MATCH VERDICT

Peter Wade

@PeterWa76773639

TORQUAY UNITED 3-0 FARNBOROUGH FC – MATCH SUMMARY

It is lucky for me that my first Verdict for TorquayTalk should be on the best performance of the season so. At last we played some decent football, dominated much of the play and took our chances. It was not outstanding, but after the reports from Aveley it was a whole lot better.

We began better, got on the front foot early and almost scored in the first minute when Lapslie’s back heal set Stobbs free on the right and his fizzed low cross was just not reached by the busy Ash. Thankfully the first 15 minutes saw us trying to pass the ball rather than long balls all the time, but it was rather disjointed with lots of petty fouls and an overly officious referee, who made a rod for his own back on 15 minutes when he booked a Farnborough player for a minor foul and that set a trend for him.

But as the half wore on and we had not scored the football became a touch aimless and ‘Boro came into the game. On 20 minutes Halstead was called into action when a poor Stobbs backpass was pounced on and sent the player clean through, but Halstead rushed him, stayed big and saved, in what would prove to be his only real save of the day.

Good interplay saw Donnellan try to chip the keeper. We nearly went behind on 28 as a deflected ball into the box saw a header bounce off the bar. The crucial moment in the game came on 38 minutes when a smart through ball by Tomlinson released the excellent Jarvis on the left and he hit a firm shot into the near post and the keeper made a pig’s ear of his attempt to save it, with the ball going under him. We never looked back after that.

The Gulls were on the front foot from the restart and we did not let ‘Boro into the game again. We were creating chances and on three occasions a ball broke to Stobbs on the edge of the box but he seemed to have lost confidence in his shooting and either passed or dallied too long. GET A SECOND we all thought.

Ash came close with a great turn and shot that cannoned off the post, but on 68 minutes it came; a ball up to Jarvis was neatly flicked onto the ever busy Lapslie, whose cross was chested down by a defender who looked at the keeper, who looked at the defender, and Jarvis nipped in and set up Ash to fire home.

Farnborough then woke up for 10 minutes, hit the post with a thunderous 30 yard shot. Referee Neil Pratt was booking people for fun by now and as the game passed into it’s 8 minutes of added time came the finale, as a ball over the top of the ‘Boro defence was brilliantly taken down on the run by Jarvis who was taken by the hapless Ball who received his second yellow card.

Aaron slammed the penalty into the bottom corner and 1709 United fans went home happy.

PLAYER RATINGS

1. GK: Mark Halstead – 6

6. CB: Ross Marshall – 7

23. CB: Ollie Tomlinson – 6

21. LB: Dean Moxey – 6

16. RB: Shaun Donnellan – 5

27. RW: Jack Stobbs – 6

14. MF: Brett McGavin – 6

4. MF: Tom Lapslie – 7

18. LW: Will Jenkins Davies – 7

11. ST: Bradley Ash – 7

9. ST: Aaron Jarvis – 8

Subs

3. LB: Dan Martin – 5

7. MF: Ryan Hanson – 5

19. ST: Luke Pearce – 6

Rate the TUFC Players Here

MAN OF THE MATCH – Aaron Jarvis

A typical all action performance, with a goal he created with good running, a shot and penalty won with a great touch and strength and an assist in setting up Ash. Some lovely interplay all game.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Marshall and Jenkins Davies probably had their best games of the season; Marshall was heading for my PoM until Jarvis’ excellent last 10 minutes.

THE OFFICIALS

Not a great day for the referee as he was a bit fussy, booked 9 players and sent 1 off in a game without a truly bad tackle. You would worry about his discipline/control in a hard game, but he got the important decisions right.

TACTICS

It was a 4-1-3-2 with McGavin, who had a better game, sitting in front of the defence, with Ash and Jarvis busy all game.

THE OPPOSITION

In truth for a teaming sitting in 9th they were poor. The keeper had a mare and we dominated the second half.

CONCLUSION

A much better performance, we controlled most of the game, created chances and looked much more like the team that we want. The fact that Halstead was not Player of the Match came as a blessed relief.