TorquayFans.com | Torquay United Fans Forum

whisper it, we're 6 points off 3rd.

Southampton Gull wrote:Shame you can't spell it

i can - my "h" dont work on me keyboard! =D

What a result!

Did anyone else have that sense of deja vu when their keeper kicked the ball deep into our half with time running out and the commo says "and Branston misses his header" ... of Cheltenham away a few weeks back .... 'cos I sure did!

Fortunately this time the ref (the quality Mike Dean) saw the push and gave us a free kick, phew!!!!

After getting absolutely battered in the first half hour, Bucks made a change and by the sounds of it this one really worked a treat - the second half it sounded like we were absoloutely awesome and we saw the game out very professionally.

Brilliant lads.

DRAW? PAH who would ever take a draw?

We must get another resounding result on Saturday against Macclesfield otherwise it takes the glow off tonight's result.

I'll have to read Jeff's match summary tomorrow as am off to bed now . . . :sleep: . . .

Thoroughly well done chaps, although some, slight commiseration must go to Bury for having to suffer 'that' feeling we have had so many times this season of knowing it should have been a cricket score at half time, then ballsing it up second half.

Perhaps the players learned at half time of the ticketing issues and decided enough was enough? :~D

Matt.

Agreed,the position the team has put themselves in now every match,result are massivly important,get beat at Maccelsfield ,and the last two very good wins,will not count for much.

First Tuesday in along time, i have not felt the need to kick the dog.happy hounds in the forever household tonight

Pinch me, pinch me, I can hardly believe this!! It's the end of last season all over again!!!!!!!!! We are invincible!!
and breathe
=D

Oh my god.

That, ladies and gentlemen, was redemption for Morecambe, Cheltenham et al this season. Bury should have been out of sight by half time, but a linesmans decision which initially looked against us has turned the game - and possibly our season - right into our favour.

The first few minutes we actually looked good, comfortable on the ball and pinging it about. It didn't last, and it was a terrible goal to concede. Under no pressure, Branno had a touch of the Branston-bauers and decided to confidently stride forward out of defence. He failed miserably, and was dispossessed in the centre circle. The initial Bury ball was played to their left winger Worrall, but we were so slow in covering back. A routine ball to the near post was flicked in by the terribly loosely marked Holroyd, and we're one down.

The next 35 mins was inexplicable. Branston and Robbo were marking thin air, every pass we played was getting intercepted and nothing was sticking up front. Bury were breaking every time with frightening pace, and always had
1 or 2 men over. They looked lethal with every attack. Lowe struck an angled shot against the post, and Nico deflected the rebound wide. It may well have been from the resulting corner, but a firm close range header was stopped superbly by Bevan, who then denies Worrall on the rebound. Worrall loomed set to bury the rebound from that, but his shot trickled agonisingly across the face - literally inches from goal. Holroyd had another shot parried by Bevan, Bennett on the other wing skewed a shot wide and Lowe danced around Bevan and, with an empty net to shoot at, tripped over his feet. It could honestly have been 5 or 6 to Bury, and nobody could have moaned. They were the best side I'd seen all season and were ripping us to shreds.

Nothing was working for us. Tomlin and Zebs were trying but being harried off every ball. We were winning nothing in centre mid, all the second balls were being picked off by White shirts and Robbo and Branston were all over the place positionally. Poor Murray barely got a touch, and was hauled off for Lathrope who dropped into centre mid. We stabilised before halftime, and somehow still were clinging on to something in this game. Believe me, it was a miracle.

The second half did not start much better, Bury still raiding forward with ease and it still looked like a long night. Things started getting better when Bucks tinkered with the system one last time. Robinson and Pringle took to the flanks, with Stanley and Lathrope in the centre and Zebs and Tomlin up top. Bury were starting to get a little sloppy - passes going astray. They were letting us back in this.

We started looking ever more solid, but still wernt in it when one moment changed the game. With his first foray down the right, Robinson exchanged passes with Tomlin and hit a rasping shot at goal - our first on target. It was a real fizzer and moved in the air, and the Bury keeper Belford made an awful hash of it. He started diving full length to his right, only to realise the ball was heading dead centre. He readjusted and got palms to it, and the ball span back on the turf and trickled agonisingly towards goal. As it rolled, Belford scrambled back and as it reached the line, Zebs slid in to make sure. Cue delirium and a smash and grab point? No. The Lino had flagged for offside. Players and fans alike were furious. Had the ball crossed the line? Where was zebs when Jake shot? Who knows. Mike Dean (who had a good game to be fair) was not for turning.

