ON THIS DAY: CARLISLE UNITED 1 TORQUAY UNITED 2006

 At the end of the 2004-05 season, the Gulls said goodbye to midfield maestro Alex Russell and leading scorer Bayo Akinfenwa, who signed for Bristol City and Swansea City respectively, whilst the team-mates they left behind said hello again to League Two.

With many members of the side that were part of United’s promotion winning triumph against Southend two years earlier still with the club, there was some optimism that Torquay could challenge for an immediate return to League One.

However, Leroy Rosenior was unable reproduce the magic of their previous spell in the Division. Despite a good FA Cup run, which saw United reach the third round for the first time in six years where they were beaten by Birmingham City, then of the Premiership, after a replay, Rosenior left the club at the end of January 2006.

Former Exeter City manager John Cornforth then stepped in as Caretaker Manager before taking on the managerial reigns on a permanent basis.

Unfortunately, Cornforth was unable to halt the Gulls’ slide towards what would have been a second successive relegation and Atkins was drafted in as a consultant by Chairman Mike Bateson in a similar manner to the roles Neil Warnock and Colin Lee performed in 1993 and 2001 respectively.

With six games remaining, Cornforth was dismissed and Atkins took charge for the Gulls’ final six matches of the season in what Bateson described as the ‘final roll of the dice.’

After losing their first game of Atkins’ reign against Cheltenham Town, Torquay then recorded three successive wins against Macclesfield Town (a), Wrexham (h) and Stockport County (h) before their penultimate league game of the season away at Carlisle United.

In the 1992-93 season, the Gulls had beaten the Cumbrians to retain their status as a Football League club; could lightning strike twice?

It would be a slightly harder task this time, as Carlisle were searching for a victory that would see them clinch the League Two title.

The Gulls went into the game on the back of an emphatic 4-0 home win over Stockport County, whilst the Cumbrians were eager to get their hands on the league title in front of a crowd of just under 14,000.

Carlisle, unsurprisingly, began well as their former Sunderland, Leeds and England Under-21 striker Michael Bridges started finding space and 26-goal leading scorer Karl Hawley, who would later join the Gulls, looked a constant threat in the opening stages.

Nevertheless, United’s defence didn’t cave in and this gave them the platform to take the lead in the eighth minute.

Jo Kuffour proved to be a menace to the Cumbrians with his pace and he drifted towards the right hand side producing a cross which found Kevin Hill, who leapt above the Carlisle defence and headed home to give the Gulls the lead. It was Hill’s ninth goal of the campaign, and his leap to connect with Kuffour’s cross was probably one of the nearest things that you are ever likely to see to human flight – as he seemed to hang in the air momentarily.

Still with the title within their sights, Carlisle continued to apply pressure to the Torquay backline as Bridges forced a save from Gulls’ keeper Andy Marriott and Hawley had a header which glanced wide.

The Cumbrians were playing without any wingers which meant that they were vulnerable to being hit on the counter attack, something right winger Martin ‘Buster’ Phillips and Kuffour looked to exploit and – very often – did.

In the 30^th minute, Kuffour read a flick-on from strike partner Lee Thorpe and crashed a shot against the post with Carlisle goalkeeper Kieren Westwood well beaten.

Eight minutes later, Steve Woods blasted over at the far post after the Cumbrians’ defence had failed to clear a corner from Darren Garner as Torquay continued to press.

They soon got their reward as four minutes before the break a cross from Phillips was nodded into the path of Kuffour by Thorpe, and the diminutive striker found the back of the net with a shot on the turn to score his fourth goal in as many matches to double the Gulls’ lead.

After the break, Carlisle boss Paul Simpson added extra width to his side by bringing on Simon Hackney for Derek Holmes, and pushed Bridges further forward to play in a partnership with Hawley.

The change seemed to work when they forced Torquay into conceding a corner three minutes after the restart. Chris Lumsdon took the flag-kick for the Cumbrians, which their Spanish left-back Zigor Aranalde nodded home past Marriott to reduce their arrears to a single goal.

