BOUNCEBACKABILITY THE NAME OF THE GAME FOR THE GULLS UNDER WOTTON

 Not for the first time this season, bouncebackability was the name of the game for Torquay United as they came from behind to beat National League South leaders Weston Super Mare. 

Luke Coulson gave the Seagulls the lead in the 17th minute before United replied with a stunning 20 yard strike from Lirak Hasani, which was the former Gateshead midfielder's third of the campaign. Five minutes later, Plymouth Argyle loanee Will Jenkins-Davies capitalised on a sloppy back pass from former Pilgrims striker Reuben Reid and raced towards goal before firing into the bottom corner. 

Three minutes before the break, Sam Avery bundled home a corner from Coulson to level matters, but the Gulls were then handed the chance to restore their lead from the penalty spot after Hasani was upended in the area. United's leading scorer Cody Cooke stepped up to take it, only to be denied by a save from Weston keeper Max Harris. 

Early in the second half, the Gulls were reduced to ten men when Hasani was dismissed following a challenge on Reid. However, manager Paul Wotton shuffled his pack and introduced club captain Oscar Threlkeld from the bench in place of Omar Mussa. 

Instead of clinging onto their share of the spoils, United edged ahead in the 69th minute when Jenkins-Davies burst down the right and found Cooke who backheeled the Gulls' third of the evening.

Then on 78 minutes, Dan Hayfield intercepted the ball inside his own half and made a lung busting run before teeing up Cooke for his brace, and his eighth of the campaign. 

The result took the number of points that United have won after conceding first to 14; the Gulls have won away to Chesham United, drawn away to Eastbourne Borough and at home to Maidstone United and beaten Worthing and Saturday's opponents Enfield Town. They defeated the latter on the opening day of the 2024-25 campaign after conceding after four minutes. 

One thing is fairly certain, and that's that no one could accuse Wotton's charges of lacking resilience.

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS TRURO CITY

 1. The goal that never was. 

A minute before half time, Paignton-born Connor Riley-Lowe appeared to have given Truro the lead, which, had it stood, could have changed the course of the game. However, United keeper James Hamon protested to the linesman that he had been obstructed and it was promptly disallowed. 

The circumstances were similar to the goal that Sam Dreyer scored against Chelmsford City, which he then saw chalked off following protests from a number of Chelmsford players. Nevertheless, if decisions that go against you over the course of the season even themselves out eventually, the Gulls got a slice of luck that they were possibly due.

 2. Dan Hayfield's free kick. 

In the end it was a closely fought contest decided by one piece of quality, namely Dan Hayfield's 53rd minute which was awarded after United substitute Will Jenkins Davies was upended by Will Dean.

Over the years, the Gulls have had a number of fine free-kick takers in their squad, including Brian Healy, Mick O'Brien, Alex Russell, Luke Young and Armani Little, and each of them would have been proud of Hayfield's effort. 

It was also Hayfield's third goal of the season, which makes him the Gulls' second top scorer behind Cody Cooke who currently has six.

3. Warnock in the dug out. 

As Paul Wotton was serving a touchline ban, United's football advisor Neil Warnock made a return to the dugout to assist United's number two Mike Edwards. It was 31 years since he last took his seat in the Plainmoor home dug out, on the final day of the 1992-93 season when the Gulls beat Gillingham 2-1 - a week after they had retained their Third Division status with a 1-0 away win at Carlisle United. It was the first time he has been involved in an FA Trophy tie since he was manager of Scarborough in the 1986-87 campaign. 

4. A promising debut from Jordan Thomas. 

After joining the Gulls on loan from Yeovil Town, Jordan Thomas marked his debut for United with an assured display. They were shades of former Gulls right-back Ben Wynter in his performance, as he got forward well and looked strong defensively.

5. Jordan Dyer steps up. 

With Sam Dreyer rested, Jordan Dyer switched to the centre of the back three for the Gulls with Ed Palmer coming into the side on the right hand side of defence. Dyer produced a commanding display, even when him and Palmer formed a centre back pairing, they won numerous headers and made plenty of blocks to keep the Tinners at bay.

