TORQUAY RETURN TO WINNING WAYS ON THE ROAD

 At the end of a difficult week, Torquay United returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over National League South strugglers Walton and Hersham. 

Matt Jay set the Gulls on their way with a delicate chip in the first half before second half strikes from substitute Cody Cooke and Jacob Beaumont-Clark sealed an impressive win on the road for Jimmy Ball's side. 

It was United's third win on the travels in the league this season, and the first of a run of four away fixtures, which includes Hemel Hempstead Town (November 10), Horsham (FA Trophy November 14) and Braintree Town (November 21), before they round off the month of November with home games against Chesham United (November 24) and Chelmsford City (November 28). 

GULLS NEED TO GET WINS ON THE BOARD

 It wasn't meant to be this way. 

After losing in the National League South play-off final to Hornchurch last May, many fans expected Torquay United to bounce back and be challenging again for promotion. 

However, for one reason or another, that hasn't happened for the Gulls as yet and they find themselves 16th in the National League South table after 13 games, with four wins, five draws and four defeats. 

Manager Jimmy Ball has had to deal with a serious period of transition which has seen United lose a source of over 50 goals following the departures of Jordan Young (18), Louis Dennis (16), Dylan Morgan (13) and Callum Dolan (5) - with the former three all departing Plainmoor following the start of the 2026-27 campaign. 

In addition to this, last season's first choice centre back pairing of Jordan Dyer and Sam Dreyer - which was arguably the best in the division - has been dismantled due to an ACL injury to Jordan Dyer and Sam Dreyer's move to Harrogate Town. 

All this has served to crank up the pressure on Ball. 

Attacking midfielder Sonny Blu Lo-Everton currently leads the Gulls' goal scoring charts with five goals, which includes a hat-trick against AFC Stoneham in the FA Cup second qualifying round, but he is currently injured. 

Deon Moore was a sensation last season, scoring eight times after joining on a short-term deal following his release by Maidstone United, but has only scored three times in a season which has seen him miss a number of games due to an international call-up for Guyana. 

Nevertheless, points wise, United are closer to the top seven than they are to the relegation zone and need to hit a winning run, starting with Walton and Hersham away tomorrow, or they risk disappearing beyond the point of no return as far as reaching even a play-off spot is concerned. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS MAIDSTONE UNITED

 1. Harry Shield excels again. 

For the third home game in a row, Harry Shield was one of Torquay's star performers and deservedly claimed the sponsor's man of the match award. 

Primarily a right-back, Shield was deployed as a right wing-back in manager Jimmy Ball's 5-3-2 formation and he played a key role in the opening goal of the game in the 27th minute. His cross from the right was inadvertently turned into the back of his own net by Maidstone's Franky Hvid. 

2. Kian Jenkins produces a solid display at left wing-back. 

Whilst Harry Shield looked sharp at right wing-back, Kian Jenkins produced arguably his best display for the Gulls to date at left wing-back. 

Like Shield, Jenkins dealt well with Maidstone's attacks and was strong offensively as well. 

Although, it's still too early to be comparing them to Jim McNichol and Tom Kelly (1987-88) and Andy Gurney and Paul Gibbs (1997-98), they are both acquitting themselves well to life at Plainmoor. 

3. A day to forget for Cody Cooke. 

Saturday was a day that Gulls striker Cody Cooke will want to forget in a hurry; firstly he saw his penalty turned behind for a corner by Maidstone keeper Lenny Holden in the 32nd minute. Then, with six minutes to go, his sliced headed clearance landed straight in the path of Franky Hvid who nodded home the Stones' equaliser. 

Nevertheless, Cody did work hard and put a real shift in, and helped to tee up Deon Moore for a chance in the 56th minute which was parried away by Holden. 

4. Matt Jay 

The term 'thinking man's footballer' could easily be applied to Matt Jay, who recently announced that he will be combining his playing duties with that of head of youth at the club. 

Having made a big contribution when coming off the bench this season, he also had a big impact on starting against Maidstone in weather conditions that weren't ideal for a cultured ball player like Jay. 

However, Jay made an impact as he helped win the penalty on 31 minutes and also had a shot from the edge of the penalty area in the second half that narrowly cleared the cross bar. 

5. Another draw.

Although the Gulls remain unbeaten at home in National League South, they also have drawn five at Plainmoor - which gives them the joint-third highest number of draws in the division. 

It's a record that they jointly hold with Hemel Hempstead Town and Dorking Wanderers, Horsham are second on the list with six while to Chelmsford City who have nine draws to their name. 

As former Plymouth Argyle manager Paul Sturrock, who won five promotions in England and Scotland, once said: 'draws can kill, as it's better to win one and draw one.'

Two draws will earn you two points, whereas a win and a loss earns you three and the challenge facing Jimmy Ball and United is to turn those draws into wins. 

ROY MCFARLAND AT TORQUAY UNITED: THE GREAT 'WHAT IF?'

25 years ago last summer, former Derby County and England defender Roy McFarland  

"If you ever get the chance to manage on the south coast, take it - wherever it is." 

That was the advice given to Roy McFarland by Peter Taylor, who himself famously succeeded his long time managerial partner Brian Clough as Brighton and Hove Albion manager, rather than join Clough during his now infamous 44-day spell in charge of Leeds United, before being reunited with Clough at Nottingham Forest. 

It was a piece of wisdom that was heeded by McFarland when he was appointed as Torquay United manager in the summer of 2001. At this point in time, the Gulls had just retained their league status on the final day of the 2000-01 campaign with a 3-2 win over Barnet at Underhill, and McFarland had taken the managerial reins after caretaker manager Colin Lee had turned down the chance to take the job on a full-time basis. 

