So, it will be interesting to see who makes up the 11 this weekend as Torquay host Maidstone United

There are more injury concerns ahead of Torquay United’s big home game against National League South leaders Maidstone United – with Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Callum Morton and Isaac Westendorf all doubtful this week.

Lo-Everton was in wonderful form before picking up a foot injury that won’t stop hurting, despite all efforts of the medical staff to put it right, while Morton was withdrawn in the 1-0 FA Cup defeat by Oxford City, and Westendorf didn’t make it to the end of Tuesday night’s 11-0 home win against Holsworthy in the Devon Bowl.

In that game, manager Jimmy Ball made 11 changes from the team that lost to Oxford, and the manager will have been working hard on a formation, an 11, to get the better of a team this Saturday that has a brilliant record against the Gulls. And with Torquay 13th in the table, and Maidstone top – it doesn’t feel like a good time to be playing your ‘bogey team’.

“Records are there to be broken, though,” said Ball at his Thursday press conference. “And I am here to be positive and play an attacking game of football. I am not interested in the past, only the future. They are top of the league and a very good side and I have enjoyed watching them all week.

“We’re looking strong. The lads that needed the minutes to come through on Tuesday night came through it fine. Unfortunately, Callum Morton had to come off on Saturday against Oxford and that’s a calf, so we will see how long that takes. Sonny Blu’s injury is not healing, it’s not getting any better, so again that’s another disappointment – and Isaac felt something on Tuesday night also. Apart from those three we are all good.”

It has been another season, so far, of niggling injuries, meaning Ball is stopped from choosing good players at certain times. Having lost five/six of his best players from the end of last season – one, Jordan Dyer, to a possible season-long ACL injury – the numbers are still good, but the quality count might not be quite as high, yet.

Players who have come into the club have not yet shown as much quality as the manager might have liked – but there is still time for them to develop, and the likes of Sean Robertson, Jacob Beaumont-Clark, Harry Shield, Angello Cappello, are all undoubtedly exciting. But this is a squad learning on the job rather than one ready to go just yet.

Missing Morton then is another blow for the manager. The striker has been looking good in recent games and might have benefitted from a run in the team to get his confidence up. “He was in good form,” said Ball. “Unfortunately, players that have been in good form this season seem to get injured just as they’re hitting that form. But when someone is out it is an opportunity for someone else.

“It’s not ideal but I believe in the squad, I believe in the group as a whole. It takes an entire group to achieve something. And that’s why they are all here – so you can’t bemoan it, it is what it is, every manager goes through it at one phase or another. Every team at one point in the season will have a run of injuries.

“We have been 12 games now where we haven’t been able to pick the same team through injury. That’s life, get on with it, look to the future.”

So, it will be interesting to see who makes up the 11 this weekend. Jake Wannell made it through the Holsworthy game so should be back in the centre of defence. Matt Jay must be an option after some great performances from the bench – perhaps he is the attacking midfielder to replace Lo-Everton. Without Morton, will Cody Cooke, who scored four goals against Holsworthy in midweek, get the nod to partner Deon Moore up front? Dom Bernard is also fit again to play at right back; has Shield done enough to keep that position? We shall find out an hour before kick-off, I guess…