Torquay United v Rochdale 11/03/14

[Oil Beef Hooked]

Can't really add too much to what has already been said, but that was probably one of our better performances of the season. Everyone looked hungry and up for it tonight. There was desire and fight from everybody. The crowd, although quiet for the first 15 mins or so, were excellent as the game went on - well done all.

I said at halftime that Rochdale like to pass the ball on the deck and if I'm honest were one of the better footballing sides to visit Plainmoor this season. However, our formation and play seemed to cancel them out and if I'm honest, we looked more dangerous and more likely to score than they did.

The only negative tonight was the Cobblers winning, but having said that, it was against Exshitter which means they are also in the dogfight with us now :~D

Obviously all our remaining games are important, but none more so than the home games against Bury and Wycombe and away to Excretia. I was saying earlier that we need a catalyst to get our season going - similar to Nicho's goal against Barnet a few seasons back. We were crap before that game, but afterwards we seemed to get better. Hopefully, this win tonight against a very good team has given everyone a little belief that we can do this and climb the table. We need to keep the momentum going now and crack on.

Keep the faith people. The fat lady is not singing yet.

[Burnhamgull]

Vital 3 points tonight and it's brought the gap down to single figures so it gives hope. At this stage, I'm still resigned to us being relegated however, 4 points in the next two games and suddenly we're a little bit closer to maybe scraping out of this mire.

Pearce was awesome tonight, by far the best player.
Cameron and Goodwin had good games and their pace scared the life out of Rochdale.
Labadie and Lathrope played well in the middle and never gave up.
Up front, Enoch worked his socks off but I'd like to see Stockley start alongside him at Cheltenham instead of Benyon. For all of Benyons running, he just doesn't carry any threat for me up front.

However, decent result. I'm not going to get carried away but it's a start.

[Kit_robin]

Up front, Enoch worked his socks off but I'd like to see Stockley start alongside him at Cheltenham instead of Benyon. For all of Benyons running, he just doesn't carry any threat for me up front.
.

It was that running that led directly to our winning goal; closed ball down in centre midfield and forced error, beat the man to it on the byline where Goodwin picked it up. That's why, despite his deficiencies in touch and technique, Benyon has to play.

[diamondgirl]

Eliot was fantastic tonight. He works his socks off.

[ferrarilover]

With Stockley and Shuwo up front, we're going to be very one dimensional. Big man/little man gives the oppo much more to think about.

Matt.

[diamondgirl]

Courtney had a super game tonight.

[tomogull]

A glimmer of hope at last. A battling, hard working display from everyone on the pitch - well done lads ! And the determination was recognised by the fans who got behind the team tonight - well done fans ! Let Krystian keep the captain's arm band - he was awesome tonight. Lee Mansell - great player over many seasons for the club but he wasn't missed tonight. Neither was Karl Hawley. Surprised Jordan Chappell, who is apparently our top scorer with five goals, wasn't even on the bench.

One or two on here have expressed surprise at Showumni being substituted. He picked up a knock and was hobbling for a while afterwards. He seemed to get over it but he wasn't challenging as he had been before the knock so I think he was taken off, quite rightly, as a precaution. We want him out there on Saturday but fair play to Stockley when he came on - he put in a shift. Maybe Hargreaves is just getting his preferred starting eleven in place but surely Chappell has to be in the squad ahead of Danny Stevens. Anyone know how near Bodin is to being fit again? I saw that Ravenshill, the thug who took him out, was red carded last Saturday.

IF we can pick up a few more wins, the last three games - Exeter (a) Mansfield (a) and Wycombe (h) are going to be horrible nail-biting games ..... But that's Torquay Utd of course. Never do it the easy way when you can do it the hard way ......

[Gulliball]

I was sat in the Family Stand rather than the usual popside, it's much harder to get a sense of the game from down low and beside the goal, but I did have a perfect view for a few key incidents.

1) Firstly the dive by their number 15, Porter in the first half was appalling. Rice came charging out and it looked like they would clash. Fortunately Rice realised he was going nowhere and pulled out of the challenge two yards before they clashed. It was too late for Porter though, who was already half way to the ground, and looked a right idiot when Rice never got near him. He sprung straight back up, and somehow avoided a booking, but had Rice not pulled out, the ref might have given a penalty and Porter had no intention of doing anything other than looking for a penalty.

2) In the 36th minute the ball went out for a goal kick by the corner flag. Tonge had it in his hands and was about to throw it back to Rice to take it. Rice came over to him and shouted 'drop it'. So Tonge dropped it by the corner flag, Rice walked over and then back to the goal at snails pace. I turned to my dad and said how stupid this was, we were on top at the time and 1-0 up. There was still over an hour to go, so trying to slow the game down and waste time then was crazy. Two minutes later it was 1-1, the momentum was gone, and we never reached that level of performance again in the rest of the game. Trying to hang on to a one goal lead from the 82nd minute was one thing, but from half an hour is counter productive.