With 28 caps for England to his name and two league titles won with Derby County in 1971-72 and 1974-75, the first of which came under Clough and Taylor, McFarland had one of the strongest playing pedigrees of any Torquay United manager. As a manager, he had won promotions from the fourth tier with Bradford City (1981-82) and Cambridge United (1998-99), which marked him out as the ideal candidate to revive the Gulls' fortunes. 

Amongst McFarland's first moves were to bring in David Preece, his former number two at Cambridge, in as his assistant and made Alex Russell, who also served under him at the Abbey Stadium, his first signing. 

In the league, United didn't get off to a great start as they lost their opening two league games against Bristol Rovers and York City before turning on the style to beat AFC Bournemouth 2-0 at Dorchester Town's Avenue Stadium (Dean Court was being redeveloped at the time). A stunning 40 yard strike from David Graham and a second half effort from Chris Brandon sealed a 2-0 win over a Cherries' side that featured a young Eddie Howe. 

As a reward, the Gulls were drawn away to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, which was the first domestic football match in the UK to take place after the 9/11 attacks in the USA. In a game that was shown live on the ill-fated ITV Digital channel, United gave a good account of themselves, losing 2-0 after the half-time introduction of England star Teddy Sheringham helping to turn the match in Spurs' favour. 

The match helped to boost the club's coffers, which were further boosted with a £100,000 sale of teenage centre back Mike Williamson to Southampton. 

Nevertheless, the first half of the season saw much chopping and changing. The 2000-01 player of the season Jimmy Aggrey left Plainmoor after playing just two games under McFarland, and a similar fate befell 1999-00 skipper Brian Healy. Goalkeeper Stuart Jones, who famously saved a penalty against Barnet on the final day in 2000-01, also departed the club as Kevin Dearden proved to be an immovable object in goal, being an ever present and player of the season in 2001-02. 

Club record signing Eifion Williams was also on the move as he joined Hartlepool United for £30,000 in February 2002. 

Many others also came and went, including tough tackling central midfielder Gary Brabin, who was sent off twice in the space of four matches against his former club Hull City and in a Devon derby with Exeter City. 

In addition to this, McFarland also transfer listed Tony Bedeau and David Graham, and in his 2014 autobiography, Roy Mac: Clough’s Champion, McFarland imagines what his former bosses from his own playing days at Derby County, Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, would have made of Graham. He wonders what Taylor would have seen in Graham and whether Clough would have persisted with him or driven him to the train station and bought him a one-way ticket back to his native Edinburgh.

And persist with Graham he did, as he finished the 2001-02 season as United's top scorer with nine goals. 

After reaching a season high position of 11th place at the end of October 2001, the Gulls only won once in 18 games. Nevertheless, a 3-1 away win at Darlington, which saw Alex Russell score his only career hat-trick, helped to start a revival which saw them lose three of their last 12 fixtures, which included a then club record run of six clean sheets. 

However, after their final day draw with Swansea City came the bombshell that McFarland and Preece would both be leaving the club in the wake of the collapse of the ITV Digital deal with the Football League, which left many lower league clubs facing financial peril. 

McFarland had been informed by chairman Mike Bateson that he would have to work without Preece as his assistant, which McFarland refused to and decided to resign. 

Bateson then, of course, turned to Leroy Rosenior as manager who then famously led the Gulls to automatic promotion for the first time in 38 years in the 2003-04 campaign. 

Many of the 16 man squad who clinched promotion of the final day in 2003-04 were signed by McFarland, including Reuben Hazell, Steve Woods, Alex Russell, David Woozley, Jason Fowler and Lee Canoville; Goalkeeper Kevin Dearden, who was voted as the club's player of the year for the 2001-02 campaign, only missed out through injury. 

Although Rosenior made a number of astute additions to the squad he inherited such as Martin Gritton, Jo Kuffour, Arjan Van Heusden, Craig Taylor and Brian McGlinchey, the core of the squad that achieved that success were signed by McFarland, which has always left many what he and Preece could have achieved if they had carried on. 

Could they have repeated the success that they had had with Cambridge? 

Maybe, McFarland and Preece were reported to be looking at some serious signings who would have helped the Gulls challenge for promotion. 

However, it is also worth mentioning that some years before McFarland took charge the late Cyril Knowles arrived at Plainmoor in 1987 after winning promotion from the 'old' Fourth Division with Darlington in the 1984-85 campaign, and keeping them in the 'old' Third Division in 1985-86. After McFarland left Plainmoor, Martin Ling led Leyton Orient to promotion from  League Two in the 2005-06 season and kept them in League One in 2006-07. 

Both Knowles and Ling guided United to the play-offs after coming agonisingly close to winning automatic promotion, so the question is 'would McFarland have emulated their efforts or Rosenior's? 

The truth is that we will never really know, but many of McFarland signings such as Russell, Fowler, Woods and Dearden still trip off the tongue of most Gulls' fans to this day. Which is as fine a legacy as any. 

Footnote: As a young hopeful with Tranmere Rovers, McFarland was spotted by Peter Taylor whilst appearing for Rovers against Torquay United in 1967. 

PARKWAY GIVEN A SHOT AT CREATING MORE HISTORY

 After reaching the FA Cup 1st round for the first time in their history, Plymouth Parkway will now welcome Southern Premier Division South rivals Berkhamsted to Bolitho Park. 

Only nine places separate the two sides - Parkway in 2nd, Berkhamsted in 11th - and it promises to be a closely fought contest. 

Parkway's tie won't be the only tie taking place in the city during the first weekend in November, as Plymouth Argyle host either Spalding Town of National League North or Alvechurch of Southern Premier Division Central. 

Exeter City, meanwhile, will face a trip north to face Huddersfield Town who are flying high in League One. 

