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Tuesday saw The Gulls travel to Wrexham for part two of a tough opening week, despite leading the game at half time, a second half onslaught by Wrexham saw Paul Cox's young guns travel home empty handed.

When Saturday comes, it's up early for part three. This time Cox's babes travel north to The Shay home of FC Halifax, The Shaymen picked up a very credible 9th place finish last season for a part-time football club, although there will be some early concern for manager Neil Aspin, as his Halifax team have lost their opening two fixtures.

For Gulls fan attending the match

The Shay ground, Skircoat Road, Halifax ( sat nav post code ) HX1 2YS. http://www.halifaxafc.co.uk/club/shay_guide/

Featured FC Halifax Town player

Hamza Bencherif; Although born 2nd February 1988 in Paris, Hamza represented Algeria at international level making 7 appearances at U20 level, Hamza Bencherif started his career at Nottingham Forest but would not make a single appearance for Forest, Bencherif came to the attention of us Gulls fans in a three season spell at Macclesfield Town, a player often tormented The Gulls during his time with The Silkmen, 16 goals from midfield in 60 games earned Hamza a move to Notts County, but his time their was short lived and was followed with a 9 game spell, at our near neighbours Plymouth Argyle , Hamza Bencherif would sign a one year deal with Lincoln after a short spell in Algerian domestic football , however made the move to FC Halifax in the summer.

Current form

FC Halifax Town; L-L-

A) Boreham Wood 1.3 ( L)
H) Chester 0.1 (L)

Last time out

FC Halifax Town 0 v 1 Chester

27 Glennon
02 Bolton
05 Hutchison
08 Whitehouse (Hughes - 59' )
04 James
03 McManus
06 Bencherif
16 Hibbs
17 MacDonald (Hattersley - 46' )
09 Burrow (Bishop - 86' )
18 Tuton

Substitutes
01 Porter
07 Hattersley
10 Bishop
15 Roberts
24 Hughes

FC Halifax Town manager Neil Aspin


I have said it a lot over the last few seasons that I don’t think we get a fair share of the decisions but at the end of the day we can take all of them decisions out of the equation because we had enough chances where we can blame ourselves as we didn’t score.

“I must say that Sean Tuton produced some fantastic crosses from that right hand side and if you are putting in them kind of balls into the box then you need to be converting them.

“I also felt we had a great chance to score early on with the header which would have put us in front but we didn’t take it. The start to the game was good but we didn’t maintain it and then they started to get a grip in midfield and they kept the ball better than we did for a spell.

“I think the second half was much better as we played with a much better tempo and certainly created enough chances to get back into the game. I can’t believe that we haven’t scored in that second half.”

“Yet again, we need to be scoring the first goal and if we can do that then it will open games out and will give us more space. But when Chester are defending a lead they can get men behind the ball.

“I have no complaints with that second half because as long as the players give me 100% effort and commitment then I do not criticise them and I feel that they had a real go in the second half.

“As I say I thought we started the game quite well but then we allowed Chester to dominate possession and we’ve conceded a goal where, yet again, we could have done better defending.

“But you always have to give credit to the opposition. I think they worked exceptionally hard and played some good football in the first half where they kept the ball well and it was a good test.”

“We need to be winning games. It is another defeat and it’s disappointing but as long as the players keep believing in themselves and keep working hard then things will turn.

“But we need a result to give the players, especially the new ones, some confidence.”

From a Torquay United point of view

Don't think there's anyone connected with Torquay who doesn't know by now, it's likely Luke Young will miss the entire season, so I'm sure we all wish him well, both Hurst and Briscoe missed the match Tuesday are likely to miss this match Saturday. Once again our new, young side are going to face a tough test, Fc Halifax will fancy there chances here, however, I see no reason why our team can't go to the Shay Saturday and get something, by now it should have become clear us fans are going to need to show some extreme patience, we are going to see inconsistency in the performances and results, no matter how difficult it's going to be at times, after the odd poor result, we've got to support our club and team and manager.

Current form

Torquay United; W-L-

H) Macclesfield 1.0 (W)
A) Wrexham 1.3 (L)

Last time out

Wrexham 3 v 1 Torquay

01 Speiss
18 Smith
05 MacDonald
12 Carmichael Booked
03 Butler Booked
16 Richards
04 Fenwick (Chaney - 77' )
06 Geohaghon
22 Quigley (Lavelle-Moore - 59' )
17 Fisher (Marsh - 80' )
11 Murombedzi

Substitutes
09 Fairhurst
10 Marsh
19 Chaney
23 Richards
24 Lavelle-Moore

Torquay United assistant manager John Ramshaw

With the manager Paul Cox at St George's Park in Burton, where he is the final stages of acquiring his UEFA A badge, it was left to Ramshaw to air his views at United's training ground on Thursday afternoon.

"The reaction at Wrexham was disappointment and frustration, because I didn't think we looked in any real danger until we gifted them a goal early in the second half," said Ramshaw.