Now the pressure was on the Gulls to defend as Carlisle pushed forward in numbers in search of an equaliser, but Torquay – inspired by their central defensive pairing of Steve Woods and Craig Taylor – stood firm.

Ten minutes from time, it seemed as though their resistance had been broken when Marriott – under pressure from Cumbrians’ substitute Glen Murray – appeared to have punched the ball into his own net. However, referee Clive Oliver disallowed the goal for an infringement and the Gulls’ side and their travelling supporters breathed a huge sigh of relief.

With five minutes remaining, Carlisle boss Simpson then sent himself on as a substitute in a bid to get something out of the game – but it wasn’t to be and Torquay held on to secure their fourth straight win.

From being in a seemingly impossible situation, the Gulls were now in touching distance of retaining their status as a Football League club.

The Cumbrians had to wait until the following Tuesday to finally get their hands on the League Two title, when they beat Rochdale, whilst Torquay made their own safety mathematically certain with a goalless draw against Boston United at Plainmoor on the following Saturday.

Torquay (4-4-2): Andy Marriott; Matt Villis, Steve Woods, Craig Taylor, Stephen Reed; Martin Phillips (Matt Hockley 75), Darren Garner, Danny Hollands (Morike Sako 90), Kevin Hill; Jo Kuffour (Paul Robinson 84), Lee Thorpe 

This match, along with many others, can be found in Torquay United: A History in 50 Matches, which is available here: torquayunitedahistoryin50 — Torquay United: A History in 50 Matches

TORQUAY UNITED IN THE PLAY-OFFS: PART ONE

 As Torquay United approach their National League South play-off semi-final with either Dorking Wanderers or Maidenhead United on Saturday, we will now look at the Gulls complete record in the play-offs from 1987-88 to the present day. 

1987-88

United’s first involvement in the end of season showdown came in the 1987-88 season when - after missing out on automatic promotion from the Fourth Division under the late Cyril Knowles - the Gulls were paired with Scunthorpe United, who they had lost out to on the final day of the campaign.

The first leg went well for Torquay as they won 2-1 with goals from Paul Dobson and Dave Caldwell in what proved to be an ill-tempered affair. Scunthorpe were reduced to ten men in a game that was most notable for Knowles walking away from his dugout to avoid being sent off himself.

There was no quarter given in the contest between Caldwell and the Iron defence – such was the ill-feeling for the return leg – which was also Scunthorpe’s last ever match at their Old Showground prior to their move to Glanford Park – that Caldwell was left on the bench by Knowles and he required a Police escort for the warm-up!

The return leg ended 1-1, which set up a final between United and Swansea City over two legs – Wembley finals for the Play-offs didn’t start until 1990. After losing 2-1 at the Vetch Field, Torquay could only manage a 3-3 draw in the second leg – which saw them miss out on a return to the third tier for the first time since 1972.

United’s second leg against Swansea was also their record 62nd competitive match of the campaign which restored a lot of pride to the club following their Bryn the Police Dog inspired ‘great escape’ of a year earlier.

Scunthorpe United H W 2-1         Dave Caldwell, Paul Dobson

Scunthorpe United A D 1-1          Mark Loram

Swansea City L 1-2            Jim McNichol   

Swansea City H D 3-3      Jim McNichol 2, Dave Caldwell

1990-91

Three years later in the 1990-91 season, United reached the Play-offs again - after flirting with automatic promotion under Dave Smith before he was replaced by youth team coach John Impey. Impey had been a player in Knowles’ 1987-88 Play-off side and the Gulls secured a Play-off place on the final day with a 2-1 win over York City, which set up a semi-final with Burnley.

Goals from Dean Edwards and Matt Elliott gave Torquay a win over the Clarets at Plainmoor in the first leg, which proved to be enough to seal a return to Wembley for the Gulls – despite Burnley winning the return leg 1-0 at Turf Moor.

United's win also ended any hopes of an all-Lancashire final, as the Gulls’ opponents at Wembley would be Blackpool. Before the match, a minute’s silence was held in the memory of former Tangerines’ striker Stan Mortensen, who famously scored a hat-trick in the ‘Matthews final’ against Bolton Wanderers in 1953, who had recently passed away.

