Torquay vs Braintree 28/08/23 15:00

[Modgull]

Whilst I was despairing at HT (6 insipid attempts, none on target), I was very encouraged by the second half fight-back (8 attempts, 5 on target, hit post and 2 goals). We were outplayed for much of the game in a similar fashion to Worthing but, unlike Worthing, Braintree were a horrible time-wasting and injury feigning team which got our team's backs up and stimulated a vociferous support from the home crowd. A combination of bloody-mindiness coupled with one or two excellent performances (Stobbs and Jarvis come to mind) saw the Gulls take all three points.

Looking forward though, our defensive frailties are obvious to all. Marshall and Tomlinson were awful at times and were only saved further embarrassment by their full-backs' covering and another good performance by Halstead.

Still a haul of 13 points from the first 6 games can't be sniffed at and I hope that as the injury situation improves and the two centre halves get more experience of playing together, we may start to impose ourselves more on opposition sides. I fear, however, that only a fresh influx of loan talent will guarantee a better defensive set-up.

[Minneapolisgull]

4 wins in row (achievement in any division) and according to many we are utter rubbish! Johnson is clueless.
Imagine what happens if and when we start playing well! We could do a Luton!!!

[jono_Gull209]

Just back an absolute shocking display.
The Manager with 9 lives is on a very lucky streak.
In all honesty apart from Worthing we ain’t played anybody yet.

We won! I’d hate to see you after a loss

[North Curry House]

Latest signing due on Monday, Gary's son - Lee sacked by Hibs.

[Skillsy]

No mention of Shaun Donnellan in any posts. I thought he was outstanding today. The sort of player supporters don't notice, but team mates very much appreciate. He was physically and mentally brave today, worked his socks off and put in many tackles particularly in our defensive third. I doubt he will ever be a fans favourite, but his performance today epitomised the spirit of the lads. I fully agree the team's general performance lacked quality, but players like Donnellan are key to grinding out results on days where we don't play well.
Well done Shaun.

[culmstockgull]

Somewhere deep within donnellan , the same with mcgavin there are reasonable players to be had ,certianly at our level, but both are far too inconsistent to be relied on, it is not as if they are settling in and have to get used to our style of play, both have been here over a twelve month, so to me its their own application and understanding of the game that is at fault, one good pass or a saving tackle or miles of aimless running around does not make a good player, a classic example of that was Buse , put in more miles than lapslie but will never make a footballer as long as he has two feet.Conversely look at Hall, he can more or less stand still and read a game and more times than not be in the right place to snuff out at threat.
If we had a fully fit squad (when has that ever happened) and several good loans, donnellan,mcgaving, tomlinson, would not make the starting eleven,even at our lowly level.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Another win.
Well done to the squad for keeping at it for the 90+ minutes.
Of course, some on here will still moan.....

[teddiebear]

Not me. Yawn

[UnitedinDevon]

To be fair, their goal was offside and a later offside decision was missed and the lino gave it as out for a goal kick when it didn't seem to be over the line. . However we were dire. They were even direr and the officials even worse. Fortunately the ref didn't bottle the pen.
I know we're a bit short on first teamers but that's no excuse for the lack of imagination at set pieces. Surely an hour of watching MOTD on a Saturday night should give a few ideas on different things to try.
There is something dreadfully wrong as we have good players, but not a good team.

Their goal was not offside, check the highlights a perfectly good run

The issue with the ref was he didnt enforce the new take on slowing the game down earlier enough, however it came back to bite Braintree in the end

[happytorq]

To be fair, their goal was offside and a later offside decision was missed and the lino gave it as out for a goal kick when it didn't seem to be over the line. . However we were dire. They were even direr and the officials even worse. Fortunately the ref didn't bottle the pen.

I thought it was offside when I saw it the first time but on the highlights it's obvious that it isn't. Really, it's Brad Ash who's at fault for it since he goes around in what looks like two separate circles when he could've passed it, before attempting a pass that was never on. If you give the ball there you're asking for trouble, as we saw on many occasions last season.

It was dire first half but hugely improved in the second half - certainly the last half an hour. That can probably be explained in part by what you might assume to be better fitness, I suppose. It's still concerning that we've yet to put together a full game that suggests competence, and of course we can't expect to claw back a one-goal deficit every time.

Aveley on saturday will be a good test - they've started really well, and I think it's on another 4G pitch.

[Louis]

[SuperNickyWroe]

I thought it was offside when I saw it the first time but on the highlights it's obvious that it isn't. Really, it's Brad Ash who's at fault for it since he goes around in what looks like two separate circles when he could've passed it, before attempting a pass that was never on. If you give the ball there you're asking for trouble, as we saw on many occasions last season.

It was dire first half but hugely improved in the second half - certainly the last half an hour. That can probably be explained in part by what you might assume to be better fitness, I suppose. It's still concerning that we've yet to put together a full game that suggests competence, and of course we can't expect to claw back a one-goal deficit every time.

Aveley on saturday will be a good test - they've started really well, and I think it's on another 4G pitch.

It will be and I would take a point.

[portugull]

Another afternoon at Plainmoor which lacked quality but certainly not committment as the boys in yellow just about deserved their 4th straight win in front of 2,500 fans.
We lined up 4-4-2 with Craske at Right back allowing Shaun Donnellan to play more in midfield which is his best position.
Sorry to say the opening goal was down to Brad Ash for losing possession which enabled the No 10 to hit a killer pass to the No. 9 who converted the chance well.
If you watch the Highlights you will see Collins do what he does all the time which is to watch the ball but fail to get in a tackle of any kind. He has got to learn to be more aggressive in at least attempting to win the ball.
I am a big fan of Dillon De Silva. He should be starting in place of Collins. Watch the highlights and De Silva is a dangerous player and played a great ball which started the move which ended in the crucial penalty.
Jarvis is a real workhorse and when we get Dawson and Hall back I hope the service he gets will improve.
When we play on the deck some of our play is great but we still lump it forward too often.
In this league experience and quality is priceless and at the moment we just need 3 starters to change this team into a good team rather than a mediocre one. We have only faced 1 Top 7 side and lost 0-3 to Worthing so incoming loans need to be top drawer no 18 year old novices for NLS. COYY.

[Brewers boy]

Their goal was not offside, check the highlights a perfectly good run

The issue with the ref was he didnt enforce the new take on slowing the game down earlier enough, however it came back to bite Braintree in the end

I stand corrected. From where I sat it looked well off but the highlights do show it was a really well timed run.

[Mr Tea808]

Good win, I was out of town with my family, so couldn't post my prediction of a 2-0 win, never mind, talking to mates today who went, it sounded pretty awful, I'm not trying to get a rise out of fellow Gulls fans, but I think results maybe papering over the cracks, our record since Worthing at home is good, but performance wise I'm not so sure, 3 points is always welcome though, and Yeovil got beat!!, I called it before a ball was kicked Truro would be decent and a real suprise (not to me), for the league,All in all yesterday was a great win, but performances need to pick up, sooner or later our luck will run out, as for McGavin, I just think he's lacking confidence, he can't make up his CV he's obviously been decent, and I hope that returns, but he needs to do everything just a bit quicker and work a bit harder, Donnellan I'm really not sure about, utility players downfall is exactly that, the word utility says it all, he can't really master one position well, again that's not meant to get other fans irate and on my case, from what I've seen of him, I think NLS is beyond him,