Magpies to find Seagulls a tough challenge
The National League, for now, remains active and on Tuesday Notts County travel south to Torquay as they look to keep their faint automatic promotion hopes alive. Can Neal Ardley’s side close the gap? Have a read of our preview here:
Playing catch-up
Notts County started the season much like they finished the previous campaign. Just two wins in the opening 10 games saw them firmly entrenched at the bottom end of the National League table but things have improved drastically since then.
The club have made steady progress in the league and four wins on the bounce has seen them pull within touching distance of league leaders Barrow.
The major problem is they have been playing catch up all season due to the slow start and that has left them a gap of seven points to close as the end of the campaign approaches.
The comfortable win over Eastleigh at the weekend is no surprise given the talent they have at their disposal. Kyle Wooton has done well since signing from Scunthorpe while both Kristian Dennis and Wes Thomas have oodles of league experience while the squad has players like Alex Facey and Ben Turner who also know how to win.
If the league doesn’t get suspended, and that remains a distinct possibility, then County have a good chance of catching Barrow.
Torquay feeling good under Johnson
Gary Johnson has done an excellent job in bringing Torquay out of the National League South. He now needs to continue building on a promising campaign that has seen Jamie Reed net 18 times and the football offering plenty of entertainment.
Recent wins at Fylde and at home to Chorley and Halifax show their potential but defeats to Barrow and Sutton highlights how much work remains on the table for the former Cheltenham Town boss.
This is a club with a proud EFL history, but recent times have seen them struggle with a lack of news regarding a new stadium often holding them back from developing the potential many believe they possess.
The form guide would expect a County win here but the Seagulls won’t go down without a fight.
Ben Whitfield is their key creator, supply 21 chances for his teammates this season while leading the team in accurate crosses (17) too. If he and other senior members of the squad are on their game, the boys from Plainmoor are more than a match for anyone.
Torquay v Notts County betting tip
Notts County will be desperate to continue their good form, but they will find Torquay a difficult place to go. That’s why we are backing both teams to score at odds of 4/7 with Betfair.
