The Torquay United Thread

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Torquay v Droylsden

Table-topping Torquay still have a host of injuries ahead of Droylsden's visit, with Darren Mullings and Chris Robertson definitely out of the match.

Chris Todd and Steve Woods (hamstring) are also doubtful, but striker Lee Phillips is fit after a leg injury.

Droylsden, on the back of 10 straight defeats, will hand a late fitness test to defender Liam Murray (facial wound).

Loan signing Dale Stephens could also make his first start for the club following two substitute appearances.

Source: BBC

Droylsden are definately punching above their weight in this division. This must be one of the easiest games for the Gulls this season, as long as the players keep their minds on the job.

Made hard work of it today, but another last minute winner after being 0ne nil down. Looks like we had plaenty of posession, but didn't get the goals. However, have to be happy with another 3 points and good team spirit to keep battling to the end. Think I'm going to have to take a weekend trip back at some point to watch a game, but knowing my lick that will be the kiss of death.

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Torquay 2-1 Droylsden

Torquay came from behind to claim victory and secure their place at the top of the Blue Square Premier table.

Droyslden took the led when Mark Ellis deflected a Jamie Tandy cross past hapless goalkeeper Simon Rayner and into his own net on 42 minutes.

But Tim Sills rose above the Droylsden defence to head home his ninth goal of the season and draw Torqwuay level.

And Lee Phillips powered his header into the back of the net in the last minute to give Torquay the win.

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Torquay: Rayner, Hinshelwood (Stevens 46), Todd, Ellis (Welsh 56), Nicholson, Bedeau, Hockley, Mansell (Wring 69), Zebroski, Phillips, Sills.

Subs Not Used: Rice, Hill.

Goals: Sills 79, Phillips 90.

Droylsden: Senior, Cryan, Halford, Murray, McGuire, Stephens, Lynch, Tandy (Warner 77), Denham (Murphy 87), Daly, Banim.

Subs Not Used: Phillips, Fearns, Burke.

Booked: Daly, Stephens, Murphy.

Goals: Ellis 42 og.

Att: 3,321

Ref: W Barratt (Halesowen).

Source:BBC

Another good sized crowd. What a difference a year makes.

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Another decent turn out at Plainmoor MrToad, like you say though...made hard work of the minnows of the conference. 4 points clear & strolling to the title.

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Another decent turn out at Plainmoor MrToad, like you say though...made hard work of the minnows of the conference. 4 points clear & strolling to the title.

If we stroll to the tile I'll be happy, but will make a big change from normal. We normally like to make it interesting

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PHILLIPS SAVOURS GULLS' GOAL GLEE

BILL SOBEY AT PLAINMOOR

11:00 - 02 October 2007

Torquay United's late-goal hero Lee Phillips has admitted that there was an element of luck, and a great deal of relief, after the Gulls' 2-1 Blue Square Premier victory over Droylsden last Saturday.

The Devon team struggled to overcome the Manchester side's well-organised defence as they sought to come back from a Mark Ellis own goal in the first half.

Phillips and fellow forward Tim Sills waited for a clear-cut chance to arrive but, with 15 minutes left, it seemed destined never to come. The Plainmoor crowd, used to goals galore, were getting restless.

Then, finally, Sills managed to burst the back of the net with his header for the equaliser in the 79th minute from a Kevin Nicholson corner, and suddenly the mood lifted.

As the game edged into stoppage time, classy left-back Nicholson flighted a long diagonal pass from inside his own half just beyond the Droylsden back-line. Phillips (pictured below) watched the ball move through the air and knew he had a decision to make before it arrived.

He said: "I was having a bad game until then, and as the ball come over I thought: 'Should I chest it down or try and head it'.

"In the end I thought 'sod it, I'll head it', and luckily enough it didn't go anywhere else but over the 'keeper and into the net, so I was absolutely delighted. I was buzzing."

The goal was Phillips' seventh of the season, but he said that the league points were more important than his personal tally.

"I know that's seven goals for me now this season," he said, "but I'm not worried about being top goalscorer or my goal-scoring record and things like that. As long as I do my bit and score the odd goal, I'm delighted."

The relief and joy was felt throughout the ground, as, by Phillips' own admission, the Gulls were far from their best.

He said: "We didn't start well and it wasn't our best game so far this season, to be fair, but the lads dug in. We knew what we had to do, and that was to get the three points.

"When we went behind it was a sucker punch of an own goal, but even though we weren't having the best of days, we battled through it and we managed to get the win, which was the main thing."

