Torquay United v Stockport County Sat 11th Dec KO 3pm

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 11 Dec 2021, 17:05

What an unbelievable result

gullsgullsgulls · Post by **gullsgullsgulls** » 11 Dec 2021, 17:07

Johnson out

dawlishmatt · Post by **dawlishmatt** » 11 Dec 2021, 17:07

Mrs Dawlish is cooking my dinner as I write this post. It's humble pie tonight

Brilliant result for the team.

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 11 Dec 2021, 17:15

Halfway between a relegation spot or play offs

Nick Potkins · Post by **Nick Potkins** » 11 Dec 2021, 17:31

What a fantastic result. Keep believing, this team looked so much better than at Barnet and Aldershot, after these games I was worried.

The closing down today was like last season. COYY

Kingsgull83 · Post by **Kingsgull83** » 11 Dec 2021, 17:46

Great result and a great performance.
We are getting much better. I haven’t seen a front 2 work as hard or run as much as Armstrong and Lolos.
I really hope we can extend his loan beyond January.
Martin was tieless again.
Let’s not get carried away but things are going in the right direction.
Christmas will shape our season.
COYY

desperado · Post by **desperado** » 11 Dec 2021, 20:07

Well that was an unexpected 3 points - by me anyway - we defended very well, rode our luck at times, could have passed and kept the ball better but Stockport are a very strong side. A very long second half, I was constantly checking the time, it was our day for once. Lolos is improving rapidly now, he and Armstrong looking very promising, and great to have Danny and Connor to come on. A big test with two games against Yeovil who are flying coming up but looking forward to them (instead of dreading them) after the last two games

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 11 Dec 2021, 20:10

Well I thought this might be a terrific game and I was right. Plainmoor was absolutely rocking and not for 5 minutes but the whole game.

The Pop Side led by the drummer kept backing the team for the entire second half plus 6 added minutes. Well done guys and gals.

For some time I have felt we need just 2 or 3 changes to make a real difference.Asa Hall is back which is so important. Sinclair Armstong has electric pace and relishes going after the opposition when he knows he can catch them and he is alert and hungry for goals.Dan Martin is a revelation. His anticipation today to cut out passes was excellent.

Jack Sparkes although played on the right is a "thinking" footballer you can just see it right away. He seems to think what pass do the opponents not expect. I think played in a different position he would have an even bigger part to play in a rapidly improving team.

Shaun MacDonald made several very important saves and every player put in an unbelievable shift. We richly deserved all 3 points and on the showing today we are most definitely top half and maybe the play offs.

To the doubters you were wrong, very wrong. This was a team performance against a side with a huge budget and we were good, very good.

Every player gave 100% and you cannot ask more than that.COYY.

standupsitdown · Post by **standupsitdown** » 11 Dec 2021, 20:36

An excellent game and result. Great commitment from all the players. And excellent support. I thought Armstrong was very good. Won back the ball loads of times.

Post by **Dave** » 11 Dec 2021, 21:05

Well what a difference a fortnight can make, where that performance came from I don't know, but was very welcome. Before I go on, first and foremost what a performance from our fans today, not just our best performance of the season on the pitch, but the very best performance off the pitch this season also, I just felt the difference walking out of the gulls nest towards my normal popside perch, before kick off and right through the match, the atmosphere was first class , the support for both the team and individual players very positive.

The match started very much like home v Halifax the team pressing well all over the pitch, not allowing Stockport time to settle into a rhythm, successfully disrupting them from their clear intention to play out from the back , having been the dominant team over the first 20 minutes but with out troubling the Stockport keeper, a little bit of Deja Vu came over me remembering our last home game when Stockport forced a good save and went close from the resulting corner from their first meaningful attack.

Think we all knew the importance of our team getting into the game early and staying in the game against a very good Stockport team, thankfully this time our team did just that, the work rate continued, often forcing Stockport to go long abandoning their attempts to play out from the back through out, giving as go as they got, however it would be Torquay that took a deserved lead, after a mistake in the Stockport defence allowing Armstrong a run at goal, with a Stockport defender running back towards goal totally unable to get out of the way deflecting the ball into his own net.

Then Stockport would strike back immediately, must admit this set the nerves jangling inside, as our team hasn't reacted well to these set backs all season, could they find the inner strength and character to get back on the front foot, the answer was yes , after a difficult few minutes that would see Stockport hit our crossbar from Madden who perhaps hit his half volley a little to well, TUFC were awarded an injury time penalty, which looked to be clear from my view, however the referee had a prefect view and was in no doubt.

