Second spot up for grabs after a turbulent week at Torquay United

The way that results at the top of the National League South have been going, it’s quite possible that Torquay United could be in second place if they beat struggling Farnborough under the new management of ‘caretaker’ Neil Warnock at Plainmoor on Tuesday.

Everyone with the Gulls at heart would love to see that happen, although how it might look to the wider world in the wake of Paul Wotton’s sacking is up for debate.

While a mini-avalanche of applications flows into the offices at TQ1 – that field will take some sifting through – Warnock has thrown himself into the job once more.

After a morning’s training on Monday with players who he thankfully knows quite well, Warnock dived into a hectic round of media interviews and then a session looking at Farnborough’s recent performances and line-up.

Once you’ve mastered a trade, you don’t forget how to do the job.

But not even Warnock would claim to own a magic wand and, after the five winless games that cost Wotton his job, this is surely about how United’s players rouse themselves.

Because United also parted company with Wotton’s assistant Mike Edwards, Warnock has no No.2 to help him at the moment.

So one or two senior pros are lending a hand, including Matt Jay, who is already working his way through his coaching badges even though he is still committed as a player.

United are without Callum Dolan and centre-backs Jordan Dyer and Sam Dreyer, and centre-forward Cody Cooke is also nursing the dislocated shoulder he sustained in Saturday’s 5-0 home defeat by Chelmsford City.

But midfielder Matt Worthington is fit again after missing that match with a sickness bug, and Warnock may well give new loan signing Will Tizzard his first start in defence after a promising second half off the bench at the weekend.

The Gulls were good value for a 3-1 win at Cherrywood Road in November, when they never looked back after Louis Dennis scored twice in the first eleven minutes.

That sort of dynamic start would certainly get the Plainmoor faithful going.

Farnborough are only a point outside the drop-zone after a run of two wins in eleven games, although they did hold Ebbsfleet 2-2 away at the weekend.

Long-serving manager Spencer Day knows this territory well and, with a load of home games ahead, they will still fancy their chances of staying up.

Rakish Bingham has proved a good acquisition from Ebbsfleet last summer – he’s scored ten goals so far.

Experienced targetman Mason Bloomfield can be an effective alternative up front, and Day recently brought in former Barnet, Southend and Ebbsfleet midfielder Wes Fonguck after he spent most of 2024-2025 in the USA.

There are several other NLS games on Tuesday night.

Hornchurch (2nd) host Salisbury, Worthing (3rd) host in-form Chesham, Maidstone (11th) and Weston-super-Mare (7th) meet at the Gallagher Stadium and Maidenhead (10th) will also be right in the Play-Off mix if they beat AFC Totton at home.

Tuesday’s referee at Plainmoor is Gary Parsons from Lymington, Hampshire.