Western Morning News (Saturday)
Refreshed Torquay set to resume promotion push
TORQUAY United will have the chance to finish what they started after the National League announced late on Thursday night that their season would be continuing.
While the National North and South division teams have voted to end their seasons, the top division has voted to continue playing to a conclusion, meaning Torquay can now concentrate on trying to win promotion back to the Football League.
The Gulls are at home against FC Halifax Town today after 10 days off because of the postponement at Woking last Saturday, and the team will be desperate to return to the form that saw them start so well this season and build up a 12-point lead.
That lead has since been reduced to seven points and both Sutton United in second and Notts County in third have three games in hand over the Gulls, so it is vitally important that they win all three points on offer this afternoon.
Captain Asa Hall says the players will be ‘refreshed’ and the extended break does mean there has been extra healing time after 10 of Gary Johnson’s squad were unavailable because of injuries when the team drew 1-1 with Wealdstone last time out.
Right back Ben Wynter and central defender Gary Warren were close to returning before the Wealdstone game, while left back Dean Moxey and midfielder Armani Little too may have had time to get over their problems.
Key attacking midfielder Connor Lemonheigh-Evans missed the game because of a one-match suspension so he will be back in the frame.
Hall said: “Obviously we had prepped the whole week and after the draw on the Tuesday night everyone wanted to put it right with a win at the weekend.
“But we will take the positives from having a rest and we will go refreshed into the weekend now.
“The mood in the camp is good and very positive. The lads have full belief in everything that we are doing.
“Overall, everyone is positive and looking forward to the games that are coming up.”
The announcement that the top division of the National League would continue while the North and South divisions would cease and be null and void came with little fanfare on the National League website.
Following the ‘loans not grants’ argument, when clubs which were expecting to receive grants after Christmas to offset losses incurred by playing behind closed doors were told only loans would be available, they were given until February 28 to vote on four ‘resolutions.’ However, with most clubs voted, the league was able to report the outcome sooner.
There are 23 teams in the National League and 13 voted to play on with seven voting to stop. “As a result, the National League National Division will continue to operate for the remainder of the season,” said the statement on the website.
Teams in the National League North voted 15 to seven to stop the season, while in the South it was a 12 to nine split to carry on. The website announced the resolution was passed and ‘consequently, the season at Step 2 is null and void.”
With Wrexham abstaining because as a Welsh club they were not entitled to the funding anyway, the statement added: “There are two votes from the National Division that have not yet been cast, however, the outcome of the resolutions cannot be affected by these votes, however they are cast.
“With the voting procedure now closed, National League North and South fixtures will cease with immediate effect.
“The Board will take the resolution outcome to the Football Association for ratification. This will include dialogue regarding promotion and relegation.”
■ Torquay’s game against Halifax is a 5.20pm kick-off and will be broadcast live on BT Sport. Halifax are 14th in the table going into the game.