NL: Torquay United v Chester 3pm 1 April 2017

Ask not what Torquay can do for GI but what can GI do for Torquay ? Answers to that master of delusion CO!

Shame that the sending off put us under the cosh against a Chester team who preferred to pass the ball from back to front rather than the Torquay McGinty way. If only the ball hadn't hit the Chester post....

The ref had a stinker despite being highly recommended. Was there any reason why the two Chester players didn't go off after receiving treatment? I'm sure it happened earlier in the season.

Back in the bottom 4, no thanks to those twats at GI.

A huge blow to our survival hopes where points is all that really matter. Bearing in mind our next two formidable away games, our hopes of staying up are now very slim. Our performance today was decent - fully committed, some decent build up play that deserved far more not helped by playing over a half with 10 men. I've seen Torquay play a lot worse over the years and win and a point is the very least we deserved today. But as fans after the match were saying, it was not really today that will seal our fate, it's all those costly home and away defeats when our performances were so poor. Today was in the "playing well and losing category". Sponsors MOTM going to the outstanding Reid playing in Sparkes left midfield position. As one supporter said after the game, that was the best Reid has played for us. Crowd an improved 1,881 with I guess around 150 from Chester. Today's atmosphere was the best I've experienced at Plainmoor for a while, some good whole hearted chanting coming from all 3 home sides.

There were not many chances in the first half and I thought both teams were playing decent football but neither team really had a cutting edge in front of goal. Torquay's best chance was probably a Reid free-kick from just outside the box that went narrowly over the bar. Torquay's biggest failing all season is not having a striker to finish off the promising moves. Several times the ball went across the face of the goal but there was no-one to anticipate and finish. Only Keiffer Moore did that earlier this season which proved dividends. Our midfield today was excellent especially Reid and Verma with Lathrope and Young not far behind. Our defence seemed solid and contained Chester well. But we did not have that cutting edge in the final third to finish off our promise. Chester had a few free-kicks in dangerous position but did not threaten. The turning of the match was in the 43rd. minute. A flick on put a Chester forward clear just outside the box. Anderson's last ditch tackle was too late and brought him down. I thought it was a penalty and was relieved the referee gave a free-kick just outside the penalty box. Anderson perhaps harshly was red carded for a professional foul and Torquay had to play the rest of the game with 10 men. Lee came on for Harrad and slotted in at right back with GG going to centre back. Our wafer thin squad is even more depleted for the next game.

Torquay responded very well in the second half and you would hardly have noticed we had 10 men. The clearest chance of the match came when Keating was put through. His shot was blocked, Reid hit the rebound that the keeper somehow palmed the ball onto the post and the chance was cleared. At this stage Torquay had Chester under the cosh and deserved to be ahead. Torquay made a double substitution bringing on Williams and Sparkes for Keating and the outstanding Reid. Sadly this backfired as 4 minutes later Chester hit a long range shot that was deflected and went into the far corner of the net. Torquay worked hard to get back, we won a few corners but could not score and our shooting was typically rushed and off target.

The team had a deserved send off at the end and I fear the end is nigh now for Torquay's hopes for staying up. I'm sure Nicholson will get his team up for the remainder of the season but the outlook now looks bleak. As a supporter said after the match, we always find a way of losing. Today it was playing well and losing which was tough to take. I suppose we have a losing mentality at the club that has been going on for the last 5 seasons and it is difficult to break that habit.

In summary, there were few clear cut chances today and even playing with 10 men for over half the game Torquay were arguably the better team. But our clearest chance was brilliantly saved and hit the post, and theirs was deflected and went in. Bad luck today but over 46 games, we will get what we deserve and I fear it will be relegation.