Phillips believes other teams will have similar problems breaking down Droylsden over the course of the season. He said: "To be fair, I have to say they were probably the best defensive side we've come up against, and I thought they put up a very good show of themselves and they were unlucky not to have taken anything from the game

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Glad your back Toadie...it was getting a bit quiet in here on my own

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Glad your back Toadie...it was getting a bit quiet in here on my own

Good to be back in BKK, although have to say that really enjoyed being back in S'pore for a few days.

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Ebbsfleet 2-1 Torquay

Stacy Long grabbed a late winner as Ebbsfleet punished Torquay United for missing a host of chances.

Long fired home from Luke Moore's pass three minutes from time to stretch the home side's unbeaten run to six games.

Moore had headed Ebbsfleet into a 77th minute lead, but Mark Ellis looked to have rescued a point for the Gulls when he nodded in a corner soon afterwards.

Chris Zebroski might have given Torquay an early lead, while Lee Phillips and Tim Sills also missed good chances.

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Ebbsfleet United: Cronin, McPhee, McCarthy, Hawkins, Opinel, Moore, Barrett, DeBolla, Long, Nade, Hastings (Ricketts 65).

Subs Not Used: Mott, Maskell, Goodhind, Luke Coleman.

Booked: McCarthy.

Goals: Moore 77, Long 87.

Torquay: Rayner, Woods, Todd, Ellis, Nicholson, Bedeau (Stevens 53), Hockley (Benyon 79), Hargreaves, Zebroski, Phillips (Wring 79), Sills.

Subs Not Used: Rice, Mansell.

Booked: Sills, Hargreaves, Zebroski, Ellis.

Goals: Ellis 82.

Att: 1,368

Ref: N Kinseley (Essex).

Source:BBC

Can't win them all but hope we bounce back for our next game.

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PAUL BUCKLE'S MATCH REACTION

Western Morning News.

11:00 - 08 October 2007

Torquay United manager Paul Buckle admitted his side had been given a lesson in the art of finishing following their 2-1 defeat against Ebbsfleet United on Saturday.

Goals from Luke Moore and Stacy Long secured the points for the Kent side, with Mark Ellis getting on the scoresheet for the Gulls.

Buckle said: "In the first half I felt we controlled the game and limited their chances. We had several of our own chances which we didn't take. But I won't criticise anyone for missed chances because we've been scoring goals this season.

"We've scored bundles of goals but it was crystal clear today that if you don't put the ball in the back of the net, with the opportunities we had, then this game is always likely to come and poke you in the eye down the other end."

Chris Hargreaves returned to the side after recovering from a groin injury and Buckle said he was delighted to see the midfielder back. "It's a big positive for us," Buckle admitted. "He's been out for quite a long time and I felt he put in a good performance.

"I don't think we were a million miles away from getting something out of the game. We just needed a touch more quality in the final third and needed to find a finish."

The Gulls' boss felt that his side should have had the game wrapped up in the first half. "If we had scored two or three in the first half then we would have been in control of the game," he said. "But that's the way it goes sometimes and we won't make big of it.

"We're not hanging from the roofs when we're winning and we're not going to be on the floor when we lose."

Unseasonal warmth created dry conditions but Buckle refused to make excuses for his side's failure in front of goal.

He said: "We like to play on a soft surface but it's the same for both teams. They deserved to win and that's the end of the story."

With his side trailing 1-0, Buckle introduced fit-again striker Elliot Benyon and winger Danny Wring in an attempt to get back into the game.

He added: "We got back into the game at 1-1 and I felt it was all us in the second half. It was us making the running and us creating the chances. We just didn't put the ball in the back of the net and that's the end of it. If we were awful and didn't create chances, I'd be worried.

"We must tighten up and stop conceding goals. We conceded two which isn't great for us but on another day we could have scored four goals. In the end I probably would have taken a draw, because we got back into the game late on, but all credit to them as they went down the other end and scored."

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They'll bounce back next game.

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They'll bounce back next game.

Oxford 3-3 Torquay

Tim Sills capped a stunning fightback for Torquay as they came from 3-0 down to draw at Oxford and climb to second.

Eddie Hutchinson's diving header put Oxford ahead and Yemi Odubade's fierce double seemingly made the points safe.

But sub Ishmael Welsh fired in after Billy Turley blocked a Chris Hargreaves shot and Chris Zebroski wriggled free to score a second 11 minutes from time.

