PSF: Torquay Utd v Leeds Utd 27/07/12 - 7pm

So you can get back and watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics…..?

I wish the bloody country was an olmpic free zone, we'd have saved a fortune! We could have then put the money saved to good use...like giving it to the millions of immigrants that walk through our borders every year!

Torquay United: Poke, Nicholson, Downes, Saah, Lathrope, Mansell, Jarvis, Howe, Morris, Leadbitter, Bodin. Subs Rice, Macklin, MacKenzie, Easton, Stevens, Craig, Cruise, Thompson, Yeoman.

Leeds: Ashdown, Lees, Drury, Crainey, Pearce, Green, Brown, Gray, McCormack, White, Varney. Subs Pugh, Thompson, Poleon, Lewis Turner, Nathan Turner, Byram, Rogers.

Pretty strong line up, looks like Oastler is still out with a broken nose. Jarvis up front with Rene or right wing with Morris in the middle to link up with Manse and Lathrope?

What a cracking PSF tonight with a narrow 2 - 1 defeat against an ordinary Leeds.

Didn't start too well, 2 nil down within 10 minutes or so with two decent strikes. As the game went on Torquay got more of a foot hold.

Quite a few tasty tackles from both sides.

Star of the game was (yes you've guessed it) must have been Macklin who gave the Leeds players a torrid time assisted ably by Thompson.

Very encouraging.

2-1 to Leeds final score-line. I don't normally attend pre-season friendlies but I could not resist experiencing the new look Plainmoor. I took some photos which I will post tomorrow and it was great to admire the Bristow Bench and congratulations to our board and in particular the Bristow's for a wonderful effort. Crowd was over 3,900 with 2,000 from Leeds. What amazing support that was from Leeds and they filled the away end and most of the Bristow Bench. A couple of rows in the Bench were given to Torquay supporters with a netting segregating the two sets of supporters. Myself and my son did briefly sit in the bench and the leg room and comfort is excellent. It is un-Plainmoor like in the sense you are more distant from the action. Ironically my son preferred to sit in the Family stand after about two minutes and I must admit I do like the closeness of being near the action - it's one of the appeals of supporting a lower league team. My relatives from Leicester tell me they enjoy the closeness as opposed the Walkers stadium. So I admired the Bristow Bench from afar in familiar territory back in the Family stand.

Now onto the match and as you would expect there were wholesale changes at half-time and more during the second half so the vast majority of the available squad had a run-out. The opening was a disaster for Torquay as Leeds went 2-0 in the first 10 minutes and it looked like a slaughter waiting to happen. Their first goal seemed all too easy. They made room just outside the penalty area and unleashed an accurate low shot into the bottom corner with Poke struggling. Shortly afterwards a free-kick was struck sweetly over the wall, against the post and rebounded into the goal with Poke watching. At this stage Torquay looked all at sea with no cohesion and it was all Leeds. Leeds missed a couple of sitters as well. Bodin looked our brightest threat in the first half and had our only two chances of note. He looked great on the ball. On the otherhand Howe and Jarvis offered little.

The second half was a vast improvement for the Gulls and we had good possession and made a proper match of it. Leeds did not threaten much but Rice pulled off two cracking diving saves! I thought Macklin made a great difference to our attacking threat when he came on in the second half. Yeomen should have done better when set up from Macklin. Kirtys MacKenzie scored from a close range header following a corner and he'd only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes! Niall Thompson came on in attack and he looked very fast. Tom Cruise did well at left-back when he came on.

So after a really rusty start, the Gulls rallied and eventually showed some good promise. It's too early to predict what will happen after our latest comings and goings. Do we have enough firepower for instance? Let's just say I'm relieved Bodin has signed. What will our defence be like? I thought Saah looked very impressive and Downes quite steady. But we were pulled apart at will in the first half so we will have to wait and see. But what a transformation the Bristow Bench has made to the match experience. It no longer feels like the Plainmoor we've been brought up to - it's now like a proper football stadium (providing you are looking towards that way and not towards the uninspiring Pop side). And well done to the fabulous Leeds supporters who showed me what a fabulous atmosphere the new Plainmoor can now be. We were even treated to Mexicon waves.

Good second half from us last night. Macklin had a real impact and really unsettled the Leeds defence. I will admit I've never been his biggest fan and wanted to see him off loaded, but if he continues to play like this then I will be happy to eat humble pie! He would be like a new signing but I do remember writing the same last summer during the psf's and he languished for the whole season. I hope he has taken ling's words on board and is going to make this the season he steps up.
Elsewhere, I thought Downes looked good and Saah was once again outstanding. Jarvis and Morris in particular disappointed, hoping there is going to be more from them this season. Cruise looked good when he came on and I thought there was a couple of good deliveries from Nathan Craig.
Overall, an enjoyable evening at plainmoor and BB looks great.