Torquay United manager Jimmy Ball has issued a powerful rallying cry to his squad ahead of their National League South play-off semi-final: own the moment, embrace the pressure, and leave nothing to chance.
The Gulls finished the regular season in an impressive third place and now face fourth-placed Dorking Wanderers at Plainmoor this Saturday. A place in next week's final is on the line, and the stakes couldn't be higher for a club eager to climb back up the football pyramid.
Torquay are no strangers to this stage. Last season, they fell short in the same round, losing 1-0 to Boreham Wood in a heartbreaker. But this year feels different. Ball's side have been on a tear, winning five of their last six matches since a 2-2 draw with Dorking back in March. Momentum is firmly on their side.
"Why shy away from what it is?" Ball said, his voice carrying the weight of a man who knows what's at stake. "They all know what it is and the stakes that are on hand. As coaches and staff, we've got to make sure we have covered everything that they may possibly need. Then when you go and put your head on your pillow on Friday night, you've got no regrets of what you've done in a week."
That preparation has been meticulous. Ball is confident his squad will be ready for anything Dorking throws at them. "So far I'm really happy with everything and everything that's been covered and the plan that we're going to have going into it," he added.
Plainmoor is expected to be packed to the rafters, with fans desperate to see their team take a giant step toward returning to the fifth tier for the first time since 2023. The atmosphere promises to be electric, but Ball insists his players will thrive under the spotlight.
"I'd get excited if there's 10 people in the ground because I just love competing and I love football," Ball said with a grin. "It's about controlling what you can control and then obviously at the end of the day players have to perform. Once they run onto the pitch, it's out of my hands. But I've got to go to bed on Friday night safe in the knowledge that I've covered all the aspects and anything they may come up against on the day—that they are aware of it and they have ideas of how they're going to cope with it."
Ultimately, Ball knows the decision rests with his players. "They've got to cope with it," he said. "They've got to cope with the day, they've got to cope with the opposition, they've got to cope with everything. But I believe in them."
For the Gulls, this is more than just a game. It's a chance to write a new chapter, to turn last year's disappointment into this year's triumph. And with a sold-out Plainmoor roaring them on, Torquay United are ready to own their moment.