The comeback was complete on 89 minutes when Zebroski released Welsh, whose perfect cross was headed home by Sills.

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Oxford United: Turley, Corcoran, Gilchrist, Willmott, Foster (Day 83), Pettefer, Trainer, Hutchinson (Rhodes 79), Jeannin, Shaw, Odubade.

Subs not used: Cisak, Rose, Standing.

Booked: Shaw.

Goals: Hutchinson 15, Odubade 18, 45.

Torquay United: Rayner, Woods, Ellis (Bedeau 38), Todd, Nicholson, Zebroski, Hargreaves, Mansell, Stevens (Welsh 56), Phillips, Sills.

Subs not used: Rice, Benyon, Hockley.

Booked: Phillips, Todd.

Goals: Welsh 58, Zebroski 79, Sills 89.

Attendance: 4,633

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).

A great comeback, but it does concern me that we are conceding a few to many goals for my liking. Anyway, will take the point away, esp as Oxford are one of the big rivals for the promotion spot this year.

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You beat me to this post only just Toadie... I was reding on another site about this game & you lot being 3 - 0 down and scrapping a last minute equaliser, it's getting a bit of a habit mate .

It said you climed to 2nd ? Who's first ?

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You beat me to this post only just Toadie... I was reding on another site about this game & you lot being 3 - 0 down and scrapping a last minute equaliser, it's getting a bit of a habit mate .

It said you climed to 2nd ? Who's first ?

Aldershot are top, we went back above Stevenage, who we are playing tomorrow.

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Torquay 4-2 Stevenage

Torquay went back to the top with an emphatic victory over Stevenage, whose keeper Alan Julian endured a nightmare.

Chris Zebroski put the Gulls ahead when Julian parried Ismael Welsh's shot but Craig Dobson curled Stevenage level.

Zebroski's cross flew over Julian and into the top corner to make it 2-1 and Julian's day got worse when he carried a Kevin Nicholson corner over the line.

Lee Phillips volleyed the fourth after Julian fumbled a cross and Tes Bramble fired home a late second for Stevenage.

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Torquay: Rayner, Bedeau, Woods, Todd, Nicholson, Zebroski, Mansell, Hargreaves, Welsh (Stevens 86), Sills (Benyon 90), Phillips.

Subs Not Used: Rice, Hockley, Ellis.

Booked: Woods, Todd, Bedeau.

Goals: Zebroski 32, 42, Julian 53 og, Phillips 56.

Stevenage: Julian, Fuller, Henry, Arber, Nutter, Dobson (Wilson 81), Miller (Bramble 75), Martin, Lewis, Cole (McMahon 67), Morison.

Subs Not Used: Russell, Gaia.

Booked: Miller.

Goals: Dobson 38, Bramble 85.

Att: 3,744.

Ref: David Phillips (West Sussex).

Source:BBC

A great weekend, England beat Estonia, England beat France and Torquay are top of the league.

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another decent turn out Toadie, Stevenage are no push overs so a good result that was

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another decent turn out Toadie, Stevenage are no push overs so a good result that was

Buckle delighted with Torquay win

Torquay boss Paul Buckle believes his side's 4-2 win over rivals Stevenage could have been even more emphatic.

"We could have scored seven and I don't think that would've been an injustice," said Buckle after the Gulls went back to the top of the Blue Square Premier.

"This wasn't close. We controlled the game and created loads of chances against a top team in our league.

"I can't ask for any more. Stevenage are a good footballing side but we hassled them into making mistakes."

Source: BBC.

He should be delighted, a really good win against one of the best teams in the league. That's 7 goals scored against the sides in second and third position. I'll not mention the Burton game .

An interesting FA cup draw, a short trip up the A370 and turn left, which will take us to Bath City, and the tiny little Twerton Park.

A nice cup run to the 3rd would be great and a draw against Man United in the 3rd round would be great, as long as it doesn't get in the way of the primary objective: Getting back in to the league

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another decent turn out Toadie, Stevenage are no push overs so a good result that was

Buckle delighted with Torquay win

Torquay boss Paul Buckle believes his side's 4-2 win over rivals Stevenage could have been even more emphatic.

"We could have scored seven and I don't think that would've been an injustice," said Buckle after the Gulls went back to the top of the Blue Square Premier.

"This wasn't close. We controlled the game and created loads of chances against a top team in our league.

"I can't ask for any more. Stevenage are a good footballing side but we hassled them into making mistakes."

Source: BBC.

