Torquay United Top 100 Matches

gateman49 · Post by **gateman49** » 26 Mar 2016, 18:27

This was one of my choices and I need cheering up so another wallow in nostalgia comes up.

I walked up to the ground from Barton* with two friends in mid morning determined to get a good position and so we did, at or near the front of the queue and when finally allowed in (I wasn't on the gates just yet) we ran to the halfway line and got positions on the railings.

I won't bother to write up the match as many others have in the past save to say that it very nearly was a case of 'US'LL DO THEY' as was quoted by the Daily Express in their build up to the match.

* I reckon that I could still do that walk blindfolded.

wivelgull · Post by **wivelgull** » 26 Mar 2016, 23:00

Fourteenth??? Are you serious!!

stefano · Post by **stefano** » 26 Mar 2016, 23:22

wivelgull wrote:Fourteenth??? Are you serious!!

Calm down Wiv! You wait until you see what beats it!

gateman49 · Post by **gateman49** » 27 Mar 2016, 08:39

Not enough old codgers on this forum to influence the result (and it wasn't my first choice).

stefano · Post by **stefano** » 27 Mar 2016, 10:13

gateman49 wrote:Not enough old codgers on this forum to influence the result (and it wasn't my first choice).

I know, you are right. The Spurs game was my first choice, but in sending in a list of 10 I had to leave out loads of games that would certainly be in a club history top 100. One of them I mentioned yesterday, one I am sure you will remember well Gateman, that 2-1 win at Home Park in 1968 against a good Argyle team which had just been relegated after many years in the 2nd tier. It won't appear in this list, but a more recent game against a very poor Argyle team in a division lower than the 1968 game did make it.

It could be argued that you don't need to be an 'old codger' to vote for games in the 60's. I voted for 3 games that were before I saw my first game as I felt they had to be featured. I suspected (correctly) that I would be the only one voting for them. They were 1-1 v Exeter City 1927 (1st ever league game), 1955 4-0 v Leeds United (FA Cup), and 1-1 v Crystal Palace 1957 (the closest the club ever got to the 2nd tier).

Can anybody seriously say that a 1-0 defeat at Kidderminster Harriers (which is on this list) should feature and not those 3 games? Not sure if history is still taught at school, but history did happen!

We (us 'old' buggers!) did know that the list would turn out like this as we have already had it on the previous 'top 100 players' thread. It is a great effort by PlymouthGull to put these threads together and I am sure they hold a lot of interest for all supporters of whatever age, and for us older ones it is a great chance to wallow in nostalgia.

I think there is a case for both threads to be given a location on this forum which is easy to find, so that in 10 years time new supporters can access it and learn about the history of the club, and also add to it as in the next 50 years one would expect that many players / games would be able to break into the appropriate top 100 thread.

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 27 Mar 2016, 10:36

13th: Torquay United 4 - 1 Yeovil Town - 2007/08

31 points, 7 votes (3+7+5+2+1+4+9)

FA Cup 1st Round
Saturday 11th November 2007
Plainmoor
Attendance: 3718

Torquay: Martin Rice, Chris Robertson, Mark Ellis, Chris Todd, Kevin Nicholson, Danny Stevens, Chris Hargreaves, Lee Mansell, Chris Zebroski, Elliot Benyon, Tim Sills. Subs: Kevin Hill, Danny Wring, Matt Hockley, Scott Laird, Ishmael Welsh

Torquay scorers: Chris Todd (2), Danny Stevens (2)
Yeovil scorer: Marcus Stewart

----

This is one of the more memorable matches of recent years, I think, so is deserving of a decent finish here. Non-league Torquay welcomed League One side Yeovil Town to Plainmoor for an FA Cup 1st Round fixture. The BBC cameras were here too, with the game shown live as the evening kick off. Marcus Stewart put Yeovil ahead inside 20 minutes, and they could have doubled their lead but Antony Barry hit the crossbar. Just before half time, United turned the game on its head. First, Chris Todd headed home a corner. Less than two minutes later, Danny Stevens put the Gulls ahead. Todd gave us a 2-goal advantage in the 64th minute, nudging home Lee Mansell's deflected shot. Stevens added the icing on the cake in the final minute, running through and firing home the fourth.

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 27 Mar 2016, 10:52

12th: Histon 4 - 5 Torquay United - 2007/08

32 points, 6 votes (1+10+4+7+9+1)

Blue Square Premier
Tuesday 18th September 2007
Glassworld Stadium
Attendance: 763

Torquay: Simon Rayner, Chris Robertson, Chris Todd, Steve Woods, Kevin Nicholson, Tony Bedeau, Matt Hockley, Darren Mullings, Chris Zebroski, Tim Sills, Lee Phillips. Subs: Ishmael Welsh, Kevin Hill, Elliot Benyon, Martin Rice, Danny Wring.

Histon scorers: Nathanial Knight-Percival, Cliff Akurang (3)
Torquay scorers: Tim Sills, Darren Mullings, Chris Zebroski (2), Chris Todd

---

If you ever want a dramatic match, this is it. One of those matches that I wish I had gone to, purely for the memories. United took a lead in the first half hour through Tim Sills. It was quickly doubled as Darren Mullings scored. Chris Zebroski added a third just before half time, and the match looked over. How wrong to think that! Knight-Percival scored 7 minutes into the second half, before Cliff Akurang made things interesting two minutes later. With just over 20 minutes to go, Chris Zebroski made it 4-2. A minute later, Mullings got sent off for the Gulls, ensuring that the final 20 would be a challenge. Akurang got his second in the 82nd minute, from the penalty spot. Histon got another penalty 6 minutes later, and Akurang scored to complete his hat trick. That's 4-4 if you'd lost count. Less than a minute later, Knight-Percival got sent off to make it 10 men each. In stoppage time, Chris Todd found the net to give United the win.

