MATCH VERDICT

Dan Elliott

@dan_torquay_man

TAUNTON TOWN 1-2 TORQUAY UNITED – NLS – 16/04/24

It was The Streets that said “Has it come to this” and the simple answer is, Yes Mile, Yes it has come to this. Most Torquay United fans this season in the build up to this game were saying “HOW the BLEDDY HELL has it come is?” Needing to go to Taunton Town to win to STAY in the National League South. 

From Champions Elect before a ball was kicked to, let’s just stay in the league.

It’s not for now, but that’s where we are.

Billed in some quarters as the “most important game in the clubs recent history” it’s hard not to disagree. Barnet (a) the winner stays up and loser goes down will always be top for me and us golden oldies, but this really was so important as we didn’t want to hit a new low. 

Open messages to players, encourage through social media accounts and statements from TUST and others, all in support and wishing the lads all the best, the message was simple, just win.

The team sheet comes out and no change from Bath. Let’s be honest Downsey didn’t have much to play with, only 4 subs on the beach, DOA was DOA and AJ was MIA or AWOL………..

Or he was just still injured and can’t play!

Same team, same tactics……. Or is it. 

As the team sets up before Kick Off, Stobbs is over on the left, interesting!

To quote the famous line by the late & great Heath Ledger when he played The Joker……….

And here we go……..

First ten mins and the game starts off pretty scrappy. No team has a hold of the game and not much is happening.

Then 13 mins in, CHANCE ball drops in the box and the ball gets trapped under Laps feet and Ash can’t get the the rebound. 

An huge chance, hopefully one we won’t regret. Torquay then start to find a little rhythm.

17 Mins and Stobbs has the ball on the left, whips it into the box with his right foot, Lapslie moves it out to McGavin who bends it around the defenders and into the top right hand corner…….. GOAL TO TORQUAY! 

LIFT OFF!!!!

Torquay then have not something to hold on too but the chance to settle down, and they did. Few little passages of plays and half chances results in 30 mins with a corner to Torquay. 

Correct me, but pretty sure McGavin wasn’t on corners before, thought it was Stobbs, could be wrong, anyway………

Lovely ball into the box from Brett, Asa makes a run to the front of the 6 yard box and meet the ball in marked and side foots it on the volley into the back of the net…… GOAL!!!!!!

2 NIL TORQUAY

Unbelievable scenes!

2 goals to the good, playing ok, energy levels are good, Halstead not had much to do. 

What could go wrong!

Just get to HT now, get to HT……..HALF TIME

PHEW!

Taunton 0-2 Torquay 

Sunny night in Somerset and plenty of smiles all round. 

Second half, let’s just start it well and give them nothing. 

Kick off 

47 mins GOAL Taunton, Jesus Christ. A cross into the Torquay box and the ball drops at the back for Tauton number 7 with a great strike into the roof of the net. 

Not anyone’s fault, good goal and great strike.

Oh great, here we go. 

Heads could wobble here and we could be in trouble. Then just a few moments later, ball goes into the box, Halstead comes and looks to miss fumble it, whistle goes and simultaneously the ball hits the back of the net, no goal!!

PHEW!!

What was expecting to be a full Torquay meltdown, never happened. It just didn’t. 

The lads got back control the ball and the game and started to create some good half chances. Energy in the middle of the park from Laps, Archer popping up in pockets in the centre left role and Ash managing to find space up top.

A chance for Ash in the middle of the box with a strike that goes straight to the keeper, just a little power and either side and it hits the net. 

Collins comes on and seems to within two mins get a concussion as Laps runs over to him when the ball is out of play, and Laps grabs hold of Collins and signals to the bench he needs to go off. 

Booth replaces the replacement. 

The team are in control and Taunton don’t seem to have any threat…apart from one big chance that sees a right footed strike clip the post and the follow-up somehow missed. A let-off for United.

Then 90 mins is up, the board is up and it’s 12 mins!!!!

Only Torquay would have 12 mins to hold on to stay in the league! 

And guess what, they did. They saw the time out and ref blew the whistle and one word………. RELIEF. 

Relief the game was over, relief the relegation battle is over, and above all relief that in theory, the season was over. 

What a game, what a result and what a season. Jesus H Christ, only Torquay! 

PLAYER RATINGS

1. GK: Mark Halstead – 6

Didn’t have to do much, not his fault for the goal.

21. CB: Dean Moxey – 7

Left of the back 3 and another solid performance

23. CB: Ollie Tomlinson – 7

Looked good at the back with Asa and Mox.

8. CB: Asa Hall – 8

Class at the back and a great finish for the goal. Always scores in the big game and big effort from our captain.

2. RWB: Arkell Jude-Boyd – 8

Big performance again down the right flank and got some shots away. 

14. MF: Brett McGavin – 8

Goal and assist. Great balls in from corners. Kept the ball well and moved it well in midfield.

4. MF: Tom Lapslie – 7

Didn’t stop running, didn’t expect anything less, should have scored.

27. LWB: Jack Stobbs – 7

Switched over to the left wing back role and did well cutting in and getting the ball into the box on his right foot 

18. MF: Will Jenkins Davies – 6

Quiet game from him, didn’t do anything wrong.

30. MF: Ethon Archer – 8

Played well, find pockets and was creative and trying to make things happen.

11. ST: Brad Ash – 6

Could have scored but worked hard playing up top and didn’t stop running for the team.

Subs

5. CB: Austin Booth – 6

Came on and got a mighty cheer when he made a brilliant crunching tackle in time added on.

10. ST: Lewis Collins – N/A

Only a few mins on the pitch as he suffered a nasty head knock.

MAN OF THE MATCH – ASA HALL

Between Asa, Brett and Ethan, but gave it to the captain, as this was a captain’s performance. Solid at the back, lead the team by example and whenever we need a goal in an important game, he steps up! What a player, captain and leader he is.

TACTICS

3-2-4-1 with the ball and 5-2-2-1 with out the ball. AJB and Stobbs as full backs, back three of Asa, Ollie, Mox, Laps & Brett midfield. Ethan & WJD behind Brad up top. Liked it, felt a good balance and Stobbs & Archer worked well together on the left.

OPPOSITION

Apart from the goal, nothing to write home about. We had the better quality players and created the better chances. They offered slightly more than Truro last Monday, and on another day could have scrapped out a draw had that late chance been taken. 

THE OFFICIALS

Ref didn’t do anything wrong. Booked Downsey and that’s about it. 

CONCLUSION

The call was “Just win” and they did. The call was “show some heart” they did. The call was ”do it for the Yellow Army” they did. Listen, we all know this season has been a you know what show, everyone knows it, but it’s over now, it’s done. For all those games we have gone to and they bleddy hadn’t turned up……. Tonight they did, they did when it mattered. It’s now sorted on the pitch, we’re not going down. We need to get it sorted off the pitch, so the rebuild can start tomorrow on the pitch for next year! What a season, it’s been brutal to say the least. Let’s kind of enjoy Saturday at home Vs Havant and let’s all stay positive for a new regime off the pitch that can build s new one on it also! 

COYY – DAN

SOCIAL MEDIA

Pre-season title favourites Torquay United have defied the odds to stay up in the Vanarama National League South🔥 pic.twitter.com/ivn5vvBs3J

— Sam (@SWNe__) April 16, 2024

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