League 2: Bury v Torquay United 15/03/2011

[robc]

Absolutely fantastic result tonight, couldn't believe it when my Dad phoned me to say we'd won 2-1, I was in the library and hadn't checked since HT when it sounded as if we could've been 5 down! Am I the only one who's starting to think our good goal difference might be crucial come the end of the season...?

[Plymouth Gull]

I think goal difference will come into it, rob.

I didn't realise how superior it was compared to the likes of Port Vale...

It came in handy in 2004, anyway..

[HRG]

Thank you Jeff

[cambgull]

Fantastic report as always Jeff. We're very lucky to have such an expressive reporter on here!

As for the goal difference, we're now 3rd best goal difference in the league and with an inconsistant bunch of teams above us, we have a superb chance of a play-off position and maybe even an automatic position. 10 games left to play and a possible 30 points and we should be looking for at least 18 points from those to gain a decent play off position. According to the Football365 run-in, 74 points (so only 2 extra points gained from those 18) would see us in an automatic place.

[CP Gull]

An amusing "tweet" from Jake Robinson on Twitter ...

"So after Zeb's took that penalty off me 2 weeks ago, tonight he decided to try and steal another goal by poaching one that was rolling in!!"

[BFC]

Well done tonight, Torquay, and well done Paul Buckle he's a top manager.

But an extra well done to your match day reporter, Jeff.
It's nice to read a report that sounds like the same game you was at!

PS. I may be wrong but I think that's the first time we've lost a game we was winning since Alan Knill took over 3 years ago!

[cambgull]

Well done tonight, Torquay, and well done Paul Buckle he's a top manager.

But an extra well done to your match day reporter, Jeff.
It's nice to read a report that sounds like the same game you was at!

PS. I may be wrong but I think that's the first time we've lost a game we was winning since Alan Knill took over 3 years ago!

It's also one of the first times we WERE winning which we haven't let slip in the last 20 minutes!

[luke97]

Great report Jeff, but I have to disagree on Bevan performance. He was easily as bad as the defence in the 1st 30 minutes, couple of half decent saves after that but his kicking was AWFUL, both out of hand and goal kicks were shocking. Like you said from 60 mins on he could have come and sat with us, but prior to that a 5 at best.

MOTM Paul Buckle - gave the lads who started on Saturday a chance, didn't work, and was big enough to make the change after only half an hour, and what a change it was. The whole shape of the game changed, and you could see the confidence grow slowly but surely, and at the end it was all too easy to see the game out. Bet there was not 1 gulls fan there tonight who expected anything form the game after 5 minutes, and certainly prior to the change.

Make no mistake Bury are a very good team, not many could have lived with them early, we dug in and by the end were so much on top that the crowd were on their way home well before the final whistle, and they were only a goal down.

Thought Mike Dean was a class act in the middle, shame I couldn't say the same for the lino to our left, clueless at best, but at least it didn't matter at the end of the day.

Hvae a save trip home guys.

[bixieupnorth]

£92 in profit tonight super!! wedged £35 back on saturday, straight win and handicap -1 -2 and -3, like taking candy from a baby on saturday, you going, i am!

[Wisconsin_gull]

Unnacustomed to feeling so upbeat on a Tuesday evening - absolutley fantastic
The Bevanator :whip: does it again
We must be good for automatic spot on this form
Magnificent effort by all concerned

[Scott Brehaut]

Brilliant match report Jeff - thanks. Safe trip back, and enjoy what little sleep you will get!!

Re-read the whole of the thread just now - what a journey it is!! Hopefully the win tonight will give the lads a real boost.
Bloody brilliant!!

[tommyg]

Got in the stadium quite early. Far too early - I was the first bugger in there. At least I had my pick of the seats. I even started to count the number of Gulls fans but got bored at 60. I'll estimate at a ton. Then I bought a bottle of water and Yorkie bar. I almost choked when told it would cost me £3. It wasn't even a king-size Yorkie.