He should be delighted, a really good win against one of the best teams in the league. That's 7 goals scored against the sides in second and third position. I'll not mention the Burton game .

An interesting FA cup draw, a short trip up the A370 and turn left, which will take us to Bath City, and the tiny little Twerton Park.

A nice cup run to the 3rd would be great and a draw against Man United in the 3rd round would be great, as long as it doesn't get in the way of the primary objective: Getting back in to the league

I was gonna say that's a nice local derby for you......but then saw how far it actually was the 'gas heads' played there for a while didn't they some years back??

Good night Irene ?? what was all that about then ?

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I was gonna say that's a nice local derby for you......but then saw how far it actually was the 'gas heads' played there for a while didn't they some years back??

Good night Irene ?? what was all that about then ?

Yeah, the Gasheads were there for quite a few seasons I think around from 86-96. I remeber going over there a couple of times when I was living in Bristol.

As for the Song:

Opinions differ as to how this came about but it is thought to have become popular in the 1950s when a version of the song was in the British charts - the line "sometimes I have a great notion to jump in the river and drown" - seemed to be particularly apt when Rovers lost as the Bristol Frome flows alongside the old Eastville ground.[19]

Another theory is that it was sung at a fireworks display at the Stadium the night before a Home game against Plymouth Argyle in the fifties. During the game the following day, Rovers were winning quite comfortably and the few Argyle supporters present began to leave early prompting a chorus of "Goodnight Argyle" from the Rovers supporters - the tune stuck and "Irene" became the club song.[2]

Source:Wikipedia

I think the first one looks likely to be the most probable reason. I'm feeling all nostalgic for Bristol now, I used to live not to far from the Old Eastville Stadium in Stapleton in fact, and used to drink with quite a few Rovers Old boys, good days.

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ROBERTSON'S COMEBACK

ROSS REID AT PLAINMOOR

11:00 - 17 October 2007 Western Morning News.

Blue Square Premier leaders Torquay United yesterday received a triple boost ahead of Sunday's trip to York City.Defender Chris Robertson proved his fitness in a run-out for the Gulls' reserves, with United beating Dorchester Town 2-0 at Plainmoor. Torquay manager Paul Buckle confirmed that teenager Mark Ellis has had his Plainmoor loan stay extended by Bolton Wanderers until the end of the year.

The Devon-born defender celebrated by scoring with a header from a set-piece in yesterday's friendly win over the Magpies. Danny Wring's solo effort gave the Gulls their other goal.

With Robertson - who has been ruled out by an ankle injury in recent weeks - fit again, Buckle was in an understandably good mood. "It's fantastic that Chris has come through and we now have a fully fit squad, touch wood," he said. "We have got every one fully fit, which is what you always want."

The United manager was just as delighted that 19-year-old Ellis has also had his loan spell extended by the Barclays Premier League club.

Buckle said: "It's great news. He is a fine young player and wants to play competitive football. We are delighted to have him on board. He has settled in so well down here and has come in and been enthusiastic and been a great addition to the squad. I am really glad he is staying around."

As for yesterday's game, in which Buckle was able to welcome back Robertson and also give the players who did not feature in last Sunday's 4-2 win over title rivals Stevenage Borough a run-out, the manager said: "Danny Wring went solo for his goal and buried it in the corner of the net, and Mark Ellis scored from a set-play with a header.

"It's always nice to win, but it's really about the fact that - yet again - the players go out there with the same attitude, whether it's a reserve game, a first-team game or training. They work hard and want to do well. It's great to see

I'm sure good old Ross would be delighted if he knew that his reports were being posted up in Thialand

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I'm sure if he knew he'd be after royalties from you

York have gone right down hill looking at this season so far. Last season they seemed to be hanging there or there abouts & I think I'm right they were in the play offs to come back up ??

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I'm sure if he knew he'd be after royalties from you

York have gone right down hill looking at this season so far. Last season they seemed to be hanging there or there abouts & I think I'm right they were in the play offs to come back up ??

I'd better keep quiet, other wise the bald bastard bastrd will be after me . Funnily enough, Ross is a good old boy as he used to cover our Hockey Matches when I was living in Devon -he's certainly moved on upwards .

Looking forward to Torquay getting another good result this weekend, but not half as much as the game on at 2am tomorrow morning. I'll admit that this weekend, footie is taking a backseat (sort of).

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I'm sure if he knew he'd be after royalties from you

York have gone right down hill looking at this season so far. Last season they seemed to be hanging there or there abouts & I think I'm right they were in the play offs to come back up ??

