Torquay United v Nuneaton Town – Saturday 6th September 2014

[Glostergull]

Yes. the commentary was excellent today. and no evidence of non football chatter or inane stuff Dont know what you expect of them but it was good enough to keep me well entertained

[girlygull62]

All i expect is to know what is happening on the pitch, simple as and thats what we got today

[Dave]

Great result, 2 wins, 7 goals scored, if confidence isn't up now it never will be. For those at the match, how did O'Archie/Bowman work together ?

[Gullscorer]

Not to get too carried away; weren't we playing part-timers? And will we be able to maintain that level of good passing football on heavy muddy winter pitches. Presumably CH will need to adjust his team selections and game plans depending on the opponents and the conditions. And he will probably need to look at a loan signing or two in the New Year, depending on injuries, suspensions, and loss of form. Even so, there's real cause for optimism this season. Great performance today. The next four games will be interesting, and the next two home games will deserve much bigger attendances..

[Dave]

Your right in a sense GS, yes, we've only played one team from the current top half of the league table, but winning games and scoring goals breeds confidence, confidence breeds confidence, and I'd rather our team go into a much tougher run of fixtures with their confidence fully restored, and we're well on the way to that now.

[ferrarilover]

There were at least two divisions between the sides today. If we'd have had a sensible referee, we'd have had at least two pens to add to the four goals. Ask yourself this, ref; if a striker is two yards out with only the keeper to beat and no defender coming, why would he dive to win a penalty which would no nothing more than force him 10 yards back?
The match was no contest. Nuneaton weren't bad, they were just a group of blokes playing at least two levels too high. If that lot beat Alfreton last week, I can only presume that the latter are playing for laughs.

The sending off was a total non-event and really showed up the ref as a drama queen. No need to book either of them. Two blokes having a chat while holding onto each other. You'll see much worse in the school playground (not you, Jonny, you've been warned about hanging about near schools).

MOTM was everyone. Couldn't separate them. Each played his part in doing to Nuneaton what we should be doing to Nuneaton.

Matt.

[A Realist]

Not to get too carried away; weren't we playing part-timers? And will we be able to maintain that level of good passing football on heavy muddy winter pitches. Presumably CH will need to adjust his team selections and game plans depending on the opponents and the conditions. And he will probably need to look at a loan signing or two in the New Year, depending on injuries, suspensions, and loss of form. Even so, there's real cause for optimism this season. Great performance today. The next four games will be interesting, and the next two home games will deserve much bigger attendances..

They were challenging for the play offs for a good bit of last season and it was only the last dozen or so games where they fell apart. They also beat some of the so called better teams. They were taught a lesson today imo. Cameron going off upset the rhythm a bit but not enough.

Good performances all round. Young and Richards in the centre were superb. Cameron (for the little he played) and Ajala equally. O'Achie up front played really well and his assist for the second was brilliant. Bowman had two penalty shouts in the first half and the first one I'd like to see again. If he was fouled, as I suspect he was, then they would have been down to 10 with a long time to go and could have ended up on the end of a real hiding.

It was one of those days where very little went wrong and can only be good for confidence. Lets follow it up with a victory at Chester and the league table will start looking quite promising.

[goodluckgull]

It really was a great atmosphere at Plainmoor today and we actually felt so confident of the win. There is a real sense of togetherness from the players. Goal celebrations involved the whole team. Ryan did a handstand !! Smiley faces all around.

[Dave]

how did O'Archie/Bowman work together ?

[Colorado Gull]

It was a result that should be expected (and that is said with the greatest of respect to Nuneaton's supporters, who were very good today) but it was a fantastic performance by the Gulls. It's fair to say that the visitors weren't tough opposition, but at the beginning of the first and second half, they looked adventurous. Martin Rice made a good save early on in the game, that may have been a crucial part. A part from that, the closet they got from scoring was when Aaron Downes passed the ball back to Martin Rice in the second half.

It was all Torquay. Really strong at the back, passing and moving with the midfield and using Bowman and Ofori very well with their strength holding up the ball. The first goal came from clever play by Ofori and Richards setting up Luke Young who scored from 20 yards out, bottom corner. The second goal was simply outstanding, out of this world! If it was Chelsea, the media would be talking about it for months! One of the best goals I have ever seen at TQ1. The ball was in our half, right by our box. Ajala cleverly won the ball back and made an incredible long ball to Ofori. While he ran down the wing beating two players, Luke Young was storming his way forward down the middle. Duane picked out Young with a perfect cross and the skipper back-healed the ball while airborne into the net. Superb. Luke with another goal on the 29th minute. The next goal came in the 39th minute from Aaron Downes. Jordan Chappell (who came on for Cameron due to an injury) with a fantastic corner, straight to Downes with a brilliant header at the far post. The Torquay United fans sung loud and proud (as they did all game) as the players went in for the half time break, 3-0.

