Western Morning News

Trophy progress does bring problems for Torquay

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TORQUAY United’s reward for beating Southport in the fifth round of the FA Trophy on Saturday is an away trip to Woking later this month, writes Richard Hughes.

Torquay manager Gary Johnson would have preferred a home game in the last eight of the national competitio­n – but Monday’s draw saw the Gulls given a trip to old foes Woking, the team they battled with at the top of the National League South division in their title-winning season.

With Torquay currently top of the National League – even after last night’s home game against Wealdstone – they will play at Woking this Saturday in the league, and then return there for the Trophy game on February 27.

That means the game against Dover Athletic will need to be rearranged – causing more of a league backlog as clubs continue to vote on if the season should end and be null and voided.

Clubs in the Premier division of the National League are split about whether the season should end by the deadline for votes, which is the end of the month.

If, as expected, the Premier votes to continue, with the North and South stopping, Torquay will be in danger of having to play four games in a week towards the end of the campaign – something that concerns the manager.

Johnson said: “It is going to be a bit hairy-scary when we get to the latter part of the season as to who has to play four games in a week.

“It might be that we have played lots of games but we are due to play, say Dover, and we have to play on a Thursday as well as a Tuesday and two Saturdays.

“I can’t see how they are going to get games in unless they extend the season and I am not sure whether that is logistical­ly possible.”

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