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It's been two months since our last victory, which has been quite the opposite, after our fantastic end of last season and start to this one. However, after a dodgy September and a slightly better October, I'm hoping we can finish the month and push on with 3 points against Morecambe. This is the sort of game we need to be winning, especially at home, if we have aspirations of a top 10 finish, in my mind. We need to make Plainmoor a tough place to come, the opposite of what it has been recently, where we have lost our previous three. Anyway, onto the opposition. Morecambe haven't had the best of starts to the season, after last seasons successful campaign, finishing in the playoffs. They have improved a lot over the past 5 seasons, as you'll see now.

LAST 5 SEASONS.

2005/06 - Conference - 5th place - 74 points - LOST IN PLAYOFFS.
2006/07 - Conference - 3rd place - 81 points - PROMOTED VIA PLAYOFFS
2007/08 - League 2 - 11th place - 60 points
2008/09 - League 2 - 11th place - 63 points
2009/10 - League 2 - 4th place - 73 points - LOST IN PLAYOFFS

They have gone from an established Non-league side to an established League 2 side in recent times, where in 5 years, they have had 3 playoff seasons. They achieved promotion to the Football League with a 2-1 victory over Exeter City at Wembley. They have done well in League 2 since the promotion, and they are now pushing to progress up to League One.

HEAD TO HEAD.

Torquay wins - 0
Morecambe wins - 1
Draws - 1

Last season was the first time that we met with Morecambe. As you can see, they had the better record against us, as we lost 2-0 at Christie Park, and drew 2-2 at Plainmoor.

FORM (LAST 6 GAMES).

DLWWLD

Once again, we come up against a team neither in good or bad form. Morecambe strung two wins together, at Valley Parade, and then by beating Shrewsbury at the Globe Arena. However, they have lost at Aldershot and drawn with Stevenage since, and I can't see them looking forward to coming down here.

PROBABLE LINE UP.

This is the lineup that drew 0-0 with Stevenage at the weekend:

Barry Roche

Garry Hunter
Chris McCready
Andy Parrish
Lawrie Wilson

Mark Duffy
Craig Stanley
Stewart Drummond
Scott Brown

Andy Fleming
Paul Mullin

Subs: Laurie Walker, Jim Bentley, Chris Shuker, Phil Jevons, James Spencer, Adam Rundle, Tony Capaldi

PLAYERS TO WATCH.

For me, the players to watch are Mark Duffy and Paul Mullin. Mullin had a very long, successful spell at Accrington, where he became a fans favourite. He is a strong striker who is a big threat in the air, so will need to be watched from set pieces. Duffy is a quick winger, and if I remember rightly, scored against us last season, with a nice finish. He could cause a few problems with his skill and pace, so will need to be kept quiet.

PREDICTION.

Back to winning ways for me..

Torquay 2-1 Morecambe

Having watched us TOTALLY outplay Morecambe at their place last year and get beaten 2-0 for our troubles, I'm pretty confident about our chances in this game. For me, this represents two average L2 sides playing at an average L2 ground in front of an average L2 crowd on an average L2 pitch, it's essentially a perfectly average L2 game. No big time Charlies, no pathetic minnows, no five figure crowds, no pitches more sand than grass, not too hot, not too cold. I feel the programme should have a picture of Goldilocks on the front.

I'll go, therefore, with a very average L2 score, 2-1 TUFC.

Matt.

2-0 Torquay! - Back to winning ways!

COYY!

I once staggered out a nightclub in Morecambe (the infamous Carleton, for gulliball), missed the bus back to campus, went to the beach on the other side of the road, and fell asleep. I woke up when the tide came in got me wet, and I had to walk the 6 mile back to campus. Fun Times.

Anyway, I think it'll be another draw. 1-1.

I'm always optimistic but I know we will get three points here!

2-0 win with zebroski on the double!

Yellow4life wrote: but I know we will get three points here!

Okay, thats that then. No point turning up for it..

happytorq wrote:I once staggered out a nightclub in Morecambe (the infamous Carleton, for gulliball), missed the bus back to campus, went to the beach on the other side of the road, and fell asleep. I woke up when the tide came in got me wet, and I had to walk the 6 mile back to campus. Fun Times.

Anyway, I think it'll be another draw. 1-1.

Ah, I miss the Carlton. At least as an older graduate you don't have to see facebook photos every Thursday morning. You'd really miss it then! I used to think that Morecambe beach was the coldest place on earth... then I moved to Aberdeen.

I think this is a game we just have to win. 2 months without a win is too long. If we don't recover very soon then the good start will be pretty much irrelevant.

Gulliball wrote:

Ah, I miss the Carlton. At least as an older graduate you don't have to see facebook photos every Thursday morning. You'd really miss it then! I used to think that Morecambe beach was the coldest place on earth... then I moved to Aberdeen.

I think this is a game we just have to win. 2 months without a win is too long. If we don't recover very soon then the good start will be pretty much irrelevant.

I think the start we had is going to be far from irrelevant if we don't start winning soon!

Yes, I feel confident too. It's about time our losing/drawing run was over and so:
Torquay United (2) 3
Morecambe (0) 0

But, sadly, Att: 2,108

Team news:
United squad from: Bevan; Rowe-Turner, Nicholson, Ellis, Robertson, Charnock, Kee, Benyon, O'Kane, Macklin, Carlisle, Potter, Halpin, Stevens, Gritton, Branston, Yeoman, Palmer, Zebroski, Oastler, Senda, Wroe.

-Mansell is suspended
-Senda and lathrope are back

Yellow4life wrote:Team news:
United squad from: Bevan; Rowe-Turner, Nicholson, Ellis, Robertson, Charnock, Kee, Benyon, O'Kane, Macklin, Carlisle, Potter, Halpin, Stevens, Gritton, Branston, Yeoman, Palmer, Zebroski, Oastler, Senda, Wroe.

-Mansell is suspended
-Senda and lathrope are back

no hemmings or rose?

tufcgull wrote:
no hemmings or rose?

No idea, this was taken from the OS? Thought the team looked short though. Surely Rose hasn't done another of his one match specials again!

Didnt he go off after a kicking from the fullback at Gillingham? I would imagine if he was injured, QPR would probably prefer to see to his recovery'?

Fancy a Zebroski double today, Kee with the assists.

2-0

For me, tomorrow will be won or lost in Midfield, can our young boys step up?

Both Rose and Hemmings feature in the match squad in today's HE.