NLS: Torquay United v Braintree Town 3pm 28 August 2023

A home game…don’t they just fill you with dread!

Out of the window goes any thought of form, relative positions in the league or indeed whether Moxey is playing and in what position? 

Will it ever be a different story…

Lapslie starts. So does Martin and Craske.

I know I am just a supporter with no knowledge of coaching etc, but at St Albans I though de Silva was head and shoulders our best player. This is the second game in a row he hasn't started since then. I can understand him being kept on the bench on Saturday but this game cries out for him to be starting.





In my humble, and probably misguided, opinion.  

Must resist early negative comments
Must resist early negative comments
Must resist early negative comments
Must resist early negative comments
Must resist early negative comments
Must resist early negative comments

Jarvis with a 94th minute penalty.

Report now on OS: torquayunited.com/report-united-2-1-braintree/

Not sure I can recall us winning four games on the bounce when playing really poorly, but then it must be the league we are in……

We did start relatively brightly with Jarvis almost scoring after a minute, sliding in on the end of a Stobbs cross at the far post but unfortunately, misdirected the ball with the goal at his mercy! Their goal came out of nowhere, Ash dwelt too long on the ball in midfield, and his pass was deflected to a Braintree player who then slotted a superb pass forward to beat our offside trap with their striker finishing well. While we huffed and puffed in the first half, the quality wasn’t there with passing moves breaking down and the wrong options being taken. Braintree, try to slow the game down constantly and started time wasting when they scored the first goal after five minutes.

Our equaliser scored after around the hour mark was the catalyst for some increased pressure and better play, possibly as our better fitness started to tell. The goal came from a softly given free kick about 5 m from the left-hand corner of the penalty area that was initially taken quickly by Donnellan but the ref wasn’t happy and pulled play back. To all intent and purposes Stobbs looked like he was going to curl the ball to the far post but it went straight into the top right corner, possibly catching their keeper a little flat footed and I am not entirely convinced that it was meant. Stobbs tried the same trick again a little bit later from a similar position but this time it was well wide!

As we built up a head of steam with the best chance coming from DeSilva hitting the left-hand post, Braintree tried to slow the game down, picking up a flurry of yellow cards in the process, including their keeper. As we went into stoppage time, eight minutes was, signalled with similarities to the previous home game. Again we scored in injury time with Gary Johnson time now seemingly back in vogue but then we are a full-time team playing in a part-time division. Jarvis had really stood out with his energetic, running in the previous 15 to 20 minutes playing across the pitch in defence, midfield, on the wing and in attack.

This time he was 1st to the ball in the area with the keeper diving in and tripping him up for a clear penalty. How the keeper didn’t get a second yellow, I do not know, but Jarvis took the spot kick well, drilling the ball low to the left giving the keeper no chance, despite guessing the right way.

Exciting stuff and fans went home happy but also knowing we are not getting out of second and third gear in a division full of old bangers.

I thought Braintree were in fact okay. Had a few useful players I thought. This idea that the League is made up of teams made up of pissheads is totally ridiculous and arrogant. It’s disrespectful to the clubs we are playing and those who support them.