ON THIS DAY 2001: TORQUAY UNITED 2 EXETER CITY 1

 When something is billed as 'the biggest thing ever seen' - it often only holds that title until something bigger comes along. 

That was certainly the case when Torquay United and Exeter City went into what was billed as ‘the most crucial Devon derby of all-time’ in January 2001. Both the Gulls and the Grecians went into this game in the bottom three of the Third Division with the very real threat of relegation to the Conference staring them in the face.

The pair had previously met at St James Park on Boxing Day, where they played out a 1-1 draw in which the Gulls snatched a late equaliser through Eifion Williams that cancelled out Jamie Campbell’s opener for the Grecians.

At the time of their clash only bottom placed Carlisle United possessed fewer points than either United or City, and the fear that the loser could be condemned to the wilderness of non-league football loomed large. 

The match started off well for the Gulls, as their front two of Eifion Williams and Tony Bedeau both went close to opening the scoring. The match then took a controversial turn in the fifth minute when Grecians captain Chris Curran was sent off by referee Andy Hall for a challenge on Torquay’s French midfielder Khalid Chalqi; it had looked as though Curran had used the elbow. 

Torquay were then able to pile the pressure on Exeter as they made their extra man count. The funniest moment of the game came on the half hour as Jimmy Aggrey took issue with City’s player-manager Noel Blake over a challenge on Torquay keeper Ryan Northmore. Blake then ran the full length of the pitch back to his starting position with a “Who do you think you are?” look on his face.

Then on the stroke of half time, Exeter player-coach John Cornforth felled Torquay striker Tony Bedeau in the penalty area; this prompted referee Hall to point to the penalty spot-kick, a decision that sparked anger amongst the travelling Exeter Fans.

Torquay skipper Mark Ford had to wait two minutes to take the penalty, as a minor pitch invasion was subdued. Ford was then able to send Exeter keeper Arjan Van Heusden the wrong way to give the Gulls the lead. This enraged Exeter’s travelling support further as around a dozen of their supporters spilled on to the pitch and later claimed that they were incited by Ford.

The second half saw Blake pull a muscle in an attempted challenge on Bedeau and he replaced himself immediately with Mark Burrows. The second half also saw an increase in the tempo of the game, as Grecians winger Christian Roberts proved a real handful for Torquay with his electrifying pace and they found it increasingly harder to make their advantage count against 10-man Grecians.

Torquay had Northmore to thank for a string of good saves as Kwame Ampadu and Roberts both went close for City; they proved to be vital in helping keep Torquay in the game.

In the 69^th minute, Exeter were rewarded for their efforts on goal as former Manchester United apprentice Mark Rawlinson reacted quickest to equalise after Northmore had parried an initial strike from future Gulls’ manager Paul Buckle.

This sparked an immediate change in the Torquay side as manager Wes Saunders replaced Bedeau with targetman John Gayle, but the service to him and fellow striker Williams was worse than it was before.

Saunders made a second substitution by bringing on Paul Holmes for Robbie Herrera to help counteract the pace of Christian Roberts, but it was Saunders’ introduction of Kevin Parker in place of Kevin Hill, which would have the biggest effect on the outcome of the match

Parker was able to latch on to a Mark Ford pass and then beat two tired Exeter defenders. He tried his luck and it paid handsome dividends as he snatched a dramatic winner for the Gulls.  This then sparked scenes of jubilant celebrations amongst the Torquay fans, which prompted Parker to remove his shirt in his goal celebration, as Torquay clinched victory in superb style and the three points took them a step nearer survival.

Watching that afternoon in the stands was former Spurs and England defender Steve Perryman, who had agreed to work with the Grecians as an unpaid football consultant to assist manager Blake. Perryman was able to steer City away from the drop, but the Gulls would have to wait until the final day of the campaign to retain their league status – which they did with the help of another ex-Spurs player Colin Lee. 

Torquay (4-4-2): Ryan Northmore; Steve Tully, Jimmy Aggrey, Lee Russell, Robbie Herrera (Paul Holmes 81); Khalid Chalqi, Gary Neil, Mark Ford, Kevin Hill (Kevin Parker 89); Eifion Williams, Tony Bedeau (John Gayle 70)

Exeter (4-4-2): Arjan Van Heusden; Neil Whitworth, Chris Curran, Noel Blake (Mark Burrows 56), Graeme Power; Christian Roberts (Graeme Tomlinson 90), Paul Buckle, John Cornforth (Kwame Ampadu 64), Mark Rawlinson; Paul Read, Steve Flack

Attendance: 4,053

An abridged version of this match and another 49 matches can be found in Torquay United: A History in 50 Matches - which is available here torquayunitedahistoryin50 — Torquay United: A History in 50 Matches

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS MAIDSTONE UNITED

 1. Three red cards. 

Anyone predicted beforehand that there would be three red cards issued when Torquay United faced Maidstone United, then Nostradamus would like his glasses back. 

