Torquay United vs Stockport County

[Plymouth Gull]

Plainmoor
Saturday 5th February 2011
KO: 3pm

We welcome bottom side Stockport County to Plainmoor, as we look to turn a new leaf in our season, after the dreadful last 7 days. The Cup defeat was bad enough, because we never got going and Crawley's antics were terrible to watch. But we can't blame them as if we'd played half as well as we did in the first half vs Crewe we'd have won that. Moving on, another home game against Hereford saw a disappointing crowd of 1600 (the lowest I've ever seen for a league game..) and a poor result. However, the performance was bad but I think that was just down to the fact of the ineligibility of Jake Robinson, who opened his account. We have yet to see what the Football League will do about that, but in a different matter, they have suspended Paul Buckle, so he won't be on the touchline for this match.

GULLS NEWS.

Craig Stanley and Jake Robinson are both eligible to play now, so I expect both to play. I would like to think that we'll go 4-4-2 again, as if we don't win this then I think there is something wrong (no disrespect to Stockport).

LAST 5 SEASONS.

2005/06 - League 2 - 22nd place - 52 points
2006/07 - League 2 - 8th place - 71 points
2007/08 - League 2 - 4th place - 82 points - PROMOTED VIA PLAYOFFS
2008/09 - League 1 - 18th place - 50 points
2009/10 - League 1 - 24th place - 25 points - RELEGATED TO LEAGUE 2.

Its been a bit up and down for Stockport fans since 2005. It nearly all went wrong for the Club, as they just avoided the threat of the Conference in 2006, finishing just ahead of Oxford, outside the relegation zone. The next two seasons were better watching for the supporters, with a Wembley victory over Rochdale topping it off, as they won promotion to League One. The club continued to improve, as they survived the drop by a point in 2009, but last season was a shambles. 25 points gained from 46 matches is poor, and a goal difference of -60 isn't going to get you far, as The Hatters found. Their two-year stint in League One came to an end, with the club being relegated back to League 2, finishing bottom of League 1.

HEAD TO HEAD.

Stockport wins - 21 (1 Cup win)
Torquay wins - 26 (1 Cup win)
Draws - 18

We have a decent(ish) record against Stockport. The last time the two sides met was the 4-0 FA Cup win, and other recent results have been tight. Memorable results for us Torquay fans include the 4-0 victory in April 2006 (I missed this due to breaking my wrist earlier in the day - nice one). I also remember the Torquay 1-2 Stockport game on New Years Day 2005, as Kevin Hill scored the funniest goal I've ever seen. A 1-1 draw at Edgeley Park was played out earlier in the season, with Eunan O'Kane's goal being cancelled out by Greg Tansey.


FORM (LAST 6 GAMES).

LDLLLD

Their form is like that total opposite of Herefords. 4 defeats from 6. No wins in 8. Their last victory came at Underhill (3-1) in December. They've picked up 2 points from 24. Will this be a formality? Of course not! A 1-1 draw at home to Chesterfield is a decent return, considering recent form.

PROBABLE LINE UP.

This is the side that drew 1-1 with Chesterfield:

Matt Glennon

Mark Lynch
Aaron Brown
Daniel O'Donnell
Adam Griffin

Stephen Husband
Paul Turnbull
Greg Tansey
Jordan Rose

Ishmel Demontagnac
Tom Fisher

Subs: Ormson, Assoumani, Vincent, Halls, Rowe, Darkwah, Mainwaring

PLAYERS TO WATCH.

Ishmel Demontagnac is a quick winger who can also play uptop. I believe that is where he has been playing at EP so far. Greg Tansey found the net against us at Edgeley earlier in the year. Matt Glennon is a goalie who has been around a long time, and has buckets of experience.

PREDICTION.

Normally I'd say home win, but with the week we've had, god knows.

Finally, apologies for the lateness, busy busy week.

[gulls_aloud]

Thanks Nick! My heart and head say winnable win so I'm going for 0-0 in the hope that I haven't jinxed us. Think we will go 4-4-2 because Buckle seems to want Kee and Robinson to start working as a unit. Good to have Zebs back. COYY

[ferrarilover]

They have conceded three or more goals in FOURTEEN matches this season (all comps) from 33 matches, that's almost every other game. Their recent record is worse still, having conceded 3 or more in 6 of their 8 matches played this year.They've lost 5-0 five times already this season (all comps), including twice in a row in the league.

