Young bucks against old heads when Concord jet in

TORQUAY UNITED

Take out Liam Davis and Ryan Dickson, both 31, and the average age of the rest of Torquay United’s current starting line-up is just under 22.

Apart from Brett Williams there isn’t much know-how on the subs’ bench either.

And it will almost certainly be worth bearing just that in mind when Concord Rangers bring one of the most experienced teams in the National League South to Plainmoor on Saturday.

The Beachboys, from Canvey Island in Essex, must have a few bob knocking around the place or, more likely, are well-placed as many other Home Counties clubs are, to attract players with lots of Football League miles on the clock.

Not one of those is 30-year-old goalkeeper Sam Beasant, the son of former Wimbledon, Chelsea, Southampton and Nottingham Forest goalie Dave Beasant.

But Beasant Jr has still managed to play plenty of games for Woking, Braintree and Chelmsford under his belt before he joined Concord in the summer.

Among the defensive roster are well-travelled trio Tyrone Sterling (Dover, Bromley), Sean Clohessy (Gillingham, Southend, Colchester, Leyton Orient) and Billy Knott (Sunderland, Bradford City, Gillingham, Lincoln).

Player-manager Sammy Moore (Ipswich, AFC Wimbledon, Orient), who moved from Leatherhead earlier this year, is concentrating on coaching these days, but he has plenty of experience too in midfield – Lee Minshull (Coventry, Newport) and Danny Green (Nottingham Forest) among them.

Moore brought 35-year-old centre-forward Jack Midson (Histon, Oxford Utd, AFC Wimbledon, Eastleigh) with him as his No.2 from Leatherhead, and Midson is now building a good partnership with ex-Luton, Bromley and Hungerford striker Alex Wall – they have scored 18 goals between them so far.

Moore, who wants to take Concord into the National League before local rivals Billericay Town do it, has also added two more forwards recently – former Barnet and Dagenham midfield Ahmed Abdullah and Liam Nash on loan from Gillingham.

Rangers have been strong at home (W5 D1 L1), where they met Eastbourne Borough last night, but less impressive on the road…