Blackpool soon had their noses in front through Paul Groves – but the Gulls struck back to equalise as Wes Saunders headed home a cross from Mark Loram. Shortly afterwards edged ahead when Dean Edwards converted from the penalty spot. An own goal in the second half from Chris Curran levelled matters on the night, and that was how it finished after 90 minutes, and even after 30 minutes extra time as the final head to penalties.

Mark Loram stepped up to take United’s first spot-kick, which was saved by Blackpool keeper Steve McIlhargey. His opposite number Tony Rodwell then stepped up for the Tangerines, but his effort was saved by United keeper Gareth Howells. Mickey Holmes, Saunders, Paul Holmes and Chris Myers then successfully converted their respective penalties for United as the scores remained level after five spot-kicks – as the final went into sudden death.

Then came a moment of history as Howells took United’s sixth spot-kick, which he fired home to become the first goalkeeper both score and save a penalty at Wembley to put Torquay back in front. It was then down to Blackpool’s leading scorer David Bamber to keep them in it. However, Bamber fluffed his lines and missed the target – thus meaning United were returning to the ‘old’ Third Division for the first time in 19 years.

Nevertheless, the Gulls’ stay in the Third tier proved to be a brief one as they came straight back down again, and they then a second straight relegation under the caretaker manager spell of Neil Warnock in the 1992-93 season.

Burnley H W 2-0               Dean Edwards, Matt Elliott

Burnley A L 0-1

Blackpool N D 2-2 (W 5-4 on penalties)   Wes Saunders, Dean Edwards (pen)

1993-94

In the following campaign – the 1993-94 season – under Don O’Riordan, Warnock’s successor, the Gulls made the Play-offs again after finishing sixth in the ‘new’ Third Division – following the formation of the Premier League in the 1992-93 campaign. This time they would be facing also Lancastrian opponent in the form of Preston North End.

Goals from Duane Darby and Darren Moore gave United a 2-0 lead heading into the return leg at Deepdale, which would also the last game played on Preston’s artificial surface.

Although Preston took an early lead, Gregory Goodridge’s kept United firmly in the driving seat before the game turned ten minutes before half-time when some theatrics from Paul Raynor got Darren Moore sent off – Raynor acted as though he had been struck by Moore, but the replays show that Moore hadn’t made contact with Raynor. The tie then ended up finishing 3-1, forcing the game into extra time. However, just as when it looked as though United had done enough to hold out for a win on away goals, Raynor popped up with the winner – sending Preston through to the final, which they would lose to a Wycombe Wanderers’ side managed by Martin O’Neill.

Preston NE H W 2-0        Duane Darby, Darren Moore

Preston NE A L 1-4 AET   Gregory Goodridge

FINAL DAY DECIDERS FOR TORQUAY UNITED IN THE SOUTH EAST

 For Torquay United fans, all road and rail links will be heading to Tonbridge, as the Gulls head into the final day of the 2024-25 National League South campaign knowing that a win will seal a place in the National League South play-offs. 

United are currently fifth in the National League South table and could finish as high as second, if results elsewhere go in the favour. 

However, it isn't the first time that the Gulls have faced a final day decider in the South East of England, and there's a look at the selection of them. 

1. Crystal Palace 1 Torquay United 1, 1st May 1957 - Division Three South

United went into the final day of the 1956-57 season needing a win over Crystal Palace to secure the Division Three South title at the expense of a Ipswich Town side managed by Alf Ramsey. 

After being goalless at half-time, Barry Pierce gave Palace the lead before John 'Jimmy' James equalised for United. James was then denied a late winner by an off the line clearance by future Torquay manager Jack Edwards, as they were forced to settle for second place, as Ipswich beat Southampton 2-0. 

2. Leyton Orient 2    Torquay United 1, 2nd May 1998 - Division Three

A club record run of eight wins between January and March 1998 lifted the Gulls into the automatic promotion contention, but a loss of form saw them stutter before they won 3-1 against Peterborough United in their final home game of the campaign. 