The sense of injustice changed the game. Suddenly, Branston and Robbo were touch tight to their forwards, dominating in the air. Stanley and Lathrope were winning the second balls we were losing first half. Bury were rattled, and i have never seen a team get so rattled so easily when they had been so dominant.

Within minutes, we were level. Pringle is no winger, but he'll give it a damn good go. Finding himself wide left, he turned his full back with all the elegance of a tugboat. His first cross was poor, cut back to the edge of the box were Tomlin air-kicked it. Luckily, it richocheted off a bury leg back to Pringle. Again, with a slow motion cruyff turn he worked a yard, and delivered a left footed cross right on the money. Right across goal, on the floor, 2 yards out. Tomlin and zebs at the near post missed it, but did enough to distract the keeper to allow Stanley the easiest of finishes dead centre of the goal. Cue pandemonium, much pointing to the linesman and a crazy celebration from Stanley I didn't understand! Could this be a smash a grab point?

No, it was better. Bury rocked even more. Their keepe suddenly lost the ability to kick either high or straight. They could not hold the ball for love nor money, and now it was wave after wave of Gulls attack. Zebs had a shot saved from a corner, and we looked much more threatening.

The winner came shortly after Nico had a free kick deflected over after Tomlin was fouled for the umpteenth time second half. From the resulting corner, nico's left footed delivery was right on the money. Inswinging all the way, ending up at the back post about 3 yards out and 4th high. A stooping zebs guided it home.

The rest of the game was a non-event. Bury never threatened, and if there were to be any more goals they were to be ours. So unlike the Cheltenham and Morecambe games, we gave a lesson in killing the game off. We kept the ball in the corners with ease and wound the clock down for a crucial and unexpected win.

On the first half you could see why Bury are second. Quick, neat and tidy and full of threat.
But my oh my they were fragile, after missing all those chances as soon as we got a sniff they just folded. None of our lads had a good first half, but Tomlin worked hard throughout. Zebs tried, got nowhere second half but was at the forefront of all things good second half. Credit to Pringle and Lathrope too who, once in position, shored things up and worked their socks off.

Some ratings, which are hard to do really as the halves were such contrasts!

Bevan - 8 - kept us in it first half. Barring one save from a Lowe header second half, could have come and sat with us.
Mansell - 7 - some crucial blocks first half
Branston - 4 - can't forgive him for a truly awful first 45
Robertson - 5 - see above, but not quite as bad
Nicholson - 7.5 - crucial blocks, and an extra half point for corner delivery of the season
Stanley - 7.5 - lost everything first half, was at the heart of things second once henhad Lathrope alongside
Pringle - 8 - no winger, but second half he covered a lot of ground and got an assist for his troubles
Tomlin - 9 - my MOTM. got battered all over the pitch, but for a small-ish lad held the ball up well, particularly second half. Very intelligent movement
Murray - 2 - barely got a touch. Rightly subbed
Zebroski - 8 - tried and failed first half. Tried and succeeded a lot more second half. When he puts his mind to it, knows where to run to trouble any backline
Robinson - 7.5 - started the ball rolling with a great shot. Good trickery and as above, intelligent play and movement

Lathrope - 7.5 - shored things up admirably. Composed and tough in the tackle
O'kane - 6.5 - did what was required at the end

Well, I won't get home till gone 2am, and have to be up and half 6 for work. But it's all worth it now!

Brilliant insight as always, Jeff. Safe trip home and thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts.

MOTM anyone?

Excellent report Jeff, great read. Gives a really good picture of the game and how it went.

Thanks.

cheers for that Jeff.

quality as usual!

and have a safe trip back home.

Thanks Jeff,quailty read that

gulls_aloud wrote:Pinch me, pinch me, I can hardly believe this!! It's the end of last season all over again!!!!!!!!! We are invincible!!
and breathe
=D

That run was started off by beating Shrewsbury at Plainmoor, too..

Hmm..