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This coming Tuesday our squad finally get to welcome Lincoln City to play this twice already postponed fixture, Lincoln City former football league adversaries who we know well. Conference followers at large believed Lincoln would be amongst the sides pushing for promotion to the football league this season, however The Imps failed to live up to pre-season expectation, a poor run of results with only six wins from their opening nineteen games resulted in manager Gary Simpson being placed on gardening leave on 3rd of November, later sacked and Chris Moyses would be appointed caretaker manager.

Chris Moyses had an encouraging start to life as Imps boss, he would steer his side to seven wins from his first ten games in charge , however Lincoln's good form came to an abrupt end with two heavy defeats late January, and Chris Moyses' honeymoon period was over, Lincoln have gone on to achieve just three wins from their thirteen games since, prompting calls from some Imps fans for Moyses to be replaced. End of season games between sides with nothing to play for are hard to predict, it's hard to say which side is going to play with more belief, personally, taking into account Lincoln's current form which is no better than ours, also we'll see players retuning from suspension, I think we're slight favourites for this game.

Featured Lincoln player

Ben Tomlinson; Position striker, born 31sth October 1989. Ben started his career at Worksop Town, in 2011 Ben would earn a move to then League two side Macclesfield Town for an undisclosed five figure fee, on 13th September 2011 Ben Tomlinson would score one of the fastest goals in football league history netting after just 6.4 seconds versus Morecambe, however after a four month injury lay off Ben Tomlinson moved to conference premier side Alfreton on a two deal, July 2013 would once again see Ben Tomlinson command a fee as he moved to Lincoln City, Ben has scored twenty-nine goals in seventy-one games for the imps.

Current form

Lincoln City D-D-L-W-D-L

A, Alfreton 0.0
A, Wrexham 1.1
H, FGR 1.2
A, Braintree 3.1
H, FC Halifax 1.1
A, Telford 0.1

Last time out

AFC Telford 1 v 0 Lincoln City

01 Farman
17 Caprice
02 Miller
20 Keane
06 Diagne
05 Bencherif
18 Everington Booked
14 Nolan (Sam-Yorke - 60' )
21 Wallace
09 Burrow (Simmons - 76' )
11 Tomlinson Booked

Substitutes
10 Marsden
15 Sam-Yorke
19 Simmons
23 Brown
30 Grant

Lincoln City manager Chris Moyses

http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/Linco ... story.html

"I want to sign people that live within a reasonable distance of the city, with quality alongside that. I don't want to be paying for lodgings and housing because it's a cost the club doesn't need to pay.

"We have a big catchment area to pull from. You've got Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester and Leeds to a certain extent.

In terms of recruiting on a budget, certainly gives them an advantage over us.

From a Torquay point of view

Today saw a welcome return to winning ways for The Gulls, any win is welcome in what's been a poor season, and tonight I'm sure we'll all be happy to just celebrate a win, today not only saw a welcome return albeit short lived from injury for Ryan Bowman, but also fellow striker John Campbell. I wasn't at the game, however heard the commentary and have read match reports, The Gulls also welcome the emergence of young youth team goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe, at 17 he seems to have a maturity above and beyond his age, and a local lad from Torquay, however I'm in no doubt there will be a clamour from the usual suspects ( ) for Dan Lavercombe to become the clubs No1 keeper, I certainly think it's far to early in his fledgling career for that, I think Dan should be proud and us Gulls fans happy in the knowledge we have a very capable young goalkeeper at the club, also I have a feeling that finances will dictate the squad will need to be filled with a number of low wage players next term, Dan Lavercombe could be a good fit.

As far as Tuesdays game goes both Luke Young and Duane Ofori-Acheampong should return from suspension, however Ryan Bowman will be major doubt with his shoulder in a sling after the match.

Current form

Torquay W-L-L-D-L-W

Last time out

Torquay 2 v 0 Altrincham

31 Lavercombe
29 Dawson
05 Pearce
22 McQuilkin
25 Ives
04 Downes
10 Ajala
06 Harding
20 Daniel
09 Bowman Booked (Campbell - 33' )
07 Briscoe (Richards - 80' )

Substitutes
01 Rice
14 Yeoman
16 Richards
26 Gueguen
32 Campbell


Torquay manager Chris Hargreaves

http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/T ... story.html

"We have needed to get back on the winning trail and I thought there some really good performances there.

"We did the ugly side of things that I wanted us to do to win the game.

"Dan was confident," he said. "He was coming for crosses and claiming them and he saved all he had to save.



Previous meeting

Lincoln City 1 v 3 Torquay

Head to Head

Torquay 21 wins, Lincoln 27 wins, Draws 13

Win and we go 12th, which is the highest position we can reach (unless Wrexham lose all 4 of their remaining games). That has to be the target now - the season has been disappointing but finishing in the top half would look slightly less under par on paper. There is a lot of work to do in the summer, but it would still be nice to finish in the top half this year.

