TORQUAY United will be looking for greater firepower when they host York City at Plainmoor.

The Gulls have averaged just a goal a game during their opening eight fixtures with only struggling trio Braintree (seven), North Ferriby (five) and Solihull (five) netting fewer times in this term’s National League.

In fact, the biggest threat to the away goal could come from Australian centre-back Giancarlo Gallifuoco, who has hit the target during Torquay’s last two matches.

Gallifuoco, 22, arrived in Devon this summer after being released by Melbourne Victory, having been on the books of Tottenham and Swansea as a youngster and he has won nine caps for his country at under-23 level.

Last season’s goal hero Nathan Blissett, who has largely operated as the lone central striker in a 4-3-3 formation this campaign, is yet to get off the mark in 2016/17 despite being an ever present.

The ex-Bristol Rovers marksman scored eight goals in 16 starts to help stave off relegation to National League South last term.

Only winger Jamie Reid, meanwhile, can match Galliufoco’s goal return of two for United.

Full-back Durrell Berry (broken leg) will not feature against City and midfielder Damon Lathrope (groin) remains a doubt.

But boss Kevin Nicholson will be able to field a goalkeeper on his bench again following Jamie Robba’s return from international duty with Gibraltar, where he was an unused substitute in defeats to Portugal and Greece.

Left-back Nicholson, who turns 36 next month, is still registered as a player himself having made 328 appearances for Torquay, but has not figured in a senior match since January.

The former Scarborough defender took over as manager last September when current Barrow chief Paul Cox resigned, citing the financial pressures at Plainmoor.

Nicholson went on to keep the struggling Devon outfit up despite a four-month run of just one win in 22 matches from mid-August to mid-December.

Four wins from the last seven games eventually moved the Gulls, only relegated from the Football League in 2014, three points clear of the drop zone on the final day.

Nicholson’s men go into the game one point and two positions behind their 14th-placed visitors.

Torquay (probable): Moore, Verma, Gallifuoco, McGinty, Rowe-Turner, Richards, Ward, Young, Sparkes, Blissett, Reid.