I'd better keep quiet, other wise the bald bastard bastrd will be after me . Funnily enough, Ross is a good old boy as he used to cover our Hockey Matches when I was living in Devon -he's certainly moved on upwards .

Looking forward to Torquay getting another good result this weekend, but not half as much as the game on at 2am tomorrow morning. I'll admit that this weekend, footie is taking a backseat (sort of).

I use to work with a Rovers supporter years ago. He didn't thank you taking the p*** out of good night Irene or reminding him Rovers most famous supporter was Rod Hull & Emu That still makes me laugh now.

Burton are hot on you heels now mate , up to 2nd after last night.

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I'm sure if he knew he'd be after royalties from you

York have gone right down hill looking at this season so far. Last season they seemed to be hanging there or there abouts & I think I'm right they were in the play offs to come back up ??

I'd better keep quiet, other wise the bald bastard bastrd will be after me . Funnily enough, Ross is a good old boy as he used to cover our Hockey Matches when I was living in Devon -he's certainly moved on upwards .

Looking forward to Torquay getting another good result this weekend, but not half as much as the game on at 2am tomorrow morning. I'll admit that this weekend, footie is taking a backseat (sort of).

I use to work with a Rovers supporter years ago. He didn't thank you taking the p*** out of good night Irene or reminding him Rovers most famous supporter was Rod Hull & Emu That still makes me laugh now.

Burton are hot on you heels now mate , up to 2nd after last night.

I just wonder who Keth Harris and Orville supported? Cos that would be infinitely worse.

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TOP

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DETERMINED GULLS RETURN TO SUMMIT

11:00 - 22 October 2007

Source:Western Morning News

Chris Todd's goal sent Torquay United back to the top of the Blue Square Premier table last night.

The Gulls' centre-back headed in a 51st-minute Kevin Nicholson corner to secure maximum points at Bootham Crescent. Todd's effort was just one of two on-target goal attempts for the visitors, but the Devon side's determined defence held tight to keep their first clean-sheet on their travels since August 15.

Torquay fielded an unchanged side as manager Paul Buckle looked for a first away victory in three games.

The Minstermen also made no changes, after beating Woking and Stafford Rangers in their previous two outings.

Both teams observed a minute's silence before the kick-off to mark the death of Hartlepool United winger Michael Maidens, who had spent a month on loan at York last season and died in a car crash on Friday night.

The Gulls started the brightest in an even first half, with on-loan left-winger Ishmael Welsh skipping past home centre-back David McGurk before crossing into the box, where Tim Sills diving header was saved.

York's most-promising early raids came courtesy of ex-Torquay full-back Mark Robinson.

His eighth-minute cross was gathered bravely by goalkeeper Simon Rayner under pressure from on-loan Scunthorpe United striker Daniel McBreen.

Lee Phillips then rode challenges from Manny Panther and McGurk before dragging a left-footed chance wide. But Robinson again threatened down the left for the home team on 13 minutes, sending in a dangerous cross that Onome Sodje stabbed wide from seven yards out.

Phillips went close again moments later, firing over from 20 yards, while Chris Zebroski also cleared the crossbar on 18 minutes with an ambitious volley after he returned to the action having had stitches applied to a cut on his head.

At the other end, Rayner made a comfortable save from a Sodje overhead kick, but the Gulls captain Steve Woods spared his 'keeper's blushes on 23 minutes.

Rayner charged towards the touchline to try and cut out a Martyn Woolford cross but failed, only for Woods to clear the danger in his vacated six-yard box.

United midfielder Chris Hargreaves felled Panther 20 yards out to earn a yellow card and Robinson followed him into the book for a crude challenge on Zebroski, who then headed wide from a Kevin Nicholson cross.

Rayner then made his second save of the evening on the stroke of half-time - another routine stop from a Paul Brayson daisy-cutter.

Home striker Sodje blazed over a great chance for York on 49 minutes and the Minstermen paid the price moments later.

Nicholson swung in an excellent free-kick from the right and Todd beat marker McGurk to the ball and sent a glancing header past home goalkeeper Tom Evans from five yards.

The Gulls then threatened to add a second goal, with Sills flashing a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box. But Buckle's men had to withstand late York pressure, with Rayner required to make saves from Sodje and substitute Richard Brodie.

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Can't fault them for three points at York. They had a couple of good wins to take the pressure off a bit of late.

What was the crowd for that one then?