They needed a point in the final game of the season at Leyton Orient and they got off to a bad start as Craig Maskell gave Orient the lead after four minutes. The hosts then doubled their lead from the penalty spot through former Aston Villa and Leicester City manager Dean Smith. 

United fought back, despite seeing goalkeeper Kenny Veysey sent off, as Andy McFarlane pulled one back, but they couldn't find an equaliser, so Lincoln City clinched the third automatic promotion. The Gulls ended up finishing fifth and faced Scarborough, who they beat 7-2 on aggregate before losing 1-0 to Colchester United in the final at Wembley. 

3. Barnet 2    Torquay United 3, 5th May 2001 - Division Three

It was billed as 'loser loses all' contest as Torquay United headed to Underhill to face Barnet with relegation from the Football League awaiting the loser. 

The Gulls started the game attacking down the slope at Underhill and took the lead on ten minutes with a 25 yard strike from Jason Rees. In the 25th minute, Kevin Hill connected with a Paul Holmes corner to head home his tenth goal of the season to give United a two-goal cushion. 

On 40 minutes, the Bees were awarded a penalty when Jimmy Aggrey was adjudged to have handled the ball. Darren Currie stepped to take it, but Gulls' keeper Stuart Jones guessed its direction correctly and saved it - it was his third spot-kick save of the campaign. 

Once Jones had saved the penalty, United got the ball forward to David Graham who slotted home the Gulls' third after being teed up by strike partner Eifion Williams. 

In the second half, an own goal from Ryan Green and a second from Wayne Purser reduced Barnet's arrears, but United dug deep to hang onto their lead and thus retained their Football League status. 

4. Southend United 1    Torquay United 2, 8th May 2004 - Division Three

In their second season under Leroy Rosenior, the Gulls headed to Southend United's Roots Hall on 78 points needing a win to stand a chance of claiming the division's third and final automatic promotion spot ahead of Huddersfield Town, who were on 80 points and were travelling to Cheltenham Town. Victory for the Gulls and a draw for the Terriers would see United promoted at their expense on goal difference.

United got off to a flying start as Steve Woods volleyed home a corner from Alex Russell in the third minute. Eight minutes later, David Graham nodded home a Jo Kuffour cross to score his 23rd goal of the season to double the Gulls' lead. 

Lawrie Dudfield pulled one back for the Shrimpers in the 17th minute and news was also coming through from Cheltenham's Whaddon Road home that Huddersfield were winning 1-0. 

The Gulls managed to maintain their 2-1 lead and with 15 minutes to go, the Robins equalised through Shane Duff, which was how it stayed as United won automatic promotion for the first time in 38 years on goal difference. 

5. Colchester United 2        Torquay United 1, 7th May 2005, League One

Nearly a year to the day since their promotion success, the Gulls headed to Essex in very different circumstances as they needed a point to retain their League One status that they had won 12 months earlier. 

A run of four straight wins over MK Dons, Port Vale, Oldham Athletic and Blackpool had given United a chance of beating the drop, potentially at the expense of either MK Dons or Oldham (United were on 51 points, the Dons on 48 and Oldham on 49). 

The Gulls fell a goal down just before the break as Neil Danns gave the U's the lead and a minute before the end of normal time, Marino Keith doubled Colchester's advantage. 

Left back Craig Woodman pulled one back for Torquay in injury time, but it proved to be in vain as MK Dons beat Tranmere Rovers 2-1 and Oldham beat Bradford City 1-0, which saw the Gulls relegated on goal difference.

 6. Hemel Hempstead Town 1    Torquay United 4, 26th April 2025 - National League South

Despite winning hitting four goals past Hemel Hempstead Town, Torquay United will be destined for the National League South play-offs.

Truro’s win over St Albans City put paid to Torquay’s title aspirations, due to their superior goal difference, but Cody Cooke’s hat-trick, following on from Jordan Young’s opener, secured runners-up spot for Paul Wotton’s side, behind Truro City on goal difference, with Hemel’s solitary response coming from Mazeed Ogungbo.        

