Aldershot Town vs Torquay United 08.08.17

[SuperNickyWroe]

FT 3-2

[brucie]

After failing to beat nine men it appears that we have been flattered by a late goal and were in fact well beaten. Another season of strife appears to be beckoning........

[Dutchgull]

Thanks for cheering us all up brucie !!

[Jeff]

Scoreline is great at halftime, performance.......not quite so much.

Basically getting passed off the park here, Aldershot very patient and pulling us all over the place. But for 3 or 4 top drawer saves from Clarke we'd be getting a shoeing here. We look to be a team without a game-plan. Strikers not tall enough to win anything in the air, not quick enough to get in behind, and nobody technically good enough to carve them open. Gray in particular has been very ineffective. I almost find myself yearning for Fallon off the bench just so we have *something* up top.

If we are going to get a winner, it's going to come via Jordan Lee in some way, shape or form as he has made some excellent runs that haven't always been picked up. Given this is my first game for almost a year, it's the first time I've seen most of the team. Higgins and Lee look great, Clarke is outstanding and I've been massively impressed by Chaney. Gray, Klukowski and too a lesser extent Reid and Keating have been poor to anonymous.

Aldershots goal was a little unfortunate. We failed to clear a ball into the box, a bit of pinball ensured before their guy got a shot off from about 6yds out- Clarke pulls off a worldie save but the ball spins up and their guy just taps it home from about a yard. Looked like poor defending initially. Our strike, we got a free kick on the right that when it was swung in, Keating was impeded/hauled down by their man on the edge of the D, up steps Youngy to swing it around the right hand side of the wall and into net. Great free kick.

Ref dodgy in the extreme. Set the tone by booking one of the shots players very cheaply, so now has to pretty much book anyone who commits a foul. Unless he calms himself down someone will end up with a second booking

So it ended with the result we all kind of expected, but in true Torquay fashion we actually came far closer to getting a point than we probably should have done.

Second half actually started quite brightly - Reid got away down the left, cut inside to a great position only to unleash a powderpuff shot which didn't test the home keeper. Still no end product on display from Reid. And if that wasn't bad enough, his sloppiness then ended up costing us a goal. In a decent position on the left hand side, two wonderful hospital passes in quick succession left both Young and Chaney short. Out of position, Aldershot broke and a simple cross was tapped in from about 6yds out. 2-1.

The game then petered out into a drab period - Aldershot saw a lot of the ball, but other than a couple of crosses Clarkes goal was untroubled. We showed little to nothing going forward, until the introduction of Gosling and Pittman at least gave us a bit of impetus.

The flashpoint came midway through the second half. A corner from Gosling on the right was cleared back to him, and his return ball into the box was headed in completely unmarked by Pittman. 2-2! But, although no obvious Aldershot protests the linesman had his flag up, and after a lengthy conversation the goal is chalked off. Now it's impossible to tell as it was down the far end, but Pittman seemed to be a long way from goal to be offside, especially as it was from a half-cleared corner so aldershot still had plenty of men back. Perhaps someone was "interfering with play" in front of the keeper? I don't know - I'd be interested if anyone in the seated stand had a better view from their angle as to who was offside. But regardless, it stayed at 2-1.

Then introduction of Fallon and shift to 3-4-3 didn't exactly launch the go-for-broke attack you might have hoped, as Aldershot wound the time down and we huffed and puffed but got nowhere. From a nothing corner on the left, it was swung to the back post and the Aldershot forward bundled in Clarke and a couple of defenders to make the points safe. Clarke was livid and claimed he'd been fouled - its one for the "seen them given" category.

For the remaining minutes Aldershot kept hold of the ball well and threatened to carve us open without actually managing to do so. Almost out of nowhere, we finally pump a cross into the danger zone and Pittman stoops to head in at the far post, just as the 4th official signalled 5 minutes of added time. 3-2 and game on, surely.

But no. Those 5minutes passed with little more than a couple of shanked McGinty balls forward and Aldershot camping out by the corner flag. If that was us upping the tempo, it was pretty pathetic.

And so it ended with the result we expected, but you never know how the dynamic might have changed if Pittman's goal hadn't been disallowed. It would have been very smash and grab, but given that Aldershot weren't really getting behind us and testing Clarke we may have held on.

