TT REVIEW

Rachel – @Rachelvillavox

Rachel reports back from Plainmoor

TORQUAY UNITED 1-1 HORSHAM – 08.08.2026

SUMMARY

We’ve known each other for so long, your heart’s been aching but you’re too shy to say it……Astley, Stock, Aitken and Waterman, no not the back 4 line up for Horsham, but a certain 80s classic tune blasting out the tannoy as I took to my usual perch on Bristow’s bench, a heart full of hope, expectation and confidence, something resonating around the Plainmoor ground as 4,200 supporters, with 154 Horsham fans, as we brought the noise, the cheer, the clapping, the songs that after a very promising first 30 minutes soon descended into frustration, frowning, exasperation and a sense of disappointment. The fact that referee Steven Swan was neither gliding regally or otherwise in a game that all too soon into the game he lost control of. He who shouted loudest or fell to the ground hardest would get the decision, a reactionary referee who I hope to goodness will see better days and read the tone more proficiently. Referee barracking at this level is nothing new, but Mr Swan and his hesitant linesmen really were wading out of their depth the longer the game wore on.

That’s not to suggest that he or the officials influenced the Torquay United performance, one that was disjointed, clumsy, misplaced and somewhat sluggish with very little creativity or guile after that slick 30 minutes or so. Horsham looked to impart an in your face game plan, something that would disguise their limitations but by the second half, we were matching their frailties measure for measure. All the pace, the smart pass and go movement, the midfield cohesion and attacking intent we had been excited and enthralled with from our pre-season programme of games, this was a messy, bothersome and erratic showing that saw huge gaps in the midfield and precious little link up play with the defenders or indeed the 2 centre forwards in Moore and Westendorf, both of whom were short changed by the Horsham defence. All the dazzling wing play that we had seen pre-season was in short supply and while on occasions there was some competent side to side passing, there was no incision or directness with an increasingly static attack.

Torquay did take the lead, a well worked move saw a tight angled shot from Deon Moore trickle across the goal line – despite the announcer giving it as an OG – and we did look comfortable without really testing the Horsham keeper for those 30 or so minutes.

A flurry of yellows for both sides, including a quite ludicrous yellow brandished toward Westendorf after he had every right to chase down the keeper and a moving ball, the keeper flinging himself in the air like an amateur break dancer, kidding the already easily kiddable referee, if kiddable is a proper word.

There were some positives to the first half, Sundire Nash was winning loose balls in the middle, Trialist A no more now new signing Harry Shield was showing some lovely skills and certainly from where I was sitting looked to have been shoved off the ball in the area, but the referee was having none of it.

A lot of conversation ahead of this season has been about the squad depth, of effectively 2 players for each position. Jake Wannell had come in for Jordan Dyer, Jordan Young on paternity leave for the new arrival – congratulations Jordan and partner! – with the quality of Dylan Morgan, Callum Morton, Dan Hayfield and back from a serious shoulder injury Cody Cooke. No place for Louis Dennis, Shaun Robertson, Kian Jenkins, Jordan Thomas, with promising and impressive goalkeeper Zak Baker also warming the bench.

It didn’t take too long into the second half for Horsham to equalise, a cross field ball left to right found the Horsham player at the far post, it seemed to be directed straight at Torquay keeper Savin but alas, Savin he did not and it seemed to slip past his fingertips. A lot of high balls and misdirected crosses in the box that sailed over for goal kicks, poor decision making and some hurried play when we had space as opposed to slow laboured build up when we needed to step it up. A jigsaw puzzle that seemed to have a few pieces missing.

Controversy struck in the 70^th minutes, Dom Bernard, who had been having an ongoing feud with his marker that seemed to begin innocently enough grew into a bad tempered affair as the game went on, chased down a ball, collected it to the bye line and despatched a brilliant cross into the box which was met superbly by Westendorf’s thumping header for 2-1. Cue rapturous celebrations that quickly turned to disbelief as the linesman on the right deemed the ball to have crossed the line. The reaction from the Popside and Family Stand would suggest this was not the case, but the goal did not stand.

