TT BLOG

Rachel Malloch – @RachelVillavox

Rachel discusses a PSF loss for the Gulls

Big crowd, big defeat but when you’re facing a recently relegated team from the Championship into League 1 club with a big budget, a budget that on a scale would make Argyle the QE2 to Torquay United a Seafari pleasure boat cruise, something that on the second half showing, was abundantly evident.

Argyle were simply quicker, faster, sharper and fitter than us. This wasn’t some reality check though, this was only Torquay United’s third pre-season game, with a mixed squad of last season’s retained and committed along with the newly recruited signings up against a much more expensively assembled team in Plymouth Argyle who are now well into their pre-season preparations and closer to starting their season’s campaign that we are.

A beautiful warm sunny evening, a packed Babbacombe Road away end, always a sight for sore eyes and a throw back to more loftier times when Torquay United as a league club side would attract the more voluminously supported teams, a non-segregated friendly game that would mean taking my usual pew up on Bristow’s Bench sat amongst a good proportion of green shirts inter-mingled with yellow shirts and even more Torquay United bucket hats.

Torquay started the game marginally the better looking of the 2 teams with a lot of possession and movement, but after 20 minutes or so, the game levelled itself out. Argyle took the lead through the impressive Xavier Amaechi, who along with Bali Mumba caught the Torquay back four out with their trickery and pace.

5 of the 6 goals conceded were orchestrated from the wing play with low crosses into the box and tapped in, however one strike from Amaechi from 15 yards out in the second half was a peach of a goal, striking with venom into the top corner. Going in a goal down at half time was testament to a hard working midfield. The second half however saw Argyle up the gears and emphatically impress their quality, limiting Torquay to only a speculative shot from Cody Cooke, a free kick from Jordan Young that rattled the Brothwell Irvine board Family Stand roof and a moment of uncertainty from full back Jordan Thomas as with the ball at his feet and the goal mouth at his mercy, he hesitated, stood motionless for a few seconds, the chance begging had gone and the ball was then cleared.

The closest we came to getting on the score sheet was a good run from Callum Dolan where he was bundled over the box. The referee immediately pointed at the spot……except he was gesturing to the Argyle keeper for a goal kick.

On the stroke of 60 minutes, on came the Argyle youth players and far from giving Torquay any respite, their fresh legs and quality gave them more energy and impetus. All in all, a pretty solid, sturdy but by no means demeaning exercise for our boys.

The game did have it’s feisty moments, Jordan Dyer leap frogging his marker and landing heavily that stopped the game for some treatment, Matt Worthington leaving his mark on Argyle’s number 4 that incited a bit of handbags, Sam Dreyer catching Amaechi late incurring the only yellow card of the game, but all came away unscathed and a lesson in the levels that only the most exceptional of National League South teams will be furnishing TQ1 this season.

No disgrace losing in the manner we did. Yes, Paul Wotton and his coaching team will likely not be overjoyed in the manner of the goals conceded, the usually compact, dependable and focused back four looked slightly ragged and belaboured for the most part of the second half, but to impress upon the obvious fact that they were up against some very, very good league one players and players who have played at an even higher level than that.

The crowd was announced at 5,244 with 1,500 visitors, the evening had played out with a good spirit and some decent performances on display.

Onwards to Friday evening’s game against Exeter City and another opportunity for this Torquay United squad to progress to match fitness in preparation to the game that really counts on Saturday the 9th August versus Enfield, with another big crowd in a sea of bucket hats.

Up the Gulls.