6. The midfield. 

The Gulls' midfield also played an important in helping them to reach the next round of the FA Trophy. Skipper Oscar Threlkeld returned to the starting line-up and he led by example as he proved to be an unsung hero for the Gulls. He excelled at breaking up play and going the ugly side of his job, which can often go under the radar. 

The introduction of Will Jenkins-Davies at half-time also helped to bring more energy to the Gulls midfield, and it was the challenge on him by Truro's Will Dean that resulted in the awarding of the free-kick from which Dan Hayfield scored.

TROPHY REUNION WITH TRURO FOR WOTTON

 After hosting South West rivals Yeovil Town at the same stage of the FA Trophy last season, Torquay United will be playing host to Truro City - a tie which will have an extra edge to it, as it will also see manager Paul Wotton face his former club. 

Wotton spent five years with the Tinners between 2019 and 2024, during which time Truro had been homeless and ground-sharing with the likes of Plymouth Parkway and Gloucester City. Nevertheless, he still managed to lead them to promotion from the Southern Premier Division South play-offs in the 2022-23 campaign. 

In addition to Wotton, his assistant Mike Edwards also made the journey from the Truro Sports Hub to Plainmoor, along with goalkeeper James Hamon and centre back Ed Palmer. Another Truro old boy in the Gulls ranks is striker Cody Cooke, who spent seven years with the Tinners between 2011 and 2018 before heading north of the border to join St Mirren. Right backs Finley Craske and Finn Tonks have both at loan spells with Truro.

Likely to be lining up for the Tinners are goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe, who progressed through United's youth ranks and had two separate spells at Plainmoor between 2015 and 2016 and 2017, left back Ryan Law who had a short loan spell with the Gulls in the 2020-21 season and midfielder Billy Palfrey had a brief stint at United in the 2016-17 campaign.

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS TONBRIDGE ANGELS

 1. We need to talk about the officials. 

For the second home game in succession, the quality of officiating in a Torquay United game has been a talking point. In the 89th minute, Stoke loanee Keke Jeffers, 11 minutes after coming off the bench, connected with a free-kick from Jordan Young and headed home what looked like the winning goal, but the linesman on the far side adjudged that Jeffers was offside, when it looked for all the world that he was on. It was a decision that not only cost United two points, but cost Jeffers his first career goal in what was his first game in senior men's football and Jordan Young was denied an assist. Gulls manager Paul Wotton also earned himself a yellow card for protesting against the decision. 

If bad decisions even themselves out over the course of the season, United look set to be due a huge slice of luck in the second half of the campaign.

2. Cody Cooke was a big miss. 

The absence of Cody Cooke up front was keenly felt as United missed his physical presence and hold up play. Cooke, who was serving a one-match ban for picking up five yellow cards, is currently the Gulls' top scorer with six goals and had netted two in two prior to his ban. Thankfully he'll be available on Tuesday night against Maidstone United. 

3. Sam Dreyer becomes one of the club's youngest ever captains. 

After captaining the side away to Hornchurch earlier this season, centre back Sam Dreyer also had the honour of leading out United against Tonbridge. At the age of 20, he must surely the club's youngest ever, if not one of the youngest ever, captains. And he cerainly led by example with another assured display, as he helped the Gulls keep a second successive clean sheet.

4. It's tight at the top. 

With no team so far running away with the National League South title in a similar manner to the way Yeovil Town did last season, the gap separating the teams at the top is incredibly tight; only three points currently separate Weston Super Mare in first place with 31 and seventh placed Worthing who have 28.  

The Gulls are in sixth place and have 29 points at present; they also have a game in hand on Eastbourne Borough (3rd), Farnborough (4th) and Dorking Wanderers (5th). Eastbourne are currently two points ahead of the Gulls, while Farnborough are a point clear of them and goal difference is all that keeps them and Dorking Wanderers apart. 

A run of wins could see United pull clear of the pack which they currently find themselves a part of.