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS HEMEL HEMPSTEAD

 1. A warning against complacency. 

It is often said that you learn more from a defeat than you do from a victory, which is something that will undoubtably ring true for United manager Jimmy Ball after United's defeat to Hemel Hempstead Town. 

Throughout the match, United looked second best as Hemel saw out the game after Mauro Vilhete's 52nd minute restored their lead after Deon Moore's equaliser on 35 minutes had cancelled out Remaye Campbell's ninth minute opener. 

The likelihood of the Gulls and the Tudors meeting each other again in the play-offs is not beyond the realms of possibility. Therefore United's defeat to Hemel should serve as a warning of what might lie in wait for them in the end of the season showdown. 

By beating the Gulls, the Tudors also became the first team to complete the 'double' over them. 

2. Deon Moore on target. 

United manager Jimmy Ball said he believed that the floodgates would open for striker Deon Moore after he scored his first goals for the Gulls in their 5-1 win away to Slough Town. 

Moore then took his tally to three goals in two games as he raced onto a ball over the top from Callum Dolan before coolly slotting home to score United's equaliser in the 35th minute. 

3. A final day decider coming up. 

Once again in their history, Torquay United will be facing a final-day decider to resolve the outcome of their season. 

The Gulls will make the journey to Kent to Tonbridge Angels needing a win to secure a play-off spot, but results elsewhere will decide where they finish in the top seven. The higher up the table United finish, the better chance they will have of ensuring that they have home advantage in the play-off eliminators, the semi-finals, and possibly even the final itself. 

4. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton wins player of the year. 

Attacking midfielder Sonny Blu Lo-Everton became the latest player to receive United's player of the season award, as he won the award for 2025-26. 

Lo-Everton entered the fray against Hemel Hempstead as a second half substitute and he combined with fellow sub Matt Jay in the 79th minute, which Jay scuffed wide. 

He will surely be pushing for a starting berth against Tonbridge Angels on the final day. 

5. A bumper crowd. 

United's crowd of 4,604 was not only comfortably the highest attendance in National League South, it was also larger than every crowd in the National League - bar the 8,219 who witnessed York City's 3-0 win over Yeovil Town. 

Plainmoor could yet witness a bigger crowd should United play at home in the play-offs. 

PILGRIMS AND GRECIANS CAN STILL ACHIEVE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVES

 In the end, it wasn't the result that either side would necessarily have hoped for at the start of the day. However, Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City will still feel that they can achieve their ultimate objectives at the end of the season. 

After a goalless first half, Reece Cole gave the Grecians the lead on 47 minutes before the Pilgrims hit back to equalise with 11 minutes to go through leading Lorent Tolaj. It was then the turn of City's leading Jayden Wareham to restore their lead with a deflected strike in the 84th minute. 

Nevertheless, the drama didn't end there as Malachi Boateng scrambled home a late equaliser in injury time for Argyle to ensure that the spoils were shared. 

The result leaves Argyle four points adrift of the play-offs on 63 points, but three wins from their last four games could be enough to see them sneak into the top six. Their final two league fixtures of 2025-26 are against already relegated Northampton Town and Port Vale. 

Meanwhile, the Grecians are three points away from safety and could do the Pilgrims a favour if they manage to beat Stockport County, one of the sides currently occupying one of the places in the top six, next Saturday. 

Next up is a trip to Burton Albion, who are four points above them, before they host Bradford City, who will surely have a play-off spot wrapped up, on the final day. 

THE MOST IMPORTANT DEVON DERBY EVER

 Plymouth Argyle manager Tom Cleverley's last experience of a Devon derby turned out to be something of a 'baptism of fire' as the Pilgrims lost 2-0 to Exeter City at St James Park last October. 

Now, with Argyle heading into what is being billed as 'the most important Devon Derby ever' - Cleverley, who recently won the League One manager of the month award for March 2026, has the chance to write his own chapter in the history of the fixture. 

