Torquay United loan duo will stay to the end of the season

'When everybody is fit here, and they are coming back now, we've got a very competitive team at this level'

Torquay United have extended the current loans of Bristol City duo Robbie Cundy and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans to the end of the season. Midfielder Lemonheigh-Evans has been at Plainmoor since August, having also played a major role in the club's NL South Championship last season, while centre-back Cundy arrived in early September.

Manager Gary Johnson is also keen not to let the disappointment of one failed January transfer deal push him into making another signing that might not be the right one at the right time.

Johnson had a loan agreed for a striker before it fell through over last weekend and, at his weekly press conference, he again admitted his frustration that it was not completed.

But the Gulls' boss indicated that his next move will almost certainly come once the dust of the 'window', which closes for EFL clubs tonight (Fri), settles.

"Things will probably happen after the window now," he said.

"For lads who were hoping to get a League club during the window, suddenly we are the best option once it closes, so we've just got to wait another day or two.

"We definitely need a stronger squad and a bigger squad, for competition and because we've still got a few lads out with injury.

"But when everybody is fit here, and they are coming back now, we've got a very competitive team at this level.

"If you fill your squad too early, and your injuries then come back, some people are going to be disappointed, and you have a different atmosphere around the place.

"So you have to time it right, to compete for the rest of this season and with one eye on next season.

"And as Pete (Johnson's brother is United's Head of Recruitment) often tells me 'You can always make your team worse' ."

Johnson added: "I've had 30 Januarys and I know things happen.

"I've nicked players in the last moments of a transfer window.

"But this one was particularly frustrating, because it had all been agreed, and the club and the player were speaking to me regularly.

"We weren't told (it was off) until the very last minute, so therefore it messes you up a little bit because we purposely didn't go for other players.

"It left us with a bit of a sour taste in our mouth, but the player went to a League club instead, which I can understand. That's football."

Johnson has never revealed that target, but there has been speculation surrounding West Bromwich Albion's Torquay-born forward Callum Morton, who joined Northampton Town on loan this week and played in their 3-0 home win over Scunthorpe United on Tuesday night.

A young Torquay team lost 3-0 at Tavistock Town in the Sportslighting Devon St Lukes Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals on Wednesday evening, when second-half goals by Jack Crago, Josh Grant and Jordan Annear carried the home side through.

"Tavistock deserved their victory - for the level they are playing at, they looked a good side," said Johnson.

"We had four or five 16-year-olds, along with a few of our South Devon College lads plus players just coming back from injury.

"It always serves a purpose."