MATCH VERDICT
Clive Hayward – @Byehorse
Clive reports back on the Bank Holiday win for the Gulls
CHESHAM 2-3 TORQUAY UNITED – 26.08.24
SUMMARY
It took a late injury time winner from Brad Ash to see off a Chesham side that had done incredibly well to keep the result in great doubt until the dying moments of a hot Bank Holiday Monday afternoon in Buckinghamshire.
Torquay gifted “The Gererals” a lead after 36 minutes when James Hamon was punished for dropping a straightforward long throw-in. The home side’s direct approach troubled the visitors more than it should have done, with Nathan Minhas a constant threat.
Just before half time came the turning point. The Chesham keeper B Goode let himself and Chuck Berry down with a weak punch. Bournemouth loanee Finn Tonks’ first time shot was heading for the top corner, but fellow fullback Jack Cawley made a leaping one handed save to tip it over. A penalty, a red card, and when Cody Cooke slipped the spot-kick home it looked for all the world as though it should be one-way yellow traffic from then on.
Fat chance! Chesham continued to put us under pressure at every opportunity, and re-took the lead on 65 minutes as Torquay failed to deal with a straight through ball leaving Hamon exposed and wrong-footed by another good Grant finish.
Playing against 10 men is seldom as easy as it seems, but from the away end it looked as though Torquay still had plenty of time to make extra class tell.
Dan Hayfield’s report card in early season would be a mixed affair, but he does possess a good strike, and he made it count 5 minutes later. He picked the ball up 25 yards out, right of centre and aimed an unstoppable finish low across the keeper.
Goode was impervious to all our polite requests to stop wasting time as the clock ticked down. He wore out his 6 yard line moving opposite to take his goal kicks and of course he went down with the sort of cramp that always affects keepers when their colleagues are under the pump. I wonder if they should try salt tablets, or maybe just stop cheating. (Oh, sorry: we do it too, and at our end it’s called “game management”).
Anyway, despite sub Omar Mussa’s attempts to win the game on his own, the scores were still level when the referee indicated 7 minutes of added time.
Brad Ash then did what he loves doing most of all (see below) and 450 Torquay fans were delirious.
PLAYER RATINGS
1 – James Hamon – 5 – An afternoon to forget for our custodian. He was at fault for the first goal- a howler- and didn’t get properly set to save the second either. It happens. If he has one dodgy game in five this season we can probably live with that.
17 – Finn Tonks – 6 – Robbed of a goal just before half time, Finn kept going well on a hot day. I believe he probably had to play because Craske- who had a blinder on Saturday- was injured, and he didn’t let us down.
16 – Ed Palmer – 6.5 – Whilst he didn’t dominate defensively- which is his main role- Ed did get forward usefully in the second half, and can certainly be trusted with the ball.
5 – Sam Dreyer – 6.5 – As per Foulston, but his silky touch and apparent effortlessness in possession are always going to be worth an extra half point here and there!
3 – Jay Foulston – 6 – The standard hardworking performance from our fiery young Welshman. Part of a back three that maybe should have dealt better with what Chesham threw at them.
14 – Matt Carson – 6 – I struggle slightly to remember too much of note from the Glentoran Maldini. He got a rest so that Mox could shake off some cobwebs: and what a contribution the old man made.
20 – Dan Hayfield – 6.5 – He doesn’t win every ball and doesn’t always cover quite as many blades of grass as we would like, but Dan has a traction engine for a right foot and he pinged home a beauty which meant we didn’t trail for long. That quick response was very important in re-establishing a measure of control.
8 – Roddy Collins – 5.5 – A frustrating afternoon spent chasing shadows and watching the ball go over his head for Roddy: who was made captain for the day.
7 – Lirak Hasani – 6 – Another who will have better days. Didn’t create a great deal that I can remember.
15 – Jadyn Crosbie – 5.5 – Jadyn’s day will come, but his hard work paid little reward.
