FC Halifax Town v Torquay United preview

Town are back on home soil after two away trips to London, with very different results. After being thrashed 5-0 at Bromley last Saturday, The Shaymen bounced back with a 1-0 win at Sutton on Tuesday night thanks to Michael Duckworth’s first goal for the club.

A win for either side could move them up the table. If Halifax win and leaders Bromley fail to beat Wrexham, then Pete Wild’s team will return to the summit of the division. If Torquay win they could move as high as third in the league depending on goal difference.

Torquay striker Jamie Reid has been in fine form this season, bagging 13 goals in all competitions. Reid scored 32 goals in all competitions last season as Torquay earned promotion, and was crowned National League South Player of the Year.

The 25-year-old had two loan spells with The Gulls before joining them permanently, and was linked with a move to League One club Doncaster over the summer.

Gary Johnson’s Torquay have won six of their last seven games in all competition, and have won three, drawn three and lost three of their league games away from home this season.

They have former Halifax loanee Manny Duku in their ranks at Plainmoor, but he is yet to score in 13 appearances for them.

Town boss Wild will have winger Danny Williams available on Saturday, while left-back Jerome Binnom-Williams returns from his one hame suspension. But Jeff King will miss the game after picking up his fifth booking st Sutton.

Wild said captain Matty Brown was ahead of schedule in his comeback from a hamstring injury, but that he and playmaker Cameron King will remain on the sidelines this weekend.

Liam McAlinden went off at half-time at Sutton with an ankle injury but is expected to be fit. The man who replaced him, Jack Earing, is pushing for a start though after impressing in the second-half on Tuesday night.

The two sides drew 1-1 at The Shay back in October 2017 when George Waring’s goal for Billy Heath’s Halifax was cancelled out by Jamie Reid.

Follow all the action from Saturday afternoon at The Shay on our live blog at www.halifaxcourier.co.uk.

Saturday’s National League fixtures:

Wrexham v Bromley

Notts Co v Hartlepool

Barnet v Chorley

Yeovil v Boreham W

Aldershot v Maidenhead

Ebbsfleet v Chesterfield

Barrow v Sutton Utd

Eastleigh v Harrogate

Halifax v Torquay

Stockport v Woking

Fylde v Dover

Solihull M v Dag & Red