FC Halifax Town v Torquay United preview

Venue: The Shay

Date: Saturday, March 19

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Andrew Miller has shown 50 yellow cards and one red card in nine National League games so far this season, as well as awarding three penalties.

He took charge of Halifax’s 3-1 home win against Southend United back in September, a game in which he showed ten yellow cards. Also officiated Town’s 2-1 FA Trophy defeat to Notts County in February.

Odds: Halifax win 19/20, draw 12/5, Torquay win 11/5

Season so far

Halifax: P37, W22, D7, L8, F60, A35

Torquay: P35, W14, D9, L12, F53, A54

Last five games

Halifax: Notts County (a) D 1-1, Barnet (h) W 1-0, Weymouth (a) W 2-0, Dover (h) W 2-1, Bromley (h) W 1-0

Torquay: Barnet (h) D 2-2, Boreham Wood (h) D 0-0, Wealdstone (a) D 1-1, Bromley (h) D 0-0, King's Lynn (a) W 3-2

Scorers

Halifax: Billy Waters (17), Jordan Slew (10), Matty Warburton (9), Kian Spence (4), Tom Bradbury (4), Jack Vale (3), Kieran Green (2), Niall Maher (2), Luke Summerfield (2), Jesse Debrah, Martin Woods, Tyrell Warren, Elliot Newby, Jamie Allen, Zak Dearnley

Torquay: Armani Little (10), Connor Lemonheigh-Evans (7), Asa Hall (5), Joe Lewis (5), Daniel Wright (5), Dan Holman (3), Ben Wynter (3), Klaidi Lolos (3), Sinclair Armstrong (2), Stephen Duke-McKenna (2), Tom Lapslie (2), Jack Sparkes, Stephen Wearne, Jake Andrews, Chiori Johnson

Manager: Former Yeovil and Bristol City boss Gary Johnson, who has been in management since 1986, guided the club to promotion from the National League South before sealing a 15th-placed finish in the fifth tier. Last season, the 66-year-old led the Gulls to the National League play-off final, where they lost to Hartlepool United on penalties.

Last season: 2nd in National League

One to watch: Midfielder Armani Little has ten goals in 27 league goals so far this season. Little began his career at Southampton, making a handful of appearances in the Checkatrade Trophy, prior to joining Oxford. It was during two loan spells at Woking that Little began to flourish, helping them to promotion. He then joined Torquay in 2019, scoring three goals in 17 league games, and scoring once last season in 24 league appearances.

Match facts: Only leaders Stockport have won more National League games this season than Halifax (19).

Halifax have won more home games in the National League this season (12) than any other team.

Only Boreham Wood have conceded fewer home goals in the National League this season than Halifax.

Torquay have only lost once in their last 11 games.

If Halifax win, it will be the first time they will have won five league matches in a row since August 2014.

Last time they met: The Shaymen raced into a 3-0 lead at Plainmoor in November thanks to two goals from Jordan Slew and one from Billy Waters before Torquay got two late goals back in Halifax's 3-2 win.

Follow all the action from the game on Saturday with our live blog on the Courier website, where there will also be an on-the-whistle match report and post-match reaction from Town boss Pete Wild.

Saturday’s National League fixtures:

Dover v Yeovil

Bromley v Wrexham

Barnet v Woking

Southend v Altrincham

Aldershot v King's Lynn

Boreham W v Grimsby

Chesterfield v Maidenhead

Halifax v Torquay

Stockport v Wealdstone

Solihull M v Eastleigh

Dag & Red v Notts Co