The game settled into a fantastic advert for football at our level, with some good attacking football played by both sides, at no time were Stockport out of the game, as they would strike the crossbar for a second time, forcing a few saves from MacDonald who was flawless through out, and Lewis an absolute rock in the centre, the Motm award to could gone to any TUFC player, there wasn't single one who underperformed today.

A special mention reserved for Dan martin, whether he was the motm or not, this lad is with out doubt starting to look like the most improved player in our squad, he seems to be getting better by the game, has the potential to be a real find.

The criticism I and others have levelled against the manager and team hasn't in any way been personal, but has been warranted, we shouldn't be happy with the performance levels produced over all, but I've never called for Johnson out, only to well aware he's been in these positions before and has the experience and knowledge to lead us out of it, can only hope these last two games are a sign the corner is being turned.

Enough of that, In what's been a very good day on and off the pitch, however think we all know the performance levels of the last two games have to be maintained, as well as the positive support from the fans, they team clearly responded to that, if our team is push on up the division, after all that's what unites us all around the club we all support.

fred · Post by **fred** » 11 Dec 2021, 21:14

This is a fantastic result!! Back to back wins are so important in terms of getting us back in contention for a play off place and moving us away from the lower teams!!! We played well today as we did at Weymouth!! Stockport are a good side and in the first half Maddon ripped us apart with his lay offs but the rest of the Stockport team didn't seam up to his level!! He's a good player!! GJ has talked about needing most of his team to turn up and not just a few and they did today as they did at Weymouth. Lolos has improved so much in terms of putting in a shift!! Armstrong and Martin are providing the pace we have been missing! Moxey and Lewis walking through walls at the moment!! Both so good!! Hall and Lapsie played well today and Little for me is just class!! Just wish others could see it!! McDonald is such a good shot stopper as he proved today and seems far more focused than last year when he lost his spot to Covalan!!! Can see why players have gone on loan! Holman, Johnson, O Conner, Omar, 3rd keeper not on bench or injured!!
Heading off to Kent next week for the Trophy B4 the big Christmas schedule!!

fred · Post by **fred** » 11 Dec 2021, 21:26

Sorry just thought of another not on bench today, Byron Moore!! So six not in squad, Five subs, on top of the team selected!! Plus the young lads out on loan!! We do have a fair sized squad!! Think a couple will still go out on loan to make way for improvements!! Make no mistake GJ is turning this around!!

Gull in black · Post by **Gull in black** » 11 Dec 2021, 21:35

Fantastic game today - everyone put in a shift. Similar effort and commitment to Weymouth game and this needs to be the standard we maintain. Looking forward to Boxing Day game and checking out the route to Eastleigh. A great performance from Mac in goal. Excellent three points. So happy !

The Eternal Optimist · Post by **The Eternal Optimist** » 11 Dec 2021, 21:58

Just shows what a difference it makes to the team when the fans get behind the team, and keep up the vocal support for the entire match. The team were visibly lifted, particularly in the second half, by the fantastic support. The 'they shall not pass' attitude was quite evident after the penalty and for the rest of the game. The team were playing for the fans today. Let's not have any more booing of our own players, or discouraging chants, to put it politely, as we've had recently. Total support will send us up the table.

Modgull · Post by **Modgull** » 11 Dec 2021, 22:14

Yes, a really good performance today. The team showed a degree of grit and commitment which I had not previously witnessed this season. Thought County were a class side - they didn't play one long ball out of defence until around the 40th minute. By going long at this point it let us back into contention - we had four attempts before then, only 2 on target, but had 5 really good attempts including the penalty in the rest of a half extended by 6 minutes due to injury to their keeper. Second half we had only 1 attempt such was the pressure which County delivered - a shot from Hall straight at the keeper from long range. Unlike many previous games, however, we did not stop running and trying to close down a very good footballing side - there were some standout performers who contributed most to preserving the lead - the two strikers for putting pressure on their defenders, Hall and Lapslie in midfield and Lewis and Moxey at the back. Even when they got through us McDonald pulled off some excellent saves. In essence the spine of the team was really strong today and allowed us to grind out a great result.

Special mention needs to be made of the popside support - simply awesome noise to keep the lads going.

And another performance needs a special mention - I thought the referee was excellent throughout.

All in all a great advert for NL football and a match that any neutral would have enjoyed from start to finish.

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