Crusaders have had mixed fortunes so far this season

TORQUAY UNITED

When Hungerford Town broke their winless duck against Dartford (1-0) in game No 6 and then followed up with a 3-2 victory against Truro City at Plainmoor over the August Bank Holiday, the ‘Crusaders’ must have thought they were on their way up the table.

Successive defeats at home to surprise packets Gloucester (1-2) and away to Bath City (1-4) at the weekend have pulled them up short, but Ian Herring’s side will still fancy their chances of another upset against the Gulls at Bulpit Lane on Saturday.

Player-manager Herring is doing less playing these days, but he has put together a youthful and spirited squad on a tight budget. Some Torquay fans may remember attacking right-back Romone Rose from a three-month loan spell he had at Plainmoor during his early days with QPR.

Rose scored once from the wing in five appearances under Paul Buckle during United’s League Two play-off season in 2010-2011, but most of his career has been spent in Southern non-League football and he joined Hungerford from Whitehawk this year.

Alfy and Ritchie Whittingham – they are not related – are likely to feature down the ‘spine’ of Herring’s team.

But one player United will need to keep an eye on is Charlie Ten-Grotenhuis.

The 21-year-old midfielder didn’t make it at Bristol Rovers, after spells with Farnborough and Hampton & Richmond, but he’s now trying to relaunch his career at Hungerford.

He caught the eye with a hat-trick as Town beat Truro.