TT MATCH VERDICT

Clive Hayward – @Byehorse

Clive discusses the game at Plainmoor

TORQUAY UNITED 3-1 AFC TOTTON – NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH – 19.08.25

SUMMARY

This was a night when Torquay bent but didn’t break. The floodlights were a pale imitation of former greatness and the Big Screen conked out again after 27 minutes, but Paul Wotton’s patched up team had enough to send big-spending newcomers Totton back to Hampshire licking their wounds after their first defeat of this embryonic season.

Injuries to Fish, Dennis and Lo Everton had greatly reduced the manager’s options and first choice centre back Jordan Dyer (apparently “in the red zone”) was replaced by “Mr Utility” Ed Palmer.

It didn’t seem to matter. For large parts of the first half, the Gulls were pretty to watch. Matt Worthington pulled the strings from deep. Jordan Young on the right and, in particular, Dylan Morgan on the left were a constant threat. There were overlaps and decoy runs aplenty from Thomas and Foulston, and we played the sort of football we spent much of last season crying out for.

There were sliding doors early on. In the 13th minute the ball dropped invitingly for Scott Rendell to hit a first time shot. It was a great chance, but straight at Hamon who made a smart save. A minute later, Torquay capitalised. Cooke knocked the ball down to Morgan who didn’t need asking twice, burying his chance from 20 yards with aplomb.

But Totton hadn’t come for a day out. They were confident, and their equaliser after 31 minutes was disappointing but not entirely unexpected. Lee was given space at the far post, and despite clearing a shot off the line United were powerless to stop him from getting the ball over the line at the third attempt. A linesman’s flag was ignored, put down and forgotten.

Never fear: only 2 minutes later Torquay hit the front again, with a goal that owed nothing to skill and everything to Lady Luck. Young’s ill-directed corner was sliced past the keeper by an intended clearance that will give the offending Totton player a sleepless night.

At half time I felt that although Totton had presented a threat we should have enough to see them off.

Ten minutes later I wondered where it had all gone wrong. The excellent Morgan had been withdrawn at half time, Young followed and it seemed we were back in the depths of last winter- trying desperately hard to hold on to a precarious lead.

But I know nothing. The shored-up defence did its job. Hayfield and Sundire did theirs, bringing valuable muscularity to the midfield. The tide started to turn, and on 69 minutes Matt Jay made the game safe with a brilliantly taken third. The quietly-spoken Devonian has slipped down the pecking order of late, but he was there when it mattered tonight. Injuries dictated that he play for nearly 90 minutes and his finish was a flash of the class we know hasn’t deserted him (remember his stunners at Chelmsford & Truro).

Totton kept going. They were physical throughout, and centre backs Cordner and Oastler would easily be able to supplement their football earnings by working on the door of Southampton’s nightclubs.

There were faint echoes tonight of our home win against Weston last Autumn, it was a night when the opponents showed no respect and the outcome was in doubt for a long time. The three points had to be scrapped for. Job done.

PLAYER RATINGS

1. HAMON 8: The noisy Guernseyman was very good tonight. Safe handling and a couple of good saves, notably getting down well to deny Tony Lee immediately before we took the lead and a good one-on-one stop with his legs at 2-1.

3. FOULSTON 6.5: Combined really well down the left with Morgan in the first half. May have lost his man at the back post for the Totton goal?

26. THOMAS 7: Committed display. A couple of good first half overlaps.

16. PALMER 7.5: Combative. Didn’t look at all out of place stepping in for a fragile Jordan Dyer.

5. DREYER 7: Had his hands full all night. Passed it nicely when he had space.

18. WORTHINGTON 8: Often going deeper than Jacques Cousteau to find time and space to start attacks, the skipper was everywhere for 90 minutes. Generally used the ball well and made himself available to receive it. A lung-busting run near the end saw him give away a foul on the right wing having sprinted from his own box to support Sundire.

6. SUNDIRE 8: I’ve heard mixed reviews about “Nash’s” performance tonight. He tackled everything that moved and was often to be found bursting clear of vanquished opponents. He’ll do for me.

11. MORGAN 8: He must surely have picked up an injury? Dylan was electric in the first half. Equally capable of beating his full back on the inside and the outer with that trademark burst of pace over five yards. Several dangerous crosses and a beautifully struck opener.

27. JAY 8: Fairly quiet in the first half but in a more forward role in the second half he showed his class. A good outlet at times, and a pinpoint finish to make the game safe,

8. YOUNG 7.5: Another disappointed winger. Looked a threat and worked hard. Withdrawn to retrench into a 5-3-2 that had some of us scratching our heads, but which did work quite well.

9. COOKE 6: Tonight was like much of last season for our talisman: taking whacks, backing in, flicking on. Hard graft. He’ll be sore in the morning.

SUBS

4. DYER 7: I didn’t notice him too much. Probably a good sign for a centre back, although equally a function of my dimming eyesight in what can only be described as “dimpsy” floodlighting.

20. HAYFIELD 8: Clearly brought on to add a bit of midfield muscle. For a lad with Dan’s stamina, playing 45 minutes must be a dream. He did well.

15. CROSBIE N/A: Replaced Matt Jay with a few minutes remaining.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – MATT WORTHINGTON

Tricky. The sponsors gave it to Matt Worthington. He’s clearly going to win a few this season. On balance I agree with them. He is the brain and heart of our new midfield and he looked as fit as a butcher’s dog tonight.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

“Nash” Sundire is the new Ian Twitchen. Not picked for the “jelly and ice cream” season opener against Enfield, but earned his corn in the battles at Maidstone on Saturday and against Totton tonight in his first start. He’ll play 35 league matches this season if he stays fit. He’s not blessed with great technical ability but his energy and desire are infectious, and you wouldn‘t fancy playing against him.

TACTICS

The evening started with what seems to be “Plan A”. A back four, Worthington and Sundire probing and anchoring to allow Morgan and Young to run riot on the flanks. By the time Jordan Dyer replaced Young 10 minutes into the second half, we were looking at- on paper at least- a formation intended to sit on a lead. Totton chucked three up front so we countered with five at the back (admittedly Thomas was quite advanced at wing back). We had three “take no shit” bruisers in midfield and Matt Jay buzzing around Cody Cooke up front. We WhatsApped our disapproval. But it worked.

OPPOSITION

A strong and physical team with Rendell and Lee a handful upfront and plenty of width. Bossed the beginning of the second half but couldn’t make it pay. May well finish top half on that showing.

THE OFFICIALS

Not much to report on the officials, okay for this level. The ref over-ruled the linesman on Totton’s goal, a moment that may have caused more controversy and debate had we not scored a few minutes later!

CONCLUSION

Tonight was a bad time to play Totton. They are an upwardly mobile club, and they came to Plainmoor on the back of 2 early season wins. Tony Lee and Scott Rendall are vastly experienced, robust and prolific strikers who would have won this game with better luck. I think they will win more than they lose this year. Although Torquay looked very dangerous when they played football for 45 minutes, the squad was thin tonight and

Wotton’s reversion to last year’s tactics paid off. It’s only August but that was a very handy three points!