"They had the bulk of possession, yes, but it was all in front of us – they weren't really hurting us or getting into goalscoring situations.

"We thought they might be vulnerable at set-pieces, so we'd worked on that and we took the lead at a corner.

"But then we gifted them an equaliser – there was a mix-up between two of our young players – and they came alive after that.

"If Sam Chaney had scored from a good chance, it would have made for an interesting last 10 minutes, but it wasn't to be."


Head to Head

Versus FC Halifax, Torquay have won both pervious games against the reformed club.

Last meeting

18th April 2015; FC Halifax 0 v 2 Torquay United

This is going to be a massive marker as to where we are really. Don't think we can really claim that Halifax are a massive side. Really need to produce something in this game but judging by what we have at our disposal I am not holding my breath.

It's usually difficult if not impossible to predict most results, but I do have a feeling that we've got a very good chance here, and if we don't pick up any points, it won't be for want of trying, because we've definitely moved on from last season.

Maybe we should give Cox ten games before we judge him....

:devil:

looking forward to the trip again.....hopefully the same result as the end of last season.....

it will be good to catch up with the travelling fans from Devon and of course the Northern based Gulls...

the only downside of note is that I will have to put with Bixieupnorth..............again.

as mentioned previously, patience is a virtue and will be required.

Up the Gulls.

COYY!

Scott Brehaut wrote:Maybe we should give Cox ten games before we judge him....
:devil:

In view of events at the club since the end of last season and the considerably reduced budget Cox is working with even compared to that of Hargreaves, we should give Cox a minimum of 100 games before we judge him..

brucie wrote:This is going to be a massive marker as to where we are really. Don't think we can really claim that Halifax are a massive side. Really need to produce something in this game but judging by what we have at our disposal I am not holding my breath.

Doesn't take long for the negativity to start!

I seem to remember you posting something a couple of weeks ago surprisingly disagreeing with someone who posted doom and gloom. Think your reply was 'give Cox a chance' or something like that.

How about after TWO games you do the same?

I agree completely with brucie. If we lose this one in the same uninspired manner as at Wrexham then we'd better dig in for another long, long, long season.

Its not negativity just realism. I fully accept we are where we are. Unsurprisingly we havn't produced a performance in two games as yet due to the fact we have some uninspiring players ,have no money, have possibly our three best players out, and are a team of strangers.

I don't particularly accept that either Wrexham or Halifax are big teams in this league and making the excuse that these fixtures are "hard" is claptrap - I cannot see either team challenging for promotion. I think if we lose heavily again tomorrow we will probably have to accept that its going to be very difficult this season.

wivelgull wrote:I agree completely with brucie. If we lose this one in the same uninspired manner as at Wrexham then we'd better dig in for another long, long, long season.

Ah - the Flower Pot men are at it again !! I think it's going to be a bit of a roller coaster season where we get surprise wins and some disappointing losses. I also think results will steadily improve as the season progresses. I wasn't at the Wrexham game so can only go on what fans who were there posted. I did listen to the match on Radio Devon and although Steve Breed may be a tad biased, he did say that for all their attacking, Wrexham were rarely getting beyond our defence. I accept we were well beaten overall but if it hadn't been for a highly dubious penalty decision, it would have only been 2 -1 which we wouldn't have sneezed at.

The ref (who was called Jones by the way ..... hmmm) didn't cost us the match but it seemed during the commentary that there were numerous decisions going in Wrexham's favour. Dan Butler, for example, was booked fairly early on for what was described as 'a very innocuous challenge' so he had to be careful for the remainder of the match. And don't forget - Paul Cox hasn't been able to play his favoured attacking wing backs formation as yet. So no doom and gloom, please - not even from Brucie and Wivell !!

Tust member Bob - identify one post where I have criticised the manager? Please don't make things up. Gullscorer is right what he says - Cox should be given 100 games.

We will win this 2-1. As a 30th birthday treat for myself, I travelled to Halifax on the 3rd January 1983 taking my wife with me. It was a Monday night, with freezing cold rain/sleet pouring down, sometimes horizontally. The Shay at that time was like something out of the opening scene of Bladerunner. I think we lost 3-0. I reckon I was the only Torquay supporter there. I was absolutely frozen. The wife had been in a pub with a relative during the match. I had zilch sympathy. Halifax, Monday night, January, effin freezing, a 0-3 loss. I don't think I want to go there ever again. Was there any other forum member there?

It is amazing how often from the commentary you can glean that there is a dubious ref in charge. I remarked during the first half to my son that the ref would offer up a soft penalty to the home side in the second half.
However we were already beaten at that stage by the sounds of it.

Welcome words from Ramshaw (he's the assistant manager, by the way :~D ):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33932404 and: http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... 16652.aspx

Sorry to say I was looking at a report about how Torquay are delighted with the 2 young loan players from bournemouth the report is good but they have in the report a photo of Quigley but the other photo is not josh Carmichael as I met him when he played for gosport v cambridge in the trophy final 2 years ago .