The first round of the 2012-13 FA Cup will see a number of South West clubs on their travels.
Plymouth Argyle will be heading across the Devon border into Dorset to face Conference South side Dorchester Town at the Avenue Stadium, a ground which Pilgrims boss Carl Fletcher briefly called home during the 2001-02 season when his former club, AFC Bournemouth, ground-shared with the Magpies whilst Dean Court was undergoing redevelopment.
Exeter City and Yeovil Town will be heading north to Lancashire to face previous cup winners Bury and Preston North End in their respective first round ties.
The Grecians have met the Shakers, who are currently managed by former Torquay United and Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Kevin Blackwell, twice in the cup in recent years in the 2007-08 and 2010-11 campaigns and lost on both occasions.
They will be looking to make amends for those two results this time round.
The Glovers will be up against former skipper Paul Huntington when they travel to Deepdale to face the Lillywhites. They will also be looking to make amends for the 3-2 defeat they suffered at the hands of Preston at Deepdale at the end of September.
Meanwhile, Torquay United will be the only South West side who will be at home in round one as they play host to either Harrogate Town or Hyde who meet in a fourth qualifying round replay on Tuesday.
It will be the first time that the Gulls have faced Hyde should the Manchester based side come out on top and if Harrogate were to win, it will be the first time that they have encountered the Gulls since the 2005-06 season.
On that occasion, Torquay came out on top following a penalty shoot-out win in a replay, which provided the Gulls with a springboard to beat Notts County and then memorably drew with Birmingham City in the third round before losing out in a replay at St Andrews.
Sunday 21 October 2012
RENE EQUALS RECORD DESPITE THE GULLS DEFEAT
Torquay United's Rene Howe equalled the club record for scoring consecutive games, after finding the back of the net for the seventh time in a row, despite seeing the Gulls go down to defeat against Bristol Rovers.
Howe, who spent a brief spell on loan with the Pirates in the 2010-11 season, pulled a goal back for the Gulls, who were reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Joe Oastler, after Tom Eaves and Matthew Lund had given Rovers a two goal lead.
Aussie defender Aaron Downes then headed home an equaliser for the Gulls before Eaves bagged a brace with the Pirates third and decisive goal of the afternoon to seal a 3-2 win.
Rene Howe now joins Sammy Collins and Carl Airey in scoring in seven straight games. He now has the opportunity to claim the record outright if he can find the target against Gillingham, another club he has had a brief loan spell with previously in his career, on Tuesday night.
Sammy Collins: 1954-55 season
22/09/54 vs Shrewsbury Town H W 2-0 Sammy Collins, Jack Smith
25/09/54 vs Brighton and Hove Albion H W 2-1 Sammy Collins (2)
27/09/54 vs Shrewsbury Town A L 2-3 Sammy Collins, Don Mills
02/10/54 vs Exeter City H W 1-0 Sammy Collins
09/10/54 vs Norwich City A L 1-5 Sammy Collins
16/10/54 vs Southend United H W 4-1 Sammy Collins, Don Mills, Harold Dobbie
23/10/54 vs Aldershot A L 1-2 Sammy Collins
Carl Airey: 1989-90 season
07/10/89 vs Doncaster Rovers H W 2-0 Carl Airey, Paul Smith
13/10/89 vs Cambridge United A L 2-5 Mark Loram, Carl Airey
17/10/89 vs Hartlepool United H W 4-3 Sean Joyce (2), Carl Airey, Paul Smith
21/10/89 vs Aldershot A W 2-1 Carl Airey, Sean Joyce
31/10/89 vs Wrexham A D 1-1 Carl Airey
04/11/89 vs York City A D 1-1 Carl Airey
11/11/89 vs Carlisle United H L1-2 Carl Airey
Rene Howe: 2012-13 season
18/09/12 vs AFC Wimbledon A W 1-0 Rene Howe
22/09/12 vs Burton Albion H D 1-1 Rene Howe
29/09/12 vs Chesterfield A D 1-1 Rene Howe
02/09/12 vs Aldershot Town H W 4-3 Billy Bodin, Ryan Jarvis, Ashley Yeoman, Rene Howe
06/10/12 vs Wycombe Wanderers A L 1-2 Rene Howe
13/10/12 vs Accrington Stanley H W 3-1 Rene Howe (pen), Billy Bodin, Lee Mansell
20/10/12 vs Bristol Rovers A L 2-3 Rene Howe, Aaron Downes
Howe, who spent a brief spell on loan with the Pirates in the 2010-11 season, pulled a goal back for the Gulls, who were reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Joe Oastler, after Tom Eaves and Matthew Lund had given Rovers a two goal lead.
