NL: Torquay United v Wealdstone 3pm 11 March 2023

I will be there too but I really don’t want to be. Would really rather not be there for the likely humiliation of watching Corrie Andrews score against us. I’m only going because my Dad needs someone to take him and I’ll get in for free as his carer, otherwise I feel done with the club for this season and just feel I’m lining Clarke Osborne’s pocket with any money I pay over the turnstile (or rather online) with no prospect of it being used for the benefit of the team.

What odds a Corrie Andrews hat trick?

When we were 1 up at Solihull, the “live table” did not look too bad.

Our usual trick of throwing the game away and all the other results going the wrong way suddenly makes it look almost hopeless.

We can still turn it around but very unlikely - unless there is a radical change.

Johnson mentions that we are always “in the game” as it enters its final stages.

The fact that we very rarely turn close games into wins is very much linked to the appalling subs bench we have every game - not just in quality but in balance.

Hope we have Jarvis, Hall and Moxey available today. Not too worried about McGavin and not all worried about Crowe who nobody had realised was injured.

Even if Jarvis is fit we have just four attacking players, not counting injured Koszela and two kids out on loan, at the club.

How ridiculous is that?

If we play 4-4-2 with Collins and Evans wide, there will be zero attacking option on the bench yet again.

That’s not bad luck, it’s bad management.

We now have three very good combative midfielders, but not one fit to play ninety minutes. Lapslie and Dawson to start with Hall on the bench?

We really need a win today.

Can we overcome self-imposed handicaps to achieve one?

A bench of intent! And a team of T hope but little else You can be certain we will concede more than one.
That'll be MacGavin out for the season just when he stated to show a little improvement and maybe Moxey's played his last game for us.
Who's this Hall bloke? Has Omar been injured or was he sent to exile for six weeks?

Ever since GJ's been manager we've suffered a ridiculous amount of injuries.

The silence on this forum says it all.....
At least we have England v France 6 nations to look forward to.......
Pants!

We know where we're heading the hope has now all but disappeared. All of the straws have been clutched.
The softly conceded goal in injury time was inevitable, it's been the same for weeks and typical of what's been happening all season.
I for one feel betrayed by the club and what's happened and clearly shows me their intent.
Every signing Including the desperate and poor loans show me that the owners really have no inetention of stopping us drop down again.

Putting my name down for an allotment at Plainmoor, vegetable's are the only thing that will ever prosper on that patch of land.

I decided to go today after missing the last few home games and paid an extra £2 for the "pleasure". After 8 minutes it was the wrong decision. We started brightly enough and Lapsie had already shown his intentions in wet and slippery conditions in winning one sliding tackle. After all that is a big part of his game in winning tackles in midfield. On 8 minutes Lapsie slid in again and fouled the Wealdstone player who went rolling around. The referee took little time in making a decision and out came the red card! It was a foul and yes probably a yellow. Was it really dangerous enough to be red in such slippery conditions – I personally doubt it.

Torquay’s game plan went out the window and the whole complexion of the game changed. It was backs to the wall for Torquay for the rest of the match. In that sense Torquay did stand up and gave everything. It would have been hard enough with 11 players. The trouble is that we all know this team is very limited and there were some horrible mistakes like Marshall mis-kicking in the box or Lawrence hesitating and letting in Wealdstone for a 1-on-1. Thankfully Halstead was in outstanding form and pulled off a string of outstanding saves and on one occasion got kicked in the face thanks to his bravery. It was no surprise when Wealdstone finally took the lead just before half time. Halstead could only parry a shot and Wealdstone were first to respond and tapped in the rebound.

Remarkably Toquay equalized just after the break. A through ball caught out their keeper in no mans land outside the box. Evans got the ball and from outside the box hit the ball past covering defenders into the net. It was a decent finish by Evans. Game on. Torquay did not help themselves by not keeping possession well so Wealdstone kept building attacks and it was a case if they could find a way through Torquay. Wealdstone passed the ball patiently as Torquay offered little apart from hard work and keeping solid with 10 men. Andrews got through for a 1-on-1 but Halstead saved. Soon after Andrews who was being a nuisance trying block Halstead’s drop kicks and finally got one full in the face! Andrews being Andrews went down like he had been shot and was eventually substituted.

In added time Wealdstone finally got the winner. A through ball past our back line was picked up by a runner and this time Halstead could not stop a 1-on-1. Some Torquay players sank to their knees as all their efforts counted for nothing. Torquay nearly equalized from a corner with a right scramble that was cleared off the line. At the end some Wealdstone players, including Andrews, came celebrating over to the Popside and goading which was quite graceless.

Well what can you say. It was a farce of a game ruined by an 8 minute sending off. Torquay really tried to get something and gave their all. However the truth of the matter is that we should have lost by a few goals and it was mainly Halstead’s heroics that kept us in it. We are a desperately poor team and it is a sad state of affairs when our club is being outplayed by a very average looking Wealdstone team and just hanging in there in desperation. Ok today I suppose we did have an excuse that we played nearly the entire match with 10 men.

The players did get a decent reception at the end for all their brave efforts. It is all a sorry state to watch and another nail in the coffin today. We know it is a matter of time before relegation is confirmed. I felt very flat and sad at the end witnessing that.