If Yeovil Town overcome Leatherhead in their FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay at Huish Park, they will be rewarded with a trip to League Two side Chesterfield. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS OXFORD CITY FA CUP

 1. The wait to reach the first round again goes on.  

United's wait to the reach the first round proper of the FA Cup now stretches to four years following their defeat to Oxford City. 

The Gulls' 2-2 draw with Derby County in the 2022-23 season, which was televised by ITV and followed by a 5-0 loss at Pride Park in the replay, remains their last appearance in the main stage of the competition - for another year at least!

Nevertheless, this season's efforts in the competition currently stands as United's best FA Cup run since the Bryn Consortium's takeover in 2024. 

2. Harry Shield continues to show great maturity at right-back. 

Once again, young right-back Harry Shield was amongst the pick of United's performers as continues to make the position on the right hand side of the Gulls' defence his own. 

Shield was strong defensively and also got forward to good effect as well, producing a number of dangerous crosses. In the first half, he cut inside onto his left foot and almost caught out Oxford City keeper Jonny Maxted. Then in the second half, he had another cross which appeared to have been handled by Oxford City skipper Josh Ashby, and then with 11 minutes to go he picked out substitute Cody Cooke, who was denied by the acrobatics of Maxted. 

3. A solid display from Luke Browne. 

Another positive from Saturday's game was the performance of Notts County loanee Luke Browne in the centre of defence. 

The Republic of Ireland Under-19 international was solid throughout and showed a few moments of class, as he continues his footballing education at Plainmoor. 

His form also helps to enhance the Gulls' reputation as a good club to loan young players to. 

4. Focusing on the league. 

I know it's a cliche, but United are now free to concentrate on the league (and the FA Trophy, of course!)

Whilst it would have provided the club with a boost to reach the first round, both in terms of finance and morale, if you offered any Gulls fan the choice between a lengthy run in the competition or promotion to the National League, then the majority would choose the latter. 

Now it's over to Jimmy Ball and the players starting with Maidstone United at home next Saturday. 

FA CUP FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND PREVIEW 2026-27

 The 2026-27 FA Cup fourth qualifying round will see Torquay United, Plymouth Parkway, Yeovil Town and Truro City looking to create their own piece of FA Cup history. 

Torquay United will be aiming to reach the first round proper for the first time since 2022-23, when they took Derby County to a replay at Pride Park after drawing 2-2 at Plainmoor in a match that was televised live on ITV1. Manager Jimmy Ball reached the first round proper last season with his former club AFC Totton and he also has his own family history with the competition, as his father, Alan, won the competition as a player with Arsenal in 1971. 

Meanwhile, Plymouth Parkway, who are currently riding high in Southern League Premier South, are looking to create their own piece of history in the competition, as they are one game away from reaching the first round proper for the first time ever against fellow Southern League Premier South outfit Chertsey. 

Yeovil Town have a reputation of being FA Cup giantkillers, but the boot will be on the other foot when they face Isthmian Premier League side Leatherhead, who themselves have an FA Cup giant killing heritage. The Tanners famously reached the fourth round in the 1974-75 season, when inspired by their talisman Chris Kelly, where they took Leicester City, then of the 'old' First Division, to a replay. 

Truro City are also facing a team with a strong FA Cup pedigree in Sutton United, who defeated Coventry City in the 1988-89 season. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS SLOUGH TOWN

 1. Matt Jay makes another a big impact from the bench. 

Matt Jay once again proved to be a super sub for Torquay United as he helped to inspire the Gulls to recover from being a goal down to beat Slough Town at Plainmoor. 

Former Exeter City starlet Jay replaced Dan Hayfield in the 62nd minute and found the back of the net within a minute of coming on, as he fired home after a ball into the box from Caleb Roberts had been blocked. 

It was the third time that Jay had found the back of the net for United after also rising from the bench to score against Tonbridge Angels away and at home to Folkestone Invicta. On both of those occasions, Jay netted what turned out to be the winning, but this time he helped to inspire a comeback. 

2. Callum Morton nets his first league goal for his hometown club. 

After opening his competitive goal scoring account for the club in the FA Cup against AFC Stoneham, Callum Morton struck with his first league goal for the Gulls against Slough Town. 

Morton, who had entered the fray at half-time in place of Sean Robertson, pounced in the 70th minute after fellow sub Angelo Cappello had seen his effort parried by Slough keeper Kilian Barrett. 

He then turned provider, firstly for Jacob Beaumont-Clark on 87 minutes and then for Notts County loanee Luke Browne in the first minute of injury time. 

As well doubling his goalscoring tally to two, Morton also doubled his assist tally for the season to four, as he also provided assists for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Matt Worthington in the FA Cup against AFC Stoneham and Tonbridge Angels respectively. 

3. Jacob Beaumont-Clark's brace. 

The early season departures of Jordan Young and Dylan Morgan deprived the Gulls of a source of over 30 goals, but Jacob Beaumont-Clark could yet play a major part in filling the void left by their moves to Worthing and Crawley Town, as he took his tally for the season to four with a late brace against Slough. 

Beaumont-Clark, who only had a handful of appearances for Everton Under-21s to his name before arriving at Plainmoor, is now firmly on course to hit double figures for the 2026-27 campaign. 

4. Competition for the right back slot. 

Throughout the 2026-27 season, the left-back slot has been heavily contested between Kian Jenkins and Tyler Hill, but there could also be equally strong competition for the right-back position between Harry Shield and Dom Bernard. 

In Bernard's recent absence through injury, former Plymouth Argyle youngster Shield has filled in and produced another solid display against Slough. 

It's something that will give manager Jimmy Ball plenty of food for though once Bernard returns from injury. 