Right-back David Sesay was dismissed for the Stones after an 'off the ball' altercation with United skipper Sam Dreyer and a scuffle followed involving Sesay and United keeper James Hamon. 

Then, late on, Louis Dennis received a straight red card for grappling with Maidstone substitute John Gilbert and moments later, Jordan Young was awarded a second yellow card for protesting against a goal kick being given instead of a corner. 

So, within a space of a minute, Torquay went from having a one-man advantage to a one-man disadvantage. Fans of a certain age will recall the Gulls' encounter with Brentford in 1991, in which Gary Blissett was dismissed for his now infamous elbow on John Uzzell and they would probably also remember Marcus Gayle being dismissed for the Bees and Paul Compton was sent off for the Gulls, however Saturday's match wasn't in the same league as that one. 

United are now potentially looking at a three-match ban for Dennis and a one-match ban for Young, which would leave the Gulls without their two leading scorers when they travel to Enfield Town next Saturday. 

2. Keeping their discipline. 

Despite the game seeing three dismissals, the Gulls' centre back pairing of Jordan Dyer and Sam Dreyer deserve a lot of credit for displays of controlled aggression after playing the majority of the game on a yellow card. 

Dyer was booked after conceding the free-kick from which Maidstone took the lead through Riley Court in the 21st minute, whilst Dreyer was booked following the meelee which led to David Sesay receiving his marching orders. 

The pair did an excellent job to keep Mo Faal and later Hamzad Kargbo at bay, and left-back Jay Foulston also made an important block at the end to keep the Stones at bay. 

3. Dylan Morgan takes his tally for the season to five. 

When Dylan Morgan found the back of the net with United's equaliser on 29 minutes, it was his fifth of the campaign

His strike against Hampton and Richmond Borough made him United's third top scorer behind joint leading scorers Louis Dennis and Jordan Young, and his effort against the Stones strengthens his grip on third place in the scoring charts. 

4. United still very much in the promotion race. 

Results elsewhere mostly went in United's favour as Worthing's draw with Horsham means that the Gulls remain three points behind the league leaders. United are also a point behind Weston Super Mare after the Seagulls lost 1-0 to Chelmsford City. 

However, Hornchurch's 2-0 win over Eastbourne Borough lifts them above the Gulls and into second place in the table. Also, the outcome of the Urchins' FA Trophy tie with AFC Telford United will determine whether their clash with the Gulls will go ahead on January 31. 

United may well look back on Saturday as a point gained, just as they did when they drew the Stones at the Gallagher Stadium last August. 

WOTTON'S GULLS NOT WEIGHED DOWN BY WEIGHT OF HISTORY

 When Torquay United won their first ever meeting with Maidstone United on December 30, 1989, few could have imagined that the Gulls would have only won once against the Stones since. 

Goals from Dean Edwards and Mark Loram sealed a 2-1 win for Torquay, who were undergoing a revival under Dave Smith, following the departure earlier in the 1989-90 campaign of Cyril Knowles, and were laying the foundations of their eventual promotion in 1990-91. 

The Gulls never got to face Maidstone in the 1992-93 season as they resigned from the Football League before the start of the campaign and later went into liquidation. 

Many years later in the National League during the 2016-17 season, Torquay first faced the reformed Stones, who had fought their way back to respectability after starting again in the Kent County League. 

Wins were hard to come by for the Gulls against the Stones, with a solitary 1-0 win at Plainmoor in January 2023 courtesy of an Aaron Jarvis strike, being all that Torquay have had to show for their efforts against the Kent side since then. 

However, current Gulls boss Paul Wotton is refusing to be weighed down by their history playing against the Stones. Indeed, Wotton's current record against George Elokobi's side includes two well earned draws - including the Gulls' 1-1 draw at the Gallagher Stadium in their second game of the current campaign which was secured with a late penalty from Jordan Young. 

Torquay will be going into the game in a positive state of mind after winning 4-1 against Hampton and Richmond at Plainmoor last weekend, and positivity 

CUP DEFEAT WON'T DEFINE GRECIANS CAMPAIGN

 It was a day that records were set, but not the kind that Exeter City might have been hoping for against Manchester City. 