Aussie defender Aaron Downes then headed home an equaliser for the Gulls before Eaves bagged a brace with the Pirates third and decisive goal of the afternoon to seal a 3-2 win.
Rene Howe now joins Sammy Collins and Carl Airey in scoring in seven straight games. He now has the opportunity to claim the record outright if he can find the target against Gillingham, another club he has had a brief loan spell with previously in his career, on Tuesday night.
Sammy Collins: 1954-55 season
22/09/54 vs Shrewsbury Town H W 2-0 Sammy Collins, Jack Smith
25/09/54 vs Brighton and Hove Albion H W 2-1 Sammy Collins (2)
27/09/54 vs Shrewsbury Town A L 2-3 Sammy Collins, Don Mills
02/10/54 vs Exeter City H W 1-0 Sammy Collins
09/10/54 vs Norwich City A L 1-5 Sammy Collins
16/10/54 vs Southend United H W 4-1 Sammy Collins, Don Mills, Harold Dobbie
23/10/54 vs Aldershot A L 1-2 Sammy Collins
Carl Airey: 1989-90 season
07/10/89 vs Doncaster Rovers H W 2-0 Carl Airey, Paul Smith
13/10/89 vs Cambridge United A L 2-5 Mark Loram, Carl Airey
17/10/89 vs Hartlepool United H W 4-3 Sean Joyce (2), Carl Airey, Paul Smith
21/10/89 vs Aldershot A W 2-1 Carl Airey, Sean Joyce
31/10/89 vs Wrexham A D 1-1 Carl Airey
04/11/89 vs York City A D 1-1 Carl Airey
11/11/89 vs Carlisle United H L1-2 Carl Airey
Rene Howe: 2012-13 season
18/09/12 vs AFC Wimbledon A W 1-0 Rene Howe
22/09/12 vs Burton Albion H D 1-1 Rene Howe
29/09/12 vs Chesterfield A D 1-1 Rene Howe
02/09/12 vs Aldershot Town H W 4-3 Billy Bodin, Ryan Jarvis, Ashley Yeoman, Rene Howe
06/10/12 vs Wycombe Wanderers A L 1-2 Rene Howe
13/10/12 vs Accrington Stanley H W 3-1 Rene Howe (pen), Billy Bodin, Lee Mansell
20/10/12 vs Bristol Rovers A L 2-3 Rene Howe, Aaron Downes
Friday 19 October 2012
TRURO SAVED FROM CONFERENCE EXPLUSION
An 11th hour bid by two businessmen has saved Truro City from explusion from the Blue Square South.
Pete Masters, who runs a nightclub in the city, and Phillip Perryman owns a taxi firm in Truro have both agreed with the Football Conference to pay a £50,000 bond, which covers travelling costs of teams making the journey to Treyew Road for Blue Square South matches.
The intervention of Messrs Masters and Perryman ensures that Truro City will be able to carry on trading for the entirety of the 2012-13 season and will allow the sale of the club, which is currently in Administration after former Chairman Kevin Heaney was declared bankrupt earlier this year, to go ahead.
Pete Masters, who runs a nightclub in the city, and Phillip Perryman owns a taxi firm in Truro have both agreed with the Football Conference to pay a £50,000 bond, which covers travelling costs of teams making the journey to Treyew Road for Blue Square South matches.
The intervention of Messrs Masters and Perryman ensures that Truro City will be able to carry on trading for the entirety of the 2012-13 season and will allow the sale of the club, which is currently in Administration after former Chairman Kevin Heaney was declared bankrupt earlier this year, to go ahead.
Thursday 18 October 2012
HOWE AIMING TO EQUAL RECORD
Torquay United striker Rene Howe will be aiming to join a select band of Gulls' player who have scored in seven consecutive league fixtures when Torquay face Bristol Rovers this weekend.
Howe, who is currently the Gulls' top scorer in the current campaign with nine goals to his name, will draw level with Sammy Collins and Carl Airey who found the back of the net in seven straight league games for Torquay in the 1954-55 and 1989-90 seasons respectively.
It is also worth noting that he was on target for the Gulls against the Pirates last season at the Memorial Stadium in a game that saw Torquay face former manager Paul Buckle, who had at that point recently left Plainmoor to take charge of the Pirates.
The Rovers side on show that day included five former Torquay players, namely Scott Bevan, Craig Stanley, Mustapha Carayol, Chris Zebroski and Jo Kuffour, whilst Howe was the sole former Pirate appearing for the Gulls.
Howe scored the opening goal as the Gulls ran out as 2-1 winners and many of the Torquay faithful will be hoping for a repeat performance and result.
