NLS: Torquay United v Gloucester CIty 3pm 29/12/18

link - tufc tv with Johnson on the Gloucester match tomorrow and thoughts on the Truro game and crowd as well as adding to the squad which he admits is now one or two short!

GJ is well aware that there is inevitably going to be a setback at some point and as we all know its not always the opposition you would expect that cause you an upset.
Today is one of those games where you would think a comfortable another win was a formality so its good to see him emphasising the fact in interview.
Confidence must be sky high but as we demonstrated on Boxing day even so called lesser teams can get behind us cause problems and score good goals.
I hope we start better today but I have noticed that we tend to take maybe fifteen or twenty minutes to get into our stride so not to concerned in that respect as once we have the momentum its carried right through to the final whistle and it often looks like we have another gear if needed.
Any sort of win will do with no bookings, sending offs or injuries - Plainmoor will be rocking again.

2-1. Sounds like a nervous last few minutes. Woking winning again. Need to keep winning.

If there's money to be made, TUFC will always find a way to f**k it up! 

Bit of an odd game that one looked superior in every department but then suddenly looked vulnerable in the last quarter.
A gulf in class in the first half and you wondered if we would be getting a cricket score.
Just didn't happen though with far to many miss placed passes and when we stopped winning the second ball in midfield we had problems.
We really missed Evans today who usually bosses the midfield and links front to back so well. Senles White did ok but hasn't got the mobility or skill set for a midfielder and looks a little off the pace.
Anyone know why he didn't play?
Not complaining though still an entertaining game and we worked hard without the usual things coming off and a scrappy but hugely important three points.

Today's lesson and a sharp reminder of not letting your foot off of the gas has come just at the right time IMHO and I predict Truro will pose a bigger test again on Tuesday with a front line that is superior to Gloucester City's.

It turned out to be a very important win in the end, but also a nervy one. Having being spoilt in recent weeks watching commanding leads, today was a reminder of how things used to be by just scraping home. Credit to Gloucester, they came on strong in the closing stages - scored one, had a goal disallowed, and had Torquay hanging in there with their attacks and corners. Torquay should have put the game to bed in the second half with a succession of gilt edged chances but we were very wasteful in goal. Thankfully that did not cost us in the end. Sponsors MOTM going to Andrews I suppose mainly for his deliveries. In truth our central defenders were probably our most consistent players today. There was no announcement of the crowd but it looked another good home turn-out but less than 50 from Gloucester.

Torquay started brightly and dominated the first half and both Torquay's goals were quite scruffy, but who cares! Hall put through Reid on our right who slipped it into the danger area looking for Janneh. A defender got there first but slipped it past his own keeper into the net. Fortunate for Torquay but it was a well worked move that put pressure on Gloucester's defence. Torquay's second goal was thanks to Andrews delivery from a corner that broke loose and Niate stabbed home from close range. It was all looking nice and comfortable and with Gloucester's poor goal scoring record, you felt the win was not in doubt. Torquay on the whole in the first found it difficult to break down Gloucester who got men behind the ball and played a high line. Torquay tried to stretch Gloucester to find space but were often caught offside. 2-0 at half-time and it was a decent scoreline and Gloucester had hardly got near Torquay's goal apart from one cross skimming the top of Torquay's bar.

Torquay shuffled the pack in the second half with Sendles-White switching to right back and Wynter pushing forward to midfield. There was a spell in the second half when for the first time in the match Torquay really clicked as an attacking force as we have been accustomed to under Gary Johnson. Torquay played with great pace and purpose that unlocked the Gloucester defence on several occasions. Sadly, Torquay were very wasteful on all those occasions typically opting to pass the ball instead of shooting. Janneh and Kalala did not have their shooting boots on and fluffed some great chances. Kalala did head a long cross from Wynter towards goal but their keeper guessed right and saved.

MacDonald's kicking all game was erratic often not finding a Torquay shirt and not finding enough distance. He made an awful hash from a routine shot that went through him and luckily for a corner. It's a good job the shot was off target. It is fair to say that for the last 10 minutes that Gloucester were the better team. Torquay were just feeding off scraps. Gloucester scored from a low shot after Torquay had not cleared the ball well enough. The last few minutes were unbearable to watch and with each Gloucester attack or corner you feared the worse. Torquay had the odd promising counter attack and after their keeper spilled a 1-on-1 with Reid, substitute Koszela put the ball into an empty net but was ruled offside. More drama was to follow when Gloucester scored from a corner after MacDonald spilled the ball but was fouled in the process. Torquay survived 4 minutes of added time uncomfortably and won 2-1.

Mission accomplished to get another vital win but Torquay made serious hard work of it. They had enough clear chances in the second half to finish the game off but instead let Gloucester into the game and hung on nervously for a narrow win. I guess we missed Lemonheigh-Evans today and I am not convinced it works putting Semdles-White (a defender) in midfield. Too many of our normally reliable strikers were misfiring today. I thought Torquay showed some frailties today and just got away with it. Credit has to go to Todd's Gloucester as well for giving Torquay a huge scare. It goes to show that at this level if you are not quite at your game you can easily get punished. Hopefully this will be a warning for Torquay when they play Truro on Tuesday.