TT REVIEW

Clive reports back from Plainmoor

TORQUAY UNITED 2-2 DORKING WANDERERS – 24.03.2026

SUMMARY

A game that looked out of Torquay’s reach for long periods became the Callum Dolan show, as the Stockport Stoichkov made a triumphant return from injury. Not content with a piledriver to get the Gulls back into the game, the 65^th minute sub immediately scored a second to send Plainmoor into dreamland.

It didn’t last, but given United’s alarming slump since January a point against the league leaders feels like a decent outcome on a night when nearly 4000 came through the turnstiles – a real vote of confidence from the club’s long-suffering supporters.

Losing the toss and having to play into driving rain, United stated the faster. On 7 minutes good hold-up play from Deon Moore set Jordan Young up for a shot which went just the wrong side of the post.

On 13 minutes, however, Dorking took the lead. United looked as though they had got themselves set defending a breakaway from a corner, but couldn’t stop the left wing cross. It was on the money, and Alfie Rutherford powered in his header from close range.

The rest of the first half saw the visitors exerting good pressure. They were quicker than United, used the ball really well and broke the press with repeated ease.

In hindsight, getting to the interval only one down was probably a decent effort, but United showed little real sign of using the slightly-eased conditions to their advantage in the second half. A low Dorking shot just wide of Seb Stacey’s left-hand post nearly killed the game stone dead in the 65^th minute.

But then Callum Dolan showed the world what he can do.

On 78 minutes he was given some time and space as he advanced, and fired home a high-class equaliser from outside the box.

Almost immediately, Jordan Young scampered free down the right. His cross was decent, but Dolan still had work to do. He bent his body into the perfect position to control a high-class close-range volley and, incredibly, the game had been turned on its head.

It didn’t last. Dorking weren’t about to take it lying down. United were saved by the Pop Side linesman’s flag in the 81^st minute, ruling out an arrowed Pearson shot into the top bin. They wouldn’t be denied though, and got a deserved equaliser just 3 minutes later: a low shot deflected in by the luckless Sam Dreyer (making his first start since he was injured at Worthing).

There was more to come, and the finish was pulsating. Dolan nearly got a hat-trick: his snapshot turned over by the keeper at full stretch. United were then denied by a phenomenal clearance in injury time: a Dorking defender coming from nowhere to thwart what looked like a tap in after Moore had lobbed the keeper.

Dreyer couldn’t keep his effort from the resulting corner down, and it was over.

Overall, it was a result which will have pleased the visitors but which shows that, for Torquay, where there is life there is hope. Despite being second best to a good side for long periods, Dolan’s extraordinary reappearance gave a high octane finish and some hope that all may not be lost as United try to keep their season alive.

PLAYER RATINGS

15. STACEY – 6: Decent handling. No huge saves required. Often looked frustrated at the lack of options ahead and stalled several good chances to counter.

3. FOULSTON – 6: A mixed bag. Caught out on the break more than once, but often combined well with Morgan down the left. Kept the armband tonight despite Dreyer’s return.

28. TIZZARD – 4.5: Struggled against Sam Pearson – one of the best left wingers in the league.

4. DYER – 5.5: Had to be at full bore throughout. Picked up a second half yellow which pros would probably say was “a good booking”, stopping a forward who had spun him.

5. DREYER – 5.5: Unlucky end to the night and he again was fully occupied. Great to have our first-choice centre back pairing restored though.

20. HAYFIELD – 5: Looked outclassed at times.

24. LO-EVERTON – 6: Good work rate. Overall, however, United lost the midfield battle.

8. YOUNG – 6: He has set high standards over the last season and a half and although he made the second goal, he continued generally to fall short of them again tonight.

27. JAY – 6: Often lively. Happy to take the ball in tight areas.

11. MORGAN – 6.5: A curate’s egg on the left wing. Never stopped trying. One first half cross was begging for a touch.

19. MOORE – 6: Maybe lacks a bit of confidence. Makes some good runs but not blessed with much pace. I thought he should have trusted himself & shot more often.

Subs

10. DOLAN – 9: POTM. Phenomenal.

7. DENNIS – 7: Some flashes playing deep. We need him firing again.

16. PALMER – N/A.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – CALLUM DOLAN

Callum Dolan. At Totton in December, on his return from another long absence, he tried to win the game on his own. Tonight, back from what had been advertised as a season-ending injury he very nearly did. At his best, Callum is a crowd pleaser. He showed his spirit in a loan spell a couple of years ago and tonight he had the golden touch. He’s the sort of player who can win big games, and if he can stay fit between now and the end of the season, you just never know.

It makes a change not to have to give it to Lo-Everton.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Dylan Morgan. He is the less gifted of our two principal wide players, but I thought he was decent again tonight: a good outlet when we were under the cosh- as was the case for much of the match.

TACTICS

I felt we failed to press Dorking well enough and that caused us problems all night.

THE OPPOSITION

I don’t see why they won’t go on to win the league. They were too good for long periods and showed huge spirit to haul themselves off the canvas following Callum’s one-two.

THE OFFICIALS

The ref was inconsistent. He did try to play advantage, but it was hard to comprehend why he blew for some fouls whilst waving away other appeals.

Arguably, the Fourth Official’s failure to facilitate the late introduction of Ed Palmer cost Torquay the three points. At 2-1, with a lead to hang on to, Jimmy Ball tried to swap Palmer for Young. But the “fourth” wasn’t assertive enough. Ball remonstrated with him, and seconds later the equaliser was conceded. Not good enough.

CONCLUSION

It was a last 20 minutes that will live long in the memory. Ultimately, United remain a fragile team but sometimes football is about moments, and nobody walking down Bronshill Road will feel they were short-changed tonight.

Up the Gulls.