forevertufc wrote:AT LAST A PERFORMANCE WE CAN BE PROUD OF, and a suggestion, never play Mansell again, we look such a better with out him, personally cant remember a home performance as good as that all season, energy, commitment and at times some quality, massive well done to all.
absolutely manful defending from Pearce, saved a certain second equaliser for Rochdale just minutes before their was sent off, and big Enoch up front had a fantastic game, they were the two picks for me.
well done dave (and everyone else!) for being there tonight and sticking with it!
just a shame its taken so long.
lets hope CH takes your suggestion up then.................. :}
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brucie wrote:I am just wondering whether this is the way to go from now on. Attack minded formation. Draws are not alot of good to us. Win or bust perhaps?
absolutely brucie.
id rather us lose 5-4 going for it then try and defend, get one on the break and end up losing 1-0 (again)...
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Just got back. Another battling performance similar to the Fleetwood game. Could have gone either way. We were better in the first half, with both sides struggling to create much after the break. Looked nailed on for 1-1 or a late Rochdale winner so how refreshing to see we came away with the three points - and a little bit of hope.
Went 4-4-2 with Cameron and Goodwin out wide and both were a handful. Rochdale settled quicker and were knocking the ball about nicely for the first 10 minutes, with Rice alert to a couple of dangerous through balls, but then something clicked for us and we began to dominate. Benyon missed a sitter before being hauled down by a defender who was the last man. It was about 35 yards from goal in a wide position and, although Benyon would have probably tripped over his own feet, it should have been a red card as it was a goalscoring opportunity. Referee let the defender off with a yellow, but from the free-kick, Cameron - on set-piece duty instead of Nicholson - whipped in a delightful cross and an unmarked Pearce headed home from close range. We also had a couple of penalty appeals for handball turned down during the first half, while Rice made an outstanding one-handed save to keep out a header when the game was goalless.
Rochdale, though, did equalise when the lanky Vincenti headed across goal from the far post. I think Rice got a hand to it but could only pat the ball into the six-yard box where Allen tapped in. It didn't look a glaring error from Rice but I was quite far away so would have to see it again. Seconds after the restart, Showunmi rifled a stunning volley against the face of the post from 25 yards. Torquay players were warmly clapped off at the break and unlucky not to be a goal and man up.
Second half was a bit more scrappy. I can't remember us having a clear chance until we scored, while Rochdale's only meaningful effort was a header from a free-kick which crashed into the post. Then the unthinkable happened and we bloody scored! Benyon won possession near the halfway line, Goodwin carried the ball forward and chipped over a cross which was half-cleared to the edge of the box. Lathrope's volley deflected on target and was parried by the keeper before Labadie pounced from close range. We then survived a couple of late set-pieces, with Pearce making a superb block, while Rochdale were shown a red card after one of their players tangled with Benyon and was given a harsh second yellow.
Labadie was generously given the sponsors' MOTM and Pearce the deserved Twitter vote. He was immense again and wore the armband in Mansell's absence. Labadie scored the winner but it was a pretty average performance from him until the goal. The impressive Cameron produced his best game in a yellow shirt and Goodwin was lively on the opposite flank. Lathrope was ok but a bit casual on the ball at times. Tonge and Nicholson struggled aerially against their wingers but were steady on their feet. Downes excellent aside from one slip in the second half which wasn't costly. The front men worked hard. Showunmi was desperately unlucky not to score when he rattled the post. He was more effective than Benyon, who struggled to stay on his feet and control the ball. Hargreaves surprisingly withdrew Showunmi for Stockley, but seconds after the change, Benyon's tenacity helped set up the winning goal so can't argue with that.
Good to see a few results go our way. Still a massive ask and that could be Labadie's last game in a Torquay shirt, but at least we haven't thrown in the towel just yet.
Got to say that the commentary from Steve Breed was good. I only switched on a minute before we scored the winner and he was going mental when it went in. nooooow, oooooooer, yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss. Very good. When the ball came over from the corner and he started screaming I really thought that Rochdale had equalised in the last minute, but in fact it was the ref blowing for full time!
I'll apologise for my comments! fair play boys great win! looks like I'm gonna stay away more often! the only other game ive missed at home was Cheltenham, so I must be the bad luck charm! I'll stay away in future and we'll pick up!
... and forget 2010. Just before the infamous 2-2 draw at home to Crewe in 1987 and dear old Bryn biting one of our full backs, we had a far more important game. Basically lose and we were gone. The result? Torquay United 2 Rochdale 1.... and very strangely the same two scorers who notched in the final game against Crewe. Stick some money on Pearce and Labadie as our two scorers against Wycombe!!!! Lightning doesn't strike twice? Bollocks ... make it!
brucie wrote:Is that a different Enoch to the one you were suggesting we shouldn't bother with on another thread
Opinions are opinions, some times they can be wrong. One thing I've never had a problem with is giving credit where it's due, and when I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong, unlike so many others.
Last edited by Dave on 11 Mar 2014, 22:51, edited 1 time in total.
Best we've played all season. Rochdale were alright going forward (if a little devoid of ideas), but were rotten at the back.
First half red/non red, for me, was one of the few things the referee got right. Bennerz was a long way from goal and had much to do. Not a clear goalscoring opportunity, so a yellow the right outcome there. They could have had a couple off tonight for two yellows, particularly those against Cameron, who had his best game in yellow. That said, they weren't an especially dirty side, certainly nowhere near Bristol Rovers level.
Rice did make one excellent save in the first half, from a header which he palmed away. It was a nice height for him, bit still took stopping.
I was unsighted for their goal, but it food look a difficult cross to deal with and it seemed to bounce just in front of him.
The shot from Showunmi right after they scored would have graced any stage. Wonderful technique and extremely unlucky to find the post.
We can reproduce that performance every week from now to the end of the season. It was borne, not of any special talent or skill (although this was not a performance entirely without stylistic merit), but of effort and workrate. Every player did their very best to do everything the could to harass and harry the opposition. It worked today and it will work every other day. Cheltenham certainly aren't going to be as good as Rochdale. They'll be the same shit we've seen come and go all year. We can beat them and if we play like we did this evening, we will.
We're still ****, of course, but we might at least go down fighting.
Sunnysideup wrote:
I think you will find if its shown on the highlights, the keeper just managed to tip it past the post.
A corner was was awarded so you're probably right, although I thought it took a nick off a defender. Either way, he should have buried it. Still, not to worry now!
At long last we've got a home win and Chris Hargreaves deserves a lot of credit for motivating the players into producing such a good performance. It goes to show that Goodwin,Cameron and Stockley are good players but it takes spirit and coaching to get the best out of them. It can't of been easy selecting another formation after a good performance last Saturday and dropping players.
I have never heard such a small crowd make such a loud noise and play their part it was brilliant and it's a shame that it's taken this long to see the ground buzzing again.
We had a couple of scares when they hit the post but the back four held strong. Pearce captain led by example and Downes was right behind him. Showumni showed us why he'd played at a higher standard and worked his socks off. He hit the post with a twenty yard volley.
Well done everyone and hope our luck is changing. yes I was shocked we scored but I felt things were coming together last Saturday if Goodwin had played I think we would have got something out of the game.