On Saturday, however, he will be one of three former Pirates players who will be set to feature for the Gulls, along with Aussie defender and recent League Two team of the week nominee Aaron Downes and goalkeeper Michael Poke, who both enjoyed loan spells at the Memorial Stadium last season.
Howe is also the first Torquay player to come within touching distance of equalling the record since David Graham found the back of the net in six consecutive games during the 2002-03 season.
Howe, who is currently the Gulls' top scorer in the current campaign with nine goals to his name, will draw level with Sammy Collins and Carl Airey who found the back of the net in seven straight league games for Torquay in the 1954-55 and 1989-90 seasons respectively.
It is also worth noting that he was on target for the Gulls against the Pirates last season at the Memorial Stadium in a game that saw Torquay face former manager Paul Buckle, who had at that point recently left Plainmoor to take charge of the Pirates.
The Rovers side on show that day included five former Torquay players, namely Scott Bevan, Craig Stanley, Mustapha Carayol, Chris Zebroski and Jo Kuffour, whilst Howe was the sole former Pirate appearing for the Gulls.
Howe scored the opening goal as the Gulls ran out as 2-1 winners and many of the Torquay faithful will be hoping for a repeat performance and result.
On Saturday, however, he will be one of three former Pirates players who will be set to feature for the Gulls, along with Aussie defender and recent League Two team of the week nominee Aaron Downes and goalkeeper Michael Poke, who both enjoyed loan spells at the Memorial Stadium last season.
Howe is also the first Torquay player to come within touching distance of equalling the record since David Graham found the back of the net in six consecutive games during the 2002-03 season.
Wednesday 17 October 2012
GLOVERS PROGRESS AT GULLS EXPENSE
The South West's interest in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy shrunk from three clubs to two as Yeovil Town edged out Torquay United by the narrowest of margins.
The Gulls took the lead in the 25th minute when Ryan Jarvis slotted home following good build up play involving Danny Stevens and Billy Bodin.
Yeovil drew level on 38 minutes when James Hayter stabbed home from close range after a mistake by Torquay keeper Michael Poke.
However, Torquay restored their advantage in the 58th minute when Danny Stevens picked out Jarvis who completed his double with an angled shot.
This looked to have been enough to clinch victory for the Gulls before Hayter bagged a brace of his own when he found the target from six yards, which would send the tie straight to penalties at full-time.
Hayter, Ed Upson, Gavin Williams and Jamie McAllister all converted their spot kicks for the Glovers, whilst for the Gulls, Tom Cruise had his penalty saved by Yeovil keeper Marek Stech in the middle of Lee Mansell, Nathan Craig, Billy Bodin and substitute Rene Howe successfully converting their penalties before Keanu Marsh-Brown scored the Glovers' crucial fifth spot-kick.
Yeovil will now face Wycombe Wanderers in the Southern Area Quarter Finals and will feel confident that they can make real progress in the competition this season.
Despite the defeat, Gulls boss Martin Ling can take some positives from the defeat, namely the fact that his side were able to match League One opposition for most of the match and the fact Ryan Jarvis scored twice after coming in for leading scorer Rene Howe.
The Gulls took the lead in the 25th minute when Ryan Jarvis slotted home following good build up play involving Danny Stevens and Billy Bodin.
Yeovil drew level on 38 minutes when James Hayter stabbed home from close range after a mistake by Torquay keeper Michael Poke.
However, Torquay restored their advantage in the 58th minute when Danny Stevens picked out Jarvis who completed his double with an angled shot.
This looked to have been enough to clinch victory for the Gulls before Hayter bagged a brace of his own when he found the target from six yards, which would send the tie straight to penalties at full-time.
Hayter, Ed Upson, Gavin Williams and Jamie McAllister all converted their spot kicks for the Glovers, whilst for the Gulls, Tom Cruise had his penalty saved by Yeovil keeper Marek Stech in the middle of Lee Mansell, Nathan Craig, Billy Bodin and substitute Rene Howe successfully converting their penalties before Keanu Marsh-Brown scored the Glovers' crucial fifth spot-kick.
Yeovil will now face Wycombe Wanderers in the Southern Area Quarter Finals and will feel confident that they can make real progress in the competition this season.
Despite the defeat, Gulls boss Martin Ling can take some positives from the defeat, namely the fact that his side were able to match League One opposition for most of the match and the fact Ryan Jarvis scored twice after coming in for leading scorer Rene Howe.
