TT REVIEW

Danny Burnell

Danny reports on the loss at Worthing

WORTHING 3-1 TORQUAY UNITED – 24.02.2026

SUMMARY

A 3-1 defeat in title chasing 6 pointer was about as obvious as it comes. Albeit, United started and played well for the first half hour. Comfortable in possession and creating chances aplenty, there was not much to choose between the two sides.

Palmer & Morgan came into the side to replace Ed James & Dan Hayfield respectively, and it was Morgan who looked the most dangerous. A couple of half-chances came his way as United looked to right the wrongs of Saturday, but Worthing stood firm to keep Torquay out. Dennis saw his header glance wide from a few yards out as the Gulls’ continued to apply pressure on the Rebels’ goal. Worthing had glimpses in the opening exchanges, but the away side looked solid, compact and looking the likelier to score.

And with that, United’s #1 pushes the self destruct button. With a clear route to send the ball long, he’s left it short to gift the league’s top scorer a clear route to goal and to make it 1-0. In a game with absolutely nothing between them, Worthing get their tales up and go in at the break ahead.

It went from bad to worse for the Gulls’ just seconds into the second half when captain Dreyer went off injured to be replaced by Hayfield. A reshuffle at the back saw our RB moved to LB, our midfielder moved to RB, and Foulston moving alongside our now only fit CB (assuming James has gone) in Palmer.

The wind was well and truly out of the United sails and it wasn’t long before the home side made it 2 & 3 to distinguish any unlikely comeback from the depleted and despondent Torquay.

Cooke, belatedly replaced Dennis and battled well up front, (who knew) but by the time Torquay got the ball in the back of the net through a neat strike from Worthington, it was too little to late. Worthing saw the game out with a minimum of fuss and climbed above the Yellows with 13 to play.

On 10th February, just two weeks ago, United were top of the league having won their last three and with confidence high, looked for all the world to extend their lead. Two of their next three games saw them face the bottom and second bottom side respectively. The other, home to a mid table side. Since then, Torquay have picked up just a single point. Yes, a single point.

Chippenham was a disaster, but rectifiable. Just a blip perhaps?

Maidenhead was disappointing and frustrating, and largely cheated.

Eastbourne was a catastrophe.

Tonight, whilst the performance not all bad, was an absolute horror show in terms of result, added to the fact Dorking managed the win. It appears, with the right mindset, attitude and determination, you can go to Eastbourne and see out a three points.

Torquay United have played 9 games this calendar year. We have conceded first in 8 of those. Whilst we got the results in January, it’s finally caught up with us now, and proves no side in this country will get promoted with appalling, unsustainable stats like that.

PLAYER RATINGS

1. HAMON – 3: A huge mistake with the game finely poised. Distribution shocking all night. Cost us massively.

3. FOULSTON – 6: Did his job well enough, even in the unfamiliar CB role.

16. PALMER- 6: Again, did what he needed too.

5. DREYER – 6: As above, sound enough until he limped off.

26. THOMAS – 6: Ctrl + V off all the back four. Over-run at times but thats a result of the shape and press that was applied.

18. WORTHINGTON – 6: A few good runs down the right, took the goal well.

6. SUNDIRE – 7: MOTM

11. MORGAN – 6: The likeliest in the first half and a constant danger. Tailed off as did all the side in the second half.

24. LO-EVERTON – 7: Typical SBLE performance, continues to shine as hope for the title rapidly diminishes.

23. WILSON – 4: Not in the game at all. Did very little throughout.

7. DENNIS – 5: Glimpses, but ineffective largely.

Subs

20. HAYFIELD- 6: Played most of the second half. Did OK.

9. COOKE – 6: Late-ish sub, put himself about against a dominant CB aerial partnership.

17. FISH – 4: Lovely first touch, shame it was to the Worthing winger who duly made it 3.

27. JAY – 4: I dunno……

PLAYER OF THE MATCH -MUNASHE SUNDIRE

Did a lot of things right in the game, effecting both ends. Broke the play up well, and got forward when needed. Alongside, SBLE, our two best players.

TACTICS

With Young continually side-lined, Morgan took the reigns on the right, with Wilson coming in off the left. A standard three in midfield with Palmer partnering Dreyer from the outset.

THE OPPOSITION

Honestly, no better than us. Gifted them the three points and a second consecutive win. They score a lot on their home turf, but tonight, they didn’t really have to do much to earn it. We may face them in the play-offs, we just got to hope its at Plainmoor. We may have a fighting chance then…..

THE OFFICIALS

A bit annoying. Blocked a promising attack early on and decided it should be Worthing to restart with a drop ball. Also bottled what looked like a red card after a horror challenge to SBLE. Other than that, was OK.

CONCLUSION

It has been a month of disappointment after disappointment, which has now, rightly so, turned to anger. A defeat away at Worthing is usually a given in truth, but coupled with the results of the past two weeks, its compounds the misery and (should) have every Gulls’ fan questioning, ‘Are we really good enough to get out this league?’, and ‘Is PW the right man to do that?’. The answer to the first one is inconclusive. The squad, on paper, is very good for this level, and if some of the wage rumours are to be believed, they should be head and shoulders above 95% of this league. The answer to the second…..

We need promotion this season. Simple as. Another season away at Chesham, Horsham, Walton & (looks it up) Hersham is crippling for a club our size. No disrespect to the afore mentioned, but the sheer numbers we continue to get through the gates and our history alone needs us to be playing a level up.

Yeovil, Scunthorpe, Boreham Wood to some extent have all spent time at this level. They’ve got out, so why can’t we?! Albeit the first two mentioned have had spells in the Championship, but we cannot continue to be playing a level below where we need to be. Call it entitlement, call it what you want.

In the space of two weeks, the title has vanished and tipped up somewhere in Surrey. The Play-Offs is our only hope, and be truthful, do you fancy Torquay to beat a Worthing or Hornchurch over one leg, home or away? Do you fancy PW to get our team up for the fight? Past experiences will probably give you the answer to that one.