19 – Cody Cooke – 6.5 – Very calm with the penalty. He was made to wait a long time, and then delayed himself before slotting calmly to send the keeper the wrong way. Cody deserved his rest after another afternoon giving and taking knocks at the sharp end for us.
Subs
18 – Oscar Threlkeld – 7 – Instrumental in Ash’s goal with a simple but calm & well weighted pass to Moxey out left. Oscar put himself about well and was a significant upgrade on Roddy. An effective substitution.
10 – Omar Mussa – 7 – Enchanting and frustrating in equal measure. He still clearly doesn’t have “legs” and that means that when he gives the ball away it can cost us, because he’s in no shape to go and get it back. But his close control and dribbling is often sublime, and will bring you to the edge of your seat.
21 – Dean Moxey – 7.5 – The telling contribution from the guy who in June received the biggest standing ovation the Princess Theatre has seen for many years. Receiving Oskar’s pass he took a touch and delivered a ball that Ash only needed to head to score.
11 – Brad Ash – 8 – Hard running and ultimately game-winning from Brad the Impaler! He loves to get across the front of defenders and his winner brought back memories of a similar effort up at Truro (Gloucester) in April. He must be favourite to start most games and I’m sure that is his preference, but sniffing off the bench is a real art too.
9 – Ben Seymour – 5 – Needs a goal! He’s been too good a player not to come good eventually this season though.
MAN OF THE MATCH – BRAD ASH
It’s a difficult judgement. I’m not sure it’s really right to give it to a sub, but equally I doubt that anyone else would have got themselves into the right place at that critical time to send us home happy. Goals win games and dodgy wins can win titles. Brad therefore gets my vote.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Dean Moxey. Another sub. It was all systems go in the final 10 minutes. Chesham must have been tiring and Torquay needed to go all out for the three points that we might have taken ever so slightly for granted after seeing off Dorking 48 hours earlier. This meant he was well advanced and fresh, and that he could do what he has done so well for 20 years. A great little cross.
TACTICS
It was Paul Wotton’s normal 3-5-2, with some reliance on Mujssa to provide a bit of flair late on. I’m not sure Cooke and Crosbie gelled up front- effectively two big men when little & large might be a more obvious shout.
OFFICIALS
I don’t know their names but I thought they were fine. The referee was youngish, fairly tall and calm. He was wise to Goode’s timewasting and added time on appropriately.
OPPOSITION
Full credit to Chesham. They played with nous and intensity against us. They won at local rivals St Albans on Saturday, and if they can keep Grant and Minhas they won’t be without a chance of surviving this first season at the highest level they have yet played at. It was another good set up, with no segregation, no trouble, two bars and- intriguingly- a separate tea bar which was selling the sort of culinary gear you often pay through the nose for at a National Trust property. The town is pleasant too: a pretty high street with a clock tower and more hanging baskets than a Groundforce Special.
KEY MOMENT
“Corner to Torquay in the dying minutes.
Keeper punches out to Threlkeld.
He knocks it wide to Moxey.
First time ball in from the sub.
ASH WITH A STOOPING NEAR POST HEADER.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!”
CONCLUSION
It felt like a really big three points. On paper this was a game we would expect to win. On the grass, playing against 10 for the whole of the second half, it was a game we absolutely should win. But it was in doubt until the last seconds, which is huge credit to Chesham. Quite honestly, Brad Ash made our night and the Paddington Platform Sprint to get home at a sensible time before work this morning became a great pleasure!
SOCIAL MEDIA
COYY – Clive
OTHER ARTICLES
TT GROUNDHOPPING – AFC TOTTON (A) by Clive Hayward
Clive discusses his trip to see the Gulls
Read More
TALKING POINTS REVIEW – AFC Totton (a) by Thomas Kelly
Talking Points from the game at Totton
Read More
DONATE TO TT
The TT Site now has a donations page here
Any donations much appreciated!
TT PARTNERS
TORQUAYTALK 