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Last Saturday saw the squad make the long trip up north to early season title favourites Grimsby, and come back with a priceless point, however the tough games in August continue, as we welcome this Saturday a recent old rival from our football league days Cheltenham Town to Plainmoor (LWS) and chance to catch up with former Gull Aaron Downes.

Before recent restructuring at Torquay United leaving our club somewhat down sized, Cheltenham Town were a very similar sized club to Torquay, Cheltenham Town’s recent history mirrors ours almost to the point it could be called spooky.
The Robins were beaten League two play-off finalists one year after us, beaten play-off semi-finalists one year after us, followed that with a season of struggle again one year after our club, low and behold if The Robins didn’t suffer the heartbreak of relegation from the football league again one year after we did.

Featured Cheltenham Town player

Danny Parslow; born 11th September 1985, Hengoed, Wales, position defender Danny who started his career as a youth player with Cardiff City would represent Wales at U17,19,21 levels before making eight appearances for Wales semi-pro team. Danny Parslow would sign for then NL Premier Division side York City in 2006 and would spend nine seasons with The Minstermen, making 260 appearance scoring 3 goals, however it would be towards to end of his time at York Danny would achieve some success, winning 2012 F.A.T final and just eight days later would be in York side promoted back to the football league after beating Luton 2.1 in the play-off final, Danny Parslow would enjoy two separate loan spells with Grimsby Town before joining Cheltenham Town in the summer, a very experienced player at this level, could prove a shrewd signing.

Current form

Cheltenham Town; D-D-W-D-W

A)Lincoln City 1.1
H) Aldershot 0.0
H) Southport 3.0
A) Chester 1.1
H) Barrow 2.1

Last Time out

Cheltenham Town 2 v 1 Barrow

01 Phillips
02 Barthram
05 Downes
04 Storer
03 McLennan
06 Parslow
07 Pell (Dickie - 46' )
11 Munns
08 Waters (Hall - 46' )
09 Wright (Cooke - 76' )
10 Morgan-Smith Booked

Substitutes
14 Hall
18 Rowe
24 Dickie
25 Lovett
27 Cooke

Cheltenham Town boss Gary Johnson told BBC Radio Gloucestershire

"There's been a couple of games when we deserved more. Today we didn't deserve too much but we've nicked a result because of our last 15 minutes. We know we've been well below par.

"We know that we have been well below par generally today, Barrow started quite bright, they were picking a lot of the seconds up.

"It wasn't a lucky win, the boys just didn't play and the confidence drained out of them a little bit."

From a Torquay United point of view

It's believed that Waide Fairhurst has missed the last couple games due to a knee injury, I do not know of any other possible injuries or suspensions. I think this week would have come as a relief to both the players and coaching staff, the opening month is always a hectic one, and finally a midweek break, helping players to get over any early season strains, also giving Paul Cox and his coaching team a chance to reassess, and maybe a chance to iron out a few things on the training ground.

We can't underestimate how though a start to the season we've had, to have seven points at this stage of August is certainly better than I expected or believed our team would achieve, Saturday it's another big test, any side coming out of the League are always going to be tough opponents Cheltenham no different, they haven't lost a game to date, but that doesn't count for anything.

Last Saturdays point at Grimsby proved to all sat back wondering, our squad is capable of competing with anyone in this division on the day, we are seeing more cohesion and the squad getting used to each other more and more as the games go by, there's no reason why our team can not inflict Cheltenham's first defeat of the season, however the club still needs more backing from the fans, 2,000 gates are ok, however we're capable of higher attendances, if you haven't yet, come down to Plainmoor (LWS) and have a look.

Current form

Torquay United; W-L-W-L-D

H) Macclesfield 1.0
A) Wrexham 1.3
A) FC Halifax 3.2
H) Woking 0.1
A) Grimsby 2.2

Last time out

Grimsby Town 2 v 2 Torquay United

01 Speiss
02 Hurst
05 MacDonald
18 Smith
06 Geohaghon
03 Butler
16 Richards
26 Heslop
12 Carmichael Booked (Murombedzi - 81' Booked )
22 Quigley (Briscoe - 81' )
17 Fisher (Marsh - 70' )

Substitutes
04 Fenwick
07 Briscoe
10 Marsh
11 Murombedzi
23 Richards

Torquay United manager Paul Cox on Grimsby performance


"Overall I would say that it was our best performance of the season," he revealed. "We were excellent in the first half and totally bossed the game.

"We were good value for our lead, but we fell away a bit after the break and maybe didn't manage the game as well as we could have done in the latter stages.

"I was disappointed that we let a two-goal lead slip, but I can't be too hard on these lads because they've come to one of the leading sides in this League, in front of a big crowd, and done really well.

"We've played some tough teams in these opening fixtures and given a good account of ourselves on each occasion. During the first half today there was no stopping us and it just shows what we are capable of.

"There are a lot of young lads in the team and now we have to try to do this over the full 90 minutes. But it will come, I have every faith in my players to continue learning and keep progressing."

Read more at http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... lvmZop6.99

Last meeting

15.3. 2014 League 2 ; Cheltenham Town 1 v 0 Torquay United

Head to Head

Cheltenham 7 wins, Torquay 7 wins, draws 6

Looking at this season alone, forgetting about recent history of the two clubs this should be a good game between two evenly matched teams.
With a full weeks rest since the last outing I am expecting to see the same starting eleven as last week, possibly with Fairhurst taking a place on the bench in place of either Briscoe or Marsh.

2-2 (Downes, Morgan-Smith & Heslop, Fisher)

Lack of consistency will become apparent:
TUFC (0) 1 Cheltenham Town (1) 3

Att: 2,443

bless the wivel for its dogged, unswerving pessimism ! Torquay 2, Cheltenham 1 !!!!!

taxilady wrote:bless the wivel for its dogged, unswerving pessimism ! Torquay 2, Cheltenham 1 !!!!!

Bless him indeed, Wivel is trying so hard to be a wind up merchant, trouble is, he's not very good at it , like your score line prediction.

Torquay 0 Cheltenham 2 (Downes 2)

2 1 to the gulls COYY

Good old brucie!

I won't be there but Torquay will win this game 2-1. I am surprised at the down beat predictions. This Torquay team is no pushover and I fully expect by 5pm on Saturday we will have 10 points.

2-0 torquay, crowd 2400,

Our form against Cheltenham is 7 wins, 7 losses and 6 draws.

I'm going for a draw to even the results up.

1-1
Crowd 2150

draw for me too 1-1 fisher, 2067

brucie wrote:Torquay 0 Cheltenham 2 (Downes 2)

I always like Downes as a defender, but I'd much rather see Torquay 2 - Cheltenham 0 (Downes OG 2)!

Going for another 2-2 draw. Late equaliser after some shrewd subs.

My first game of the season, going for a 1-0 win for the mighty gulls. COYY