Torquay United 2 – 0 Mansfield TownMan of the Match:
Mustapha CarayolGoal scorers:
Roscoe D`sane,
Steve WoodsAttendance:
2267Torquay United extended their unbeaten run to 11 games with a convincing 2-0 over Promotion rivals, Mansfield Town FC. Mansfield Town went into the game looking for their first win in 4 league games. Wayne Carlisle failed his fitness test and was not included in the squad for the match. Youth Trainee, Jordan Charren was called up to the bench for the second match in a row, with the rest of the squad remained the same.
Torquay United: Bevan (
GK), Nicholson, Woods, Hodges, Mansell, Roscoe D`Sane (Danny Stevens,
90 mins), Chris Hargreaves, Nicky Wroe, Mustapha Carayol, Tyrone Thompson, Tim Sills (John Charren,
90 mins).
Subs: Benyon, Ellis, Adams
Mansfield Town: Gamble (
GK), Silk, Chanot, Moses, Jeannin, Somer, D`Laryea, Ahmed (Sinclair,
80 mins), O’Connor, Lee (Stallard,
71 mins) Arnold.
Subs: O`Hare, Hurren, Herriott (
GK).
Referee: Mr. B. Malone (Wilts)
Bookings: Tim Sills (74 mins)
Fouls: Torquay:
11 Mansfield:
13Offsides: Torquay:
3 Mansfield:
8Corners: Torquay:
11 Mansfield:
4Shots: On Target: Torquay:
4 Mansfield:
0Shots: Off Target: Torquay:
3 Mansfield:
5Hit Woodwork: Torquay:
1 Mansfield:
01st Half`Scrappy` was what the first half was. Torquay started off in a 4-4-1-1 formation, which was exactly like it was a week before against Chipstead, but the game wasn’t the same as the weather played a major part as it rained and wind was blowing the ball all over the place.
The first chance of the game fell to Torquay United with Carayol (like last week) beaten his marker on the left and sent in a cross that was just to high for Tim Sills to head in from 8 yards out. Mansfield attacked Torquay through Aaron O’Connor on the right and Nathan Arnold on the left who were getting caught out by the offside trap by the Torquay defence.
Torquay `keeper, Scott Bevan, was busier than last week but didn’t have a single serious shot to save and the most serious balls he had to catch were from corners, free-kicks and crosses but apart from that didn’t have much to do. Tyrone Thompson was a threat as he was playing just behind Tim Sills and had a shot 10 minutes into the match but was blocked by Mansfield defender Moses after going past three other players.
Carayol was a threat to his marker and in the 14th minute sent in a cross from the left, but the wind played its part and sent the ball to long and went out for a goal kick. D`Sane on the right went down the right flank in the 18th minute and tried to beat his marker but the Mansfield defender sent the ball out for a throw in. In the 20th minute Tyrone Thompson may have had the best chance of the match after Tim Sills first shot forced `keeper, Gamble into a clearance which went as far as 20 yards to Thompson who volleyed the ball just wide and with little power.
Mansfield were playing on the counter-attack but were caught offside in the 26th minute after a Torquay corner had been collected and thrown out by Gamble. Chris Hargreaves was taking control in midfield with tough tackling and in the 30th minute stopped a Mansfield attack dead in its track and fed Carayol on the left who only crossed only just short for Tyrone Thompson.
Mansfield’s best chance of the first half and the entire game was Aaron O’Connor played a through ball to Ahmed who beat the Torquay defence and put the ball over the crossbar, weakly. D`Sane was a threat on the right and cut into the box and sent a pass for Tim Sill who got tackled by Jeannin at the last minute.
Carayol was starting to exploit his position and beaten his marker to send in a high cross, but with the win blowing against Torquay, went to short for Thompson who was waiting in the box. The 2nd half ended with the midfield battling for control of the game and signs were showing that Torquay were winning that battle and were close to breaking the deadlock.
Half-Time Score:
0 – 02nd Half:With the wind going with Torquay, it seemed to help to help Hargreaves and Wroe win the midfield battle and it also helped Torquay on the attack with Nicholson sending balls cross the pitch to Carayol who was beating his marker like he did against Chipstead, he sent in crosses and Sills was there to win the header only for Gamble to make a fine save. Mansfield were trying to attack on the counter-attack, but only sent long aerial to lone-man Lee but were the Torquay defence played the offside trap.
In the 50th minute D`Sane cut in on the left wing, who switched sides with Carayol just before half time, was threatening the Mansfield defence and was only cut off with last-gasp defensive tackling, but also conceded corners. Nicholson was sending in the corners and, especially in the 2nd half with even more penetration and Sills and Thompson were getting closer to scoring the first goal of the game.
The deadlock was broken, however, in the 53rd minute of the game when Hargreaves won the ball in the middle of the pitch gave it to Tyrone Thompson who fed it to Carayol on the right; Carayol was running at his marker (Jeannin) with some pace beat him, but slipped, regained his balance and sent in a low-cross with D`Sane stabbing the ball home from nearly 10 yards out.
1 – 0.
Mansfield fans seemed as though they were in for a long trip home as Torquay were getting more and more on top as the game went on. Nicholson was sending balls into the box all day long, with Sills winning headers and Thompson being a constant threat. Mansfield were desperately sending long balls to Lee upfront but were getting caught off side.
In the 69th minute of play Steve Woods doubled Torquay’s lead as Nicholson sent in a corner, Tim Sills sent it back and Woods was there to send it in at the far post, leaving Mansfield `keeper, Gamble for dead:
2 – 0At this point Mansfield fans started to leave to start their long drive home. Hargreaves and Wroe were in control in midfield. Mansfield manager, Billy McEwan, sent on forward and top scorer, Stallard in the 71st for Lee hoping to get something from the game. Wroe showed why he was in the starting-11 with good passing and winning tackles and headers. Thompson was helping the midfield when needed, sending balls wide to Carayol and in the 74th minute sent in a cross for Sills to head it against the bar.
Scott Bevan still needed to be awake as Mansfield’s, Stallard, tried his best to get a goal back sending a shot just wide in the 77th minute. Apart form that Mansfield never had a shot after that.
Mansfield made another change with Sinclair coming on for Ahmed in the 80th minute. The change did not seem to make much difference for the game as the Torquay defence kept Mansfield quiet, Hodges did well to keep Lee quiet throughout the match and in the 85th minute did well to head away an D`Laryea cross for Sinclair.
Torquay’s fall-back, Lee Mansell and Kevin Nicholson were getting forward in the last few minutes and in the 89th minute Lee Mansell sent in a deep cross for D`Sane heading it against a Mansfield defender.
Referee, Mr. B.Malone blew for full-time after 3 minutes of injury-time and won ugly but confidently. Stretching their unbeaten run to 11 games inching themselves ever close to the clubs record 15 game unbeaten (1990-1991, season)
Attendance:
2,267Goalscorers:
Roscoe D`Sane,
Steve WoodsMan-Of-The-Match:
Mustapha Carayol
man
