Exeter City v Torquay United - 28/1/12

[AustrianAndyGull]

Well this is it folks, our last chance to get one over on the Greeks before they return to league 1 next season. I'd rather consider it that way than them not getting promoted and us dropping unceremoniously through the league 2 trapdoor but either way i have a feeling that our paths will not cross next season. Both clubs haven't played since our 1-1 draw at Plainmoor back on the 15th, Excretia having their game at Bristol Rovers postponed whilst our game at home to Chesterfield also fell foul of the weather and was called off because of a waterlogged pitch. It was a tale of two penalties in that game with Super Rene Howe putting the Gulls ahead after 15 minutes only for Exsh*tter to dominate second half proceedings and equalise with a penalty of their own with 5 minutes to go. Scotsman Alan Gow tucking home the spot kick.

The live Sky TV offering for Monday night might ensure a drab 0-0 draw but when you factor in the remarkable stat that Exeter haven't been involved in a goalless draw for an incredible run of 47 matches, it would make it incredulous at the very least. The Greeks currently sit in 4th place in league 2 on 45 points and just below Northampton Town on goal difference and that in itself makes you realise the incredible run that the Cobblers have been on as last time i looked they were in the bottom half! Maybe our 1-1 draw with the men from Northants just before Christmas is a significant indicator of what was/is still to come. They have been picking up points all over the shop and grabbed an injury time leveller against us whilst we have gradually been doing the opposite by dropping points all over the shop and conceding injury time levellers.

Our dismal run of form is unlikely to end at Sid James even given that the hosts have only won 4 at home which starkly contrasts with their astonishing 9 away wins so far this season. We have 2. Whoopee do. Their top scorers are the evergreen ( why do we say that? Is he a tree ffs! ) anyway, the evergreen striker Jamie Cureton who has 16 in all comps whilst Irishman John O'Flynn has 11 and Scot Bennett and Alan Gow both have 4 goals.

In their squad they obviously have players like Bennett, Cureton and Gow whose sub appearance at Plainmoor gave rise to much criticism of manager Paul Tisdale by the Greek fanbase. They wanted the diminutive Scot to start the game. They also have defenders Pat Baldwin, Danny Coles, Craig Woodman, Ghanaian Kevin Amankwaah as well as Paignton born ex Gull Steve Tully who made over 100 appearances for us before my time. Also arriving at the grim delapidated Exeter ground is former Blackburn defender Myles Anderson who has signed for an undisclosed fee.

In the middle of the park is Liam Sercombe, a left sided player but he will be missing from the line up as he is out for the season with a broken ankle. Wimp, i broke my ankle on my 18th birthday getting ready to out on the p#ss round Donny. I tripped and fell down the stairs and could hardly walk but i still went out. See Liam, thats dedication my son. Tisdale has brought in former Bournemouth utility man Mark Molesley on a deal until the end of the season as cover for Sercombe. They also have Tommy Doherty, Welshman Aaron Davies, Irishman Jimmy Keohane and Matty Oakley.

In attack they have Cureton and Gow as well as much travelled but talented Spaniard Guillem Bauza, Tom Nicholls and John O'Flynn. A much more potent force than ours i conclude.

Their line up last time out at Plainmoor:

1. Artur Krysiak (gk)
2. Steve Tully
3. Craig Woodman
4. Pat Baldwin
5. Danny Coles
6. Kevin Amankwaah
7. Scot Bennett
8. Aaron Davies
9. Tommy Doherty
10. John O'Flynn
11. Guillam Bauza

SUBS: Rhys Evans (GK) UNUSED, Myles Anderson UNUSED, Jordan Moore-Taylor UNUSED, Matt Oakley ( on for Davies on 56 mins ), Jimmy Keohane ( on for O'Flynn on 9 minutes ), Alan Gow ( on for Bauza on 46 mins ), Jamie Reed UNUSED.

Sid James Park was opened in 1904 on the site of an old pig field and it is now a new pig field complete with 11 pigs on an intensive outdoor unit and is a mish mash of old and new. Torquay fans will be housed in the St James Road terrace which has space for a thousand away fans. Some seating will be made available in the Grandstand but please check with the club for availability.
I've never been to the ground itself and so can't really comment on it and sadly i won't be going on monday either because i'm not free and i'm skint. When i say i'm not free, i didn't mean it in a suggestive 'come and get me' homosexual kind of way, i'm not John Inman and i'm not homosexual. :no:

(Please don't post saying that's homophobic - it isn't. ) :no:

There is some street parking but many residents only schemes are in operation so just be careful. Otherwise it is best to use one of the car parks near the city centre.

Tickets are now available from Sid James and NOT Plainmoor. It is pay on the day for visiting Gulls and it is £21 for seats, £15 for concessions seating, Under 12's seating £2 and for the terrace it is £17 adults, £12 for concessions and £2 for under 12's. Kick off is at 7.45pm.

Andy's briefest Town of the Day as i haven't got time to do an in depth one:

Exeter is in my humble opinion the most satisfying of the larger Devon conurbations to visit, it has Roman history, a simply magnificent Gothic cathedral with surrounding lawns and a neat compact shopping area. I have been many times and apart from the swimming pool down at the Riverside which is a total cackhole, i enjoy going to Exeter. The end.

