With The Gulls keen to bounce back from their midweek setback, King’s Lynn Town are the next opponents to compete for another vital three points at Plainmoor on Saturday.
With United currently sat in 3rd place, Gary Johnson’s side are still well poised to realise their promotion ambitions in the end-of-season shake-up, however victory against The Linnets tomorrow would give the side a real boost, as the season edges towards the two-thirds mark.
Who’s The Boss?
Ian Culverhouse enjoyed a marvellous professional career, representing the likes of Tottenham, Norwich, Swindon and Brighton before transferring that success into the dugout, initially with Assistant roles at Colchester, Norwich and Aston Villa, before moving on to take sole charge of King’s Lynn back in 2017.
After leading the club to a 2nd-placed finish in their Southern League Premier surroundings in 2017/18, Culverhouse left to take over at Grantham Town. His spell there was to prove a brief one though, departing the club after only five months, before returning to King’s Lynn in November 2018, with the side in the bottom half of the table.
Back-to-back promotions since his return has seen The Linnets make the astonishing leap from Southern League also-rans to the top tier of non-League football, and they will be relishing the opportunity to lock horns with another former Football League club tomorrow.
How Have They Been Doing?
It’s been largely a season of struggle for Culverhouse’s side following promotion last Spring, with the Club obviously paying close attention to the decision to Null & Void the divisions below, and thereby likely securing their status in the fifth tier for another season.
Putting that matter to one side, their tally of 24 points from 26 games leaves them in the usual relegation placings purely on goal difference, and they also have the blessing of a game in hand over fellow strugglers Weymouth.
Although the side have gone without a win during their last six outings, two results stand out during the past month, with Town securing a highly creditable 2-2 draw away at Notts County, before repeating that scoreline at home to 2nd-placed Hartlepool last Tuesday.
Player To Watch
Former Norwich City youngster Alfie Payne was one of the stars of last season, making 25 appearances and scoring 3 goals, as Town were crowned National League North champions.
Having spent twelve years in the youth ranks at Carrow Road, the substitutes bench was the closest Payne got to breaking into the Canaries’ first-team squad, however there was no lack of non-League suitors following his departure from the club last May, with further spells at Braintree and Lowestoft preceding his return to The Walks stadium earlier this month.
Played For Both
Leicester City defender Lathaniel Rowe-Turner enjoyed a loan spell at King’s Lynn FC in September 2009, just two months before the club was dissolved, paving the way for the current club to be reformed in its place.
An undisclosed fee saw Rowe-Turner leave City permanently in February 2010 to join Paul Buckle’s Torquay, and although the majority of his 42 appearances came as a replacwment, his impact on fellow left-back Kevin Nicholson was such that he would return to Plainmoor four years later, following Nicholson’s appointment as manager. Lathaniel went on to see far more game time during his second spell in Devon, appearing in every one of United’s 2016/17 National League matches, prior to joining Chester in June 2017.
Previous Encounter
With Town having only been in existence since 2010, it’s perhaps unsurprising that tomorrow will be the Linnets’ first visit to Plainmoor, with the only other meeting between the two sides taking place last December, with The Gulls having to overcome a red card for skipper Asa Hall to secure a 0-0 draw at The Walks.
In association with LV BET
Torquay United AFC will once again be providing full Livestream access for this fixture, including an hour-long pre-match show here.
The club will also be providing commentary of the match via Official TUFC Radio here.