Having had a paltry 3 minutes added time in the first half, the 4^th official raised the board to reveal 8 minutes and some renewed hope amongst the crowd. Some lovely wing play from Dylan Morgan and a pass on a plate to substitute Matt Jay who somehow blasted high with space from outside the box, a horribly skew-whiff attempt from Nash, who had otherwise had a very good game, and an equally crooked attempt from Cody Cooke when he really should have done better, and that was that. Callum Morton’s introduction did inject some much needed movement and his short spell on the pitch impressed and did leave the feeling that maybe he could have been brought on earlier. He was a real handful for the Horsham defenders having dealt fairly comfortably with a rather static attack in the second half. There was still time for a Cooke header straight to the keeper when perhaps on another day……but a frustrating afternoon that no amount of booing the Ref and his merry men could assuage.

The curtain raiser fell short of many supporters expectations, but some perspective, lessons will have been learned, there will no doubt be rotation and other players will be available or considered more appropriate for particular teams and styles of play. There is pace in this squad and returning players are always giving managers food for thought. There is every faith in Jimmy Ball and his coaching team to get us going and finding the right formation at the right time.

Michael Westcott co-owner of Bryn Consortium had said in his notes that “This football club has had its heart broken – but it hasn’t lost it’s heart”. 4,200 on an opening National League South game proves that at the heart of this seaside town the fanbase is certainly there and for me, and many many others, we’re never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you. However, more than 2 shots on goal in 45 minutes and just the 4 in the second half definitely does need improving upon!

PLAYER RATINGS

1. Toby Savin – 6

2. Dom Bernard – 6

3. Tyler Hill – 5

16. Jake Wannell – 7

5. Sam Dreyer – 6

6. Munashe Sundire – 7

10. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton – 7

18. Matt Worthington (c) – 6

12. Harry Shield – 7

14. Deon Moore – 7

19. Isaac Westendorf – 6

SUBS

11. Dylan Morgan – 7

39. Callum Morton – 7

4. Jordan Dyer – 6

9. Cody Cooke – N/A

27. Matt Jay – N/A

TUFC PLAYER RATINGS VOTE – Horsham (h) – TORQUAYTALK

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – MUNASHE SUNDIRE

Bernard and Shield looked very good in the first half, Sundire Nash too worked hard and broke down a lot of play in the middle of the park and his lunging tackle late on in the second half likely prevented a winner from Horsham. Callum Morton looked a real threat on his introduction to the game, I’ll go with Nash for this game. We can gloss over that attempted shot late on in the second half, but I thought he played the simple passes well, kept it ball to feet, good in the air and supported the defence well while getting his foot in and breaking down a lot of Horsham’s play.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Amber the Harris-Hawk, or lack of. We miss you Amber! The seagulls were having a field day throughout the game and were swooping in on all the discarded chip boxes at the end of the game. Hopefully the gull botherer vacancy will be filled soon. I like seagulls, I love all living creatures but like you back your goalkeeper to keep clean sheets if at all possible, you book a bird of prey to keep a football ground a safe haven for cheesy chip aficionados.

Also, high praise for Callum Morton. Very nearly got my player of the match despite only being on the pitch for 30 odd minutes but we did look more threatening on his introduction and perhaps unlucky not to be on the pitch earlier.

TACTICS

4-4-2 innit.

THE OPPOSITION

Limited and stuck to their game plan to ruffle feathers and get the ball to their number 11 as often as possible. As limited as they are, we didn’t rise above or challenge and often for a relatively small side (number 11 aside) we were second to a lot of high balls and incredibly got outmuscled.

THE OFFICIALS

Poor, a reactionary referee who responded to whoever yelled the loudest and fell the hardest. Awful decision from the linesman to disallow Westendorf’s goal from Bernard’s terrific cross.

CONCLUSION

It’s the first game of a very long season, and we didn’t lose at least! Jimmy, the coaching team and the players know that we will have to do much better and certainly keep goalkeepers a lot busier than we did today.

All at Torquay United are thinking of Women’s player Roxy Thomas who has undergone surgery for a brain tumour. Jimmy Ball and Matty Worthington took to the pitch holding up Roxy’s number 3 shirt and we are all sending our love and support and positivity to Roxy and her family for strength in her recovery.