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The team travelled to Southport, a full football match, a win, for the first time in twelve games , a clean sheet, yes, seriously, for the first time since the opening day of the season, what a welcome relief for everyone at our club, but we can't stand around for a minute giving ourselves a well deserved pat on the back, Tuesday, what will be a much tougher test as the team travel to the Kingfield stadium to take on Woking.

It seems just a few short weeks ago we met Woking in the home fixture, in that match, with that substitution that never was. Woking have lost five of the eleven games played since we met, and have fallen from the lofty position of 2nd in the table down to Twelfth, there have been discussions across the TU related forums about whether TUFC should go part-time, move their training base, but perhaps Woking are evidence of how restrictive such a move can be, Woking since have lost a number of their starting players to injury including the influential Ismail Yakubu , players of this quality so hard for part-time clubs to find replacements for, if a London based part-time club can't find similar quality via the loan market, how could a part-time club based in Torquay regardless of where it trained.

Woking's best eleven when fit are a match for any team in this league, I think they've certainly been de-stabilised due to injuries, whilst it's going to be a big ask, I actually think we've got a chance here in this game now.

For Gulls fans attending the match

Woking Football Club, The Laithwaite Community Stadium, Kingfield, Woking, Surrey, GU22 9AA. http://www.wokingfc.co.uk/club/directions/

Featured Woking player

Jake Caprice ; Born 11th November 1992, position, defender. Jake Caprice started his career as youth player at Crystal Palace, he would go onto sign his first full professional contract with Palace, but would make no senior appearances before being released at the seasons end, 2012 saw Caprice sign for then Championship club Blackpool, again Jake Caprice made no senior appearances, however he would enjoy loan spells at Dagenham and Redbridge, St Mirren and Tamworth, it was Dagenham and Redbridge Caprice made is senior debut, in a 2.1 defeat at the hand's of Torquay United.

Released by Blackpool in 2014 Jake Caprice signed a one deal with Lincoln, 37 appearances for The Imps and Caprice again without a club signed for Woking in the summer, so far Jake Caprice has been an ever present in the Woking team.

Woking top goalscorers and season stats

John Goddard 8
Dan Holman 5
Kadell Daniel 2
Joey Jones 2
Jimmy Keohane 2
Keiran Murtagh 2
Ben Pattie 1
Brian Saah 1
Giuseppe Sole 1
Ismail Yakubu 1

HOME / AWAY ADVANTAGE
% Points (HOME) 65% (AWAY) 35%
% Goals scored (HOME) 56% (AWAY) 44%
% Goals conceded (HOME) 33% (AWAY) 67%

Current form

Woking; W-L-L-L-L-W

15 Sep Woking 2-1 Forest Green
19 Sep Woking 0-1 Cheltenham
22 Sep Braintree 2-1 Woking
25 Sep Dover Athlet. 2-0 Woking
3 Oct Woking 1-2 Southport
10 Oct Halifax Town 0-3 Woking

Last time out

Halifax Town 0-3 Woking

01 Cole
02 Caprice
05 Saah
04 Ricketts (Poku - 84' )
03 Arthur
22 Thomas
08 Murtagh (Keohane - 87' )
07 Jones
16 Daniel
20 Holman (Sole - 68' )
11 Goddard

Substitutes
10 Sole
12 Poku
15 Andrade
18 Hamann
23 Keohane

Woking boss Garry Hill told BBC Surrey:

"It was a good performance because we have been disappointing recently and there have been a few harsh words and a few truths that came out.

"We've had our situation regarding injuries and various other things and you have to stand up and be counted. I have to lead those players to get back on track.

"It certainly makes a difference with Mark Ricketts having a couple of games now and other players coming back in. We got the ideal start and we thoroughly deserved the win."

From a Torquay United point of view

Well what a difference a win can make. ok, this is one match, and one swallow doesn't make a summer, the one thing that always concerns football fans with an appointment of the new manager is, dead cat bounce syndrome, personally I don't think we've seen that with Kevin Nicholson, but what we have seen, has been a continual improvement game by game, Nicholson was somewhat laughed in certain quarters for talking about how much belief he had in phycology, Martin Ling was a manager that used this and liked to create a good team spirit amongst the squad, Nicho seems to be creating a very good positive atmosphere around the squad, hopefully that bodes well, as this season, is now about finishing outside the bottom four, there will be ups and downs along the way.

Not talking about the current situation at Torquay is all very well, but it is a factor, and will raise it's ugly head from time to time. It's very easy to forget that injuries have played a part in our season too, to lose a couple players to injury when as a club you're short funds is one thing, but to lose Young and Fairhurst, with Richards missing a few games as well, that's virtually the first choice midfield, can't help wondering what effect having these players all available would have on our team right now.

Green shoots of recovery today, to soon to say, we'll see, and a big mention for Fabian Spiess, had pelters thrown at him Tuesday night, and rightly so for a dreadful mistake, however today, he made what the radio described as a match winning save from a free-kick, and from what I could glean from the commentary a very solid all round game today, that shows just how quickly he's coming on, takes a big man to recover from a mistake like that, only a shame certain posters were not to quick to give credit where it was due.

