Those weapons will need to be primed again against Bath to make sure it’s a six-point weekend.
Richard Hughes
11:40, 04 Apr 2026Updated 11:40, 04 Apr 2026
Louis Dennis of Torquay United celebrates after winning during the National League South Match between Weston Super Mare and Torquay United at The Optima Stadium on 3 April 2026. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
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Louis Dennis of Torquay United celebrates after winning during the National League South Match between Weston Super Mare and Torquay United at The Optima Stadium on 3 April 2026. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
When two of your second-half substitutes combine to kill a game off, you must be doing something right. It was 1-0 to Torquay United at Weston-super-Mare from the 15th minute, when Matt Worthington opened the scoring with a sublime strike. But two goals by Louis Dennis in three minutes made it 3-0 (83rd and 86th minutes) to win the Gulls all three points in Somerset - after two great passes by Sonny Blu Lo-Everton.
Dennis came on for young loan striker Reece Evans at half time, Lo-Everton (surprisingly only on the bench) replaced Jordan Young in the 73th minute. They say substitutions can change games, but this was more a case of substitutions maintaining the standard - and when Weston were at their lowest ebb, Torquay had the killer instinct that counted.
With the Gulls at home against Bath City tomorrow, in front of a big crowd at Plainmoor, the momentum feels palpable - and another win will make it an Easter to remember at the start of new manager Jimmy Ball’s tenure. He certainly got the big decisions right at Weston after popping up to watch their 0-0 draw against Hemel Hempstead Town the previous Tuesday.
Ball said: “The game went how I felt it would go. They had a tough game on Tuesday night, we were here watching and it was a tough physical battle for them. They made all the running on Tuesday night, helped us prepare our game plan.”
Goal celebrations for Louis Dennis of Torquay United as he scores his first goal during the National League South Match between Weston Super Mare and Torquay United at The Optima Stadium on 3 April 2026. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
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Goal celebrations for Louis Dennis of Torquay United as he scores his first goal during the National League South Match between Weston Super Mare and Torquay United at The Optima Stadium on 3 April 2026. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
That game plan was perfect. Getting that early goal by Worthington, who Ball wants to push forward more from midfield, was set up by Evans - and protected for the rest of the half. Dennis’ two goals were excellent - and both of them were because of slide rule passes by Lo-Everton.
But, at the back, Sam Dreyer and Jordan Dyer in the middle, and Will Tizzard and Jay Foulston the full backs, were all brilliant, making sure Weston were kept to a minimum of chances, not of which really bothered goalkeeper Seb Stacey.
Ball said: “We felt like we had to match them for fight and grit and determination, which I think we did. And then we knew the game would open up. Coming in at half time in the lead was great, and then the boys just had to stand up and we knew the game would open up, and we’d get our chances. I am able to bring on Louis and Sonny Lo and Dylan [Morgan] - great bullets to fire off the bench.”
Indeed, Ball was talking about the ‘weapons’ he has in the squad now that everyone but Cody Cooke and Munashe Sundire is fit in the week. Those weapons will need to be primed again against Bath to make sure it’s a six-point weekend.
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Goal celebrations for Matt Worthington of Torquay United during the National League South Match between Weston Super Mare and Torquay United at The Optima Stadium on 3 April 2026. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
Bath beat Chippenham Town 1-0 at home on Friday, with a last-minute winner, as they strive to avoid the drop into the Southern League. “They’ll be up and fighting for their lives,” said Ball. “Again, we have to match them for the fight and the run and then our football should help us to take control.
There could be 4,000 or more in the ground for this one but after 800 plus were at Weston, Ball knows he can count on the best support in the division. “Their team is giving them everything at the moment - fighting and scrapping and getting stuck in and then playing some wonderful attacking football.”