Torquay United V Stevanage 4th October 2008

Whoever it was, made it sound like we gave them a right battering just as we did twice last season.

Very poor crowd (2066) and a pathetic 52 from Stevenage!

Fifty two, I ask you? That only equates to about 3% of their average home gate and is totally uninspiring if you are a player. No wonder all the good players in this league want to come and play for us

The Plainmoor crowd came over well on the radio too today, sounding like they were enjoying the game and getting behind the lads.

Anyone heard from Dave Shaw?

Fantastic afternoon!

Brilliant support from the popside - even when it looked like it was going to be one of those days when the ball would not go in the net.

Great performance from the lads. Hargreaves was absolutely immense. You can really see that Wroe and Green are totally different players from when they first came here. In their early appearances, they seemed to think they could just stand around and wait for the ball to come to them. Today they got stuck in like all the others and made things happen.

Finally, thanks to everyone who put their hands in their pockets for the TUST collection - we have the best supporters in the land.

COME ON YOU YELLOWS!

It's weird trying to write a report on the game this afternoon as you have to start thinking - were we really that good or were Stevenage really that bad?

Conditions at Plainmoor were awful with a swirly wind basically more towards the Babbacombe End and horrible drizzle - you all know the stuff, it soaks into your clothes and makes you feel horrible, but luckily for us the Torquay performance was more than enough to keep us all warm.

A perfectly respected 30 seconds silence and 30 seconds applause for Tony Cavanna and Tommy Northcott, and a perfectly played 90 minutes in what has to be Torquay's best home performance of the season, with not a single player failing to earn his spurs, although the decision to give Steve Woods the MOTM was a little on the strange side despite his one moment of magic.

Stevenage's keeper Chris Day kept the scores level in the first half, making one outstanding save with his feet and one tip-over, I think both to deny the superb Matt Green, who now he is fit is beginning to show just why we wanted him so badly.

Sills, Dsane (playing on the left wing) and Robertson all went close with other efforts, and home debutant Scott Bevan had next to nothing to do during his first 45 minutes at Plainmoor, bar one slightly ham fisted punch from a corner and a number of goal kicks when Stevenage passes went astray.

The first five minutes of the second half were slightly worrying, really the only spell of the game there was any worry, when Mitchell Cole failed to convert a one-on-one after Woods' errant pass in midfield and Bevan making the only save he needed to all afternoon from an 18-yard effort that squirmed away from him and went out for a corner. Woods, with the scores still 0-0, then proved hero for a second with a superb diving clearance off the line after Bevan failed to stop (I think) Morison, and he shot towards an unguarded net.

But from then on it was 'just like watching Brazil in the wind and rain'.

Despite playing against the strong wind, we forced a number of corners and from one of them Nicholson's delivery was headed back across goal from the far post by Hargreaves where Robertson dived in to head into the net past Day.

The second came about five minutes later, just after Dsane had an effort cleared off the line, when Sills rose highest at the far post to loop a perfect header back past a despairing Day.

Nicky Wroe, who had an oustanding game in midfield, then added a third three minutes from time, firing home an angled drive from about 15 yards to leave the Stevenage defence and goalie complaining about something....handball maybe in the run-up??

No real worries for the Gulls in front of goal after that and time for a couple of late substitutions, Green coming off to a standing ovation after a hard-working performance that really deserved a goal and the MOTM award.

Those who missed the game, missed a good one, although even undercover it was just one of those days where you couldn't avoid getting wet!!

RATINGS (out of 10):
Bevan 7 - handling okay, not a busy afternoon for him
Mansell 7 - couple of calamaties as usual, but passing much better
Nicholson 8 - best of the season so far and should be #1 left-back
Woods 6 - defensively poor but clearance off line was turning point
Robertson 8 - man mountain of a performance and goal as well
Wroe 8 - marshalled midfield superbly and deserved goal
Hargreaves 8 - excellent showing again and big threat in the box
Carlisle 7 - still gives ball away too often but fine showing
Dsane 8 - new role and adapted well to it
Green 9 - strong, powerful runner all day and deserved something
Sills 8 - best of season as well, much better effort all afternoon

Buckle 8 - tactically much better, obviously noticed Stevenage's full-backs were not their strength, so we attacked down the wings constantly.

All in all, a fine birthday treat

Thanks Andy really great report mate and so glad we won In style On your birthday, hope you enjoy the rest Of your evening.

Thanks for the information above, Jon, I will checked it out later. Onto today's match, a fine second half performance in a difficult swirling wind and drizzly rain. Crowd 2,066 (yes we hit the 2,000 barrier), about 60 (quiet) fans from Stevenage, sponsors MOTM woods.

First half we were slow getting going. I think we were mainly playing 4-4-2, the surprise was Dsane was playing left wing. Carlisle was right-wing, with Hargreaves and Wroe in the middle, with Sills and Green up front. In defence Woods partnered Robertson in the middle with Mansell and Nicholson RB and LB. Bevan, making his home debut, is a tall and lanky figure, and in the first half was a little indecisive, and Woods had to sweep up for him when he should have commanded more. But Torquay had the best chances in the first half and Stevenage's keeper had to make at least 2 fine saves, one with his feet from Green and another pushing the ball around the post. Dsane had a couple of chances but could have done better. I wasn't sure about Dsane on the left wing as he tended to be wasteful, but the second half the whole team clicked and Dsane played his part often cutting inside.

The early part of the second half Stevenage had their best spell. A 1-on-1 with Bevan was surprisingly missed, and Woods cleared off the line to save a certain goal. Bevan showed his quality in the second half and made a fine parried save, and also showed confident handling from crosses. The game had opened up more in the second half and was end-to-end but Torquay were getting stronger.

We finally got a deserved breakthrogh. A Nicholson corner was floated over to the far post, Hargreaves headed it back into the mix, and Robertson headed home powerfully from about 8 yards. We grew in confidence and ALL the players were playing their full part and Stevenage were on the ropes. Sills headed in with his second attempt skillfully from close range to make it 2-0, and Wroe near the end hit a low, powerful shot to wrap up a convincing 3-0 win.

There was plenty of momentum in our play and there were plenty of moves to admire, and we went close on a few other occasions. Dsane was unlucky to not get on the scoresheet when the ball was cleared off the line when he shot from a tight angle. Green was lively up front and had a good eye for goal, and worked well off Sills. Carlisle was involved in most of our best moves and supplied the crosses for at least one of our goals. Hargreaves and Wroe have formed a really strong partnership in central midfield, with both of them helping out with the attacks and they can both score.

Jubilant scenes at the end, and the crowd played their part today. Even at 0-0 today there were some strong and long chants of "yellow army" etc. from the Pop stand and the Family stand. You sense everything is moving nicely in the right direction, and the team really clicked in the second half. Only one sub was made very late on, Thompson for Green.

Swan, did you miss Carayol come on as well? For Dsane two minutes from the end

Thanks swangull, as we expect from you a good post on the game, will have to study you more, so I can make reports like that