Those of us who went to the FA Cup match last season saw a 'team' which was so bad, it looked as if they might not have been better off going out of business and starting again as AFC Stockport. Well, they're even worse now. If they're lucky, they might be a little bit better than Crawley, and they were the worst team I have ever seen (no sour grapes here, it's absolutely true.)

That said, I still think we'll find a way to feck it up (probably in conjunction with the referee) and give them the match.

3-1 Stockport.

Matt.

[Gulliball]

We have to win this game. No excuses, no consideration of performance or scoreline - just win. Put this week behind us and see where the season takes us.

A 442 with Kee and Robinson up front sounds promising, so I hope they get a run of games together. Zeb and O'Kane on the wings, Mansell and Stanley in the middle.

Oh, and if you are taking part in the Prediction League, don't forget! We're a couple of replies down on where we usually are for this time on a Friday, so you have till 3pm tomorrow. New predictors welcome too :~D

[Trojan 67]

I'm hoping for a performance.

I could be a one performance.

One , five , a win no matter how ugly will give my Saturday night a better edge than last Saturday night.

:~D :~D :~D

[Modgull]

This is a must win game.

Only doubt for me is whether Mark Ellis joins Danny Stevens in getting dropped.

[MidDevon]

Thank you for another superb write-up on tommorow's match

I hope we play 3 up tommorow, Stockport County have conceded an amazing 37 goals in their last 12 matches, that takes some beating at football league level!

I am hoping that Zebs attitude is spot on tommorow. He owes the fans a decent performance after letting everyone down against Crawley.....we have got used to Zebs performing better after a game or two out. Also on Tuesday it was clear that whilst Billy was getting some service, the quality of delivery was shocking overall, and hopefully with Zebs back in the team, he can get it somewhere close to Billy's feet tommorow.

Fianlly I would like to see more of Saul Halpin as he has been so positive on the pitch so far. Just what we need when the season is stuttering somewhat.

[tommyg]

Mansell is playing RB so looks like Ellis or Robbo will be dropping out.

[MidDevon]

After the Hereford match, I am pretty sure Mark Ellis will be rested

[bixieupnorth]

well i'm safely settled at my mums in newton abbot, a few pints of doom bar at the goose and a top chinese from the hoi shan, and all is well in my world.

a rare weekend away from the good lady and my lovely little matilda, and my first home game of the season, in fact the first at plainmoor since cheltenham in fa cup nov 2009, poor show!!

surely we've got to click again tomor, stockport havent shown the form that hereford came into tuesdays game, but did draw with chesterfield in the week.

gonna let my heart rule and go for a thumping 4-0 win, in front of 1976 roaring fans!!

night all

[ferrarilover]

Mansell is playing RB so looks like Ellis or Robbo will be dropping out.

Eerm, how do we know this?

Come to think of it, how do we know Danny has been dropped? I go against the grain in thinking he has been terrible the last few games with the exception of Hereford where, early on at least, he was pulling all the strings.

Matt.

[crazyfool]

I'm going with a 3-1 win tomorrow.

Just checked the odds on bet 365 and we're 4/7 to win. For some silly reason I actually went against my normal way of thinking and backed us. And at those odds as well !!!

[cosmic74]

I am plumping for a 3-1 win to Torquay.

Ellis should be dropped after a couple of dismal performances. I just wonder whether a big money move was on the cards for him and fell through at the last minute and that is why his mind seems to be else where a the moment!! Any thoughts????

[taunton_gull]

You could be right re - Ellis although it wouldn't surprise me if it was just a reaction to the Crawley game. I pray to god we can't be as poor as we were against Hereford, as soon as we can get any sort of win on the board we can move on. With Stockport fighting for their life and the conditions looking windy it wouldn't surprise me if it's a scrappy affair. Providing we can get the points that will do me.

It sounds like Ellis could be given and rest with Mansell coming into RB which means Robbo will move across to CB. With this in mind I would hope O'Kane gets moved into the middle, possibly to partner Stanley. His best performances have come from either playing down the middle or behind the striker and I hope this is the case today. It will be a major boost having Zebs back as we really missed his threat on Tuesday, on his day he can punish anyone in this league. Robinson made a good start on Tuesday (albeit he shouldn't have been on the pitch!) and I would be happy enough to see him partnered with Kee again although Billy badly needs a goal and hopefully he will get over his shocker of a miss in the week.

I'm going for a scrappy 2-0 win.

[Northumbergull]

The fight back starts here!

COYY!

Cheers

Bruce