Fleetwood Town players and fans face a 600 mile round trip on Saturday as they take on Torquay United, the team who started Town's Football League odyssey six months ago.
By David MitchellFleetwood Town players and fans face a 600 mile round trip on Saturday as they take on Torquay United, the team who started Town's Football League odyssey six months ago.
Five points separate seven teams from third down to Town in ninth. It is Town's first away fixture in the npower League 2 for five weeks. Twelve goals conceded in thirteen games away from Highbury is currently the second best record in the league.
The manager's experience of the long journey south goes back a few seasons:
'Torquay's a great place but I've not been there for a few years myself. We travel in great spirit but with one or two knocks from the Bradford game and we'll wait until the last possible moment on certain players before concentrating on those who will wear the shirts on the day.'
'We gave away defendable goals last weekend but we've been quite consistent defensively and we know we have the goals in us. Three or four good results would put us in a great position but in that sense we are no different from eight or so teams around us in the league.'
A 2-1 defeat at Cheltenham on Saturday left the Gulls nine points off the play-offs. Torquay have reached this stage for the last two seasons but progress towards a hat-trick of appearances has been hindered by a run of just one win in their last eight games.
Their home record across the season, however, is good. Just two defeats at home is a record only equalled by Burton and Cheltenham. Leading scorer, Rene Howe, begins a two-match ban and right- back, Joe Oastler, is recovering from a knock. Also missing is manager, Martin Ling, who is absent for the third successive game due to a virus.
Assistant manager, Shaun Taylor, spoke to BBC Devon:
'We're managing at the moment. We're not sure of the length of time Martin will be away. Our first priority is sorting out Fleetwood on Saturday. It's been difficult but very enjoyable. When you lose the main member of staff it is tough. I've had fantastic backing from the players and the club.'
As of Friday morning Torquay had failed to bring in a replacement frontman.