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Can't fault them for three points at York. They had a couple of good wins to take the pressure off a bit of late.

What was the crowd for that one then?

Think there was about 2,800 there at York.

Interesting game this weekend, with a trip to Twerton Park to play Bath.

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Nice little 2-0 away win up at Bath, and another trip up the A370 in the 1st round of the FA cup with a visit to Yeovil. It will be interesting to see how this current side, cope against a good lower league side. I'm sure that we'll give a good account up there.

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Nice little 2-0 away win up at Bath, and another trip up the A370 in the 1st round of the FA cup with a visit to Yeovil. It will be interesting to see how this current side, cope against a good lower league side. I'm sure that we'll give a good account up there.

You'll be ok there mate, they're not the same as last season. We releived them of their best payers over the summer so slightly weaker now.

That Swindon lad had a good prediction, at least he was right, they did get beat.

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GULLS' RICE TAKES CHANCE

Source: Western Morning News

11:00 - 29 October 2007

When Martin Rice dived to his left to make a brilliant save from Lewis Hogg's 13th-minute penalty, there was no luck involved.

The 21-year-old goalkeeper may have been making his Torquay United debut at Bath City in place of Simon Rayner, who had injured his shoulder in the Gulls' Blue Square Premier win at York City the previous weekend, but he had clearly listened intently to manager Paul Buckle's pre-match briefing prior to Saturday's 2-0 FA Cup fourth qualifying round victory.

So when Hogg, who had never missed a spot-kick for Bath in 11 attempts, stepped up, Rice felt he had the edge in the battle of wills. "The manager had told me before the game to go left if Bath had a penalty, and that is what I did," he said.

"He hit it well but I got a hand to it and then the rebound went over. I was very pleased with the save, and chuffed to be playing.

"Obviously, it is disappointing for Simon to get injured but you have to take your chance when you get it, and I thought the whole team did well. We knew Bath are a good team and they made it difficult for us."

The penalty save, after defender Chris Todd was adjudged to have handled when under pressure from Bath striker Darren Edwards, proved to be a crucial point in the match.

"I was gutted I missed the kick because we would have been right back in it then," said Hogg, a former Bristol Rovers player.

Instead, Torquay's early advantage remained intact after they had taken the lead in the eighth minute.

Initially Lee Mansell's looping cross from the right wing did not appear to be too threatening, but Bath goalkeeper Paul Evans' decision to come and collect proved fatal.

Evans, who had been struggling with an ankle injury and only played with a strapping, did not get near the cross and Lee Phillips was given a header into an empty net which he gladly accepted to score his ninth goal of the season.

If the Blue Square Premier leaders had any nerves about the tie against last season's Southern League champions, the early goal settled them and barely three minutes later they went close to making it two.

A powerful run by Chris Zebroski, who has had a great start to the season, almost extended Torquay's lead but his shot from 20 yards flashed just wide with Evans beaten.

The penalty miss was a let-off for the visitors, while it took a goal-line clearance from Tony Bedeau in the 19th minute, after Rice had palmed away Adie Harris's stinging shot, to preserve Torquay's lead.

The game threatened to boil over in the 40th minute when substitute Elliott Benyon, who had replaced Torquay scorer Phillips due to the latter's injury, suffered a clash of heads on the touchline with Matt Coupe, with the Gulls' man getting booked by referee Chris Sarginson.

A bad miss by Bath striker Phil Walsh in first-half added-on time reminded Torquay that the game was far from over, and ensured a lively team talk from Buckle.

"I said to my players at half-time that, if we carried on at the tempo we were at, we would probably get beaten," Buckle said. "We needed to up it by 20 per cent, in my opinion. In the first half we got bumped off the ball once or twice and that is unlike us. We needed to raise our game."

That is what Torquay did after the break as they squeezed the life out of Bath. Tim Sills flashed a shot just wide in the 54th minute then, in the 74th minute, the impressive Kevin Nicholson saw his well-struck free-kick from 25 yards deflected over the crossbar.

Bath boss John Relish threw on former Torquay striker Scott Partridge in a last bid to save the game but the gamble failed when the visitors went two up after a counter-attack.

Breaking quickly from their own half, Mark Ellis sent Sills sprinting free down the left. Sills coolly held the ball up before squaring to an unmarked Danny Stevens to fire in from 15 yards. That ended Bath's dogged resistance, and Stevens almost made it three in the dying minutes but was denied by a good save from Evans.

Bring on the Wurzles