Torquay United hope to harness FA Cup 'energy'

Winning on Saturday would pave the way for progress in 'fantastic' competition

Torquay United manager Gary Johnson has called for a ‘bright and energetic’ performance from his team when they entertain Maidstone for the second Saturday running at Plainmoor.

The aim is to banish the hangover from last Saturday’s lacklustre league defeat against the same opposition and make it through to the all-important First Round Proper of the FA Cup.

To be fair to the Gulls, they played an hour last Saturday with 10 men after the sending-off of defender Ross Marshall and created plenty of chances when they were a man down.

“I think we’re going to play with 10 men again this week,” quipped Johnson.

But the Gulls squandered a succession of those chances, and Johnson wants them to be sharper. And he was disappointed by the performance of referee Jack Bloxham last Saturday, but says it is time to move on.

“We’ll learn from that, and now look forward to a game in this fantastic competition,” he said.

“We could earn ourselves a very good game, as we did in the First Round last year against Derby. We could have a match and an atmosphere like that again.

“We have to put all our efforts into getting through to the next round.”

He called on the Plainmoor faithful to get behind their team and help them push on in a competition which has seen them so far vanquish Wimborne and Hungerford without conceding a goal.

“The cup is all about momentum,” he said. “If we can get a nice, bright, energetic team and that brings out an energetic support, then the world’s your oyster.

“We’ve had great home form - up until last week - and we want to keep that going, and keep Plainmoor as a fortress.”

Marshall will miss the game as he serves the suspension for his red card, and that will force Johnson to reshuffle his defence. But he has no new injury worries, and will have midfielder Asa Hall available for the bench at least as the skipper recovers from a long injury lay-off.

Winning on Saturday will be worth more than £9,000 to United, along with a place in the First Round proper when the League One and Two clubs finally join in.