TT REVIEW

Matty reports back from Plainmoor

WESTON-SUPER-MARE 0-3 TORQUAY UNITED – 03.04.2026

SUMMARY

Good Fridays seldom come as good as that one. Three goals. Three points. Two consecutive cleanos. Good stuff.

This was a tight game between two evenly matched sides. It was decided by moments: by chances taken, storms weathered and substitutions made.

After a quiet start, the first significant moment was Matt Worthington’s opening goal. His outside-of-the-foot shot was perhaps too floaty to be officially categorised as a trivela, but that makes no difference to the scorebook. It was a delightful finish from twenty-odd yards to catch the ‘keeper off guard and break the deadlock.

It could well have been two. After a Weston corner, Torquay, resplendent in aubergine purple, sprung a dangerous-looking break. Dolan could’ve had a shot, but he found Young with a slightly bobbly pass. Young could’ve had a shot, but he found Evans. Evans could’ve had a shot, but instead dribbled the ball into the grasp of the grateful goalkeeper.

None of this is to say that the home side didn’t threaten. In fact, they asked plenty of questions of our defence. Luke Coulson is skilful, Louis Britton is robust, and the yellow box was busy without Seb Stacey being called into action too often.

This was the story of much of the second half too. Weston had more corners than a shop full of Toblerones, but United defended resolutely. Home sides, particularly ones in the playoff hunt, are entitled to a spell of pressure. Weston had that, and then some, but the Gulls’ back line held firm, and when Stacey finally was tested, he saved smartly at his near post to keep his side ahead.

And then it was time for the substitutes to show why they’d been brought on. Dylan Morgan, unlucky to have been dropped, looked lively on the left. Louis Dennis’ nose was sniffing a goal from the moment he stepped foot on the pitch at half-time. Sonny-Blu Lo-Everton, also unlucky to be dropped, came on for arguably our best attacker and there was no drop in quality.

It was the latter two who supplied the fatal blows. Lo-Everton fed Dennis inside the box. Right on cue, he took two touches to deceive two defenders, then his third was fired low and hard past the helpless goalie. Limbs. Pyro. GSH Stand weeping.

Within moments, it was three. Again, Lo-Everton slipped LD through. He was almost certainly offside, but the referee’s assistant didn’t deem it so, and the experienced striker doubled his 2026 tally with another tidy finish.

And that was it. Never a 3-0 game, really, but we took our chances and Weston didn’t. It eases quite a lot of playoffxiety for Torquay, while plunging Weston into its depths.

PLAYER RATINGS

15. STACEY – 8: POTM – see below

3. FOULSTON – 6: Probably won his bout on points. Would like him to be more productive in the final third.

28. TIZZARD – 7: Tizzard to play out of position, but all things considered he did a good job today.

4. DYER – 7: Had to battle and fight, but it’s no coincidence that his return has coincided with a pair of cleanos.

5. DREYER – 7: As above, really. He absolutely loves the scrap, and Louis Britton gave him one. Dreyer will be tired, but satisfied.

20. HAYFIELD – 7: He’ll sleep well tonight. Worked his knackers off, as per.

18. WORTHINGTON – 8: Did really well, and scored a lovely goal.

8. YOUNG – 6: Didn’t impact the game like we know he can. Hooked after an hour.

10. DOLAN – 6: Ditto, not his day. Hooked after 55. Hopefully not injured.

22. EVANS – 6: Worked hard. Didn’t take his first big chance for the Gulls, and was a victim of our strong bench. Did brilliantly to hold the ball up for Worthington’s goal, mind.

19. MOORE – 6: Ran himself into the ground, too, but was held back by his limitations.

Subs

24. LO-EVERTON – 7: Two weeks ago, if Jordan Young looked tired or wasn’t quite firing, we’d have to stick with him and hope he pulled it out the bag. Today we took him off and got better. A pair of assists for the YPOTY-elect.

7. DENNIS – 8: It’s quite obscene that we’ve got quality like him on the bench.

11. MORGAN – 7: Played with confidence and threat when he got the chance.

16. PALMER – N/A: We are blessed and privileged to be alive at the same time as Ed Palmer’s Midfield Cameos.

26. THOMAS – N/A: He continues his comeback, three minutes at a time.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – SEB STACEY

Contesting with a swirling wind, a physical team, and a barrage of set-pieces into his six yard box isn’t an easy task for any ‘keeper, let alone a 19-year-old in the very early stages of his career. But today he was brave, composed, and strong. He caught when he needed to catch, flapped when he couldn’t, and made a couple of crucial saves. Without that, we don’t hold a lead, Dennis doesn’t have the freedom to break, and we don’t win the game.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Louis Dennis Taylor found the pockets beautifully. He was great on the break. He racked up a pair of cushioned finishes. Jimmy Ball described him as having “outrageous feet”, a description with which I concur and will be stealing.

TACTICS

We played the first 20 minutes in a routine 4-4-2, with Evans supporting Moore up front. After the goal, Dolan tucked into the 10 role and Evans shuffled wide in a 4-2-3-1. The subs changed the game. Sonny-Lo was dangerous on the right wing.

THE OPPOSITION

I don’t think Weston are very good. They were naff first half. But you can see why they’ve won so many big cup games this year: they’re big and strong, peppered our box at times, and, before today, don’t concede many at home. Lol!

THE OFFICIALS

I actually think they did quite well, but Dennis was probably offside for the third. I hear their gaffer was whining about a penalty decision, but one of the consequences of Weston having a catastrophically Tinpot ground is that I couldn’t see it.