Over the weekend, 180 miles down the south coast, relegation rivals Taunton were defeating Worthing, who were in third place, while Torquay was winning 4-1 against Dartford.
The players of Torquay United will be optimistic after their decisive 3-1 victory over Taunton Town at Worthing on Saturday that they can burst the bubble.
Over the weekend, Torquay defeated Dartford 4-1, while Taunton, a relegation contender 180 miles south on the coast, defeated Worthing, in third place, to completely upset the National League South standings. However, Torquay’s victory will have greatly increased the players’ confidence. For Austen Booth, in particular, playing against the team he left to join the Gulls just a month ago will be an intriguing match.
When he spoke with Torquay’s website following the game against Dartford, centre back Booth, 25, was giddy with success. Booth had come to his hometown club from Taunton. He was signed by the team under the direction of former manager Gary Johnson, but Johnson left after owner Clarke Osborne decided to resign as chairman and put the team up for sale. Currently, Johnson plays for the team under interim manager Aaron Downes.
Nonetheless, two draws and one victory under Downes isn’t bad, and both the players and the supporters are becoming more optimistic that Torquay can turn things around and contend for a play-off spot in the ten games left.
To be honest, Booth stated, “I think it is just getting better and better.” The past two weeks have been good, and the training has gone well.
We knew that victory was imminent because of the way we train, how hard the boys have been working, and the tactics we have been using. I believe that things can only get better from here. I’m confident that after you win the first game, we’ll win the next three, and then hopefully go on a tear.
Booth loves Torquay. He was a fan of Plainmoor even when he was playing for Truro City, Barnstaple Town, Buckland Athletic, Tiverton Town, and Plymouth Parkway. His father, former Gulls defender Jon Gittens, passed away in 2019. Thus, he is aware of the significance that winning games, as the team did on Saturday, holds for the supporters, particularly during these trying times.
Booth commented, “It’s a nice atmosphere.” You have no excuses not to want to go out and perform and put on a show when you have the kind of fan base that Torquay currently has. We just get such a huge boost from the fans, and you work and run even harder. Even though I know they are going through a little difficult moment, the fans have been incredible over the past few weeks, so it is amazing how they have come out. It’s something that I and the boys truly, truly value.
Aside from any knocks sustained during the Dartford match, Finlay Craske is the only player sidelined for the remainder of the season. Tom Lapslie, a midfielder, made his comeback as a substitute on Saturday and could be a candidate for the starting lineup. However, it’s possible that Downes won’t want to make any changes following Torquay’s display against Dartford, where the team scored three goals in a row early in the second half. Though after Ross Marshall’s one-match suspension, he might be tempted to bring him in as a defender.
