Torquay United Fans Forum

MacDonald
Lewis
Moxey
Lapslie

I know Gulls fans will be frustrated and disappointed but it's a fact that we have lost good players and not replaced them. However, I don't buy this business of players not trying. From what I saw the players out there gave it their best shot today, for what it's worth. What's more - and I might be the exception here - I didn't think Bromley were that great either. Apart from late on, when we were pushing on to try and rescue something, they didn't have a lot of clear chances either or shots on target. They had two worldies, which on another day might have hit row Z. Admittedly we were caught out for the first but that centre half won't score another like that for a long time ! Whereas the ball would just not drop for us around the box, witness Hall's effort at the end. Last season we had some really good loan players, this season none. So, if and when that changes , so might our fortunes.

Wow, that was hard work for 75 minutes (apart from the opening minute - don't know how we didn't score then!). When you look at our line-up, every single player is comfortable on the ball, yet we constantly gave possession away after a couple of passes. The back four were solid and MacDonald didn't have a lot of serious saves to make. Whitfield and Nemane were involved. I think Little is ok. He is still getting back into regular football and his touch will improve. Two great strikes to win it. Is Tuesday's game on ? Fotmob is showing it as postponed.

I thought it was a hard-earned point on Saturday and confirmed our credentials against a decent side, although I have to say I wasn't as impressed with Notts County as I had expected to be. It could certainly have gone either way. Randell was excellent. A pity he didn't get a shot away after one mazy dribble. I am a huge fan of Whitfield. He works tirelessly, gets loads of good crosses in and his finishing is good. He's always a threat. I like Nemane too. He gets all over the pitch, picks up balls in midfield and can go at defenders from width. His vision and passing are excellent at times. The ball he played through for Ben was exquisite and if Ben's first touch hadn't let him down for once I'd have had him nailed on to score. I am a bit in the Umerah court. He's clearly 'raw material' still, and, since Desperado mentioned him, reminds me a little of Akinfenwa when we picked him up. I thought Umerah's two big chances were actually quite tricky, the one hit quite firmly to him at the near post, then Connor's cross was slightly under his feet. In both cases he was under pressure from defenders. He might have got lucky when he lowered his head (only very slightly !) at the defender, who went down pole-axed. Reminded me of a certain Lee Hughes on the same ground a few years back ! Anyway, if the ref had spotted it he might have been looking at a red card. Not surprisingly Sheaf's debut was a little low-key but I think he'll be a useful addition. Really looking forward to tomorrow but it is surely going to be a tough one.

Little correction: Gulls won the final match of 59/60 2-0 against Gillingham, to finish third. I noticed that Gateshead lost their football league place that year, although they finished up five points ahead of Oldham and six ahead of Hartlepools. Two points per win at that time.

How could I forget the Spurs 3-3 in 1965 in my top ten ! I was by the corner flag at the Cowshed end. When the replay took place, a Monday night I think, I was in Newton Abbot folk club, above the Ship Inn. The word went round that Torquay had won - how Gullible we were ! A pity there isn't any archive/YouTube footage of the home match.