The Pilgrims are currently seventh in the League One table with 62 points from 41 games, and a win over the Grecians would propel them towards the play-offs. 

By contrast, City head into the fixture in search of three points for very different reasons; they are occupying 21st place after winning only once in their last 16 fixtures, which came in their Easter Bank Holiday win over Doncaster Rovers, and badly need the victory to avoid relegation to League Two. During their barren run, they also changed managers as Matt Taylor returned to the club on an interim basis, following the departure of Gary Caldwell to Wigan Athletic. 

However, in derby matches form can often go out of the window, which the Grecians can take a crumb of comfort from. 

Nevertheless, history is in favour of the Pilgrims, who emerged as winners in this fixture 38 times compared to the Grecians 30 - the remaining 26 have ended in draws. 

With the game kicking off at 12.30pm, either side will be able to enjoy the satisfaction of an improved league position for a couple of hours. 

One thing that both sides can agree on is that any less than three points may not be enough for either sides 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS BATH CITY

 1. The Dylan Morgan Show

It proved to be the Dylan Morgan for Torquay United as the United winger netted the first hat-trick of his senior career for the Gulls against Bath City. 

After Jordan Alves cancelled out Reece Evans' opener, United restored their lead in the 34th minute when Sonny Blu Lo-Everton played a corner short to Morgan, who played a neat one-two with skipper Matt Worthington before his cross evaded everyone in the box before nestling into the top corner. 

Three minutes after the re-start, United added a third when Jay Foulston won a challenge on the left-hand side and fed Morgan, who raced down the wing before cutting inside to fire past Binns with a right-footed strike. The goal took Morgan's total for the season to ten. 

In the 59th minute, the Gulls made it four for the afternoon when Worthington played a ball down the right which picked out Deon Moore, and his cross found Dan Hayfield who saw his shot blocked before the rebound fell invitingly to Morgan who fired home to complete his treble. 

Morgan’s haul now takes his tally for the season to 11, leaving four behind joint-leading scorers Jordan Young and Louis Dennis. 

2. Reece Evans' first goal for the club. 

After making his first start for the Gulls against Weston Super Mare on Good Friday, Reading loanee Reece Evans opened his goal scoring account for United in the 11th minute. 

Right-back Will Tizzard’s ball into the midfield found Reading loanee Reece Evans, who then ran at the Bath defence and found the back of the net with a shot from the edge of the area that took a deflection before flying past Romans’ keeper Charlie Binns. 

With Cody Cooke out of the season with a shoulder injury, United manager Jimmy Ball now has the choice of calling upon either Evans or short term signing Deon Moore. 

3. A first glimpse of Charlie Osborne. 

Monday's clash also gave the Plainmoor faithful the first glimpse of new loan signing Charlie Osborne from AFC Bournemouth. Osborne had previously played under Jimmy Ball at AFC Totton and he made his bow for the Gulls in the 56th minute in place of right-back Will Tizzard. 

4. Old boys on show. 

As well as United assistant manager lining up in the opposite dug out against the team who dismissed him earlier this season, there were also a number of connections between the two clubs out on the pitch. 

For the Gulls, Jordan Dyer and Dan Hayfield lined up against their former clubs, whilst ex-Gulls' Ollie Tomlinson and Will Jenkins Davies featured for the Romans. 

Disappointingly for Jenkins Davies, who was born in Torquay and had two loan spells with United from Plymouth Argyle in 2023-24 and 2024-25, his afternoon ended early as he went off injured after four minutes. 

5. It remains tight at the top. 

United's win over the Romans moves Jimmy Ball's side up to third in the table, four points behind leaders Worthing, who overtook Dorking Wanderers after beating them 2-1 at the Meadowbank Stadium to lead them on goal difference. 

The Gulls are level on points with Ebbsfleet United, but are ahead of them by virtue of goal difference. Hornchurch trail them by a point in fifth with 73, after they lost 5-4 away to Maidstone United, and Maidenhead United and Hemel Hempstead Town make up the remainder of the top seven with 72 points. 

Last season, only three points separated the top six and it looks like as though that could be the case again in 2025-26.