Torquay United vs Crewe Alexandra

[RussianGull]

Zebroski getting a goal is the highlight of the match for me.

[Stoke_Gull]

Good win, the Railwaymen have been sent chugging back to Crewe with no points but sounds as though we were running out of steam at the end.

[Plymouth Gull]

Just got home..

Got to say that first 30 minutes I have never, ever, seen a TUFC side dominate another so confidently! It was absolutely mental. Chance after chance after chance. Could have been 6-0 at half time. Passing was a joy to behold, I've never seen a Torquay team look so confident on the ball, to be honest!

Second half wasn't as good, but we kept trying to pass the ball, but the luck wasn't with us as Crewe pressed on. Their goal was a decent one, too.

Dead happy with 3 points

[ferrarilover]

Well, Jeff etc will give you proper reports, but, I'll get in early and use a cliché. It was a real game of two halves. First half, we played them off the park to an extent I have never seen before at Plainmoor against decent opposition. They plainly and simply did not get near the ball. It was more than our simply being the better team, I really do mean they barely had a touch except when their goalie made a save. We could, and probably should have been 5-0 up at half time, but for some 'straight at the 'keeper' shots, it would have been an absolute and utter annihilation.
Second half, they did to us what we had done to them in the first. They close us down quickly, they used the ball quickly and efficiently and they started winning a few free kicks, one of which would prove telling. They had already had a sighter when they were awarded a soft looking free kick (the kind we NEVER get awarded for much more blatant manhandling of Benyon) 22 yards out. Their version of Nico stepped up and smashed the ball past the wall and over the head of Bevs. It hit the net before he even moved.

They then started pressing harder and harder and forcing more and more errors, especially from our back four. Sadly, a Zebroski who was so devastatingly effective in the first half seemed to lose his confidence to run on beyond his man and, consequently, O'Kane became our only real outlet. Their defenders soon spotted this and did a reasonable job of freezing him out of the game. For all their pressure and possession, we did always look capable of scoring and the long ball up to Benyon was just about sufficient threat to keep them for throwing caution to the wind completely.

After such a thrilling first half, the final whistle came as a somewhat disappointingly welcome signal of the end of a very entertaining match.

Glad of the three points and thankful to both teams for providing excellent value for money, but it was considerably more hard fought than it really ought to have been.

Matt.

[Wisconsin_gull]

Intensity is the key to the remainder of season.

Tonight was a fantastic result vs crewe who were on a roll

2 game unbeaten run just started, playoffs here we come

[Fletch]

Absolutely awesome the first half. Passed them off the pitch. Totally dominated the game.

Second half, boy did some of the players hit a wall. Not suprising given the effort put into the first half along with Saturdays game. Could have done with bringing on 5 or 6 subs on around the hour mark

Astounded to see Crewe start hoofing long balls in the 2nd half though.

Excellent result though and a valuable 3 points in the bank.

edit: Hate to complain about the ref but what a shocker. Benners was getting manhandled all game and that just got totally ignored. Any 50/50 ball resulted in a Crewe free kick. Ironic cheers rang out when he actually awarded a free kick in our own area.

[Jeff]

Well, Jeff etc will give you proper reports, but, I'll get in early and use a cliché. It was a real game of two halves. First half, we played them off the park to an extent I have never seen before at Plainmoor against decent opposition. They plainly and simply did not get near the ball. It was more than our simply being the better team, I really do mean they barely had a touch except when their goalie made a save. We could, and probably should have been 5-0 up at half time, but for some 'straight at the 'keeper' shots, it would have been an absolute and utter annihilation.
Second half, they did to us what we had done to them in the first. They close us down quickly, they used the ball quickly and efficiently and they started winning a few free kicks, one of which would prove telling. They had already had a sighter when they were awarded a soft looking free kick (the kind we NEVER get awarded for much more blatant manhandling of Benyon) 22 yards out. Their version of Nico stepped up and smashed the ball past the wall and over the head of Bevs. It hit the net before he even moved.

They then started pressing harder and harder and forcing more and more errors, especially from our back four. Sadly, a Zebroski who was so devastatingly effective in the first half seemed to lose his confidence to run on beyond his man and, consequently, O'Kane became our only real outlet. Their defenders soon spotted this and did a reasonable job of freezing him out of the game. For all their pressure and possession, we did always look capable of scoring and the long ball up to Benyon was just about sufficient threat to keep them for throwing caution to the wind completely.