59/60 Utd 2 Gillingham 2;Season final home match that won us promotion, I remember Larry Baxter ending the game with blood-soaked plugs hanging from his nose.
1988 Bolton 1 Utd 2; I was just about to leave the old Burnden Park feeling slightly frustrated that Bolton had wiped out our lead, when Mark Gardner hit a screamer to give us the points. I was right behind it and knew it was going in. The frustrating thing was we did the double over Bolton but they went up and we lost to Swansea in play-off final !
Utd 8 Newport 3; Stubbsy's great five goals, of course but Reg Jenkins's screamer tends to get overlooked. I always loved going to Rochdale later, where he became a cult hero. There used to be a photo of him on the wall in the club bar at Spotland. I wonder if it's still there.
Sherpa Van Trophy final Utd 1 Bolton 4. Does my memory serve me well, was there a warm-up 7-a-side match before between the two sides, with Stubbsy turning out for us and George Best in yellow too ? Took the lead and might have held it longer but for a lucky in-off for them !
2004 Bury 1 Utd 2; we were absolutely played off the part in the first half and maybe Ryan Lowe should have a couple more but....I have never seen a more complete turn-around than the second half by Buckle's boys - we never game them a kick.
Blackpool 2 Utd 2, then the pens win at Webley. Was it Ashley Bayes, our keeper who scored one ? Then Dave Bamber rolled it past the post with his left foot, turned and walked disconsolately back, smoothing the hair back on his head. I still have the fanzine, 'Bamber's left foot'.
2004 Hull 0 Torquay 1. An utterly brilliant display by Leroy's team against a team who were second at the time. Craig Taylor was a colossus. The fans were desperate for us to sign him at one time and I thought some showed short memories at a later stage for the stick they gave him when things started to go wrong.
April2006 Carlisle 1 Utd 2. 13,000 fans turned up to Brunton Park to watch them being awarded the championship trophy in style but goals from Kevin Hill and Jo Kuffour rocked them. Unfortunately they got one back right after half-time, which meant for a nerve-wracking second half. We hung on and then went on a run that saved us from the drop into non-league. I think we had been six points adrift with four to play, or something like that.
April 2010 Grimsby 0 Utd 3; similar situation, as we went to struggling Grimsby for a real 'six-pointer' and played them off the park. The first was a pen when, I think we hit the post, the ball rolled agonisingly along the goal line to Nicky Wroe, who was about to tap it in when yanked back by their keeper behind him. Wroe calmly despatched the pen but I could never understand how the keeper didn't get sent off ! Anyway, a dazzling Muzzy Carayol put paid to them as he laid on one for Elliot Benyon with a fantastic cross from a seemingly impossible position by the corner flag and then dribbled through their defence from the half-way line to seal it.
Utd 2 Cambridge 0, play-off final at Wembley. I think Cambridge were probably favourites but we had the right players on the day. I though captain fantastic Hargreaves's goal was great, (his weaker foot ?) and tends to get underplayed for Sillsy's, understandably emotive second.
Got to throw in Stockport 0 Utd 4. We were at the end of the ground where Whitfield, Kalala et al were running riot. We were right behind Ben's crosses which were just begging to be put away.
I think that might be 11 - sorry ! Never my strong point, maths.
I'm just dreading this season being declared null and void after Gary has produced a team playing great stuff well worthy of its place in the above pantheon !
COYY !

Nemane, by a mile.
Cameron
Can't honestly pick anyone else out.
I know Umerah isn't favourite with many but I thought he got some rough treatment at times from the Yeovil defence and no help from the referee.

I thought we got what we deserved. We were quite often second-best, gave the ball away too often and, when we did get possession were careless and turned into trouble. From set pieces, free kicks etc we played long balls in which were meat and drink to the Yeovil defence. We hardly won a ball in the air all afternoon. Still, can't complain about what we have done so far this season. If Weymouth wasn't a wake-up call then this certainly was ! Nemane was our best player today by a mile, for me.

I asked about the highlights because my Livestream froze fifteen minutes in and I missed twenty minutes, including the Umerah goal. Also, couldn't wait to see the last goal again !

Can someone please tell me when and where the Vanarama league tv highlights show is, if it exists ?

Problem sorted - elementary mistake on my part - technology incompetence !

Anybody had a problem buying/paying for a pass for the live stream ? I can't seem to complete the purchase process on the club website. Help !

Dorel - handling was good but a couple of misunderstandings with McGinty and Gowling when he might have come for the ball but didn't.
Effete
Gowling, until the end, when pressure told
Gray, for his goal, good finish
Myrie-Williams, looked a threat when he came on
Jamie Reid - at least he runs at defenders, although final ball sometimes lacking.
ps I think Anderson gets some unfair flack at times, although I haven't seen that much of him. He played it fairly safe yesterday and you have to say he puts his body on the line for us.

I was a doubter but he has won me round too