Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Torquay United (0) 1 Worthington 55
Attendance: 1,204
Admission: £15
Mileage: 38/1,562
SICK OF THE SIGHT OF THEM!
Part of the promotional material for visits of Torquay United makes great play of the friendship that has been generated between the clubs. Seemingly, Torquay supporters love a visit to the Yeomans Community Stadium. Unlike their own stadium, impressive at the level Plainmoor is, they love the freedom to walk around, pint in hand (often at a special offer price), listen to the live music and pass time with the locals without any hassle.
And, invariably, they return to the English Riviera (or London for a number of their exiles) with three points or passage into the next round of a cup competition.
To be honest, I’m sick of the sight of Torquay. Since our FA Trophy win in 2021, they come here and pinch a result that they don’t really deserve. But, on this occasion, we have no one to blame bar ourselves. Tonbridge have dominated the game start to finish, made chances aplenty and failed to take them and then took the sucker punch. Roll on the FA Trophy, a more realistic chance of progress, but to the man with the power of balls, please don’t send Torquay our way again.
We’ve rolled into October, the warmth of summer is still around when normally overcoats are making their opening appearances. Alan Dunne made two changes with Hayden Bullas and Bunmi Babajide returning to the starting XI.
The home side dominated the first half, leading the corner count by seven to one with the Gulls’ goalkeeper, Toby Savin, making significant saves with a touch onto the crossbar following a shot from Lamar Reynolds on 12 minutes and another from Ricky Korboa on 19 minutes.
Opportunities also fell to Ethan Sutcliffe and Bunmi Babajide, leaving the home side frustrated at the break.
Those frustrations increased on 55 minutes when, following a breakaway, Torquay opened the scoring through Matt Worthington who converted with a shot into the top corner after a long ball forward saw Callum Morton drive down the left before crossing low for Worthington to finish.
Tonbridge continued to dominate, but chance after chance foundered on a resolute Torquay defence and when they broke the yellow wall, Savin was there to deny Frankie Baker and when the golden chance of an equaliser came in the third minute of added time, he saved brilliantly from substitute Millar McDonald and following the resultant corner, Alfie Pavey prodded agonisingly wide.
Torquay United had, once more, executed the perfect smash and grab performance at the Yeomans and it is their name that goes into the hat for the Fourth Qualifying Round draw, winning at the admission of their manager, Jimmy Ball, ugly.
Picture: Dave Couldridge
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