MATCH VERDICT

Peter Wade

Peter reports back

TORQUAY UNITED 2-1 WORTHING – 22.10.24

SUMMARY

I cannot remember the last time I felt that exhausted at the end of a football match – the last 15 minutes were hard work but in a good way, well it was because we won.

This was an odd game in many ways, a good one between two decent teams, but each with their own vulnerabilities at certain times of the game: I suppose you would say a draw would have been a fair result, but at the same time each team could make a good case for being two up at certain stages of the match.

As tends to happen rather too often, we got off to a slow start, with Worthing hogging the ball but not actually doing anything with it. Then we suddenly came to life and how we were not ahead by 30 minutes is beyond me. Craske and Hayfield were excellent in this period creating overlaps for fun and whipping crosses in that we just could not force in. It was pinball in the Worthing box for 15 minutes but it just would not drop for somebody to smash in and when we did get it on target keeper Haigh was on hand to thwart us.

Then out of nowhere ‘The Mackerel Men’ scored, and it is a goal we have seen before this season. Worthing are a passing side and at times you felt they were bound to hand us a goal with their playing out from the back, but a neat move saw Spong run across the box 20 yards out and with little pressure on him he fired into the near post. A good hit but we have to put players in that situation under more pressure. For the rest of the half Worthing passed us to death, won every 50/50 ball and to use a football cliché, they looked like they wanted it more than we did.

There were changes at half time with Mussa replacing the ineffective Threlkeld and Jenkins Davis replacing Carson so we could go to a back four. For six minutes it looked like nothing had changed and then we scored, also out of nowhere: Chris, Ben and me were all saying the same thing (like most of you I suspect as well) it is time Mussa created something with his undoubted talent – well he did, and it was beaut. For once we won and passed the ball, knocking it into Omar’s feet which he took on the turn like he does, dropped a shoulder and lost his markers – then he looked up from 20 yards and whipped a lovely curling shot beyond the despairing dive of Haigh into the corner. The fantastic crowd for a Tuesday evening, with Champions League games on telly, of 3701, went wild – well minus Worthing’s 24 fans.

Now I would like to say we took over the game, but in reality they should have put themselves out of sight as their passing created three 1-on-1s that they did not take. Mo Faal, the lanky No.9, can clearly play but he cannot finish thankfully. He had already spurned a good chance in the first half when he robbed Dreyer and with Hamon out of position could only hit a tame shot that was saved. Two of these chances fell to him and both times cut inside a last ditch tackle but could not beat a diving Hamon and then an outstretched TUFC boot.

But suddenly we went up a gear and did take control for 15 minutes, now we were winning the tackles and a series of free kicks and corners were put in to the box by Mussa and then on 72 somebody got on to one of them. Mussa hit a wicked dipping corner into the near post where Foulston manged to bundle it over the line.

To be fair to Worthing they gave it a real go and for the last 10 minutes + 6 they hurled crosses and corners into the box and on 96 one of them was met by Faal (thankfully) whose free header from 6 yards out went wide. Good player, rubbish finisher was our evaluation and that of a slightly tipsy Worthing fan we chatted to outside.

Now that is why I was so exhausted walking away from the ground with a big grin on my face. We sit 3^rd, two points off top.

PLAYER RATINGS

1. James Hamon- 6: Did what he had to do, spilled a couple but sound.

4. Jordan Dyer – 7: A solid game, won his headers and covered well but got pushed back too deep.

3. Jay Foulston – 7: Similar to Dyer, but he scored!

5. Sam Dreyer – 7: See Dyer!

2. Finley Craske – 7: Bombed forward plenty, working well with Hayfield and was solid defensively.

14. Matty Carson – 6: Not sure why he went off, did okay although a couple of his usually excellent crosses were not delivered accurately.

18. Oscar Threlkeld – 5: A disappointing day, seemed off the pace and his touch let him down too often.

20. Dan Hayfield – 8: An incredibly busy player who worked really well with Craske.

7. Lirak Hasani – 7: Iffy first half but an excellent second half when he had more space to play in and ran his heart out.

19. Cody Cooke – 6: Always hard working and a willing runner. Won his headers without looking dangerous.

11. Brad Ash – 5: There has to be more to his game than working hard and chasing around after lost causes.

Subs:

22. Will Jenkins-Davies – 6: Once he got into the game he worked hard, won his tackles and moved the ball well.

10. Omar Mussa – 8: Did what we hoped he would be doing. He has flair, yes he will frustrate (like when he lost the ball in our final third that set up a Worthing break) but he was responsible for us getting three points.

21. Dean Moxey – N/A:

17. Finn Tonks – N/A:

MAN OF THE MATCH – OMAR MUSSA

Well it has to be Omar Mussa as his flair turned the game around when it did not look likely. Both his turn and shot and his corner were pure class, and he worked hard too, busting a gut to get back and defend in that last 15 minutes. Let’s hope we see more of this Mussa.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Craske and Hayfield in the first half, exciting runs. The three centre halves for weathering quite a storm in the second half and Hasani’s second half.

TACTICS

We began with the usual 3:5:2 but simply got overrun in midfield as Worthing played with just 1 up and too often passed around us. Then a major shift to a 4:3:2:1, with Mussa up top which a times did win us ball and made us look dangerous, but we were often pushed far too deep.

OFFICIALS

All round did okay, one assistant missed a few offsides because of the pace of the game. Referee didn’t have much to do as the game was played in a good spirit with little time wasting etc. Of course a few dodgy decisions but nothing serious, so happy to see him again.

OPPOSITION

Certainly the best team I have seen this season, passed the ball impressively, with good movement, but with finishing like they displayed they will not be amongst the top clubs. Put that right though and they will be a dangerous side.

CONCLUSION

It’s getting late as I type this but after the dismal viewing of last season, when I lost heart with all football, it is great to be buzzing again at a vibrant Plainmoor.