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Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 09:31
There are one or two bumps and bruises to check on, but Buckle introduced a new 4-4-1-1 formation for the 1-0 win at Cambridge United ten days ago and then stuck to it for Saturday's 2-0 home win over Eastbourne Borough.
So, now facing successive away games at FGR and then Wrexham on Saturday, there seems no good reason to fix an unbroken engine.
Buckle, drawing on the confidence generated by three successive victories, said: "We have to keep our feet firmly on the ground, and know what's got us the three wins.
"We're working together, the squad has got hold of something, and they're getting on top of their game, individually and as a group.
"We need to try and keep pushing on and look after the run we are on now."
A key man in the last two results has been Tyrone Thompson.
Brought to the club primarily as a midfielder, the former Scarborough, Halifax and Crawley player has already played in that department, then briefly at right-back and also, against Cambridge and Eastbourne, as a second striker, just behind centre-forward Tim Sills.
"Tyrone has been doing extra work on his finishing, because now he's in a role where he's going to be closer to the goal," said Buckle.
"He got some rewards for that with his goal against Eastbourne.
"At Cambridge I thought Tyrone played well, but could have pulled the trigger a few times.
"He looked more dangerous near goal on Saturday, and that's the confidence which comes from some good results."
Buckle is well aware that United are not yet playing with the attacking bravado which saw them race to 50 goals by the second weekend in November last season.
But the Gulls are becoming harder to beat, always a first priority in the building — or, in their case, the rebuilding — of any successful side.
Buckle warns: "Forest Green will be dangerous.
"They're a good passing side and they've just lost heavily at home — that will have hurt their pride."
Stevenage Borough, another fancied team which is picking up after a poor start, won 3-0 at the New Lawn on Saturday.
Rovers boss Jim Harvey is a respected figure at this level, having laid the foundations for Morecambe's promotion to the League and then, after 12 years at Christie Park, taken on a Forest Green club which had been in an almost annual struggle against relegation.
Ulsterman Harvey has turned FGR into a real force in the BSP, while continuing to balance the books by selling top players like Mark Beesley and last season's leading scorer Stuart Fleetwood.
Rovers players Alex Lawless, Simon Clist and Les Afful have all played for Torquay in recent years.
United have two ex-Rovers players in their squad, left-back Kevin Nicholson and 'loan-listed' centre-back Michael Brough.
And, with Buckle's defensive cover threatened by injuries to Mark Ellis (calf) and Chris Robertson (knee), either or both of Nicholson and Brough could be needed.
Although tonight's match is all-ticket, Gulls fans who haven't yet bought tickets will be able to do so, at the New Lawn club shop before kick-off.
In an almost full BSP programme tonight, other results to watch out for include Altrincham against Mansfield, Weymouth versus Crawley, Wrexham taking on Rushden, Woking facing Salisbury, Histon meeting Lewes and, the Setanta TV game, Oxford versus Cambridge.
Also in action tonight is United's youth team, who meet Bridgwater Town in the FA Youth Cup first qualifying round at Fairfax Park (7.45pm).
