TT MATCH VERDICT

Ian East – @Easters86

Ian reports back from Hertfordshire

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD 0-2 TORQUAY UNITED – 10.11.2026

SUMMARY

Torquay United made it back to back away wins and back to back clean sheets (on plastic pitches!) as the Gulls strolled to a 2-0 win at struggling Hemel Hempstead Town on Tuesday night.

Jimmy Ball had a few decisions to make as Deon Moore was unavailable as he is on international duty, Jake Wannell started his 4 game suspension and Oludare Olufunwa’s injury was bad enough to keep him out of the travelling party. This meant toby savin started in goal with a back 4 of Bernard, Scarff, Hill and Harry Shield in at left back. Dan Hayfield kept his central midfield place with Worthington, Tegan Finn and Jacob Beaumont Clark started on the flanks with Matt Jay in behind Callum Morton up front.

Gulls fans would have been forgiven for worrying a bit about that defensive lineup with what we’ve seen this season but they needn’t had worried too much because they were relatively untroubled for the most part and when called upon all of them stood up and did their jobs well.

It’s been 2 seasons since I’ve last been to Hemel and the circumstances couldn’t have been more different to my last visit. The last time for me was the last game of the 24/25 season which was a baking hot day and Torquay fans turned up in their masses to fill Vauxhall Road in our ultimately unsuccessful attempt to win NLS despite Cody Cooke’s hattrick on the day and a 4-1 win for the yellows. This time on a wet Tuesday night in November it was a hardy few hoping for Torquay’s season to finally get going.

Torquay started the game well and took the lead in the 10^th minute with their first real attack. Shield collected the ball down the left hand side, drove forward and put in a dangerous ball that Hemel didn’t deal with and Worthington was on hand to volley the loose ball home with his left foot giving Michael Johnson no chance in the home goal. Torquay were knocking the ball around nicely dominating possession in midfield and Finn in particular looked a constant threat down the right side. The second goal was almost a carbon copy of the first, the impressive Shield again getting to the byline putting in a firm cross that found Matt Jay on the edge of the box and he volleyed it home beyond the rooted Johnson for 2-0 in the 34^th minute.

Morton should have made it 3 just before the half when he latched onto a loose ball in the box following another good move by the Gulls but he hooked his shot over the bar.

The second half was more even of a contest, Hemel tried what they could to get a foothold in the game and Torquay were indebted to Dom Bernard for a brilliant goal line block just before the hour mark to maintain the 2 goal lead. Torquay introduced Cody Cooke and the big an forced a good save from Johnson, the Hemel keeper also made good saves from Finn and another sub Lo-Everton late on as Torquay tried to extend their lead.

Ultimately though the damage was done in the first half and Torquay eased to a much needed victory that has the Gulls once again looking upwards ahead of the trophy game at Horsham on Saturday.

PLAYER RATINGS

1. Toby Savin: 7 – Caught everything that was asked of him in difficult conditions, can’t really think of a save he had to make other than tipping a dangerous corner over. His distribution is excellent and a real weapon for us.

2. Dom Bernard: 8 – Excellent, won his duels made an incredible goal line block got forward and linked well with Finn.

5. Taylor Scarff: 7.5 – Very good, won his duels against Angol who is an experienced striker at this level. Confident in possession. Done himself no harm in the last two games.

3. Tyler Hill: 7 – Another slightly out of position albeit he’s probably played more at centre back than left back this season, on the day his brother who started as a right back and moved inside got a call up for England, Tyler had a very good game and like Scarff must have helped his confidence.

12. Harry Shield: 8 – Two assists, solid in defence played out of position but doesn’t matter to him gives you everything and he has a very bright future, my MOTM.

18. Matt Worthington: 8 – Another very good display from the skipper, excellent in possession took his goal well should have scored a second in the 2^nd half when he skewed a cross wide.

20. Dan Hayfield 7 – Another very good display from the skipper, excellent in possession took his goal well should have scored a second in the 2^nd half when he skewed a cross wide.

11. Jacob Beaumont-Clark: 6 – He was ok but not his normal self, he clearly prefers playing on the right than on the left but he was still fine got replaced in the second half.

27. Matt Jay: 7.5 – Brilliant finish for the goal which only he scores, side volley into the far corner which 90% of the players on the pitch smash over but MJ finds the onion bag. Another like Hayfield I just think we are a better side with him in the team.

22. Tegan Finn: 7.5 – Constant threat, had their left back on toast for much of the game, unlucky not to score in the 2^nd half a really good display and he works hard defensively for a young winger.

39. Callum Morton: 7 – Best game I’ve seen from him I thought he was a physical presence, he’s mobile and I thought he caused problems all evening shame he didn’t get a goal his first half performance especially deserved.

Subs:

9. Cody Cooke: 7 – Best game I’ve seen from him I thought he was a physical presence, he’s mobile and I thought he caused problems all evening shame he didn’t get a goal his first half performance especially deserved.

24. Caleb Roberts: 6 – Did fine when he came on nearly setup a goal but Worthington put it wide, only thing and it’s nitpicking there were a couple of times where he did the hard work and just tried to be a bit too flash when the opportunity to cross or pass was on

10. Sonny-Blu Lo-Everton: 6 – Nice to see Sonny back and although he was only on for a limited amount of time showed his class at times and nearly scored at the end with a curling effort but Johnson saved it.

TUFC PLAYER RATINGS VOTE – Hemel Hempstead (a) – TORQUAYTALK

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – HARRY SHIELD

I think we might have found one with him, just everything he does is maximum effort he can play pretty much anywhere. He defends well, he attacks well and setup both goals with a direct run and excellent cross. A modern day NLS Denis Irwin as a right footed left back!

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

I just want to say the back 4. Toby Savin had next to nothing to do thanks to them, I was really pleased with Scarff and Hill because I was worried about that before the game and both showed that they can play at the level. There is something there with Hill he has some raw attributes that you like and I wonder if he eventually ends up as a centre back like his brother because when I watch Harry Shield play and how he can attack I don’t think Hill can give you that, but he can defend and his positioning is good. He’ll need to improve aerially but that can come, Scarff too very good he won all his battles, there are times he needs to calm down a bit with the ball because he can do it and you’d like to think it will come with more games and experience. Dom Bernard was superb too but I expect him to be good.

TACTICS

I’ve already said it really, Jimmy kept it the same as at Walton shape wise but he had to shuffle the pack in terms of selections and none of them let him down.

THE OPPOSITION

Hemel are a shell of the side they were last season, I predicted this in the summer that they would be the one that fell from contention. They were really limited, I think they have players missing but going forward they offered nothing and only their goalkeeper and some lax finishing from us stopped it being 3 or 4-0 which is what it should have been.

THE OFFICIALS

Unless they do something appalling I just don’t bother with officials because there’s nothing you can do about the, and they didn’t do anything appalling. There were some iffy decisions for both sides, Hemel had a loud shout for a penalty but it was at the far end of the badly light stadium so I couldn’t tell what even happened to be honest, they were fine.

CONCLUSION

This was the latest in must win games for Torquay, Jimmy has been under pressure of late and while he would never admit it he would have looked at this cluster of games Walton, Hemel, Braintree, Chesham as THE opportunity to string 4 wins together in the league and get the season going. Playing literally the worst teams in the league and despite us missing a few we were very good value for the win last night. Solid strong performance that we need to grow from and continue stacking the wins to get back in contention.