Goals, injuries and a whole lot more in the Torquay United drama of 2025

Comfortably the top scorers and with the best home record in the division to their credit, Torquay United must rely on the strength and resolve of an injury-hit squad as they travel to ambitious Chelmsford City on Saturday.

Already without five senior players, the Gulls looked to have suffered more collateral damage as they overhauled in-form Worthing in rousing style (3-2) on Tuesday night, to follow up that seven-goal demolition of Eastbourne Borough last weekend.

Manager Paul Wotton insisted that everyone who can more or less raise a trot will be in contention when the party leaves at the crack of dawn.

The fact that United are travelling on the day for one of their longest trips of the season is a hint about the belt-tightening that seems to be taking place at Plainmoor at the moment.

But the club has managed to complete another loan signing, 18-year-old striker Kieran Wilson from Devon neighbours Exeter City, following the recent ‘free’ loan of Bolton Wanderers starlet Sonny Sharples-Ahmed.

The latest deal sees Wilson, who’s made one EFL Trophy start and several League One sub appearances for the Grecians this season, with United until January 12.

When Torquay have even most of their players available, Wotton is confident that he has the roster to sustain an NLS promotion push.

But right now he’s without Munashe Sundire, Cody Cooke, Ed Palmer, Callum Dolan and Matt Worthington, and the Worthing win appeared to raise worries over Dylan Morgan and Dan Hayfield.

No wonder Wotton commented at his weekly press conference: “Sometimes it feels like the world is against you at Torquay United, whether it’s manager, player or fan.

“But you have to overcome lots of hurdles, and Chelmsford is our next hurdle.”

If United (3rd), who have been able to fill only five places on the bench of late, can win at City (10th) in these circumstances, it will be some achievement.

Still, they go to the Melbourne Stadium, complete with its athletics track, on the back of four successive league wins, and seeking some revenge for a galling 3-2 defeat there last February.

Travelling fans will hardly need reminding that United led 2-0 then, including Matt Jay’s 50-yard goal of the season, before conceding twice in the closing minutes, albeit in slightly contentious circumstances.

Chelmsford made no secret of their aims in the summer, giving manager Angelo Harrop a budget to pursue the sort of promotion which he won at Braintree a couple of years ago.

They’ve been one of the more unpredictable teams in the division, mixing some good results – like ending Hornchurch’s unbeaten run – with a 3-0 defeat at lowly Salisbury recently and a 2-1 loss at Hemel Hempstead in midweek.

Mind you, Hemel are proving to be one of the more durable of the early pacesetters.

Former Gulls midfielder Tom Lapslie, who joined City in June, appears to have suffered more injury problems and has played only a handful of games.

But they still have plenty of talented players, the best-known being former AFC Wimbledon, Charlton, Nottingham Forest and Colchester striker Lyle Taylor, 35.

Saturday’s referee is Chay Hathaway from Suffolk – he also handled the same game last season.