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Plainmoor
Tuesday 22nd March 2011
KO: 7:45pm

We welcome our 'local' rivals Cheltenham Town in this rearranged fixture. The Robins have picked up hugely this season, like us, as they were struggling for long periods throughout last season. However, this season is a totally different story, with our visitors sat in midtable, in 15th place. On several occasions, they had been in the top 7, but they weren't been able to stay their for very long, and now they seem to have tailed off to midtable. The club play at Whaddon Road, which is where we went at the end of February. We threw away a 2-0 lead in the final 11 minutes to come out with a very disappointing point, if truth be told.

LAST 5 SEASONS.

2005/06 - League 2 - 5th place - 72 points - PROMOTED VIA PLAYOFFS
2006/07 - League 1 - 17th place - 54 points
2007/08 - League 1 - 19th place - 51 points
2008/09 - League 1 - 23rd place - 39 points
2009/10 - League 2 - 22nd place - 48 points

5 years ago, the Robins had a very successful season, which saw them finish in 5th place. They overcame Wycombe in the two-legged semi finals, before beating 4th placed Grimsby at the Millenium Stadium. They never really consolidated in League One, in three seasons their highest finish was 17th. In 2009, their tenure ended, as they finished second bottom, only above Hereford, which consigned them back to life in League 2. They almost suffered a double relegation, surviving by 4 points, as Grimsby suffered the toughness of relegation.

HEAD TO HEAD.

Torquay wins - 6 (all comps)
Cheltenham wins - 5
Draws - 4

We have a positive record against Cheltenham. The two sides first met in 1999/2000, with Cheltenham having a decent record against us, up until 2003/04. We did the double over them under Leroy, including the 3-1 victory at Whaddon Road which I remember so well! I also remember a 1-0 victory at their place, with Alan Connell scoring the only goal of the game. Last season we met 4 times, with us knocking them out of both the Johnstones Paint Trophy and the FA Cup, both were 3-1 victories. We also won 3-0 in the league at Plainmoor and drew 1-1 at Whaddon Road, with Carayol scoring a late equaliser. A 2-2 draw at Whaddon Road was played out in February, infront of just under 3,000 fans, with just under 500 travelling Gulls.

FORM (LAST 6 GAMES).

DLWLLW

Again, we meet a team who's form isn't the best. Two wins in 6 games, including a narrow 2-1 victory over doomed Stockport. The 2-2 draw against us was followed by a 4-0 hammering at Stevenage. Then came the victory against Stockport, but any chance of building on that was stopped, as Chesterfield won 3-0 on their travels, before Aldershot took 3 points back home from Whaddon Road aswell. However, Cheltenham completed a miserable week for Bury as they won 3-2 at Gigg Lane on Saturday.

PROBABLE LINE UP.

This is the side that beat Bury 3-2 on Saturday:

Scott Brown

Keith Lowe
Andy Gallinagh
Steve Elliot
Danny Andrew

David Bird
Brian Pook
Josh Low
Frank Artus

Wes Thomas
Matt Green

Subs: Lloyd-Weston, Pack, Smikle, Eastham, Thomson, Goulding, Lewis

PLAYERS TO WATCH.

Josh Low is a player who is probably capable of making a mark in a higher division, although he seems happy enough at Cheltenham, and he's doing well there too. Wes Thomas has been something of a revelation since moving to Whaddon Road. He struggled at Dagenham & Redbridge, but he's come into his own since the transfer. He will need to be watched so he doesn't score against us again, as he scored the 94th minute equaliser in the last game.

PREDICTION.

Humm.

I hate making predictions. I hope the incentive is enough for us to go out and win..

COYY!

Definitely there, not missing this game after a couple of games i haven't been to.

Unfortunately they're a completely different team from last year and definitely won't be pushovers. However we're at home and i think the players will be up for it after a couple of weeks 'off'.

3-1 Torquay.
Benyon, O'Kane & Zebroski with the goals for us.

I'm hoping it's on as well otherwise I won't get a Boxing Day dinner at my brother's.

If it's not too cold and icy for the Old Bill then it will be on.

I wonder what the attendance will be ?

I guess it depends on if and how many of the Old Bill turn up.

Boxing Day gates are usually higher so is it reasonable to expect as many as 3500 ?

That's a total approx, not just the Old Bill numbers.

We have really got to go for this one so I'm expecting an attacking 4-4-2 formation. Puffing Billy is looking quicker so hope he starts up front with Benyon. There could be a change at right back with Mansell returning to midfield. Hopefully, Hemmings returns on the left with Zebroski on the right. If Mansell remains at right back then pick any from Lathorpe, Oastler, O'Kane, to partner Wroe. If Robertson comes in for Mansell at right back, then Mansell to partner Wroe.

With the team going for it and a vociferous crowd roaring them on then :

6-0

Kee hat trick

Benyon hat trick

Can't see it being on, I don't use a piece of seaweed to forecast the weather, but rely on the hand brake cable on my Alfa. It has been frozen on for the last few nights so obviously the ground is still frozen solid & will take a few days to thaw.

wodger of awabia wrote:Can't see it being on, I don't use a piece of seaweed to forecast the weather, but rely on the hand brake cable on my Alfa. It has been frozen on for the last few nights so obviously the ground is still frozen solid & will take a few days to thaw.

You drive an Alfa? then surely you must now by know that all that a broken Alfa Romeo can possibly mean is that the day ends in Y

happytorq wrote: You drive an Alfa? then surely you must now by know that all that a broken Alfa Romeo can possibly mean is that the day ends in Y

Give us a loan of your Skoda then!

Bit of weather -

Christmas Eve;

High 1' Low -1'
No rain, quite gusty, clear skies in the evening

Christmas Day;

High 0' Low -5'
No rain, clear skies all day

Boxing Day;

High 5' Low -3'
Cloudy day, gusty afternoon

Speaking to a groundsman today apparently the pitch is rock hard at this moment in time, with those temperatures i cant see it thawing out in time!

Apparently the F.A wanted us to call it off at 1,00pm today, we declined which peeved them off im led to believe :win:

Hmmm, they're leaving the inspection till 0930 Boxing day. This is probably the very latest time at which it could be held. Surely, if there was a better than, say, 70% chance that it would be off, the inspection would be held on Christmas day, so as to save Cheltenham Town the travelling?

Matt.

Haven't checked the temperature outside yet but all the rooftops are frosty where the sun isn't on them. Looking at the latest forecast it says the temperature at 06.00am Boxing Day will be -3.

The sun won't be up high enough at 09.30 to get on the pitch and it certainly wont be shining on the problem areas. Temperatures for tomorrow are very good for both day and night but will it be enough to satisfy the Old Bill, the politically correct 'elf & safety prat sat in the Town Hall and more importantly, the matchday referee ?

It won't be on. Just taken the woofbag for a mooch and even pieces of ground which had been in strong sunlight for a good few hours were rock hard under a 1/4 inch facade of soft toppage. Might just as well call it off now and save the referee a trip as well as their fans and some of ours (Paulie Bastard, if he's still at home) planning to travel unnecessarily.

Matt.

Cannot see this being on. Just been out for a walk and everything is rock hard, no way is the pitch going to get enough sunlight to thaw by 0900!

I think this a triumph of hope over experience.

Can t see it having a cat in hells chance.

P.S. Can t beat a good cliché......

P.P.S. Except for Gail.

Just having the game on would round Christmas off nicely!

currently -14 in Kingsteignton If Torquay is anyway near this tempreture I really can't see them getting this game on. The ground out here is rock solid so Plainmoor is gonna feel like a slab of concrete