NL: Torquay United v AFC Fylde 3pm 5 October 2019

Johnson press interview

Once again playing a fancied team on a poor run.
Good thing or bad?
Another stern test of our character today..

You missed a screamer. 😊

Bloody hell, a late goal for us...I need to sit down!  

Played our last minute get out of jail card today and were perhaps a little fortunate to come away with all three points.
We started well, had good tempo to our game and took the lead through a superb Kalala volley strike after ten minutes. Ex United keeper Dan Lavercombe stood no chance.
The rest of the half saw some entertaining hard fought football from both sides with Fylde belying their lowly league position though creating few if any clear chances though they had an effort hit the crossbar at the midway point.
As has been the case on so many occasions this season Jamie Reid was fighting a losing battle on his own up top with their big defender winning virtually all of the aerial battles and many on the ground.
We had nothing aerially up front though we did play some nice approach football at times with limited success.
Second period we lost our shape a bit and Fylde looked dangerous after a halftime reshape and a determination to get something from the game. During this period we were hanging on a bit and the more experienced player in the Fylde side were starting to dominate our young midfield. Eventually it was a mixup between Liam Davis and Covalan that gave them a lifeline. One of many lofted balls forward behind our defence that were causing problems was headed into the path of their forward for a simple tap in. Covalan and Davis going for the same ball and both unaware of each what other were doing. Looked like Covalan should have called for the ball with Liam still thinking he was on his line but out of vision when he headed it.
We went of the boil soon after and our young side were being bullied in midfield and we did look decidedly vulnerable at times though I thought both of our central defenders coped well and were on their game today. Guilty of giving the ball away so many times but always looking to unlock our opponents locks with though with little assistance from some odd linesman's and refereeing decisions that incensed the Popsside and Bristows alike.
With the game drifting into a draw and the clock counting down injury time it only took one quality cross from the byline by that man and match winner Kalvin Kalala for us to, perhaps fortunately retake the lead with a Matt Buse maiden goal and gain another valuable three points. Fylde will feel hard done by and look a far better side than their position suggests just as I had predicted.

A 2-1 victory and a winner in the last minutes when we have so often been the victim of last minute goals- I'll take that THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Great to get a late winner in added time and do the opposite of what Eastleigh did to us the other week. Ironically, Torquay's winner came from a close range header from Buse in a match where Torquay rarely won headers all game. I thought it was a scruffy sort of game and Torquay's found it hard to get their game in any sort of proper rhythm. Fylde were well drilled, hard working and difficult to break down and had the clearer chances throughout the game. Torquay had more flair but frustratingly when we did get into decent positions the final ball or cross typically came to nothing. When Torquay did get a decent cross in typically there was no-one on the end of it. The flow of the match was not helped either by a finicky referee who often blew up for trivial pushes in defenders favour and also let some poor challenges especially from Fylde go unchallenged. Let's say his performance was inconsistent and baffling. Torquay did improve a bit in the final stages of the game but the winner in truth was unexpected, but very welcome! The crowd was a reasonable 2,440 with 37 away supporters with sponsors MOTM going to centre back Cameron.

Torquay started brightly, were camped in Fylde's half and got an early goal. It was another cracker from Kalala. A free-kick was only half cleared and Kalala volleyed first time from the edge of the box into the far top corner. In truth Torquay rarely troubled ex-Gull keeper Lavercombe for the rest of the half and we had a couple of scares. Fylde hit the post from a corner and should have buried another chance but Torquay just about managed to clear the danger. It was a very even half and once piece of quality separated the sides.

Torquay needed to raise their game but instead it was Fylde who improved after the break. Torquay were living dangerous but Fylde's equalizer was a total gift from a mix up between Davis and keeper Covolan. Davis in the penalty box headed the ball back towards the goal with Covolan stranded and on a different wavelength for Fylde just tapped the ball into an empty net. It was playground sort of football I'm afraid and I wished Davis had headed away from the goal for safety. There is no doubt Fylde deserved the goal for their pressure and goal attempts but it was the worst costly mix up I have seen for a long time. Torquay struggled to respond and Fylde looked the likeliest to score again. Covolan made a vital 1-on-1 save with his legs. Little, back from injury, replaced Vincent in central midfield and did add a more quality with his calmness in possession and accurate passing. Reid had a very quiet game and when he did have the ball once in the second half outside the box he ended up losing possession. Kalala still provided Torquay's best outlet and we did get in behind Fylde's defence better towards the end. Then just when I was settling for a point in a game where Fylde had the better chances, Buse headed in at close range from a decent cross.

The home crowd quite rightly celebrated at the end but it was a workmanlike performance and Torquay rode their luck. However, they dug in and unexpectedly ground out a win. Fylde were a difficult team to play against being well drilled and hard working and giving Torquay very little space to play their game. So credit to Torquay to win in this fashion. Apart from the gift by Davis, Torquay defended well on the whole. I think Covolan needs to be more assertive with his communication and coming for crosses. He did make a vital save when Torquay were struggling with a 1-on-1.