Last summer I felt I would be satisfied if we finished the season around mid-table, which is now a distinct possibility. Now, with three games to go, I have rather mixed feelings. All things considered, we could and perhaps should have done better, and critics of Chris Hargreaves may feel justified in their views. I think this is being a little unfair on CH because, whilst he and the players will have wanted to achieve much more than they did, and much as his critics may dismiss the reasons (they would say excuses) for what has been a disappointing season: minimal budget, rookie manager, young players yet to realise their full potential, I believe these should be regarded more as hurdles which CH and the squad had to overcome on their way to mounting a stronger challenge next season.

There will still be difficulties along the way, not least the uncertainty over the club's ownership, poor attendances and reduced income, and (again) restricted budgets. In three or four months time we may be able to feel more optimistic about the future, but if we want a better season next time around, it's up to all supporters who love the club and who want a future for professional football at Plainmoor to help make it happen, starting with the home game against Lincoln City. After today's performance, the lads certainly deserve more fans in attendance on Tuesday to cheer them on.

Before people jump on you, Gs, it isn't the budget that's been the problem, it was the fact such a huge chunk of it was wasted already on a few underperforming senior players leaving the manager with very little to fill out the rest of the squad With a few high earners off the books I remain hopeful he has the ability to spot decent players and the charm to entice them to come and play for us, as we all know too well it isn't easy to get players from outside the area to commit to moving here.

Gullscorer wrote:Last summer I felt I would be satisfied if we finished the season around mid-table, which is now a distinct possibility.

Did you, did you really think that ? after all back in July-September you were telling us, we'd finish above Gateshead, Rovers and FGR, you also told we were worth a bet for promotion.

We are where we are, because CH has failed miserably, a few of his players have also failed miserably, and board continue to fail miserably, period.

Southampton Gull wrote:Before people jump on you, Gs, it isn't the budget that's been the problem, it was the fact such a huge chunk of it was wasted already on a few underperforming senior players leaving the manager with very little to fill out the rest of the squad With a few high earners off the books I remain hopeful he has the ability to spot decent players and the charm to entice them to come and play for us, as we all know too well it isn't easy to get players from outside the area to commit to moving here.

That's what I meant, Dave, but I was too tired (not to mention drunk) last night to enter into more specific detail than what I wrote..

forevertufc wrote: Did you, did you really think that ? after all back in July-September you were telling us, we'd finish above Gateshead, Rovers and FGR, you also told we were worth a bet for promotion.
We are where we are, because CH has failed miserably, a few of his players have also failed miserably, and board continue to fail miserably, period.

Yes Forever, I did really think that, and I said as much in one of my posts last year. (I tried to search for the actual post but it's such a long-winded process that I gave up). But I admit I almost certainly also used the hyperbole and wishful thinking you mention above, which I sometimes do in an attempt to inject some positivity and encouragement into players and supporters. After all, we've certainly needed those qualities over the past two or three years..

Anyway, a 3-0 win for us on Tuesday..!!

Oi!! That's my line GS!!

3-0 to the Torquay

COYY

Came close on a few occasions yesterday to 3-0 and probably should have been. So you have to be correct sometime!

I agree with Dave SG's sentiment, I fully accept CH wasn't dealt the best hand as TUFC manager, however you still have to manage the players you have got, and manage the situation put in front of you, on that score CH has failed, and badly.

I also fully agree with gulliball as well, despite having no confidence in the manager and board as a whole, I want the club to succeed, I'm still a fan and always will be, so a 12th place finish would still represent an underachievement but not as bad as our current position.

Interesting thread from Lincoln forum on admission prices. http://www.lincoln.vitalfootball.co.uk/ ... 45&posts=5

And their view point on Moyses. http://www.lincoln.vitalfootball.co.uk/ ... 4&posts=63

forevertufc wrote:I agree with Dave SG's sentiment, I fully accept CH wasn't dealt the best hand as TUFC manager, however you still have to manage the players you have got, and manage the situation put in front of you, on that score CH has failed, and badly.

I also fully agree with gulliball as well, despite having no confidence in the manager and board as a whole, I want the club to succeed, I'm still a fan and always will be, so a 12th place finish would still represent an underachievement but not as bad as our current position.

By the way I did say that I would like to see more of Dan but for you to say he'd be a cheap option is below the belt if he proves himself good enough. I think I 've heard I agree with Dave before Dale boy!

arcadia wrote: By the way I did say that I would like to see more of Dan but for you to say he'd be a cheap option is below the belt if he proves himself good enough. I think I 've heard I agree with Dave before Dale boy!

Maybe this is an attempt to reel me in, I'm not exactly sure. To add, what I wrote regards Dan Lavercombe was in no way below the belt, I haven't as yet seen him play, but what I said was, and this is from match commentary and reports;

"I certainly think it's far to early in his fledgling career for that, I think Dan should be proud and us Gulls fans happy in the knowledge we have a very capable young goalkeeper at the club, also I have a feeling that finances will dictate the squad will need to be filled with a number of low wage players next term, Dan Lavercombe could be a good fit.

as can been seen clearly, I said we have a very capable young goalkeeper at the club, the part about finances and low wages is just the cold hard reality of the situation, to make things fit the club will need some young players in the squad on low wages, in fact I've been led to believe that Ives and some of our other young players, and this probably includes Lavercombe, are on, or have been offered, and again including Ives less money than a 17 year old can earn sat on the checkouts in a supermarket.

I agree with Dave

I agree with Dave, and I agree with Dave.