United return to the English Riviera for the first of back to back home games, as Dartford come to town on Family Day at Plainmoor.
Aaron Downes’ men will be looking to press on for the three points after their previous three draws, as an out of sorts Dartford come to Plainmoor, with new manager Adrian Pennock on the touchline for the first time for the Darts.
Who’s the Boss?
Adrian Pennock took over the reigns at Dartford on the 1st March, and today’s game is his first in full charge of the team following his appointment.
Pennock’s playing career started at Norwich City, where he came through the youth ranks between 1986 and 1989, before signing his first professional contract at Carrow Road in 1989, though he only went on to make one appearance in three years, while also having a loan spell at Molde in 1991. Upon his release from the Canaries the central defender headed for the South Coast to AFC Bournemouth, where he played over 130 games and scored nine goals in a four year spell. Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium was next for Pennock in 1996, where in a seven year spell he played over 160 games before moving to his final playing club in 2003, when he joined Gravesend & Northfleet for two years.
The 52 year old started his managerial career at Welling United in 2005, guiding the club to their best ever finish in six years after his first season in the National League South, before in 2007 he took a coaching role at Stoke City as youth team manager to start with, before in 2011 becoming a first team coach under Tony Pulis with Stoke then in the Premier League. Pennock took up the managerial reigns at Forest Green Rovers in November 2013, leading the club to finishes of 10th, 5th and 2nd in the National League in his two and a half years at the New Lawn, before being relieved of his duties in April 2016.
A short spell at former club Gillingham was next in 2017, before in October of the same year he headed North to then National League side Barrow, though Pennock left at the end of the 2017/18 season with Barrow having narrowly avoided relegation. In 2019 he headed to Singapore managing Brunei DPMM in the Singapore Premier League, leading the club to their second title in his first season in charge.
How have they been doing?
Since beating United 3-0 at Princes Park back in November, the Darts were defeated just once in their next six games, that being a 3-0 home defeat to St Albans City at the end of December. Since the turn of the year Dartford have been struggling with only one league win in their last nine games, that being a 2-1 win coming at bottom of the table Dover Athletic in mid-February, meaning the Kent club come into this game in 19th position, with ten wins, eight draws and 17 defeats, with 38 points from their 35 games played.
Player to Watch
Luke Coulson was at Manchester City’s academy between 2002 – 2012, while also playing for Michigan Wolverines after enrolling at the University in 2012, but after only six games he left to join Cardiff City, making his only appearance for the club as a substitute in an FA Cup defeat to Macclesfield in 2013, despite signing on for the Bluebirds for another season until the summer of 2014.
Upon his release from the Welsh club Coulson then joined Oxford City in January 2015, where he played over 40 games and scored eight goals before moving on after one year to join Eastleigh in January 2016. After a year at the Spitfires the midfielder had a short spell at Barnet before joining Ebbsfleet United where in over 60 games he scored nine goals. Bromley came calling next in December 2018, with the 30 year old turning out for the Ravens over 120 times, and upon his release from Hayes Lane in 2022, Coulson joined Dartford and has so far made over 70 appearances for the club.
Played for Both
Toby Ajala was at Plainmoor in two spells, the first being the 2014/15 season, where played 45 games and scored five goals, and the second spell was in 2016 when Ajala joined the Gulls on loan from Dover Athletic, the club he had left Torquay for the previous summer, with the midfielder making another 18 appearances and scoring just the one goal.
The 32 year old has played for many different clubs in his career, amongst them Bristol City, Hayes & Yeading United, AFC Wimbledon, Welling United, Gateshead & Dartford and he currently finds himself at Faversham Town in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division.
Previous Encounter
Torquay United 2 – 0 Dartford | National League South | Saturday 16th March 2019
A man down for most of the game, United delivered a nerveless performance to secure all three points against Dartford at Plainmoor. Despite Jean-Yves Koue Niate being shown a straight red card on 13 minutes, United refused to buckle under pressure, and deservedly secured the win courtesy of two goals from top scorer Jamie Reid.
Vanarama National League South | Torquay United v Dartford | 09/03/24 | KO: 3pm | Ticketing information available HERE | Live commentary via Official TUFC Radio available HERE