After such a thrilling first half, the final whistle came as a somewhat disappointingly welcome signal of the end of a very entertaining match.

Glad of the three points and thankful to both teams for providing excellent value for money, but it was considerably more hard fought than it really ought to have been.

Matt.

Unfortunately no I won't - I'm away days only!

Good insight into the game. To be fair, Crewe were on a red hot streak of form so for all that we outplayed them in the first half it was unlikely it would carry on. However we still won the game, their first defeat in 6 I think and one of our games in hand won. So we're back to being 3 points off 5th place, with a game in hand on all bar 2 of the sides above us, and games to come against those sides. We're sitting in a good position as any playoff charge is in our own hands.

Hopefully we can go and get a good result at morecambe. Won't be easy but a 6 point haul from this week would represent outstanding business.

[ferrarilover]

And you won MOTM based on that half arsed attitude?

Matt.

[PlainmoorRoar]

Absolutely awesome the first half. Passed them off the pitch. Totally dominated the game.

Second half, boy did some of the players hit a wall. Not suprising given the effort put into the first half along with Saturdays game. Could have done with bringing on 5 or 6 subs on around the hour mark

Astounded to see Crewe start hoofing long balls in the 2nd half though.

Excellent result though and a valuable 3 points in the bank.

edit: Hate to complain about the ref but what a shocker. Benners was getting manhandled all game and that just got totally ignored. Any 50/50 ball resulted in a Crewe free kick. Ironic cheers rang out when he actually awarded a free kick in our own area.

very true, however he is still one of the better ones we had this season!

[Trojan 67]

First half was an outstanding performance. If it had been a mugging, Torquay would have been found guilty of murder.

Second half we hardly had a sniff, but come the end we finished comfortably.

Branston Mansell O'Kane, awesome.

I thought the Football League officials had reasonable games, especially in the first half, and were a 100% improvement on the Conference crap that officiated the Carlisle game.

[chippygull]

I was out in Brick Lane curry house last night and the wonderful westbaygull texted me updates, by the end, the whole restaurant was rooting for the Gulls, even the chefs and waiters, then, a bottle of red on the house!! (paying for it at both ends this morning!)

[MidDevon]

I do not think I have seen a player dominate midfield like Euane did yesterday in the first half since the days of Alex Russell, he was everywhere.

It was interesting how Crewe stuck 5 in midfield in midfield in the second half in an attempt to snuff out all of Torquay's creative passing, in the main the suceeded with this.

[westbaygull]

(paying for it at both ends this morning!)

Waaaaaaaaay too much info Chipster :mrgreen:

[Wisconsin_gull]

A curry of 2 halves... :win:

[Modgull]

First time I've had to post after last night's game. This was a glimpse of what this team is capable of - playing outstanding football. It reminded me of Leroy's promotion team and the first half was a true demolition job let down only by our inability to score a third. We've seen signs of this before - the Johnstone Paints massacre of Cheltenham at Whaddon Rd last season was a similar "men and boys" display and so too the home demolition of Rochdale when they were riding high.

My evaluation of the players for those who might be interested:

Bevan 6/10 Still not totally over his rocky spell - wish he would dominate his area more
Nicho 7/10 Was very happy to trade passes with midfiel in the first half and defended well in the second
Branston 8/10 Was a rock at the back and avoided hoofing the ball pointlessly forward as he sometimes does
Ellis 7/10 Allowed Donaldson to come off him to readily but still did well
Robbo 7/10 Steady game and like Nicho showed that he can pass accurately when he wants to
Stevens 8/10 Ran his markers ragged, unlucky not to score
Mansell 8/10 The usual energetic performance was combined with some excellent passes and runs
Wroe 7/10 Seemed content to let O'Kane do the hard work whilst he mopped up behind him
Zebs 8/10 Full of running but why can't he lift his head to see other opportunities?
O'Kane 9.5/10 Only negative was that he went quieter in the 2nd half - first half he was just brilliant
Benyon 6/10 Not his best game and struggled up front on his own until Kee came on and we went 442

Subs were unable to show much in the time they were on but Kee still looks a handfull for defences

All in all an excellent night's entertainment let down only by the size of the crowd - what will it take to get people to Plainmoor - there is some cracking football on show now.