For me, the positives were we did work hard and looked organised defensively. I can't really fault any of the back 5. Clarke, Higgins and Chaney all looked particularly impressive. The downside is our complete lack of goal threat despite the 2 goals. No pace or power, no aerial threat. Gosling should be starting - although he is one-paced he at least has technical ability and a delivery on him to create chances. And Pittman looked decent as well. However Gray, Klukowski, Reid, Fallon all were very poor, and we can't be carrying that many poor performances against anyone in this league without getting punished.

I'll be interested to hear what other people at the game thought

[Dazza]

When you actually watch a game Brucie you may be qualified to make such judgements!

[Bristol_Gull]

Better than being an Argyle fan tonight!!

On one hand, it sounds like we put in a fair performance against one of the league favourites and it is still very early days.

That said, what I will add is that if we are to succeed at a much higher level and get out of this division then this type of mindset has to change and we have to go into every game EXPECTING to win - justification for losing is not conducive to creating a high performing team.

Responsibility has to be taken by the whole team for the outcomes that are created with a commitment to the highest standards.

Lets see how the squad bounce back...I am sure that we are all craving a major victory that lets the National League know that Torquay are back on the map as a force to be reckoned with!

[SuperNickyWroe]

After failing to beat nine men it appears that we have been flattered by a late goal and were in fact well beaten. Another season of strife appears to be beckoning........

you sound surprised....... :Oops:

[Guildford Gull]

Men against boys on the pitch and man against boy off the pitch. Nicho got his tactics and team selection wrong. if you are going to play a back four containing Anderson and an out of position Chaney away to a side like Aldershot you need to play two holding midfielders. Selecting Reid and Keating over Pitman and Gosling was also a huge mistake.

Aldershot completely dominated the first 70 minutes and but for Clarke's heroics in goal they would have been four or five up at half time. We gave then far too much room particularly in and around the penalty area. We came back into it in the last 15 minutes but it would a travesty if we had stolen a point. Clarke was mom by a country mile and Higgins, Lee and Young also contributed but there were far too many below par performance from the majority of the team, particularly Klukowski, Reid, Gray and Keating. Klukowski was awful, Reid poor with the ball and even worse without it, Gray offered nothing and Keating is way out of his depth at this level at present. I hope Exeter are paying Reid's wages because if we are contributing we are being ripped off.

Based on what I saw tonight we are in for another trying season. If only we had an experienced and highly competent manager like Gary Waddock.

Finally, a mention for Aldershot's fans and ground. Portable toilets and no lighting when exiting the ground is unacceptable and the league should be doing something about it and their fans were totally classless more interested in taunting the Torquay fans and abusing Clarke rather than celebrating a very good performance on the pitch.

[brucie]

Its maybe too early days to be saying that but dan is completely correct. Its no good saying that "oh well we expected to get beat by Aldershot". They are no bigger a club than we are.

You get nonsense from Dazza as usual. I actually didn't expect us to score two goals tonight - but that said we did and still lost.

It seems that we could have lost quite heavily at home to Tranmere on Saturday, but having held on (more by luck than judgement and the woodwork) we were presented with two Xmas presents by the ref in the shape of two red cards for the opposition but still couldn't win.

By the sounds of it we were unimpressive tonight and reports suggest that our forwards have been found wanting, which isn't a great shock as our striking roster looks average at best and with Fallon on the pitch is probably pathetic at its worst.

Two toughish games to start I suppose. The proof of the pudding will be when we start playing a couple of the lesser lights. A couple more quick defeats will see us in trouble already.

[Rjc70]

With correct decisions from the officials, we would've beaten a decent Aldershot 3-2 at their place tonight. We need to start the halves a bit better than tonight. Reid and Chaney pissing around with the ball on our left gifting Fenelon a run in and decent cross for their second at the start of the second half. Young's equalising free kick was a corker. Their first looked like a good save from Clarke and rebound straight to their player in a crowded goalmouth.