Torquay United top goalscorers and season stats

James Hurst 7
Alex Fisher 5
Tyrone Marsh 2
Dan Butler 1
Josh Carmichael 1
Exodus Geohaghon 1
Angus MacDonald 1

HOME / AWAY ADVANTAGE
% Points (HOME) 31% (AWAY) 69%
% Goals scored (HOME) 40% (AWAY) 60%
% Goals conceded (HOME) 56% (AWAY) 44%

Current form

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

19 Sep Torquay Utd 3-7 Bromley
22 Sep Torquay Utd 1-2 Boreham Wood
26 Sep Lincoln City 2-0 Torquay Utd
3 Oct Torquay Utd 0-2 Aldershot To.
6 Oct Torquay Utd 2-3 Dover Athlet.
10 Oct Southport 0-1 Torquay Utd

Last time out

Southport 0-1 Torquay

01 Spiess
29 Berry
24 Nicholson
02 Hurst (Murombedzi - 69' )
18 Smith
05 MacDonald Booked
03 Butler Booked
16 Richards Booked
26 Heslop Booked
17 Fisher
07 Briscoe (Marsh - 61' )

Substitutes
04 Fenwick
10 Marsh
11 Murombedzi
21 Lavercombe
28 Hickford

Player-manager highlights the role of the fans...


"The fans travelled for over five hours to get to the game and support us," he said. "They will have had everything crossed for us to get back to winning ways and they certainly played their part in our victory.

"The least we can do is go over and show our appreciation at the end; that would be the case regardless of whether we win, lose or draw.

"They pay good money to follow the team and their support is so important to us.

"Hopefully they will have seen enough to warrant the trip up to Southport and they will be there again at Woking on Tuesday evening."

Read more at http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... d3Iomi5.99


'Lads became men' says player-manager Kevin Nicholson after win at Southport

"A few young lads became men today," said a delighted Nicholson after United had to mount a gutsy rearguard action during the second half.

"I'm delighted for all the players, who showed great character and the attitude I've been asking of them.

"The only disappointing thing about the first half was that we didn't clinch the match in the first 20 minutes, when we were so much on top.

"Southport saw out that storm and then threw everything at us in the second half.

"But we stuck at the task.

"They were also trying everything to wind Angus MacDonald up, but he showed his growing maturity by sticking to his job and keeping cool.

"It's only one win, and we won't get too excited, and all we're thinking about now is preparing for Woking away on Tuesday night.

"But this is a big lift for everyone at the club."

Read more: http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/T ... z3oCIvOy1T

Head to Head meetings




English Conference Premier

24.11.2007 Torquay United 2-0 Woking
29.12.2007 Woking 0-1 Torquay United
12.08.2008 Torquay United 2-1 Woking
22.11.2008 Woking 2-2 Torquay United


English Conference

16.09.2014 Torquay United 1-0 Woking
24.03.2015 Woking 3-2 Torquay United


English National League

18.08.2015 Torquay United 0-1 Woking (last meeting)

Last season 2-0 ahead and Woking rocking, should have been all over by half-time but lost 3-2. Rendell with the winner. Let's hope for better after today.
At present I believe we play better away than at home.

The games are coming thick and fast, aren't they? Another tough game on Tuesday night but today's win will give the team a confidence boost. As well as the teams currently near the foot of the table, there's usually a team that sinks like a stone. Guiseley could well be that team. They started life in the National League quite well and I thought they looked a useful side at Plainmoor a few weeks back, but their recent results have been poor. Also, the gap between us and Altrincham doesn't look so large tonight !

Is anyone keeping up with the F.A. Cup matches? There was another round of matches played today - do we go in the draw for the next round or is there another qualifying round?

tomogull wrote:Is anyone keeping up with the F.A. Cup matches? There was another round of matches played today - do we go in the draw for the next round or is there another qualifying round?

I believe the draw for the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round will be on Monday (was on Sky Sports last year) and the Gulls will be in it. Ties to be played on Sat 24 October. And if we win that game we'll be in the first round proper.
http://www.thefa.com/thefacup http://www.thefa.com/thefacup/more/fa-cup-round-dates

Is there a part of the ground we can all go and make a bit of noise like at Kiddie on Tuesday night? Last season with a few of us on one side didn't get the juices going too much, although from 2-0 to 3-2 down and the cold didn't help. Think a few went behind the goal the opposite end to the new stand? A roof and the drum would be nice.

Woking (1) 4
TUFC (1) 1

Att: 2,109

By my reckoning we will be without BOTH Butler and MacDonald tomorrow, which is a huge blow! It also makes it all the more strange as to why we appear to have allowed young Harry Hickford to return to MK Dons when surely he could have filled in for Angus. Seems strange also that there is no mention of it in the Herald either??? I mean the club are aware of it, aren't they??????????

Soccerbase has him on three yellows (Eastleigh, Lincoln and Southport all away):

http://www.soccerbase.com/players/playe ... r_id=60028

It has Butler on five, so hopefully it is accurate. Butler is playing as a winger, which would make finding a replacement slightly easier.

Ah right, fingers crossed that is right then. I got my information from the FA site which appears to have him and Butler down as suspended for tomorrow!

http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-gov ... uspensions

http://www.torquayunited.com/stats/player-stats/

Shows only three yellows for Gus.

Yep, I can only find three too - but slightly worrying nonetheless that he is listed as suspended for this game on the FA's own website, don't you think? I mean unless he has been booked after the game (s) for fighting in the tunnel or something - which isn't entirely out of the question with young Gus!

Well the consensus seems to be that he also picked up a booking against Woking in the original fixture as well.It just goes to show you cannot always rely on the Associated Press (from whom all the various websites probably get their information from). ultimately it's what goes down in the Referee's report that matters. At the moment the "Conference" have him down on 5 bookings and suspended for tonight - just hope they have made a mistake somewhere!

Confirmed in the Herald that MacDonald was shown a yellow in the tunnel after the Guiseley game. That's why some of us counted four not five. They say Hickford will remain with us to replace him.

I'll be there today, missed Southport, but back on track with Woking today. Hope I see a winning game!

dannyrvtufc4life wrote:I'll be there today, missed Southport, but back on track with Woking today. Hope I see a winning game!

If you don't, stay away for the rest of the season.