surpassed his goal scoring return last season of two. 

4. The versatility of Shaun Donnellan. 

One of the plus points of United's 2022-23 campaign has been the versatility of summer signing Shaun Donnellan, who has appeared at right back, centre back and in the centre of midfield. 

Donnellan started out on Saturday as part of a back three with Nico Lawrence and Dean Moxey, but he later moved into the middle of midfield when Ross Marshall replaced Ryan Hanson who was on a yellow card and was running the risk of receiving a second.

5. Nico Lawrence excelled in the centre of defence. 

Southampton loanee Nico Lawrence produced anither solid performance in the heart of United's defence and continues to grow as a player. Against the Magpies he found himself gong toe-to-toe with the National League's leading scorer Macauley Langstaff - and other than the goal which Langstaff scored to give County the lead in the 34th minute he got very little change out of Lawrence. 

6. Notts become the first team to complete the 'double' over the Gulls. 

By coming away from Plainmoor with a 2-1 win