TT MATCH VERDICT

Danny Burnell

Danny reports on the defeat

AFC TOTTON 1-0 TORQUAY UNITED – 27.10.2026

SUMMARY

Where do Torquay United go from here?

Yet another gutless, lacklustre, system busting performance yielded the grand total of nil points, against a side who before today had lost 6 of their last 7.

An unchanged line up and unchanged system set the scene for a truly woeful first half which United had goalkeeper Toby Savin to be grateful for as he kept the score goalless.

With two identical systems in play, it was the home side who marginally looked the most dangerous and particular at the hands of set pieces with Totton defender Cordoner going close on a number of occasions.

But it wasn’t long after the break that the home side broke through as yet more Sunday league defending from a corner presented an opportunity at the back post for the Centre Back to smash in. 1-0.

Minutes later, Wannell decided he’d had enough and was shown his marching orders for the second time this season already with a reckless and mis-timed challenge to give the Gulls’ a truly momentous uphill task.

Moore had the ball in the net but was adjudged to have fouled the defender, and apart from another header late on, there was little for the faithful Yellow Army to cheer and yet another dismal night for this football club.

PLAYER RATINGS

Savin – 7 – MOTM, by some distance.

Olufunwa – 5 – OK in a shambles of a team and system.

Wannell – 3 – Been our best summer signing but not for the first time this season, let’s his team down with a moment of pure recklessness.

Hill – 6 – Best outfield player and worked hard until the end.

Shield 5 – Only bright spark in the first half. Asked to do a job of a winger when four of them are sat on the bench. Make it make sense…..

Jay – 3 – Anon.

Worthington – 3 – Anon.

Roberts – 3 – Anon.

Jenkins – 3 – Anon.

Moore – 5 – A thankless task in a (did I mention) shambles of a system.

Cooke – 3 – Anon. Didn’t win a header all night against a towering back two.

Subs

Beaumont-Clarke – 4 – Little impact.

Angelo Cappello – 4 – The sub was subbed. As he was at Maidenhead. Glad we got a fitness and conditioning coach in….

Taylor Scarff – 4

Dan Hayfield – 4 – Pushed to RB, probably should have started.

Sean Robertson – 4 – No impact.

Tegan Finn – N/A – Late sub.

TUFC PLAYER RATINGS VOTE – Totton (a) – TORQUAYTALK

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – TOBY SAVIN

Easy, if not slim pickings, but Savin was to thank for it not being a truly embarrassing score-line this evening.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Goes without saying, but of course the Yellow army who have spent their hard earned time and money watching a Torquay United side who can not compete in a the sixth tier of English football.

TACTICS

A copy and paste of the system that was employed against Maidstone. And did it work? No. Four flair wide players left out once more, and a system which constantly looked for the long diagonals and early crosses. When it didn’t work the first 24 times, try and try again. Early crosses were a disaster and had absolute zero effect.

But hey, what do I know. I’m just a supporter. I’m not qualified to give an opinion. Let’s leave it to the professionals. I’m sure that will work itself out.

THE OPPOSITION

Played the exact same way as we did. Long diagonals, crossing early, and in the main, it was largely ineffective. But what they did have was runners picking up loose balls. I suspect they didn’t really need to get out of second gear and will be pleased with their night’s efforts.

THE OFFICIALS

No surprises they were inconsistent. Questionable shirt pulls going unpunished and two decisions which went against the Gulls, albeit, probably the correct calls.

CONCLUSION

As we enter the end of October, Torquay United in the NLS have won a total of four league games. That’s 4 from 13. Less than a third, 30.77% to be exact. Let’s break that down:

Tonbridge (a) – A late Matt Jay goal after Tonbridge finish with 10 men. The home side on the verge of snatching a late leveller but not for a wonder save from Savin.

Folkestone (h) – An extremely fortuitous 3 points curtesy of another late Jay goal. After bringing it back to 2-2, the away side looked for all the world to go on and win.

Maidenhead (a) – 9 man Maidenhead.

Slough (h) – 10 man Slough. Even then we had to come from behind.

This football club has never been further from the football league (it’s on par with Johnson’s ‘heroic’ effort in ’24). The regression since the summer has been alarming, and whilst many will claim that losing the talent we have has contributed to that (quite rightly), the replacements, the appeared man-management of players, the tactics, and so much more has been severely under-whelming. Players leaving at a spectacular rate, tactics employed which shows a management duo clearly struggling to manage a title winning contender at this level.

We, as fans, rightly moaned with it in Wootton’s tenure, when the underdog mentality crept in, and all of a sudden places like Horsham and Chesham and Totton became equivalents of Man City away, but this continuous mindset to match capabilities with the opposition and not play to our strengths (if anyone knows what they are, please let me know) is damn right depressing. 3k crowds doesn’t entitle you to walk the league no, what it does do is show how big a club you are managing and how high expectations are. Every single game will be tough if you tell yourself enough times. Be the side who dominates possession, who creates chances, who presses from the off. Have we got the personnel to do this, the proof is in the pudding. 15 games in suggests not, and 15 games in is enough to determine whether you have the correct personnel at the helm to steer this club in the right direction.

Right now, any talk of play offs is ridiculous. Make no mistake, with 3 consecutive away games forthcoming, we are right in the midst of a dogfight. Come mid-November, if things have not changed, those alarm bells will be ringing so loud, you’ll be hearing them in Carlisle.

Tonight epitomised our season. Whilst some lauded a point over table toppers Maidstone on Saturday, tonight showed us exactly where we are. And where we are is in a dire situation with zero indication it will improve.

I would absolutely love to be the one eating humble pie in the not so distant future. As it stands, that cake isn’t seeing the light of day.