TRAVEL CLUB DETAILS:

Please get your asses down to Sid James on monday but do so by using the supporters coaches as they are unrivalled in terms of comfort and convivial conversation. It costs £7 for adults and £3.50 for under 12's.

Depart Paignton Railway Station @ 5.30pm
Depart Torquay Coach Station @ 5.45pm
Depart Penn Inn @ 6pm

If you want to join the big yellow fun bus then please call Steve Breed asap on 07861 907090. Go on! Feel the yellow lurve peoples.

[Colorado Gull]

City's away end is nothing but an absolute dump! A complete disgrace for it to be called an 'stand', actually an absolute disgrace that it's allowed in the football league. I'll be there on the seven steps, in the pouring rain, flaming freezing but singing my heart out (would say creating an atmosphere but because the dump has no roof that's not going to happen) and hoping for a good game!

[AustrianAndyGull]

NOTE: Seriously, if any of you out there are gay then that's great and i've no problems whatsoever with gay men. I'm not one though and therefore my comments above may appear derogatory to you. I apologise if you take the comments the wrong way, they are meant to be humourous and not as direct insults so sorry. I accept that poking fun at others is the lowest form of wit but hey, Frankie Boyle has made a lucrative career out of it and i'm nowhere near as bad as him. What i'm trying to say is that i don't mean what i say most of the time unless it's about chavs or Accrington so don't take it personally.

Thought i'd put this out there to cover my arse. ( no pun intended ! )

[RussianGull]

What pub is everyone going to before hand?

[goodluckgull]

Thanks for all your efforts again Andy. Your threads are just great and include loads of information which you make memorable in your own unique way.

I think we will be facing a much stronger and confident Exeter team and we will struggle, so the support is vital. Another draw ???

[Richinns]

He won't but if I was Ling I would go back to 4-5-1 tonight. Drop Jarvo (done nothing wrong but we need an extra man in the middle to try to be competitive - unlike the second half of the home game) and play Billy and Thommo on the wings and put Craig in middle with Manse and Lathrope or Easton. I would also drop Oastler and brings Danny L in.

However - I suspect we will go in as we started the home game. i had a dream we were smashed 4- 0 last night (if we play like we did second half it could be more!) so that is my prediction!

[Glostergull]

Anyone who wants to watch with all likeminded Gulls fans in the Yate area are wellcome to the Farmhouse pub in Yate tonight.
There will be a party of us there

[AustrianAndyGull]

Thanks for all your efforts again Andy. Your threads are just great and include loads of information which you make memorable in your own unique way.

I think we will be facing a much stronger and confident Exeter team and we will struggle, so the support is vital. Another draw ???

Thanks for the kind words GLG.

Like you say also, we will be facing a stronger Exeter team and if they play they they did against us second half then by all accounts we're in for a bit of a nightmare. It is interesting how many of us don't fancy us to get anything at all from the game so maybe this is the time that the lads can surprise everyone, win at Sid James and go on the run that is much, much needed. It won't happen IMO but it's a nice thought. :~D

I can't find any pubs around here that have it on tonight, i suppose you lot down there are more fortunate because it is 2 Devon clubs playing and so more relevant for pubs to have it on. I cancelled my Sky subscription too and i only have a couple of mates in the Derbyshire area which would accept my company :~D , but they don't have Sky Sports.

Do any of you know if you can get Sky online and somehow pay for it and watch it online or anything like that?

[Forest gull]

Someone normally pops up with an online site you can stream the live coverage.........

Please......

[AustrianAndyGull]

Same here ,please..........

I've rang the pub landlord and he says he'll put it on if others aren't watching other stuff. Cue mass brawl at 7.44pm then.

[AustrianAndyGull]

We're 7/2 in places for a win tonight. One of the longest prices we've been away all season.

[brooker]

Have a ring around your locals Andy, surely since there's no other sport on they'd let you squat and watch the mighty gulls. Finally made my decision, and even though the rest of my group are staying in a warm Torquay pub and watching with cold pint in hand, Il be on the steps, freezing my balls off on my own, praying for anything other than total footballing humiliation. Coming up with the coaches, so can anyone recommend a spot for a couple before? Im getting the feeling there won't be too many Gulls making the trip.

Also, is anyone recording it? Depending on the outcome it would be good to get a copy.

[Plymouth Gull]

Had this been on Saturday we'd have taken our allocation, it was a nice day and it would have been much better. Instead we'll be lucky to take 600 which is embarrassing for a game 10/20 miles away. Screw SKY.

[royalgull]

typie into google vip box sports. They'll have you covered.

We're going to lose 3-0 and not have a shot, i'm just glad there will be no one watching............oh.

Even so

Torrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Richinns]

Had this been on Saturday we'd have taken our allocation, it was a nice day and it would have been much better. Instead we'll be lucky to take 600 which is embarrassing for a game 10/20 miles away. Screw SKY.

The only solace we can take is we get £10k when we would have got nowt without it (even if we had sold our full allocation!).