As was the Premier League giants ran out as 10-1 winners, with a haul that included efforts from former Ballon D'or winner Rodri and £65 million debutant Antoine Semenyo as well as own goals from Jake Doyle-Hayes and Max Fitzwater. Youngster George Birch, who recently returned from a loan spell from Weston Super Mare in National League South, scored a consolation for the Grecians. 

By winning 10-1, Pep Guardiola's side equalled their highest ever competitive win, which came in the 'old' Second Division versus Huddersfield Town in 1987. It was also the Grecians' worst ever loss, surpassing the 9-0 defeats that they suffered against Notts County in 1948, Northampton Town in 1958 and against Reading in the EFL Trophy in 2023. 

However, retaining their status as a League One club is now their number one priority,  as they return to league action against Stevenage next Saturday. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS HAMPTON AND RICHMOND BOROUGH

 1. United take advantage of their rival's inactivity. 

With many of United's promotion rivals inactive due to cup commitments and postponements, the timing of the Gulls' win over Hampton and Richmond Borough was more or less perfect. 

After manager Paul Wotton had said that United were 'one thousand, million trillion percent in the title race' in his Thursday pre-match press conference, the Gulls are now within three points of league leaders Worthing, who lost 5-4 away to Salisbury FC. 

Finding the back of the net four times also had a positive impact on United's goal difference. 

2. Ten points now won after conceding first for the Gulls in 2025-26. 

By recovering after conceding first against Hampton and Richmond, United have now won ten points from a losing position over the course of the 2025-26 campaign. 

After falling behind on 21 minutes to Aaron Lacey's effort for the Beavers, the Gulls equalised on 39 minutes when Callum Dolan curled home. In the second half, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton gave United the lead for the first time before Jordan Young and Dylan Morgan struck to give the score line a more complete look. 

Previously, the Gulls had come back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Maidstone United away and also beat both Dover Athletic and Worthing 3-2 at home. 

This has become something of a trait for United under Paul Wotton, they amassed 20 points from losing positions in the 2024-25 season, but hopefully they won't have to do it too many more times. 

3. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton amongst the goals. 

Paul Wotton employed Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in the 'number ten' role just behind Louis Dennis of his usual role as a central midfielder following the return to fitness of Matt Worthington. 

It was a move that paid dividends as he scored United's second goal on 52 minutes when he fired home from distance after being teed up by Jordan Young. 

Wotton also revealed in his post-match interview with BBC Radio Devon that he had originally Lo-Everton as a 'number ten' - even though he has previously appeared in the centre of midfield for the Gulls until now. 

Playing as a 'number ten' also means that he is also being deployed 20 to 30 yards further up the pitch, which will mean he will get more chances to score. Hopefully, he might end up with similar goal returns previously enjoyed by Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Armani Little, who both hit double figures for a season during their respective stays at Plainmoor. 

4. A positive change. 

Shortly after Lo-Everton netted United's second, Paul Wotton shuffled his pack to send Cody Cooke on in place of Matt Worthington and Lo-Everton reverted back to his central midfield role, with Louis Dennis dropping back to play as a 'number 10.' 

It was a change that sent the message out to Hampton that the Gulls weren't prepared to sit back and settle for holding on to their lead at 2-1, but were intent on pushing forward and adding to their tally. This is exactly how the game panned out as Jordan Young added a third on 63 minutes before Dylan Morgan struck in injury time. 

5. Movement in the goal scoring charts. 

By scoring United's third of the afternoon, Jordan Young is now level on 13 goals as top scorer with Louis Dennis. 

Also, Dylan Morgan is now in third place outright after netting the Gulls' fourth with four, whilst Callum Dolan moves level on three with Matt Jay and Cody Cooke. 

However, Dennis could be considered unlucky not to have added to his tally after seeing his long range strike acrobatically turned behind by Hampton keeper Matt Rowley in the 77th minute. 

MARTIN 'BUSTER' PHILLIPS IN PROFILE

 Hailed as potentially Britain's 'first £10million player' by former World Cup winner Alan Ball - Martin 'Buster' Phillips didn't quite live up to that tag - but the talented winger still enjoyed a decent career nonetheless. 

Buster started his career with his hometown club Exeter City and made his debut during the 1992-93 season against Wigan Athletic, whilst Ball was in charge at St James Park. 