5. Luke Browne's goal. 

Notts County loanee Luke Browne got in on the goal scoring against Slough as he drilled home a low drive from the edge of the penalty area after being teed up by Callum Morton. 

It was only Browne's third appearance since arriving at Plainmoor from Meadow Park, but there must surely be a possibility of his loan spell with the Gulls being extended. 

Older readers may recall reading Steak, Diana Ross: the diary of a footballing nobody by David McVay, which included a section on his loan spell with United from the Magpies. It is not known yet whether Browne decides to publish memoirs of his own playing career!

DEON ON THE SCORE SHEET FOR GOLDEN JAGUARS

 Torquay United striker Deon Moore signed off from CONCACAF Nations League duty with Guyana with a brace in the Golden Jaguars made it four wins out of four against Dominica. 

Moore netted a brace as Guyana won 8-1 to complete a double over Dominica, who they had beaten 5-1 three days earlier with Moore also finding the target. 

The results against Dominica followed a 1-0 win over Puerto Rico and a 2-0 victory over the Cayman Islands, as they secured promotion to CONCACAF Nations League Group A, progression to the competition's semi-finals and qualification for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. 

By appearing for the Golden Jaguars whilst with United, Moore joins a list of players who have appeared internationally for Caribbean nations, which includes Gregory Goodridge and Mark Hall (Barbados), Rodney Jack (St Vincent and Grenadines) and Tony Bedeau (Grenada). 

UNITED AND PARKWAY PROGRESS TO FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND

 There will be a strong Devonian presence in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round draw after Torquay United and Plymouth Parkway both progressed from the third qualifying round. 

The Gulls will be appearing in the final qualifying stage of the competition for the first time since the 2023-24 campaign after they came away from Kent with a 1-0 victory over fellow National League South side Tonbridge Angels. 

Skipper Matt Worthington connected with a low ball from Callum Morton in the 55th minute to score his first goal of the season, as United secured their third away over the Angels in the last 12 months - after winning 2-1 on the final day of the 2025-26 campaign also winning by the same score line earlier this season. 

Current Southern League Premier South leaders Plymouth Parkway came from behind to beat Horsham at Bolitho Park. Ronan Silva put the Hornets in front in the first half before Parkway equalised in the 68th minute when Rio Garside headed home a Jenson Ireland corner. Three minutes later, another corner from Ireland was nodded home, this time by Reece Thomson as Parkway sealed their place in the next round. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS AFC STONEHAM FA CUP

 1. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton's purple patch. 

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton went into Saturday's FA Cup second qualifying round tie having scored two goals in two games for United in National League South, a figure that he increased on Saturday to five goals in three games with his first career hat-trick. 

United were already 2-1 in front when Lo-Everton opened his account for the afternoon when Callum Morton threaded a ball through him to calmly slot home. Then in first half injury time, Lo-Everton struck with his second with a strike from the edge of the penalty area following a short corner routine from the Gulls. 

In the second half, he added his third when he pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area to complete his first hat-trick, becoming the second Torquay United player under Jimmy Ball's reign as manager; the first being Dylan Morgan against Bath City on Easter Monday 2026. 

After the match, Ball stated that he believed Lo-Everton needed to score more goals to reflect his ability, and that he is more than capable of scoring double figures. 

2. Callum Morton's first goal for his hometown club. 

After growing up supporting the Gulls, Callum Morton finally signed for Torquay United during the close season, and scored his first goal for the club at Plainmoor against AFC Stoneham. 

Morton started up front as the focal point of United's attack and he turned home a cross from Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in the seventh minute to open his account for the Gulls. 

He will no doubt be hoping that he gave manager Jimmy Ball something to think about regarding his selection for future matches. 

3. Taylor Scarff's debut. 

Saturday's match also saw new signing Taylor Scarff make his debut for the Gulls after joining from Plymouth Parkway. Scarff, 26, who has also been capped by British Virgin Islands, started his career in the academies of Liverpool and Yeovil Town before appearing for Cornish side Mount Gould and Tavistock before joining Parkway. 

In the opening minutes, play was briefly held up when he underwent treatment for a blood injury, but he carried on once he had been patched up. He was eventually replaced by Monashe Sundire on 56 minutes. 

His arrival gives Jimmy Ball another option in the centre of defence, alongside Oludare Olufunwa, Jake Wannell and, once he returns from injury, Jordan Dyer. 

4. A first FA Cup in three years. 

Saturday's victory over AFC Stoneham was the first FA Cup tie that Torquay United have won since they beat Hungerford Town 5-0 on September 30, 2023, under Gary Johnson. 

Since then, United have twice exited the competition in the second qualifying round against Bishops Cleeve in 2024-25 and against AFC Totton, then managed by Jimmy Ball. 

5. A tribute to Kevin Miller. 

In his post-match interview, Jimmy Ball paid tribute his former Exeter City teammate and former Torquay United player and goalkeeper coach Kevin Miller, who died recently at the age of 57. 

Miller had loan spell with the Gulls from Southampton in the 2006-07 season, and later worked as a goalkeeper coach under Kevin Nicholson during the 2015-16 campaign. 

KEVIN MILLER 1969-2026

 The South West football community received a shock recently following the sudden passing of former Exeter City and Torquay United goalkeeper Kevin Miller at the age of 57. 

Miller originally joined the Grecians in 1989 from Newquay, and he played a starring role in the City that won the Fourth Division title in the 1989-90 campaign under Terry Cooper. It was a side that is still fondly remembered by Grecians' fans, and his teammates included the likes of Scot Hiley, Richard Dryden and Chris Vinnicombe, all of whom, like Miller, would go on to grace a higher level. 

