Torquay boss Wotton concerned by Dreyer ankle injury

Torquay United boss Paul Wotton says captain Sam Dreyer's ankle injury "is not looking good".

The 22-year-old was hurt in Tuesday's loss at Worthing and adds to a growing injury list at Plainmoor.

The Gulls are already without Callum Dolan and Jordan Young while centre-backs Jordan Dyer and Ed James are also out. Exeter loanee James's injury means he will not play for the Gulls again before his 28-day stay ends.

Wotton says Dreyer's injury is a key loss to his side, who are on a four-game winless run and have dropped from first to third in National League South.

"I think Sam Dreyer is one of the best centre-backs in the league, so it's a huge blow," Wotton told BBC Radio Devon.

"Not just it's our captain, it's because he's an exceptional football player.

"He hasn't missed a minute all season, I think he's missed one training session since I've been here.

"He's someone you can rely on and unfortunately something like this catches up with you and it's an innocuous challenge and he's rolled his ankle and it's a bad one."

Wotton's side have played six of their last seven matches away from Plainmoor.

They return home on Saturday to face 10th-placed Chelmsford City - the first of eight home matches in their final 13 games.

Wotton says it is important his squad stays together as they try to claw back a nine-point gap on leaders Dorking Wanderers.

"Things are sent to try you and at the minute it's very easy to feel very sorry for yourself.

"It's very easy to feel like the whole world's against you and it's very easy to look at all the negatives, because when you're not winning games of football, outside noise becomes very, very loud.

"When we were on that tremendous run earlier the outside noise wasn't quite as loud and that's just par for the course, it is what it is.

"It's believing in yourself, staying very, very focused, staying true to yourself, looking back on past experiences and coming through, and we'll come through it."