3) I don't think Rice can be blamed for the goal. He had two chances to do slightly better, but neither was a mistake as such. Firstly a long range shot which he pushed away with a two handed punch. He might have caught it or pushed it further away, but it then went to a second phase. From that it was headed back across the goal and Allen had a shot from about six yards, which Rice saved but could only push it straight back out, leaving him with a simple tap in. That's only based on one view, but it would be harsh to blame Rice for it.

For the game overall, we played well and edged it in my opinion. But I thought the same on Saturday, so turning the performance into a win was crucial. It was a must win game, and we did, so have given ourselves a slimmer of hope. The only problem is that we now have three more must win games just to get the gap back to a reachable level. We must win 2 from the next 3 or it's all over.

[ferrarilover]

Gulli, [please] have a read of the official match report on the OS and let us know how you feel about the incidents mentioned therein.

Matt.

[Gulliball]

I have read that a few times, but I don't think I understand the tone and what you are trying to say/ask?

Assuming that's a straight question, my first impression is that it's probably slightly more of a fan's perspective than you'd expect on an official site, but I agree that the ref was pretty awful. I didn't have a good view of the first half incidents up by the away end but Benyon looked through on goal for the Lancashire yellow card and he made a few more decisions I didn't agree with.

[Glostergull]

Just Got back. Brilliant response tonight from all the team. Ferrari. Matt . what you still doing up. You should be tucked up in bed by now. it's way past your bed time.
Say good night to the girl who stands by you on the popside for me. Hope the bruises have calmed down now.
I won't post all my thoughts on here tonight cos I am pooped. But for those who want to blame Rice for the goals. Don't be a clown.
He couldn't be faulted for either of them. Especially the second. That was down to the rochdale forward not being marked properly. He had a free shot and from only 6 yards. what could you expect from Ricey. he did brilliantly to parry it at all. Just unlucky they had someone there to poke home the rebound. But then that's what they are paid to do. most of the team will say they performed well and every one of them can readily admit if they made any mistakes they more than made up for them in one way or another. Just a shame that one effort went in. But I didn't matter in the end because we won.
I was disapointed in Rochdale. I forcast after about 30 mins that the way they were playing one of their guys was likely to get sent off. I was right. and as the second half wore on they were getting seriously rattled. It was no doubt a very long journey home for their fans. Most of them will see daylight I bet before they get to bed. But do i care. NO!
Well done you yellows.
And to all the fans. Well done for making it such a good atmosphere. You would never have guessed we had on 1500 fans there. it sounded more like 3000. The popside was brilliant and when we started to really push Rochdale in the second half i noticed that the Bench was putting a noisy shift in to join us. When the Family stand joined in as we scored you could hear the chanting echo all round the ground. it was awesome.
:

[ferrarilover]

I have read that a few times, but I don't think I understand the tone and what you are trying to say/ask?

Assuming that's a straight question, my first impression is that it's probably slightly more of a fan's perspective than you'd expect on an official site, but I agree that the ref was pretty awful. I didn't have a good view of the first half incidents up by the away end but Benyon looked through on goal for the Lancashire yellow card and he made a few more decisions I didn't agree with.

My fault for being lazy. I meant the repeated handball incidents. The one for which the OS is clamouring for a red card, the penalty not given and the handball on the line. Did you get a decent look at any of those from your elevated position? I ask because A) I didn't and B) I agree that the official report is a little too fanzine and a little not enough objective (which isn't necessarily a criticism).

Matt.

[MidDevon]

Oh dear, So sure was I that we would get thumped, that I said to my friend before the match that if we win I will travel to Gateshead away next season...perhaps there is a glimmer of hope I can finally get to Hartlepool instead !

It was the best home performance of the season against a good Rochdale team.

The thing i like about Enoch Showaddywaddy is that he works so hard that even Benyon stepped up a gear last night, which considering his anormous workrate, I thought was impossible. We also noticed how many times Enoch spoke to the younger members of the team, especially the "wingers" patting them on the back, the head, the bum! ....anything to keep them going and possitive....we have needed bigger charactors in the team for the whole season.

I am hopeful now, as long as we keep that midfield UNCHANGED, we will continually give the ball away less and create more, even with the risks we are taking by playing much more attacking in midfield.....feeling positive

[hector]

I think it was better that Northampton won, rather than Exeter last night. Exeter are the team we need to catch, more so than Northampton, bizarrely. Had Exeter won, then the gap to safety would still be too large. We could catch Northampton but still be in the bottom two, so we need the teams on 40+ to start losing. The fact Exeter lost and we have to play them does mean we have an opportunity to make it a much, much, smaller gap.

[kevgull]

Good battling display last night, with a balanced team, setup to attack the opposition.

We pressed for most of the night and eventually lady luck shone on us.
In isolation this was a well deserved home win however it will count for nothing unless we can replicate this type of performance for the rest of the season.

A win or draw on Saturday will create a little momentum, bringing a stronger sense of believe for both the players and supporters alike.

I also thought the 1500 ish Torquay fans played their part last night.