In 1993, Miller followed Cooper to Birmingham City before moving on to Watford, where he won the Hornet's player of the year award twice, as his form at Vicarage Road helped him to earn a £1.5million move to the Premier League with Crystal Palace. 

A transfer to Barnsley then followed where he stayed for three years before making the return to St James Park in 2002. However, his return coincided with the season that the Grecians were relegated from the Football League under the ownership of John Russell and Mike Lewis, which also saw Uri Geller serve on the club's board. The season also saw the club go through three managers in John Cornforth, Neil McNab and Gary Peters. 

Further spells in the Football League followed for Miller with Bristol Rovers, Derby County, Southampton and Torquay United before he returned to his native Cornwall to sign for Bodmin Town. 

After he retired from playing, Miller worked as a goalkeeper coach for Torquay United and Exeter City, as well as a stint as manager of Exmouth Town. At the time of his passing, he had been working as goalkeeper coach at Wigan Athletic, a role which saw him reunited with former Grecians boss Gary Caldwell. 

His sudden passing is a huge loss to his family and friends and football in the South West has lost one of its true heroes. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS DORKING WANDERERS

 1. Jake Wannell's sending off. 

True to form, Torquay United's National League South encounter with Dorking Wanderers lived up to its billing, as both teams scored four goals between them. 

However, the drama didn't stop there. 

The Gulls spent the last 11 minutes of normal time, as well as the seven minutes of injury time added on, playing with ten men after skipper Jake Wannell received a second yellow card, after speaking to referee following a foul on leading scorer Deon Moore. In addition to this, United also played the closing stages with a makeshift centre back pairing after new signing Oladare Olufenwa went off injured to be replaced by Tyler Hill, who later found himself playing alongside central midfielder Dan Hayfield, who entered the fray after Wannell was dismissed. 

After the match, Wannell took to Twitter/X and when describing the incident said: "To clear up the sending off, the ref said five minutes prior that one more tackle on Deon would be a yellow. I simply asked the ref after another foul on Deon I said you told me it would be a booking for there player. Which is apparently dissent. No swearing whatsoever."

2. Deon Moore and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton amongst the goals. 

During a seven day spell which saw the Gulls secure seven points from a possible nine with wins over Folkestone Invicta (3-2) and Maidenhead United (4-0) and a draw with Dorking Wanderers (2-2), Deon Moore and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton found themselves amongst the goals. 

Moore was on target against Folkestone and then opened the scoring against Dorking. Lo-Everton scored United's second against Maidenhead after sub Matt Jay teed him up for a shot from 20 yards, which saw him open his account for the season. He then drilled home a low free-kick to level matters in the 68th minute. 

With Jordan Young and Dylan Morgan having departed, and Louis Dennis seemingly on the verge of his departure, Moore and Lo-Everton seem destined to take on the mantle of being United's main source of goals. 

Don't be surprised to see both hit double figures this season. 

3. Caleb Roberts and Tegan Finn. 

After making their debuts away to Maidenhead United in midweek, the majority of the Plainmoor faithful got their first glimpses of Plymouth Argyle loanees Caleb Roberts and Tegan Finn in the flesh. 

Both were involved the thick of the action in the first half as Roberts had a shot from distance turned behind for a corner by Dorking keeper Glenn Morris in the sixth minute and he later had a shot blocked. 

Finn, meanwhile, played a role in United's opener as his shot was stopped by Morris in the 23rd minute which landed in the path of Deon Moore who duly slotted home. He later had an effort that hit the post, as the Gulls dominated the first half, but still only went in at the break at 1-1. 

In recent seasons, Adam Randell and Will Jenkins-Davies have become key members of the United squad after joining on loan from the Pilgrims. Indeed, Randell went on to captain the club before moving to Bristol City in the summer of 2025, after he returned from a season long loan at Plainmoor in the 2020-21 season.  

Roberts will be with the Gulls until January 2027 and Finn has joined initially for a month. However, don't be surprised to see those deals extended. 

4. Still unbeaten at home. 

United's draw with Dorking keeps their home unbeaten record for 2026-27 intact, but United boss Jimmy Ball will be disappointed that they have only one once in five encounters at Plainmoor. 

In terms of their overall play, the Gulls have created enough chances to win more at one game in front of their own fans, and hopefully they will make that dominance count on a regular basis. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS FOLKESTONE INVICTA

 1. A first home win of the season. 

After three successive draws, Torquay United finally tasted victory in front of their own fans with victory over Folkestone Invicta. 

First half goals from Jacob Beaumont-Clark and Deon Moore set the Gulls on their way before they were pegged back early in the second half, as Liam Smith and Donell Thomas struck for Folkestone. 

However, despite weathering the storm for a long period in the second half, substitute Matt Jay struck to score his second goal of the campaign after fellow sub Cody Cooke had been denied by Folkestone keeper Ted Collins. 

The result proved to be a massive boost for all concerned and hopefully they'll be plenty more to cheer about at Plainmoor in the coming week and months. 

2. Jacob Beaumont-Clark.

Over the years, Torquay United have unearthed a number of players who might be regarded as 'rough diamonds' who they've polished up and sold on for a profit. 

Examples range from Mike Mahoney and Colin Lee in the 1970s through to the likes of Phil King and Lee Sharpe in the 1980s, Rodney Jack amongst others in the 1990s, David Graham in 2000s and names such as Eunan O'Kane and Angus MacDonald in more recent times. 

After a fortnight which saw Dylan Morgan and Sam Dreyer both depart Plainmoor for 'undisclosed fees' - the Gulls might have discovered another prospect who could earn them another fee in the form of winger Jacob Beaumont-Clark. 

