ON THIS DAY

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

FOREST GREEN (A) 2017

In the years between Torquay United’s relegation from the Football League in 2014 to Forest Green Rovers’ promotion from the National League in 2017, one thing that you could always be guaranteed when the two sides faced each other was goals.

At Plainmoor in 2014-15, the sides served up a 3-3 draw at Plainmoor and on Boxing Day United won 4-1, despite falling behind early on to a Keanu Marsh-Brown strike. A year later, on Boxing Day 2016, the Gulls came out on top in a seven-goal thriller with Ben Gerring netting the decisive winner to seal a 4-3 win.

However, that was nothing compared to what happened when they met again for the re-match at the New Lawn on New Year’s Day.

The scoring began in the fourth minute when Darren Carter’s dummy set up Keanu Marsh-Brown to put Rovers ahead. However, Dan Sparkes then netted twice in seven minutes for the visitors, with David Fitzpatrick providing both assists, to put United 2-1 up.

Rovers quickly levelled through Marsh-Brown’s second of the game but Torquay were back in front five minutes before the break after Aman Verma headed in a free-kick from Fitzpatrick.

Five minutes into the second, Fitzpatrick was the architect again for the Gulls as his cross was turned into his own net by Ethan Pinnock, now of Brentford, which doubled Torquay’s lead.

Christian Doidge gave Rovers hope in the 62nd minute after Torquay failed to deal with Dale Bennett’s cross, which reduced their arrears to a single goal. However, United soon restored their two-goal cushion, as, having providing numerous assists during the course of the afternoon, Fitzpatrick grabbed the goal his display arguably deserved when he found the back of the net with a stunning free-kick from 25 yards. That seemingly appeared to be enough to seal the win!

Nevertheless, Rovers stormed back in the closing stages when Doidge pouncing from close range after Elliott Frear’s shot was parried away on 83 minutes. With two minutes to go, Forest Green found an equaliser in slightly fortuitous circumstances as Torquay goalkeeper Brendan Moore pushed the ball into his own goal.

At the end of the season, the Gulls completed a second successive ‘Great Escape’ with a 2-0 win over North Ferriby United on the final day of the campaign whilst Forest Green clinched promotion to the Football League with a National League play-off final win over Tranmere Rovers.

It remains the last encounter between the two sides – and it will surely go down as the most memorable.

TUFC XI: Moore, Gerring, McGinty, Rowe-Turner, Rooney, Verma, Fitzpatrick, Sparkes, Chaney (Williams), Richards, Reid

OTHER MEMORIES

2008 – Derby Day delight for Sillsy!

TUFC 1-0 Exeter City. A Tim Sills 75th minute header is enough for the Gulls to defeat the Grecians in this Blue Square Premier NYD fixture.

2019 – Big Away Day Yellow Army following…

2760 ‘away’ Torquay United fans are inside Plainmoor to witness a 3-1 win against Truro, who are ground-sharing with United.

2005 – Hilly’s sneaky goal at Plainmoor

Gulls legend Kevin Hill scores the ‘cheekiest goal ever’ after hiding behind the Stockport goalkeeper.

BIRTHDAYS

Tony Currie (74) TUFC: 1984 – Appearances 16, Goals 1

Mickey Evans (51) TUFC: 2006 – Appearances 17, Goals 1

Ben Gerring (33) TUFC: 2015-17 – Appearances 35, Goals 2

LAST YEAR

01/01/23 – Yeovil Town 2-0 TUFC – National League, Attendance 3907

Yeovil boosted their National League survival hopes after late goals secured a 2-0 success over United.

Matty Worthington broke the deadlock with just 10 minutes remaining at Huish Park, converting at the far post following a cross from Andrew Oluwabori.

Mark Cooper’s men sealed the three points four minutes into added time when Grimsby loanee Jordan Maguire-Drew dinked over Mark Halstead.