Fourth v fifth is another big weekend for Torquay United and Neil Warnock

The league table says that Torquay United (58pts) and Ebbsfleet United (56) are fourth and fifth in the National League South, but the Gulls go to Stonebridge Road (Kufflink Stadium) on Saturday with the odds against them.

Interim Gulls manager Neil Warnock has pulled some remarkable rabbits out of unlikely hats in his time, and he’s been doing his best to put a smile on as many faces as possible since stepping into the breach left by the sacking of Paul Wotton and his assistant Mike Edwards last weekend.

But Warnock will need all his know-how to galvanise a team which, from topping the table just over three weeks ago, has taken only two points from six games.

Warnock, who returned to the dugout for Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Farnborough, has indicated that he may remain in charge for Ebbsfleet, Salisbury home next Tuesday and possibly Chesham at Plainmoor next Saturday.

He’s admitted that he’s buying some time while the Bryn Consortium narrow down the big list of applicants.

Even if the board make the final choice, Warnock says he expects to be consulted – and why not? – but that process is likely to take at least another week.

Ronnie Jepson, Warnock’s trusted right-hand man through many more ups than downs, appears to be at his side again.

Let’s hope they can conjure up some more magic.

But having released Denzel Akyeampong and Jadyn Crosbie recently, and said Goodbye to loanees Joe Hatch and Ed James, United had only four outfield subs against Farnborough.

Callum Dolan, Jordan Dyer, Sam Dreyer and Cody Cooke are all still sidelined, and Warnock hinted that the midweek game might have inflicted another knock or two.

His options are limited, to say the least.

“We’re a little bit fragile with the injuries we’ve got....and I can’t remember when the last clean sheet was (Bath away 0-0 eleven games ago),” said Warnock.

“But I was really pleased with them in the second half (against Farnborough).

“I’ve never worried too much about injuries in my career – it always seems like it’s your best players who get injured – because you can only concentrate on the lads you’ve got.

“Nobody will fancy us at Ebbsfleet, and I’m sure they’ll throw everything at us from the start on Saturday.

“We’ve got to be ready for that, but we’ve got some good players too, so let’s have a go at them as well.”

United beat Ebbsfleet 1-0 at Plainmoor in September, and the Kent club were plagued by inconsistency for a long time.

Even now, a run of one defeat in nine games includes six draws.

Leading scorer Dominic Samuel (17gls) missed their most recent 2-2 draw at home to Farnborough last weekend, but manager Josh Wright still has plenty of the experienced Home Counties players who make up so many of the competitive sides in the NLS.

In other games this weekend, leaders Dorking go to Dagenham, where UK musician/influencer KSI has joined new American owners.

Hornchurch (2nd) host Slough, Worthing (3rd) travel to Tonbridge, Maidenhead (6th) entertain Maidstone (7th) and Chelmsford (11th), who seem to have hit form at a good time, are home to Bath.

Saturday’s referee at Ebbsfleet is Kai Morgan from Portsmouth.