In what was his third appearance for the club, Beaumont-Clark received the ball from right-back Dom Bernard and cut inside onto his left foot and found the top corner with his first goal for United. 

It was a contender for goal of the season, if ever there was one. 

If Beaumont-Clark can continue to replicate his display on Saturday on a regular basis, then he will soon attract interest from higher up the pyramid. 

3. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. 

After being in and out of the United side this season, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton was restored to the 'number ten' role just behind lone striker Deon Moore which he occupied during the latter stages of the 2025-26 campaign. 

It was a move that paid dividends for United manager Jimmy Ball as Lo-Everton provided the assist for United's second goal as he ran at the Folkestone Invicta defence before threading the ball through to Deon Moore, who calmly slotted home. 

In the second half, Lo-Everton showed a different side to his game as United looked to get back into the game after conceding twice. By playing in a more advanced role, hopefully in addition to getting more assists, he'll get more chances to score goals himself. 

4. A turning point. 

In the 2008-09 season under Paul Buckle after an indifferent start, which saw them win only once in the opening seven league fixtures, the Gulls beat Northwich Victoria 2-1 thanks to a late penalty from Tim Sills. 

The result proved to be a turning point for United as they remained unbeaten in their next 13 matches, as they lifted themselves back into promotion contention in a season in which they went up via the play-offs. 

If the Gulls do indeed end up celebrating a return to the National League at the end of the current campaign, hopefully after winning a play-off final at Plainmoor, Matt Jay's winner will be looked back on as a turning point for the Gulls season in a similar way to Sills' penalty is often viewed as being. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS HAMPTON AND RICHMOND BOROUGH

 1. Cody Cooke's goalscoring return. 

Before Saturday, Cody Cooke's previous start for Torquay United came on February 28 in the Gulls' 5-0 defeat at home to Chelmsford City, when he sustained a shoulder injury which saw him miss the remainder of the 

However, after making a number of appearances as a substitute in pre-season and at the start of the current campaign, Cooke was handed what was his first start under Jimmy Ball (the aforementioned Chelmsford defeat proved to be Paul Wotton's final game in charge), and marked it with a goal. 

Cooke's fellow forward Moore had seen his initial effort blocked by Beavers keeper Marco Underwood in the 22nd minute, but Cooke was on hand to pounce on the rebound. 

His return to fitness is a major boost for both Ball and United, and his experience could yet to prove to be an asset for the Gulls,

2. The wait for the first home win goes on. 

Despite having already tasted victory on their travels against Tonbridge Angels, the Gulls are still yet to experience victory at Plainmoor in the 2026-27 campaign. 

Saturday's draw against Hampton and Richmond was the third on the trot for United, and you could sense the frustration at full-time and in Jimmy Ball's post-match interview. 

Nevertheless, United had chances to score with Deon Moore going close on several occasions, Jake Wannell saw a header blocked on the line and Jordan Young had a free-kick turned behind late on. 

Sooner or later, some of these chances will go in, surely!

3. Jacob Beaumont-Clark shows glimpses of what life could be like after Dylan Morgan. 

After Dylan Morgan completed a move to the EFL with Crawley Town, United manager Jimmy Ball moved quickly to bring in former Everton youngster Jacob Beaumont-Clark as his replacement. 

Beaumont-Clark had previously made five appearances for the Toffees Under-21 side in the EFL Trophy, scoring once. However, his substitute cameo for the Gulls was his first senior league appearance. 

He demonstrated that he has plenty of pace and trickery and even attempted a couple of efforts on goal. In addition to his, he also showed that he was prepared to track back and defend on one occasion. 

Like a number of former academy players, there are aspects of his game which he needs to iron out, but there is definitely potential there based on his debut showing. 

4. On another day, Deon Moore could have had a hat-trick. 

United striker Deon Moore will probably look back on Saturday's game and I think 'on another day, I could have scored a hat-trick.' 

Firstly, Moore was denied by a block from Hampton and Richmond keeper Marco Underwood on 22 minutes, from which Cody Cooke scored from the rebound, he then headed a cross from Sonny Blu Lo-Everton wide in the 33rd minute and two minutes later, he dispossessed Beavers defence Luis Fernandez before seeing his shot parried behind by Underwood. 

Moore's goals at the end of last season played a big part in helping United reach last season's Play-off final, and surely the goals will come for him if he keeps getting in the right positions. 

WHAT THE MODERN DAY TORQUAY UNITED COULD LEARN FROM LEROY ROSENIOR'S CLASS OF 2004

 The year 2022 won't be remembered as a vintage one by Torquay United fans; the Gulls ended the 2021-22 season with an 11th place finish in the National League with exits at the first stage of both cup competitions that they entered. 

It was also the year that the Gulls' automatic promotion success under Leroy Rosenior in the 2003-04 campaign officially became closer in time to United's Bryn the Police Dog inspired 'great escape' in 1986-87. 

However, despite that achievement slowly disappearing into the midst of time, there is still something that Jimmy Ball's modern day Torquay United can learn from Rosenior's class of 2004 - namely the importance of developing strong partnerships all over the pitch. 

One of the most crucial of these partnerships was the pairing of Steve Woods and skipper Craig Taylor at centre back. Taylor had made a big impression during a loan spell at Plainmoor from Plymouth Argyle in the 2002-03 season before returning to the Gulls on a permanent basis in the summer of 2003. Taylor proved to be an excellent foil for the more cultured Woods, who was more comfortable on the ball than your average lower league centre-back - although Taylor could play a bit himself. 

On the left hand side of defence, Brian McGlinchey made the left-back position his own after joining on loan from Plymouth Argyle in September before signing permanently in January 2004, and linked up well with left winger Kevin Hill. With Hill not being an out-and-out pacey winger, he would often set up Northern Irishman McGlinchey for a number of overlapping runs where he provided plenty of ammunition to United's forward line of David Graham, Jo Kuffour and Martin Gritton in the form of crosses. 

