NL: TorquayUnited v Boreham Wood 3pm 7 Jan 16

After the Lord mayors show it like watching paint dry today - back to normal with players treading water all over the pitch. Wood get one decent chance and take it whilst we never looked any real threat all afternoon.
A real shame because many of those that have stayed away had returned and the Popside terrace looked pretty full. Another opportunity missed with a performance that confirms we still lack quality in many areas. Read as the main striker looked pitiful for the most part with Chaney never close enough to feed or receive. Harrods introduction lifted things marginally but with so many players just not firing on all cylinders it was drab and awful to watch at times.
Arman Vernm arguably one of our best player over never reached those heights today and it was his giveaway pass in midfield that lead to Woods winner.

Very disappointing though I somehow expected as much against one of the divisions "ordanairy" sides.
Forrest Green can we play you every week??

A depressing afternoon at Plainmoor watching that. Even Clarke Osbourne looked fed up at the final whistle. We are used to it. Forget those freak games against Forest Green, it was back to normal today and a reminder that we are in another relegation fight. We were toothless in attack against a well drilled Boreham Wood side and unlike Forest Green they had a decent keeper who gobbled up all our crosses with ease. Substitute Harrad, replacing Chaney on 58 minutes, added a bit more presence up front and know how in attack. But we still rarely looked like scoring. Crowd 1,789 with a laughable 23 from Boreham Wood. I agree with that away number having counting myself before kick off. Again it shows again how far our club has plummeted in recent years losing to part-time teams like these. This is our depressing norm and the standard we are at. Sponsors MOTM going to Richards supposedly for his work rate. It certainly can't have been for his shooting as all his long range efforts had more chance of troubling supporters several rows up rather than their keeper. In truth there were no stand-out Torquay players today. Apart from the goal, our defence looked secure enough with Gerring and McGinty forming a solid partnership.

Torquay were slow out of the blocks and Boreham Wood were on top in the opening exchanges. Only a couple pieces of excellent defending prevented Boreham Wood scoring. Gerring's last ditch interception prevented a certain goal from close range and Richards kicked off the line following a corner. Torquay had a fair number of corners in the first half but none of them troubled Boreham Woods resolute defence. Verma finally had a shot on target for Torquay but was easily gathered by their keeper. Boreham Woods early impetus faded and the first half was a bore draw. In added time Chaney had a decent swirling shot from about 25 yards out that clipped the outside of the post. Chaney again today did a decent job in linking play with accurate passing.

Boreham Wood again took the initiative in the second half but rarely threatened Torquay. Torquay had a good 5 minute spell of pressure. Reid had our best chance after a pass from Chaney but his goalbound shot was well blocked by a defender. Gerring's header (or did he use his hand?) brought a fine tip over save by their keeper. Not for the first time this season, Torquay pressed the self destruct button for the only goal of the game. Verma lost the ball, McGinty's clearance hit one of their players and they were through on goal. The shot was well struck into the roof of the net to the silence of the crowd (well you can't expect to hear 23 cheers). Torquay huffed and puffed and Boreham Wood ran down the time with gamesmanship that Steve Evans Crawley would have been proud of. Even their female physio joined in the act coming on at every opportunity and getting reprimanded by the ref for not leaving the pitch. This wound up the Plainmoor faithful and it would have felt like justice for Torquay to equalise. Williams joined Harrad in attack. We had several corners and some dangerous free-kick positions but wasted the lot.

Too many attacks broke down and so we never gained any real momentum. So many passes went to a winger only to go out of touch. Sparkes, who is normally one of our best performers, summed up the afternoon by mis-controlling on the left wing when in a decent position. We did not look like scoring. We did not lack effort but we certainly lacked quality in all areas. Too error prone and no end product.

Let's wait and see what happens in the transfer market in the coming weeks. We have a wafer thin squad with very few options on the bench to turn to. And most importantly no-one we can rely to stick the ball into the back of the net.

Not the most scintillating of games to say the least as Boreham Wood kept it tight and had a bit of luck to take one of the few chances that presented itself.

So the team deemed good enough to take down a Forest was kept unchanged as surely they could take down a mere Wood although it was the visitors that started stronger and after 10 minutes nearly scored off a corner but Richards was able to kick out a smart low shot. This almost immediately led to arguable our best chance of the game. A deep corner was headed by Gerring back down to Rooney who fluffed his effort. Not too much action for the remainder of the half apart from a long break for a Boreham injury but it ended with Chaney blasting a shot from range which clipped the outside of the post on the way through.

More of the same in the second half with Boreham continuing to keep things tight and the goal came from a couple of mistakes. First Verma mispassed the ball and briefly got it back but lost it under pressure and thinking he had been fouled took his foot off the gas allowing it to be hit down the line. McGinty tried to clear but the ball ricocheted kindly for Boreham to allow them to score.

I think the Gerring attempt off a corner did have a hint or maybe a lot of hand but their keeper pulled off a good reaction save; a bit wider from him and it was in. Harrad put in a good shift when he came on and managed to claim a very dubious free kick. Boreham went into time delaying mode. Their keeper was unlucky not to be booked. When one of their players feigned injury, he was made to go off but then came on without the ref's permission and earnt an immediate yellow card. Unfortunately, we were unable to give things a good go and the crowd perhaps expecting another goal fest were rather quiet as a result.