NL: Torquay United v Kings Lynn 3pm 23 October 2021

This could be quite an interesting game, because the Night of the Long Knives has already begun.

In one corner we have Merse, sat in his Director’s Box shouting and bawling about changes (then again, when isn’t he shouting and bawling about something) and in t’other corner we have the ‘kiddies’ refusing to go to bed until they have slagged off the manager. Who they are going to replace said manager with (to improve our situation) hasn’t been made clear yet! 🪠🪠

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Don't see any good signs "as yet" that anything will change.
Its a big day for everyone, arguably bigger than any game this season with players and manager under pressure.
One convincing win against very poor opposition on the day a few weeks ago that just papered over the many cracks followed by the latest appalling run of performances and results.
No consistency in selection with injuries and poor individual form and some players simply just ineffective in their roles. Bookings and sendings off a plenty - a sure sign of a struggling outfit.
Brett please be kind to our lot!
Whatever today wont decide anything long term but we desperately need a performance from the players of some description today.
Anticipate GJ will start both new lads as he has little option to do otherwise with whats been dished up recently.

We need some inspiration and something a bit different from somewhere out on the pitch today, someone who can drag up the rest to a decent level.

line up - still better than Wednesday’s

A much-needed win where we generally had the upper hand for most of the match but Kings Lynn though unable to exert any meaningful pressure did come up with the odd opening from time to time which made it more of a nervy affair. I see they only had 2 subs available so obviously have an injury crisis of their own and probably a good time to play them. Good to see both loan signings start with Armstrong taking all the plaudits being both strong and quick, scoring and still looked fresh as the opposition tired around him. Perritt had a nervous start but came good although remains to be seen how he copes with better opposition.

Armstrong almost scored in the first minute or so when he managed to get goal side of a bouncing ball, possibly from a goalkick but his shot along the ground was well saved by their keeper. Then it was hard going where we had more of the game but struggled to carve out clear chances not helped by taking a short corner and unable to deliver it into the box. At the other end, Huxtable awarded a freekick to Kings Lynn after a misplaced pass went straight out and the resulting free kick saw a Kings Lynn header only just go wide for what may have been one of their better chances in the half along with a long range shot that grazed the outside of the post. The ref attracted the ire of the crowd after a foul on Lolos was waved on and then blew up straight away for foul on a Kings Lynn player. The goal came from a Moxey long throw that was headed back out to the edge of the area and Armstrong was there to smash it into the roof of the net to take a half time lead.

We really needed a goal in the second half to give the players a bit of leeway and a good break by Lolos perhaps should have seen us go two up with Armstrong unmarked to his right but instead he elected to shoot from just inside the area which only hit the legs of a defender. The goal when it did come was from a freekick into the box but their keeper wasn’t quite able to get both hands on the ball and it squirmed out for Lewis to pounce and fire home. I had a nervous glance at Huxtable to check he wasn’t going to rule the goal out for a foul on their keeper. Ironically, relatively, he probably had one of his better games at Plainmoor from our point of view.

With the pressure off, that probably led to our best spell of the game where were we were able to sustain significant pressure on their goal with O’Connell coming on and having a couple of good chances, one of which somehow hit their keeper at the near post and went out just pass the far post. No real danger for us thereafter and we were able to close out the game very comfortably. Away to Wrexham next week which will be a different kettle of fish and hopefully the likes of Hall, Lapslie and Addai will be available to reinforce a wafer thin squad.

Wow, what a debut that was from 18 year old Armstrong today. He is already a real power house of a striker - has strength, pace, skill and we found out today how well he can finish! What a find and he was the difference between us struggling and us winning. Would we have won without Armstrong, I personally doubt it. Within 5 minutes, Armstrong beat the Kings Lynn defence but shot quite tamely at their keeper. At this stage I wonder if Armstrong was similar to Kimpioka last season who had all the attributes needed but just could not finish. Those fears about Armstrong were put to rest just before half time when just inside the box in a central position he rocketed the ball into the roof of the net. No surprise Armstrong was later named sponsors MOTM. He terrorized Kings Lynn with his strength and power and more than once turned provider getting the ball to the byline past the defence and putting in a dangerous cross.

As good as Armstrong was I thought Holman was equally poor. He was lightweight in possession often losing possession, is too short to win headers and like many home games I have seen this season he is always on the periphery. My main complaint is that Holman does not make things happens but just waits for something. Torquay had their best spell after O'Connell replaced Holman in the second half.

At least Lolos puts in a shift and gets stuck in. Lolos has very good close control and poses some threat. He is still learning the game and in one counter attack in the second half he went for a shot that got blocked when there were better options around him. The other loan debutant, Perritt, I think can do well. He has a calmess and reads the game well and is clearly a much better option than Omar. Some of Perritts deliveries went astray but I think he will be a good addition. It is worrying to see there were no defenders on the bench today and at one stage Lewis went down with an injury.

Talking of Lewis I was sat in the Bristow Bench today with my brother and directly behind our dug out. It was interesting to note the communication between our coaches to our players went through Lewis and I think that emphasizes how highly Lewis is valued by our coaching staff and rightly so in my opinion. Torquay got better as the game wore on and there was some sustained pressure when Torquay scored their second and had some other decent chances. Torqauy's second goal was stabbed in by Lewis after their keeper spilled it. It seemed a bit of a scrambled goal and I thought the referee was going to disallow the goal for a foul but it stood.

The gate today was boosted by the community day when several hundred got in for free. They resided in the away end behind the goal and the atmosphere today was half decent obviously helped with us winning. Until our second goal Kings Lynn were always in the game and had their dangerous moments and close shaves. They hit the upright in the first half and there were a few close shaves.

Today was not a vintage performance by Torquay by any means but considering our recent results and performances it was a step in the right direction. Our players gradually grew into the game and we did enough to win. There was not much slick passing moves but the win was ground out and Armstrong was the big difference in making that happen.

Had another look at our second goal on the highlight show. Their defender fell over their keeper and the impact as they hit the ground saw the ball squirm free for Lewis to score which was why the goal was allowed. Think it was pressure from Lolos behind the keeper which may have caused the collision though. …