When mounting a challenge for promotion, many teams won't just be looking for big performances from their star players, but they will also be looking to some of the lesser heralded players in their squads to make an impact as well.
One such player who has stepped up to the plate for Torquay United in recent in their recent weeks, as they aim to clinch promotion from National League South under Paul Wotton, has been defender Finley Craske.
Over the course of the season, Craske has performed in a number of roles including right-back, right wing-back, left-back and also stood in as a centre-back in recent weeks in the absence of Jordan Dyer and Jay Foulston through injury.
On Saturday, he netted his second goal for the club against Hornchurch and produced a commanding display on the left-hand side of a back three that included Ed Palmer and Sam Dreyer. It was also only the second time that Craske has made three appearances in the space of a week since joined the Gulls in the summer of 2023.
In another of United's promotion challenges during the 2003-04 season, whilst Alex Russell and David Graham rightfully got the plaudits they deserved in terms of being nominated in the PFA Division Three team of the season, there were other unsung players who stepped up to the plate when required.
For example, Martin Gritton might only have scored four times during the course of the campaign, after being top scorer in 2002-03, but his goal against Hull City on February 19, 2004 still ranked as one of the most crucial scored by a Torquay United player that season.
Then there was Reuben Hazell who, after finding it difficult to displace either Steve Woods and Craig Taylor at centre-back, filled in at right-back following an injury to Lee Canoville for the final five games of the campaign. He even managed to find the target in United's 3-0 Bank Holiday Monday win over Oxford United and let's not forget the penalty decision that rememorably went in his favour against Southend United on the final day at Roots Hall.
Fast forward to 2025, and Wotton will need players like Craske and others to make similar, hopefully telling, contributions between now and the final day of the campaign, which ends in late April, to help get the Gulls over the line.