Hill's own crossing ability was an underrated aspect of his game, but his ability to outjump unsuspecting opponents taller than his own five foot nine inch frame made him a valuable asset, and he could be relied upon to chip in with the odd goal. 

In contrast, the right hand side of the pitch saw a number of different combinations, as United started the season with Lee Canoville as right-back, with Jason Fowler on the right of midfield. However, an injury to Canoville saw centre-back Reuben Hazell fill in for him. Meanwhile, issues with injury which would later force Fowler to retire in February 2005, which saw his position filled at different times by the late Tony Bedeau and Liam Rosenior, son of Leroy, who joined on loan from Fulham. 

The season before, 2002-03, had seen Fowler playing the centre of midfield alongside another midfield maestro in the form of Alex Russell. With two PFA team of the season nominations (2002-03 & 2003-04), a player of the year award win in 2002-03 and, of course, promotion in 2003-04, Russell must surely go down as the club's most decorated player of all-time? 

Alongside tough-tackling local lad Matt Hockley, Russell played some of the best football of his four years at Plainmoor, as the 'conductor of the Torquay United orchestra.' Hockley's role in the side would often  see him win the ball for Russell and then make himself available receive it, which Russell would regularly do. This helped him to raise his own personal levels as he enjoyed the finest season of his eight years with the Gulls. 

Up front, United enjoyed the benefits of having two 30 plus goal-a-season strike partnerships in the form of David Graham and Martin Gritton in 2002-03, with 15 and 16 goals respectively, and Graham and former Arsenal trainee Jo Kuffour in 2003-04 with respective tallies of 23 and 11. 

The partnership of Graham and Kuffour wasn't your typical lower-league forward pairing. Neither were a conventional target man,  Graham's touch and movement was also so good that could play the role of a target man. Both men also possessed a level of pace and trickery which was often difficult to handle for most Division Three defences. Although Gritton fitted the bill of a target man, he had a 'good touch for a big man' and tirelessly pressed opposition defences to create space for teammates. 

Whilst certain partnerships within the current United squad were already in place when Jimmy Ball arrived, and there are new ones which are still developing. 

Nevertheless, when they all come together, they will so to good effect - just as they did in 2003-04. 

SEASON PREVIEW 2026-27: PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

 The big talking point from the Pilgrims' close season was the sale of Lauret Tolaj to Bristol City for a fee of £4million. Naturally, Argyle would be disappointed to lose a centre forward of Tolaj's calibre - however, it represents an excellent return on the £1.2million that Argyle paid Port Vale for his services. 

Cleverley has moved quickly to identify a replacement for him by completing the signing of Will Evans from Mansfield Town for £400,000. Evans, who made his name in the League of Wales with Cardiff Met University and Bala Town before joining the professional ranks at the age of 24 with Newport County in 2022, scored for the Stags against Arsenal in the FA Cup, as he netted 11 times in 52 appearances in all competitions for Nigel Clough's side. 

In addition to Evans, the Pilgrims have recruited plenty of players with previous experience of League One in the form of Alex Hartridge, Harvey White and last season's loan signing Alex Mitchell following his release by Charlton Athletic. 

Argyle fell short of reaching the play-offs last season and they looked well equipped to mount another challenge to reach the top six. However, a lot will depend on how well Evans can link up with Bim Pepple, However, don't rule out on young striker Owen Oseni getting in on the goalscoring act. 

Scoring goals will most probably determine how well the Pilgrims perform in 2026-27, and if they can fill the void left by the departure of Tolaj, then the likelihood is that they would have improved on last season's eight-placed finish. 

In: Alex Hartridge (Wycombe Wanderers),  Harvey White (Stevenage), Alex Mitchell (Charlton Athletic), Will Evans (Mansfield Town), Jack Storer (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Murphy Cooper (Queens Park Rangers)

Out: Conor Hazard (Wycombe Wanderers), Brendan Galloway, Joe Ralls, Zak Baker (Torquay United), Jack Matthews (Truro City), Joe Hatch (Barnstaple Town), Nathanael Ogbeta, Brendan Galloway, Ayman Benarous, Jamie Paterson, Callum Wright (Hibernian)

Player to Watch: Bim Pepple

With Lourent Tolaj now departed, Bim Pepple has taken over the mantle as Argyle's main man. Pepple narrowly missed out on a place in Jesse Marsch's Canadian squad for the 2026 World Cup. If he can replicate his form of last season, then he may well be attracting the kind of interest that Tolaj did over the summer. 

SEASON PREVIEW 2026-27: EXETER CITY

 After last season's relegation from League One, it will be a case of going back to their roots for Exeter City, as they head into 2026-27, with Matt Taylor's squad possessing a strong accent on youth. 

Last season, players like Kieran Wilson, Ed James, Charlie Cummins, George Birch and Frankie Phillips were out on both at clubs such as Torquay United, Weston Super Mare, Taunton Town and Plymouth Parkway. 

Now, they are all forming part of the Grecians' first team squad for the forthcoming season. 

The well of youth talent to emerge from the club in recent years, which has included the likes of Matt Grimes, Ethan Ampadu and Ollie Watkins, might be running low. However, it may not be completely dry, and the St James Park faithful will be hoping that proves to be the case. 

Meanwhile, while the aforementioned individuals might earn the Grecians a financial windfall in the future, the club's current most saleable asset Jayden Wareham, who scored 20 goals in 2025-26, is being linked with a whole host of clubs. Any fee earned from his sale will help give Exeter some more financial breathing space. 