I'm not sure what the deliberation was about our disallowed 'equaliser'. It seemed to go on far too long. If it was offside, I can't see how that could be. It looked like he headed it straight in from way out. If it was a player being impeded, why take so long talking about it? No doubt it was an active this and that debate by a couple of shite officials who thought we paid an entry fee to watch them. Any uncertainty as to whether I was paying to watch officials was confirmed when they bundled in 1950's style for their third. Fair play to Pittman for a decent third goal, but by then we knew it wasn't to be our night. We'd been shafted already by those two decisions.

Clarke 7 Good presence. Could do nothing about goals. Think he was booked after the final whistle for telling the ref he was a useless ginger. He was right.
Higgins 8 I like him. Very good. Nicked the ball nicely a few times.
Anderson 5 Lumbering. Extra timber being carried. Hope Gowling is ok.
McGinty 6 Had a decent run through, with the clueless Reid outside him not giving him an option. Defends stoutly.
Chaney 5.5 Would have been more but his 'link up play' with clueless Reid gave them goal 2.
Young 7 Good free kick. Adds a bit of spark.
Klukowski 6 Solid. Need him in there. Or Lathrope.
Lee 7.5 Quality. Shouldn't have gone off. Reid should have.
Reid 4 No brain. Doesn't give his full back an out ball as he runs next to him. Play Gosling there. Not Reid. Or Chaney when Davis is fit. Not Reid. Impact sub only. If that.
Gray 4 Anonymous. He's no Williams, but probably will track back the same amount.
Keating 5 Energy. Raw. Won't score many.

Subs:
Pittman 7 Looks good. Might score 10 or 12 this season.
Gosling - 7 Didn't notice too much from him. May have crossed for our second half disallowed and allowed goal. Certainly for the allowed one. Did more than Reid did all game. Was spitting feathers Reid was still on the pitch when he came on, and officials dong their best to ruin the match by then. Is he this year's Williams for Nico? If so, can Reid please upset the gaffer in training. Sharpish.
Fallon - Don't think he touched it. Big fella.

Manager: Agree the observation of Gosling and Pittman over Keating and Reid. Any day of the week.

[tomogull]

Elsewhere in the National League ....... an underwhelming 0 - 0 draw Barrow v Halifax. Fitzpatrick not in the squad. Is he injured, Ray? Similarly, Dan Sparkes not in D & R squad. Does anyone know if he is injured? LRT mad his debut for Chester tonight. Two for Brett Williams for Bromley ...... yellow cards, that is ! P.2 - yellow cards 2. What a nightmare for managers his is ! Whilst he didn't get on the score card, Josh Rees did.

[tomogull]

By the sounds of it we were unimpressive tonight and reports suggest that our forwards have been found wanting, which isn't a great shock as our striking roster looks average at best and with Fallon on the pitch is probably pathetic at its worst.

Two toughish games to start I suppose. The proof of the pudding will be when we start playing a couple of the lesser lights. A couple more quick defeats will see us in trouble already.

Brucie - after Gateshead on Saturday, we have Boreham Wood, Guiseley, Solihull, Woking and Chester - three of the games at home. Let's just wait and see where we are after those games, shall we? It is worrying that josh Gowling is out injured. He missed several of the pre-season games through injury and now he's back on the injured list after one game. Surprised Jake Gosling was left out tonight. I thought he played well on Saturday.

[Ray Johnstone]

Yes, tomogull. David Fitzpatrick was unfortunately injured in the final training session before last Saturday's opener at Dagenham.

Ray

[Colorado Gull]

Just got back from Aldershot, it was painfully disappointing. No width, no pace going forward, no structure and no strength. We look OK at the back and quite a threat when we get the ball up, it's just the process of doing so that is dodgy. I don't think that we deserved the draw, but probably would have walked away with one point if the ref had blew up for a foul on Clarke for Aldershot's 3rd, they're consistently given, just not tonight. No idea why Nicho is playing Reid, I was surprised to see him back in a Torquay shirt in the first place.

Onwards and upwards I suppose, but not a good start at all.

[desperado]

Dont know why Nicholson left out Gosling and Pitman, I know he took them both off on saturday, perhaps
he thought the effort was lacking, looked better when they came on. Not that impressed with Kluklowski
and Gray yet, you cant play Keating and Gray up front together , its not as if either have any pace
Gowling a big miss. A lot of tinkering by Nicholson tonight a la Tisdale, hope he is not trying to be too
clever, we looked solid on saturday but not with the 442 last night