After a break in action, United are back on the road tomorrow as they head to the Beveree Stadium to take on Hampton & Richmond.
With The Gulls currently in fifth place and just one point off second spot, a positive result at Hampton would be a timely boost for Paul Wotton’s side, in what is their tenth match of the 2024/25 National League South campaign.
Who’s the Boss?
Alan Julian will be the man in the opposition dugout this weekend, having replaced previous boss Mel Gwinnett following their 9th-placed finish last term.
After bringing the curtain down on his 22-year professional career at the end of last season, Julian decided to make the transition from player to manager after spending the last four campaigns in between the sticks for The Beavers.
Having faced The Gulls on numerous occasions over the past two decades, Alan will now be hoping that the experience he gained with the likes of Brentford, Stevenage, Gillingham, Newport, Dartford and Bromley amongst others can now be used for the benefit of Hampton, as the club look to build upon their play-off near miss in 2023/24.
How have they been doing?
It’s been an unpredictable start to season for Borough, with their opening ten outings resulting in three wins, four draws and three defeats, leaving them, perhaps unsurprisingly, in mid-table with 13 points.
After winning just one of their opening six matches, their last four matches has seen definite signs of progress, with an away win at Weymouth and draws against much-fancied Boreham Wood and Tonbridge paving the way for their most impressive result to date under boss Alan Julian – a 4-0 home thumping of Enfield Town last weekend.
Player to Watch
Striker James Roberts will certainly be coming into tomorrow’s game in high spirits, after notching a hat-trick in last Saturday’s success over Enfield.
After beginning his career at Oxford United, a series of loan moves preceded a permanent switch to Halesowen Town, and although that stint – like his next one at Hereford – didn’t last too long, Robert’s eye for goal was already generating plenty of interest in non-League circles.
More game time – and goals – followed with Spennymoor and Oxford City, before a memorable three year stay at Havant & Waterlooville, where 131 appearances and 29 goals included playing a key role in dumping Gary Johnson’s Torquay side out of the FA Cup in 2021/22.
His arrival at Hampton in the summer, following a brief spell on loan two years ago, can’t have started much better for the 28 year-old, so United’s defenders will need to be on top form tomorrow.
Played For Both
United striker Ben Seymour picked an ideal moment to open his account for The Gulls, as his strike against St Albans helped Paul Wotton’s side secure a point in their last match two weeks ago.
Seymour’s 16 goals in 46 matches for Borough last season played a large part in their push for the play-offs, and after falling just short in the closing stages, Ben opted for a return to Devon.
It was at United’s Devon Rivals Exeter City that the 25 year-old forward made his senior bow, before going on to make a total of 71 first-team appearances as a Grecian.
A whole host of loan spells throughout the west country saw Seymour gain valuable first-team experience, with his time with Bideford and Dorchester proving particularly productive.
A permanent move to Plymouth Parkway saw the goals continue to flow before his switch to The Beveree, where Ben will be looking to pick up where he left off tomorrow.
Previous Encounter
Hampton & Richmond 1 -2 Torquay | Emirates FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round Replay | Tuesday 18th September 2022
In the face of adversity, ten-man United came from behind to clinch a place in the FA Cup First Round after a gritty 2-1 win at Hampton & Richmond.
After a Tommy Block strike gave the hosts the advantage just before half-time, The Gulls levelled things up just after the interval through Dean Moxey. Things looked bleak when Dillon De Silva received his marching orders just past the hour mark, but Gary Johnson’s men responded manfully to the setback, with Aaron Jarvis heading home minutes later to clinch an eye-catching tie against League One big-hitters Derby County in Round 1.
Hampton & Richmond v Torquay United | Saturday 5th October 2024 | 3pm KO | Beveree Stadium, Beaver Close, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2BX