Although the Grecians squad does possess a strong accent on youth, Taylor will possibly be on the lookout for some more experienced recruits who can guide them. He may also dip into the loan market as well. 

A defeat to local rivals Plymouth Argyle in the Carabao Cup in their first game wasn't ideal, but Taylor will still be looking to add to his squad before their league campaign gets underway. 

Following their last relegation from the third tier at the end of the 2011-12 season, it was five years before the Grecians reached the League Two play-offs - where they were beaten by Blackpool in the final in 2016-17. The current campaign represents the start of a rebuilding cycle, which may take time. 

How long that time period will be, no one is 100% sure yet. 

In: Josh Gordon (Barrow), Taylor Perry (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Harry Kite (Truro City), Ethan Sutherland (Wolves, loan)

Out: Josh Magennis (Stevenage), Ilmari Niskanen (Blackpool), Pierce Sweeney (Cheltenham Town), Johnly Yfeko (Kilmarnock), Jack Aitcheson, Jack McMillan, Kevin McDonald, Danny Andrew

Player to Watch: Reece Cole

With Jayden Wareham increasingly linked with a move away from St James Park, Reece Cole's experience and pedigree will be even more important as one of the older players in the squad at the age of 28. Not to mention his goals from midfield; he found the back of the net seven times in 39 appearances in all competitions. 

LATE SHOW FOR PILGRIMS TAKES THEM THROUGH AGAINST GRECIANS

 Debutant Alex Hartridge became an instant hero for Plymouth Argyle as he opened the scoring against his former club Exeter City late on in their Carabao Cup first round tie at Home Park. 

The game looked set to head to penalties when Hartridge nodded home a corner in the 91st minute, which was later followed by a second from Canadian striker Bim Pepple moments later. 

It was the first League Cup tie between the two sides since 1985 and the first cup meeting outside the EFL Trophy since the two sides faced each other in the FA Cup second round in the 1996-97 campaign. 

The Pilgrims reward for winning is a tie against Premier League new boys Coventry City, which will see manager Tom Cleverley go head to head with Frank Lampard. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS HORSHAM

 1. Opening days are seldom always perfect. 

In the mind of a lot of managers, the first day of the season is also regarded as the last day of pre-season. It's the first time that a team can put into practice everything that they have worked on in both pre-season friendlies and training, and sometimes things don't go quite to plan - as evidenced by the Gulls' display against Horsham on the opening day of 2026-27. 

United started positively as Deon Moore opened the scoring in the 13th minute, but Greg Luer equalised for the visitors on 54 minutes. Isaac Westendorf was denied a debut goal in the 67 minutes (see point number 3) before Horsham came close to taking the lead three minutes later when Jamie Yila was denied by United keeper Toby Savin with a, b block that fell to sub Ronan Silva who blasted over. 

Subs Matt Jay and Cody Cooke had chances late on, but the Gulls were forced to settle for a point instead of the three that the fans had been hoping for. 

However, there have been examples of where the opening day of the season hasn't quite gone to plan for United over the years, but they've still gone on to have good campaigns. They include the goalless draw on a late Sunday afternoon at Plainmoor against Grays Athletic in Paul Buckle's first game in charge in 2007-08. However, United bounced back to go on a six-match unbeaten run, and eventually finished the campaign in third place after challenging for the title before eventually winning promotion a year later. 

Four years later, Martin Ling had succeeded Buckle and oversaw a 2-2 draw with Burton Albion on the opening day of the 2011-12 campaign, in which debutant goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik made a number of big saves to keep the score level. United, of course, eventually clicked and ended up reaching the play-offs. 

Jimmy Ball will now spend the week assessing what went right and what went for wrong for the Gulls before they head to Tonbridge Angels next Saturday. 

2. Harry Shield. 

After some promising displays in pre-season as Trialist A, Harry Shield signed a contract with the club, with his signing being funded by the Torquay United Supporter's Trust's Forever Yellow fund. 

Shield, who can play as a right-back and as a right midfielder, was selected by Jimmy Ball in place of Jordan Young, who was absent on paternity leave after his partner recently gave birth, and underlined Ball's faith in him with a promising first half display.

His second minute cross picked out fellow debutant Isaac Westendorf, who fired over, and he made several dangerous runs which asked questions of the Horsham defence. 

He was eventually replaced by Callum Morton on 56 minutes after picking up a knock, but his display bodes well for the future. 

3. Isaac Westendorf's goal disallowed. 

Isaac Westendorf looked to have restored the Gulls lead on 67 minutes, after Horsham's Greg Luer had cancelled out Deon Moore's 13th minute opener in the 54th minute, when he headed home a cross from Dom Bernard. 

However, it was disallowed as the ball was deemed to have gone out of play before Bernard made his cross. 

Replays have shown that the ball may not have gone out of play, which won't be of much consolation to Westendorf who was denied a debut goal. 

4. Callum Morton's debut. 

Over a decade after he joined Yeovil Town's academy after the Gulls disbanded their youth academy in 2015, Callum Morton finally got to make his debut for his hometown club who he grew up supporting. 

Morton entered the fray in the 56th minute in place of Harry Shield and he showed a willingness to run in behind and stretch the Horsham defence. 

His next milestone will be his first goal for the club, and if he achieves that feat at Plainmoor then the roar it would generate deserves to be heard for miles. 

5. A bumper crowd. 

United's crowd of 4,219 was by far and away the biggest crowd in both National League's North and South, and it was only beaten by three attendances in the National League. 

Scunthorpe United versus Yeovil Town attracted a crowd of 5,111, Hartlepool United versus Barrow was attended by 5,830 and the biggest crowd of the day of 8,394 witnessed Carlisle United's clash with Worthing at Brunton Park.