While this match is not a game of huge significance, it is certainly a memorable one for those that were there to see it, I'm sure!

chunkygull · Post by **chunkygull** » 27 Mar 2016, 11:07

PlymouthGull this thread is fantastic and along with the players one as well has been my favorite threads because our history is much, much better than anything in recent years.

But, and please dont take this as a criticism, could you slow down a bit, the games are coming a bit too thick and fast, could you do them less frequently and give us something to savour a bit more please.

I know it must be a bit time consuming but with some games posted 2 or 3 at a time or 4-5 in one day I am finding it hard to take them in,indeed there were a few games that were very important to me that I wanted to comment on that have gone by in a blur.

Like I said, love the thread, not a criticism jus a request because it is best savoured slowly. Keep up the great work.

Thanks.

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 27 Mar 2016, 11:12

11th: Bristol Rovers 1 - 2 Torquay United - 2011/12

33 points, 7 votes (4+7+4+5+3+5+5)

League 2
Saturday 13th August 2011
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 8427

Torquay: Bobby Olejnik, Joe Oastler, Chris Robertson, Brian Saah, Kevin Nicholson, Ian Morris, Lee Mansell, Eunan O'Kane, Danny Stevens, Taiwo Atieno, Rene Howe. Subs: Martin Rice, Mark Ellis, Chris McPhee, Billy Kee, Damon Lathrope

Bristol Rovers scorer: Byron Anthony
Torquay scorers: Taiwo Atieno, Rene Howe

---

Gatecrashing your ex-manager's first home game at his new club and winning is always going to be a great feeling, isn't it? That is exactly what happened here. Paul Buckle led his new Bristol Rovers side out at the Mem for the first time since his summer move from United. He left United two days after the disappointing Playoff Final at Old Trafford - I still maintain that had this move not already been decided, we'd have been promoted. Buckle had come back to Plainmoor to take some players with him - Scott Bevan and Chris Zebroski. Martin Ling's new look Torquay side were 2-0 up inside quarter of an hour. First, Taiwo Atieno fired home from inside the box. Then, he beat Bevan to a sloppy backpass - Bevan took him out - and the penalty was converted by Rene Howe.

Rovers had some chances, while Ian Morris was denied making it 3-0 by a super Bevan save. Byron Anthony got one back, and Rovers were really pushing towards the end, but Ling's men held on. It was a win very much for the fans, as Buckle got his home reign off to a defeat. I'm not surprised this picked up this number of points, to be honest.

chunkygull · Post by **chunkygull** » 27 Mar 2016, 11:15

I'll take that as a no then!

:~D

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 27 Mar 2016, 11:16

Sorry Chunky! I was starting to think it was dragging on a bit so was trying to speed things up. I'll do one a day for the final 10 positions :}

gateman49 · Post by **gateman49** » 27 Mar 2016, 12:52

Re. the Argyle match, I actually have a photo of the winner going in somewhere, I'll try and dig it out. It was taken by a friend stood next to me behind the goal! Cue bedlam.

Re. the Histon match, I remember listening in the radio as the last few minutes unfolded, what drama!

Re. the Gas match, I recall laughing my head off as, in the build up, the cameras followed Buckle from a cafe in Teignmouth and a drive up the M5 to the Memorial ground. Unfortunately, when he got to Bristol he didn't know the way and had to ring the ground to be talked in!

Agreed re. slowing down the feeds, it gives us all more time to wallow and reflect and thanks again Plymouthgull for lighting up these dark days and giving us this fascinating look over our shoulders. Hopefully, in a few years time we will all be reviewing a new set of entries for the top 100 (unless we are pushing up the daisies near the centre spot!).

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 28 Mar 2016, 09:53

JOINT 9th: Torquay United 1 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur - 1987/88

37 points, 6 votes (9+8+6+4+6+4)

Littlewoods League Cup 2nd Round 1st Leg
23rd September 1987
Plainmoor
Attendance: 5000

Torquay scorer: Derek Dawkins

Entering the top 10 most memorable games, and another cup upset kicks things off. We welcomed Spurs to Plainmoor again in the League Cup 2nd Round. 5000 were in Plainmoor for this game. Spurs, with a squad full of internationals, took the game to United early on but could not find the net. United also had a couple of chances - Paul Dobson going close. The game remained goalless until the final 5 minutes, when a cross from the left wasn't fully cleared. The ball fell to Dawkins who took his time before slamming home. It was the dream result for the Gulls, taking a lead to London.

The second leg went more as expected, with Spurs running out 3-0 winners.

samuel · Post by **samuel** » 28 Mar 2016, 10:29

Histon 4 Torquay 5 was one of mine. Was behind the goal when todays opposition manager Chris Todd got the winner. A cracking game from start to finish.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » 28 Mar 2016, 10:42

samuel wrote:Histon 4 Torquay 5 was one of mine. Was behind the goal when todays opposition manager Chris Todd got the winner. A cracking game from start to finish.

I was the one who gave it 10 points. Best game I've ever seen in terms of drama, I'm glad other people remember it fondly too

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