Western Morning News (Saturday)
Torquay hit by a double departure at Plainmoor
TWO loan players have left Torquay United and another one could play the last game of his spell on Saturday when the Gulls take on Dagenham & Redbridge at Victoria Road on the east side of London today.
Defender Lucas Ness has been recalled by Charlton Athletic because of a defensive crisis there, while midfielder Scott Smith has gone back to Wigan Athletic, who have a new manager, Kolo Toure - so he will see if he can impress the new boss after playing eight times for the Gulls, but dropping out of contention in the last couple of weeks.
Ness, 20, had more to do, starting all eight games during his month with the club and impressing the management and fans alike, even during a time when results seemed to slide from OK to poor.
His partner at the back has been Mark Ellis, and the experienced centre back, 34, could stay after his loan from Barrow runs out at the weekend if talks with parent-club Barrow go well.
Gary Johnson said: “We’re grateful to Scott for his service with us and understand that Wigan, with their new regime, would like to see all their players that are available to them, and so Wigan decided to call Scott back for that reason – which we totally understand.
“We also thank Lucas Ness for the time he’s been with us. However, Charlton have called him back due to several of their players being unavailable for them.
“I’m disappointed to lose both of them, but that’s how the loan deals work.”
This means there will be definitely one change for the game at Dagenham, which is a 12.30pm kick off this afternoon. Ali Omar must be favourite to replace Ness in the back line, but young-gun Ollie Tomlinson is also available.
Dean Moxey could step inside from left back, or there could be a change to a 3-5-2 formation. Striker Will Goodwin will almost certainly return after his one-game suspension to partner Aaron Jarvis up front. Brett McGavin had a decent game in midfield and may keep his place there.
Torquay go into the game six points adrift of the National League safety zone, bottom of the table on the same points, 15, as Scunthorpe United, who were relegated from League Two last season.
If a win against relegation rivals
Gateshead was important - they only managed a disappointing 1-1 draw a win against Dagenham is now even more important. Torquay need to turn it around pretty quickly if they are going to survive this season.
Dagenham are ninth in the table having won their last three league games and drawing 1-1 with Gillingham in the FA Cup last weekend. They will replay that game on Thursday to see who plays Leicester City at home in the third round.
“They have had some good results recently,” Johnson said about the Daryl McMahon-managed team.
“They are always tough, especially at home. They are very strong at home.
“We have had, and will have, a good look at them, and we will pick the team available to us. And hopefully we can create, probably, more chances than we had when we played them away last season.
“Players have got to turn up, players have got to look forward to it, and I am sure they will because I think our confidence is growing a little bit... despite us being bottom of the table at the moment there is quite a lot of optimism from the lads.”