Saturday 13 October 2012
ARGYLE HOME ALONG WITH GLOVERS OR GULLS
As a reward for beating Aldershot Town on Tuesday night in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, Plymouth Argyle have been drawn at home to Oxford United in the competition's Southern Area Quarter Finals.
It will be the first time that the U's have visited Home Park since the penultimate home game of the 2012-13 season, which saw the Pilgrims secure the point they needed to secure their League Two status.
Meanwhile, a home tie with Wycombe Wanderers awaits either Torquay United or Yeovil Town, who meet each other this coming Tuesday after the original fixture was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Both sides will see the match as a good opportunity to progress through to the Southern Area Semi-Finals should they come out on top should they emerge victorious at Plainmoor later this week.
It will be the first time that the U's have visited Home Park since the penultimate home game of the 2012-13 season, which saw the Pilgrims secure the point they needed to secure their League Two status.
Meanwhile, a home tie with Wycombe Wanderers awaits either Torquay United or Yeovil Town, who meet each other this coming Tuesday after the original fixture was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Both sides will see the match as a good opportunity to progress through to the Southern Area Semi-Finals should they come out on top should they emerge victorious at Plainmoor later this week.
TRURO GIVEN EXTRA TIME
Truro City now have until October 18th to find the cash needed to ensure their membership of the Football Conference.
The White Tigers had faced explusion from the Blue Square South last Thursday if they failed to raise the £50,000 for the bond which would allow to compete in the League.
However, even if Truro are able to find the necessary funds to stay in the league, manager Lee Hodges will face a difficult task in persuading many of his players to remain at Treyew Road as many of them are owed three months wages.
The club is also on the outlook for a new owner after former Chairman Kevin Heaney was declared bankrupt earlier this year.
Also the club's Administrator, Walsh and Taylor, have said the Football Conference bond will depend upon getting security of tenure over the club's Treyew Road ground from current owners JoJo Investco Limited.
This weekend's trip to Dover Athletic, which was postponed earlier this week, has not been re-instated.
The White Tigers had faced explusion from the Blue Square South last Thursday if they failed to raise the £50,000 for the bond which would allow to compete in the League.
However, even if Truro are able to find the necessary funds to stay in the league, manager Lee Hodges will face a difficult task in persuading many of his players to remain at Treyew Road as many of them are owed three months wages.
The club is also on the outlook for a new owner after former Chairman Kevin Heaney was declared bankrupt earlier this year.
Also the club's Administrator, Walsh and Taylor, have said the Football Conference bond will depend upon getting security of tenure over the club's Treyew Road ground from current owners JoJo Investco Limited.
This weekend's trip to Dover Athletic, which was postponed earlier this week, has not been re-instated.
Wednesday 10 October 2012
ARGYLE DOWN THE SHOTS WHILST GULLS AND GLOVERS RAINED OFF
Plymouth Argyle avenged their opening day defeat at the hands of Aldershot Town by knocking the Shots out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.
Paris Cowan-Hall's opener for the Pilgrims was cancelled out by Craig Reid before Andres Gurrieri sealed the victory for Argyle with the decisive second goal in the 2-1 win.
The Pilgrims, who fielded three debutants in the form of goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin, rookie defender Jamie Richards and on loan defender Scott Griffiths will now wait until Saturday to find out the identity of their opponents in the Southern Area Quarter Finals.
Also waiting on the draw will be Torquay United and Yeovil Town after their tie was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, they meet again next Tuesday at Plainmoor.
Paris Cowan-Hall's opener for the Pilgrims was cancelled out by Craig Reid before Andres Gurrieri sealed the victory for Argyle with the decisive second goal in the 2-1 win.
The Pilgrims, who fielded three debutants in the form of goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin, rookie defender Jamie Richards and on loan defender Scott Griffiths will now wait until Saturday to find out the identity of their opponents in the Southern Area Quarter Finals.
Also waiting on the draw will be Torquay United and Yeovil Town after their tie was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, they meet again next Tuesday at Plainmoor.
Tuesday 9 October 2012
TORQUAY AND YEOVIL: A RECENT HISTORY
Round two of the 2012-13 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy will see Torquay United face Yeovil Town in the competition for the second time, almost eight years to the date of their first.
On that day, only two league places separated the two sides as the Gulls lay 23rd in League One, after winning automatic promotion in the previous 2003-04 campaign, and the Glovers were top of League Two in what was only their second season as a league club.
A crowd of 1,610 poured into Plainmoor to see Torquay take the lead through Jo Kuffour on 17 minutes before Latvian international Andrejs Stolcers, who had represented his country in Euro 2004 during the close season, levelled for the visitors three minutes before half-time.