In the second half, we had many chances from Ofori and Ajala, along with Bowman and Chappell attacking forward. On the 58th minute, it was 4-0. Toby Ajala went round his marker and shot for goal. It was deflected and came to Ryan Bowman to finish from close range. From then on, it seemed as if Nuneaton had given up. It was all Torquay, keeping the ball very well. Dale Tonge had a great time today, joking with the fans and performing very well. Everyone played very well and you could see the confidence shining through every Torquay player.

We're now in 9th position and one point off the Play Off's. We go on to play Chester away on Tuesday night and it is definitely a game that we can win. Keep going United, it's looking good.

[Duncan]

There were at least two divisions between the sides today. If we'd have had a sensible referee, we'd have had at least two pens to add to the four goals. Ask yourself this, ref; if a striker is two yards out with only the keeper to beat and no defender coming, why would he dive to win a penalty which would no nothing more than force him 10 yards back?

Matt.

I didn't get a very good view of the first one, but the second IMO was the correct decision. The defender did well and stayed strong, `no pen.

The irony being only moments later when a similar challenge was made by Tonge on the halfway line, it was deemed to be a foul.

And what a pigs ear he made of the sending off. He should of got a steward to escort him off rather than do it himself.

There was no united player within 40 metres so there was no need for him to do it!

[Swanny]

A fantastic first half performance that simply blew Nuneaton away! It had everyone you hope for - slick passing, great movement, skill, invention and 3 first half goals! We reached the same sort of heights that we did many years ago under Leroy. I've seen some decent performances since under Buckle and Ling but this surpassed them. When all your 4 midfielders and 2 strikers all are very capable of turning on great skill, flair and can finish, when they click like today it is a joy to behold. Crowd 2,177 with a decent 200 from Nuneaton. When you start to feel sorry for the opposition fans and keeper you know you've had a good day! Sponsors MOTM Richards, twitter MOTM his midfield partner Young.

Torquay started positively and it was a question of whether we could convert our chances that came along. We had about 3 early close shaves and a good penalty shout turned down. However just before our opening, Nuneaton looked certain to score. In their best move of the match, the ball was pulled back to an unmarked player about 12 yards out. He shot powerfully but Rice at full stretch made a remarkable parried save. On 21 minutes just when you thought Torquay might again struggle to score, Young gave us the answer hitting a peach of a shot from outside the area low down that gave their keeper no chance. So that's 2 in 2 weeks that our central midfielders have delivered, something we could only dream about last season. Young's second goal on 29 minutes was from a glorius team build up. It started with Ajala who laid the ball onto O'Archie on the right. O'Archie shrugged off a defender and planted the ball across where the advancing Young pounced from close range. A goal that had quality written all over it. Cameron sadly limped off and was replaced by Chappel with Ajala switching to left wing. For the rest of the half Torquay were sensational and Downes headed our third from a Young corner. 3-0 at half time was a fair reflection of proceedings. What I particularly enjoyed was our movement off the ball. I loved the way we often had an overlapping player on a wing. All our players played a part and even players like Cruise and Tonge were showing confidence on the ball and were playing a part in our decent moves. Cruise finally was looking a decent player he should be bearing in mind his past with Arsenal.

The second half was a bit of an anti-climax and we did not reach the same heights as the first. Our fourth was thanks to work on the left from Ajala whose somewhat mis-hit shot eluded everyone except Bowman at the far post who finished off from close range. 4-0 was richly deserved and the crowd was baying for more. There were "ole's" from the yellow army and the Nuneaton fans showed their sense of humour and joined in when they had possession. Near the end there was a bit of a fracas in their box and Brown got his second yellow and our own MacDonald got booked. Torquay used their 3 subs but there were no more goals much to the relief of Nuneaton.

So a great afternoon at Plainmoor today and our spirits were greatly lifted today after our last 2 bleak seasons. Well done Hargreaves and all the players. There is something special brewing!

[Boroughbrad]

Well we enjoyed our trip down if not our performance or the result. You undoubtedly deserved the result today however we were unusually poor at the back. Not to make excuses but we missed 3 or 4 starters due to injury and suspension and it showed in our performance. You play a nice style of football, not as fluid as Barnet but that's only my opinion. I will be very interested to see how this style holds up in the winter conditions. Think the big lad up front for you will become very useful given time, all the best for the season. Brad

[Duncan]

Where was Ives today?

[A Realist]

Well we enjoyed our trip down if not our performance or the result. You undoubtedly deserved the result today however we were unusually poor at the back. Not to make excuses but we missed 3 or 4 starters due to injury and suspension and it showed in our performance. You play a nice style of football, not as fluid as Barnet but that's only my opinion. I will be very interested to see how this style holds up in the winter conditions. Think the big lad up front for you will become very useful given time, all the best for the season. Brad

No offence mate but your team were pretty poor today. Not sure if thats how you usually play but I think you manager/coach let you down big time. He must have done his homework on Torquay (surely) but it didn't look like it.

Good luck for the season though. As it stands you wont be as good as last season but its still early days.