MATCH VERDICT

Clive Hayward

@Byehorse

TORQUAY UNITED 0-2 MAIDSTONE UNITED – MATCH SUMMARY

Torquay lost a game they might, perhaps even should, have won because of a catastrophic goalkeeping error on the stroke of half time which knocked the stuffing out of a side short on quality but much shorter on confidence.

After losing at home to Maidstone in the league last week, the Gulls would have quietly fancied their chances of turning the tables this time around. Keep eleven on the pitch and they would probably have the edge.

They knocked the ball around nicely for long periods of the first half. Without truly dominating, they were clearly the better side for 45 minutes. Former Gull Lucas Covolan saved well to deny Tom Lapslie and the wee man also made an absolute hash of a second chance. He made good ground to get on the end of an incisive Tomlinson diagonal ball, his first touch was decent but he then fluffed an attempted lob, leaving Covolan to collect his effort with the ease of a teenager catching a toddler’s balloon.

Close to the end Lapslie also failed to make meaningful contact when it was again easier to score from close range, but by then the game was gone.

Realistically Torquay’s FA Cup dream died just before the interval, when Mark Halstead failed to pick up a weak shot- aided and abetted by some dithering by Shaun Donnellan- and presented Amantchi with the easiest goal of his career. The big striker went off with cramp after 71 minutes, but by that stage he had scored a second to break yellow hearts. He looks lumbering and limited to me, but the sad truth is that even at National League South level Torquay are easy to beat and his simple conversion of a chance set up by a well-hit shot and a Halstead parry (not his fault) drove the nail into the coffin.

In the end the second half petered out quietly as the energy went out of Torquay’s play and Stones looked more likely to add another on the counter attack. Out with a whimper, I’m sorry to say.

I could detail a few more Torquay chances, but they were all missed and it was one of those days when the words: “Couldn’t Hit”, “Cows Arse” and “Banjo” best describe our offensive effort.

PLAYER RATINGS

1. GK: Mark Halstead – 3

What can I say? His renaissance this season, building on the recovery last year from that hideous start to his Torquay career, does him great credit. It’s a lonely game for goalkeepers though. You’re remembered for your mistakes, and his today was an awful howler. It’s a good job we were too early in the competition for Match of the Day cameras to take any interest.

15. LWB: Finley Craske – 5.5

I don’t know where he prefers to pay. Sort of left wing-back-ish was his fate today. He wasn’t offensive there, either in the sense of being especially poor or getting forward much.

23. CB: Ollie Tomlinson – 6

I thought Ollie did alright today, tidy in possession and has good intentions.

21. CB: Dean Moxey – 6

The only adult defender on display today. A left back forced by circumstance to pay more centrally. A couple of times you could see his muscle memory getting ready for a forward burst, but then he remembered what is around him and how hard recovery runs can be for veterans. We’re still lucky to have him but recently we were competing with the likes of Stockport and Notts County and if we still were and there was any justice in the world Deano would now be spending Saturday afternoons on a veranda with a cold drink in his hand and adoring children at his feet.

16. CB: Shaun Donnellan – 6

Unaccountably, he picked up the man of the match award from sponsors. If I’m being fair, he did 2 out of three things right today. Despite his internal monologue obviously screaming “Get rid of it” he tried his best to pass the ball with his partners in the back three.

27. RWB: Jack Stobbs – 3

One of Torquay’s more talented players: a lad with some ability. After a first half that was merely disappointing in terms of quantity and quality of crosses from numerous good opportunities, his second half was the ‘mare to end them all. When he wasn’t getting caught offside despite being able to look across the line, he was hitting awful balls direct at the keeper and that was probably the good bit. Some awful misplaced passes followed and he slipped more times than Bobby Simpson and Mark Waugh combined.

14. MF: Brett McGavin – 6

Continues to want the ball and he didn’t do a lot wrong today. I quite liked the way he gave Craske some stick on one occasion for not getting up the line. He’s developing.

4. MF: Tom Lapslie – 6

“Laps” is a fans’ favourite at Plainmoor. It is very hard to dislike what he does, which is run, tackle, run, moan at the ref, repeat. He can, at our level, get on the end of things and I am torn between saying well done for being at the heart of most of our best chances and saying “bleddy hell” for not sticking any of them away.

10. MF: Lewis Collins – 5.5

Some good touches but as so often no real end product today.

11. ST: Brad Ash – 5

Worse than his partner. Only looked a threat when offside.

9. ST: Aaron Jarvis – 5.5

Another disappointing afternoon from our talisman. If he gets dragged down to the level of many of his colleagues we are truly doomed.

Subs

8. MF: Asa Hall – 5

Influenced nothing.

3. LW: Dan Martin – 5

7. MF: Ryan Hanson – 5

Rate the TUFC Players Here

MAN OF THE MATCH – TOM LAPSLIE

What I can say with tungsten-tipped certainty is that it’s not going to Shaun Donnellan. The only realistic contenders are McGavin or Lapslie. It will mean more to McGavin to win one when we’ve got a result, so despite his abject finishing Lapslie can have it again this week. He won’t care, even if he reads this. Frankly, neither do I.

THE OFFICIALS

One more than normal. It being the FA Cup we were delighted to welcome a fourth official again. He looked about 15 and was kept busy rolling balls on as Maidstone repeatedly challenged the swimming pool roof. I thought the referee was timid. He had a chance to send a Maidstone player off for an “orange” aerial challenge in the first half. No point blaming him though. The failings at Torquay are all self-inflicted.

TACTICS

Keep 11 men on the pitch. Rather than put the rookie Craske into centre back play 3 at the back instead. Big ticks all round. It’s why we pay Johnson & Downes the big bucks.

THE OPPOSITION

We beat them at home last season as they hurtled downward even faster than us, and have now lost to them twice in a week. They are limited, but after the second goal went in they played with confidence and shut us out with embarrassing ease. “Good luck in the next round”.

CONCLUSION

1. Osborne Out.

2. You can take Johnson with you.

COYY – CLIVE

SOCIAL MEDIA

Different season, same rubbish. #tufc

— DOMINIC ROMAN (@DomRoman) October 14, 2023

Thoughts on Gary Johnson? #tufc

— TORQUAYTALK (@TORQUAYTALK) October 14, 2023

TT PARTNERS

TWITTER – INSTAGRAM – ETSY – YOUTUBE – FACEBOOK