UNITED ARE PLAYING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN THE RIGHT ORDER - YET

Just like when Eric Morecambe attempted to play Grieg's Piano Concerto number one on the Morecambe and Wise show, Torquay United are playing all the right notes under Paul Wotton - but not necessarily in the right order. 

United are currently third in National League South after 15 games, roughly a third of the way through the season, after building literally a brand new squad from scratch after the Bryn Consortium brought the club out of Administration. 

In the summer, Wotton retained Dean Moxey, Finley Craske, Ollie Tomlinson and Brad Ash from the 2023-24 side, along with Austen Booth who was under contract, but has since left the club, before securing a host of new signings. He has recently added Jordan Young from Yeovil Town for an undisclosed fee, and Young duly marked his debut with a goal in the Gulls' recent 2-2 draw with Chelmsford City. 

As a player, Wotton played under the likes of Neil Warnock, Paul Sturrock and Tony Pulis amongst others; three managers for whom being fit and organised was a given. However, with the arrival of Young and the emergence of Omar Mussa as a regular starter, he has also looked to add more flair to his side.

Wotton has also spoken of how United aren't the finished article yet, and has also mentioned the need to develop partnerships and strong understandings all over the pitch. The former was something that was true of some of the Gulls' most successful teams in living memory, most notable Leroy Rosenior's automatic promotion winning side of 2003-04, Paul Buckle's 2008-09 National League Play-off winning side and not to mention Gary Johnson's National League South title winners of 2018-19. 

The latter side on that list is the one that Wotton is looking to emulate in the short to medium term, and he is edging closer towards achieving it, as the constant strive for improvement continues. It's entirely plausible that towards the end of the season, everything will fall into place for United and all the right notes will be played in their correct order to the tune that Wotton wishes them to play.

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS CHELMSFORD CITY

 1. A debut to remember for Jordan Young. 

Torquay United and Paul Wotton arguably got what they paid for when bringing Jordan Young to Plainmoor from Yeovil Town, as he played a key role in United's first goal before opening his account for the club with their second of the afternoon. For the Gulls' opener, he went on a thrusting run before seeing his shot blocked, which fell invitingly to Cody Cooke who found the back of the net. For United's second, he had seen a shot from distance turned over the bar by Chelmsford keeper Woody Williamson, the resulting corner from Omar Mussa was only cleared as far as Young who struck with a low drive from 15 yards. 

Overall, Young showed more than a few glimpses of the form that he displayed for Yeovil, where he scored 16 goals in all competitions, 14 of which came in the league. If he continues with the form that he showed on his debut for the Gulls against Chelmsford. 

2. Cody Cooke's fifth of the season. 

Remarkably Cody Cooke's fifth goal of the season was the first goal that he has scored at Plainmoor since he joined the club in the summer from Bath City. Cooke is now comfortably the Gulls' leading scorer, as he currently has more than double the highest amount of United's next higest scorer(s): Brad Ash, Matt Carson, Dan Hayfield and Lirak Hasani all have two goals each. 

Unfortunately, Cooke also picked a fifth league booking of the season, which means that he will be absent for United's league meeting with Tonbridge Angels next week. 

3. Sam Dreyer denied his first goal for the club. 

On 36 minutes, Sam Dreyer appeared to have restored United's two-goal cushion after Jake Hyde had pulled a goal back for the Clarets in the 31st minute. A Matt Carson corner was knocked back into the penalty area by Dan Hayfield before Dreyer got the final touch on it and nodded the ball past Chelmsford keeper Williamson. However, the goal was disallowed by referee Stacey Pearson after consulting with linesman James Welsh, under protest from the Clarets players. Whether it was deemed offside, or there was another infringement, it wasn't completely clear, but nevertheless Dreyer, one of United's two ever presents this season, is still waiting for his maiden goal in yellow and blue.

4. Needing to tighten up at the back. 

After yesterday's showing, United have now only kept one clean sheet in their last seven National League South matches, which came in their away fixture against Hampton and Richmond Borough on October 5. Saturday's fixture against Chelmsford was also the first time that they've conceded more than once at home this season. 

It's something that Paul Wotton and his assistant Mike Edwards will need to be wary of as the season enters its midway point.