Albatross previews the game at Torquay

By Albatross
August 23 2002

It's the August Bank Holiday Weekend, there'll be caravans all along the M5, so of course it's time for Pools to visit Torquay. Albatross studies the form.

It's August Bank Holiday, the roads will be clogged, it is of course time for one of Pools longest trips of the season - Torquay United.

The Plainmoor team are many people's tips for relegation this season - including mine - but got off to a flying start when beating Bristol Rovers 2-1 on the opening day. Things haven't gone according to plan since then though, with away defeats to Rushden (3-0) and York. The York reverse was 4-3, and the home side were 3-0 up before the Gulls pulled it back to 3-3 before one Jonathan Parkin got the winner (his 3rd of the season by the way). This currently leaves them 17th in the table.

Leroy Rosenior seems to have been playing on the Transfer Merry-Go-Round recently; former Peterborough striker Howard Forinton joined on non-contract terms in time to play against York, but has already been told by the Plainmoor club that he's not needed any longer. This may be because last season's top scorer David Graham will be available for selection, and the Gulls also have the option of playing Martin Gritton (a 6'1" loanee from Plymouth) up front if he recovers from injury in time.

Alex Russell and Jason Fowler will be looking to control the game in midfield for Torquay, while in defence Steve Woods, Reuben Hazell and Sean Hankin may well be the players Pools will have to face. The last line of defence is likely to be Jamie Attwell - a close-season signing from Bristol City - in preference to the much-travelled Kevin Dearden, ever-present for Torquay last season and of course someone who played for Pools on loan from Spurs in the early 90s.

Former Gull Eifion Williams is due to travel with the squad, but in the list on the official site there's no sign of the names of Paul Smith and Tommy Widdrington in the party. The team were due to travel down on Friday Morning, and will use Exeter's training facilities in the buildup to the match.

After losing to Macclesfield last week, Pools need to get back on track; and games like this are ones that we need to win if we're going to challenge for promotion.

It's an interesting game as both sides will want to win: Torquay to avoid getting sucked in to the battle at the bottom of the table, and Pools to stay with the promotion challengers. With Torquay's squad looking a little threadbare though I'm going for Pools to win 1-0 through Eifion Williams.