After signing his first professional contract in 1994, he emerged as a stand-out performer in a Grecians' side who only avoided relegation from the Football League in the 1994-95 season due to Macclesfield Town's Moss Rose ground not meeting league requirements. 

In the 1995-96 campaign, he was regarded as one of the brightest talents in the lower divisions, as evidenced by his injury time winner against Fulham in September 1995. Two months later, Ball, who was now manager of Manchester City, paid the Grecians £500,000 to bring him to Maine Road; it would remain the highest transfer fee that Exeter City received for a player until Matt Grimes joined Swansea City in January 2015. 

However, Manchester City's subsequent decline (they were relegated from the Premier League in 1995-96 and were then relegated from Division One in 1997-98), a bloated first team squad (at one stage they had over 40 professionals on their books) and several changes of manager (Ball was sacked in 1996 and Steve Coppell, Frank Clark and Joe Royle all tried to arrest their decline) meant Buster only 15 appearances in three years. 

A loan spell with Scunthorpe United and a return to the Grecians on loan followed before he was reunited with Ball at Portsmouth in the summer of 1998, as Pompey paid £100,000 for his services. 

Two years later, Buster returned to Devon on a permanent basis when Kevin Hodges paid Pompey £25,000 to sign him for Plymouth Argyle ahead of the 2000-01 campaign. Early in the season, Hodges was dismissed and replaced by Paul Sturrock. 

Under Sturrock, the Pilgrims won the Division Three title in the 2001-02 season, with Buster a key performer. He also made a contribution to the Argyle who won the Division Two title two years later before he was released in the summer of 2004 and signed for Torquay United, who had just won promotion to the newly rebranded League One under Leroy Rosenior. 

In his first season at Plainmoor, 2004-05, the Gulls were relegated back down to League Two after losing on the final day of the campaign at Colchester United. His second season, 2005-06, saw United reach the third round of the FA Cup, where they lost to Birmingham City after a replay, and complete a memorable 'great escape' under Ian Atkins - winning four in a row before drawing 0-0 with Boston United in their last game; Buster scored the only goal of the game in the second of their four-match winning run at home to Wrexham. 

Sadly the 2006-07 season proved to be his last in professional football as he forced to retire after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. 

After coaching in Argyle's Centre of Excellence, he later joined the FA Skills programme in 2010 and currently lives in Somerset, where he runs his own coaching business that specialises in teaching PE in Primary Schools. 

FOOTBALL IS A FAMILY BUSINESS FOR THE ROSENIORS

 Whilst Leroy Rosenior's infamous ten minute spell as Torquay United in 2007 is well documented, his Liam's ten-match loan spell in 2003-04 has, until his recent appointment as the new Chelsea manager, been overlooked. 

Rosenior junior had been drafted in on loan from Fulham by Leroy to bolster a squad that already contained the likes of Alex Russell, Jason Fowler, David Graham and Kevin Hill et al - all names that trip off the tongues of all Torquay United fans who witnessed them in action to this every day. 

Unlike many players who are loaned from Premier League Under-23 squads to the lower leagues today, Liam arrived at Plainmoor with some pedigree in senior football, having scored for his former club Bristol City in the LDV Vans Trophy final against Carlisle United in 2003. 

He was handed his debut by Leroy as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Cambridge United on March 20, 2004. However, Leroy was keen to keep him grounded. 

In his 2017 autobiography, It's Only Banter, Leroy tells the story of how the two of them drove into training together, and once at training United's one-time England physio Norman Medhurst went up to Liam and said: "the boss wants to see you," He went to see Leroy, who then delivered the bombshell: "I'm dropping you."

Although Liam was disappointed to be left out, the move sent out the message that he didn't have any favourites. Nevertheless, Liam ended up having the last laugh when he was brought off the bench after 29 minutes along with Jo Kuffour, as they replaced Tony Bedeau and Kevin Hill respectively, as United drew 2-2 with Yeovil Town on April 3, 2004. 

Liam then regained his spot in the side and featured in the Gulls' 2-1 win over Southend United, which secured Division Three's third automatic promotion spot at the expense of Huddersfield Town, who, of course, drew with Cheltenham Town. 

In the following 2004-05 season, Liam made his debut for Fulham in the Premier League against Manchester United. He then went on to play for Reading, Hull City and Brighton and Hove Albion and also played for England at Under-21 level. 

As a coach, he coached Brighton's Under-23's side before assisting Philip Cocu and Wayne Rooney at Derby County. 

Spells managing Hull City in the Championship and Strasbourg in Ligue 1 before he was recently handed his big break at Stamford Bridge.