MATCH VERDICT

Joe Uglow

@joe_ugs

TORQUAY UNITED 3-2 HEMEL HEMPSTEAD – MATCH SUMMARY

Torquay left it late to grab all 3 points at Plainmoor and move up to 2nd in the table in the process.

With the growing injury list getting longer and longer United lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Collins and Archer flanking Williams up top. In the middle of the park McGavin sat deepest with Hanson and the returning Jenkins-Davies in front of him. In defence it was the usual back four of Marshall, Tomlinson, Moxey and Harris with Halstead in goal.

It wasn’t long before United were behind, in the 5th minute Archer lost the ball in midfield and Hemel counter attacked, the striker burst into the box and around Halstead, only for Halstead to haul him down, Yellow card and Penalty was the decision by the referee. Joe Iaciofano slotted it home to make it 1-0 to Hemel.

5 minutes later it was 2-0. Halstead took up a strange position for the Hemel corner, nearly on his 6 yard box, he looked to come and claim the ball and got nowhere near it, and the waiting Centre Half Ajayi nodded it home into the open net. 2-0 Hemel and United had it all to do!

The game had a feel of a basketball match with the play end to end, and it wasn’t long before United were back in it.

Good work by McGavin fed Williams who flicked the ballround the corner for Collins to run onto, the rather rotund right back Judd was getting nowhere near Collins as he slid the ball across to Williams. He was closed down but the ball fell to Hanson who hit it low and hard into the bottom corner; 2-1 and game on!

It wasn’t long before it was all square, a lovely ball slid Williams in on goal but his shot was well saved by the Hemel Keeper, but it fell straight into the path of Ethon Archer who managed to bundle the ball in off his knee. 22 mins in and 4 goals later it was 2-2 in a half of little quality but more than enough action!

The game settled down until the 40th minute when a McGavin corner was met by a Marshall volley only for the Hemel defender to clear off the line.

Half time came and at 2-2 everything was to play for but in typical Torquay style it was Hemel who came out the blocks quicker in the second half and for a large period they were in the ascendency but lacked the final quality to make us pay. In the 60th min Halstead made amends for the two first half gifts and made a good point blank save to keep the scores level.

United huffed and puffed but were also lacking that final third quality, untill the 89th minute!

A corner from McGavin was cleared but the ball was recycled back out to ‘Shooter’ on the right wing who put a delicious ‘buffet ball’ across the 6 yard box, a number of yellow shirts missed it but there was Dean Moxey at the back post to fire home and make it 3-2 torquay!

There was still time for McGavin to receive a very soft second yellow which saw him sent off for either a very soft foul or kicking the ball away before the whistle was blown, I’m not sure which!

United held on though to make it 5 wins on the spin and now only 7 points behind Yeovil as we head into the busy festive schedule!

QUICK RECAP – HEMEL (H) NLS

PLAYER RATINGS

1. GK: Mark Halstead: 4

At fault for both goals and distribution was poor, made a good save in the second half but poor afternoon for Mark.

6. RB: Ross Marshall – 7

Defended reasonably well, and got forward as much as he could down the right wing.

23. CB: Ollie Tomlinson – 6

Looked shaky early on but grew into the game as it went on.

21. CB: Dean Moxey – 7

Defended well and got the all important winner.

26. LB: Archie Harris – 6

Was one of our main outlets in the first 25 mins but had a quiet last hour, watching from the popside he needs to demand the ball more as he’s often overlooked as an outlet.

18. MF: Will Jenkins Davies – 7

Always showed for the ball, and was always trying to make something happen. We missed him once he went off just after the hour mark.

14. MF: Brett McGavin – 7

Put himself about well and had a hand in most of the good patterns play that we managed. His assist was a real moment of quality to win the game. An undeserved sending off too.

7. MF: Ryan Hanson – 7

A battling performance from Hanson and a very well taken goal, probably the best I’ve seen of him, although that’s not necessarily hard!

10. LW: Lewis Collins – 5

Found it difficult to get into the game and show any real quality, with the injuries we have we need him to be stepping up on the pitch but continues to struggle.

30. RW: Ethon Archer – 6

Very hit and miss but guess that’s why he’s only played at the level he has, couple of glimpses of what he’s capable of and I’m sure he will get better with game time.

19. ST: Theo Williams – 6

Didn’t stop working up top but wasn’t helped by the level of service, received the ball with his back to goal far more than he would have liked.

Subs

2. RB: Dylan Crowe – N/A

24. CB: Callum Thomas – N/A

17. RW: Dillon De Silva – 5

Didn’t really stamp any authority on the game, has regressed since last year.

Rate the TUFC Players Here

MAN OF THE MATCH – BRETT MCGAVIN

Tough one as no one really stood out but I’d probably say McGavin if only for that moment of real quality right at the death to win the game!

THE OFFICIALS

Pretty poor! Spent the first 20 minutes letting everything go and then thereafter blew for a foul every time any player went near another. Far too card happy as well, and McGavin was very unlucky to receive a red card.

Also a bizarre moment in the second half where the ref gave the ball boy in the corner of the Family Stand/Popside a talking to for returning the ball to the Hemel keeper too quickly!

TACTICS

Four at the back with McGavin sitting deep in front of the defence, Jenkins-Davies playing the role of Box to Box midfielder with Hanson chipping in as a ball winning midfielder, it was as if Johnson had been trying to mimic my favoured tactic on FM24!

Collins and Archer provided the width either side of Theo Williams up top.

OPPOSITION

Hemel didn’t look great but still caused us more than enough problems which is concerning! Most top half sides will put them to the sword with ease.

CONCLUSION

Yes the performance wasn’t great, but we got the win and came back from 2-0 down which shows there’s plenty of fight in this side. We are in desperate need of reinforcements for the busy Christmas period as we lost Marshall to an injury and will be without McGavin for one game, so hopefully we see an incoming or two in the next week.

Festive fixtures always throw up some surprises so who knows how close we could be to Yeovil as we go into the new year! COYY