I've never seen a Paul Buckle side dominated as much as we were in the first half-hour. Bury were excellent, breaking at a frightening pace and causing mayhem for our out-of-sorts defence. Their No.17, Bennett, was like watching an in-form Muzzy on speed. Branston and Robertson were like lost tourists at the back, and the Pickler showed why hoofing the ball into space is better than dribbling with it. No doubt he was at fault for the Bury goal. Twice in fact. First for thinking he can dance past a player. Second for not marking Holroyd properly on the cross. We had nothing in midfield, didn't win any second balls and had one shot - a harmless Zebs volley which went wide. Bury could and should have been out of sight. Bevan made a couple of very good saves, the post was rattled and they fired numerous chances off target. Lowe then slipped when through on goal after nipping in between Robertson and Mansell. The early sub tightened us up. Murray touched the ball twice, but Buckle was spoilt for choice as to who he could take off.

At HT I would have bitten your arm off for a draw. And your leg. Head. Feet. Everything. Even the most positive, glass half-full supporter couldn't have predicted what would follow. Watching the second half was like being transported to a completely different game. I'd like another look at the disallowed goal. Zebs seemed to make his run from quite deep, but I guess I'll trust the linesman's judgement. I'm unsure whether the ball would have trickled over the line without Zebs' assistance, but you can't blame him for following it up - that's what strikers are told to do. The switch to 4-4-2 certainly helped our cause. Pringle was more useful on the left and set up Stanley for the equaliser after a 10-minute spell of pressure in the Bury half. We were forcing our opponents into mistakes and getting in their faces. Unlike the first half, we were organised defensively and looked hungrier. Stanley was getting a grip of the midfield and Zebs and Tomlin were getting in behind the defence and winning plenty of 50-50s and set-pieces. Zebs, who had already had one header from a Nicholson corner saved, then peeled off his marker again to nod us in front. What impressed me after we took the lead is that we didn't drop back. We continued to push, used the ball sensibly and never looked in danger of conceding.

Zebs, Stanley and Tomlin were my stand-out performers. All three were magnificent in the second half and were the best of a bad bunch in the first - aside from Bevan who kept us in the match early on. Referees get a lot of stick so I'd like to finish by saying Mike Dean was exceptional in the middle.

[tommyg]

Great report Jeff, but I have to disagree on Bevan performance. He was easily as bad as the defence in the 1st 30 minutes, couple of half decent saves after that but his kicking was AWFUL, both out of hand and goal kicks were shocking. Like you said from 60 mins on he could have come and sat with us, but prior to that a 5 at best.

MOTM Paul Buckle - gave the lads who started on Saturday a chance, didn't work, and was big enough to make the change after only half an hour, and what a change it was. The whole shape of the game changed, and you could see the confidence grow slowly but surely, and at the end it was all too easy to see the game out. Bet there was not 1 gulls fan there tonight who expected anything form the game after 5 minutes, and certainly prior to the change.

Make no mistake Bury are a very good team, not many could have lived with them early, we dug in and by the end were so much on top that the crowd were on their way home well before the final whistle, and they were only a goal down.

Thought Mike Dean was a class act in the middle, shame I couldn't say the same for the lino to our left, clueless at best, but at least it didn't matter at the end of the day.

Hvae a save trip home guys.

A few kicks went straight out of play on the halfway line during the second half, but you can't compare that to the way we 'defended' the first half-hour. And half-decent saves is a bit of an understatement. He made two or three excellent stops which kept us in the game. Are you Danny Potter's mother? Agree with the rest of your post though.

[ferrarilover]

Jeff, once again, a top report, one of the better of an excellent bunch this year, many thanks. I can only assume that you do it from your iPhone too, which makes it even more impressive.

Not really a great deal to add about this match, unbelieveable Jeff sums it up nicely.

My only reservation is that I cannot now whinge that we never get hammered first half, lucky not to go in at HT 5-0 down and come back to win, as so often happens to us in reverse.

Matt.

[AlexGulls]

Not long back. Talk about a tale of two halves!!

First half we were poor and Bury tore us to shreads and if it wasnt for Bevan and some woeful shooting Bury would of been out of sight at Half Time.

Second half was a completely different story we were excellent looked good going forward and got the goals we deserved to go on to win the game. I thought Stanley and Tomlin were excellent tonight though in the second half you couldnt really fault any of the lads! Weve got to keep going now. Weve had two excellent results against two very good sides above us. We have to follow that up with results against the teams below us now aswell starting with Macclesfield on Saturday.