Early in the second half, two goals from skipper Craig Taylor and Bayo Akinfenwa, his first for the Gulls, in the 53rd and 59th minutes respectively gave Torquay a 3-1 lead.
However, the Glovers, famed for claiming a number of higher division scalps during their non-league days, weren’t to be undone as strikes from Adrian Caceres and Bartosz Tarachulski saw Yeovil level at 3-3 and sent the tie into extra time.
With four minutes remaining, and the game set to be heading for penalties, Akinfenwa scored a late winner for the Gulls.
Then, as part of his celebration, ran into the Family Stand behind the goal and sat down in an empty seat, a decision which earned him a red card as Torquay played out the final four minutes with ten men, but they still hung on to their slender advantage to win.
Torquay would exit the competition in the next round following a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Northampton Town and at the end of the season.
The two sides would swap divisions at the end of the season as a 2-1 defeat at Colchester on the final day of the campaign saw the Gulls relegated to League Two, whilst the Glovers clinched the League Two title with a 3-0 victory over Lincoln City in their final fixture.
Two years later, both Torquay and Yeovil would experience further contrasting fortunes as the Gulls lost their Football League status for the first time in 80 years whereas the Glovers found themselves one game away from a place in the Championship after reaching the League One Play-Off final where they were beaten by Blackpool.
Their paths would cross again in the first round of the following season’s FA Cup, the most recent encounter between the two sides, which saw Torquay win 4-1 as Chris Todd and Danny Stevens both scored doubles to cancel out Marcus Stewart’s opener for Yeovil.
Footnote: Bayo Akinfenwa would join Swansea City at the end of the 2004-05 campaign and scored for the Swans in the 2006 LDV Vans Trophy final against Carlisle United.
On that day, only two league places separated the two sides as the Gulls lay 23rd in League One, after winning automatic promotion in the previous 2003-04 campaign, and the Glovers were top of League Two in what was only their second season as a league club.
A crowd of 1,610 poured into Plainmoor to see Torquay take the lead through Jo Kuffour on 17 minutes before Latvian international Andrejs Stolcers, who had represented his country in Euro 2004 during the close season, levelled for the visitors three minutes before half-time.
Early in the second half, two goals from skipper Craig Taylor and Bayo Akinfenwa, his first for the Gulls, in the 53rd and 59th minutes respectively gave Torquay a 3-1 lead.
However, the Glovers, famed for claiming a number of higher division scalps during their non-league days, weren’t to be undone as strikes from Adrian Caceres and Bartosz Tarachulski saw Yeovil level at 3-3 and sent the tie into extra time.
With four minutes remaining, and the game set to be heading for penalties, Akinfenwa scored a late winner for the Gulls.
Then, as part of his celebration, ran into the Family Stand behind the goal and sat down in an empty seat, a decision which earned him a red card as Torquay played out the final four minutes with ten men, but they still hung on to their slender advantage to win.
Torquay would exit the competition in the next round following a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Northampton Town and at the end of the season.
The two sides would swap divisions at the end of the season as a 2-1 defeat at Colchester on the final day of the campaign saw the Gulls relegated to League Two, whilst the Glovers clinched the League Two title with a 3-0 victory over Lincoln City in their final fixture.
Two years later, both Torquay and Yeovil would experience further contrasting fortunes as the Gulls lost their Football League status for the first time in 80 years whereas the Glovers found themselves one game away from a place in the Championship after reaching the League One Play-Off final where they were beaten by Blackpool.
Their paths would cross again in the first round of the following season’s FA Cup, the most recent encounter between the two sides, which saw Torquay win 4-1 as Chris Todd and Danny Stevens both scored doubles to cancel out Marcus Stewart’s opener for Yeovil.
Footnote: Bayo Akinfenwa would join Swansea City at the end of the 2004-05 campaign and scored for the Swans in the 2006 LDV Vans Trophy final against Carlisle United.
Sunday 7 October 2012
PADDY POWER HELPS GLOVERS END LOSING STREAK
A debut brace from loan signing Paddy Maddern helped Yeovil Town end their six match losing run with a win over Colchester United.
Maddern recently arrived at Huish Park on loan from Carlisle United and opened his account for the Glovers in the 20th minute before Jabo Ibehre levelled for the U's five minutes later.
The Irishman then bagged his double on 34 minutes and his strike partner James Hayter then added a third in the second half to clinch Yeovil's second victory over Colchester this season having previously beaten them in the Capital One Cup.
Paddy was one of three loan signings in Gary Johnson's starting eleven, the other two were defender Daniel Burn and midfielder Korey Smith who are on loan from Fulham and Norwich City respectively.
In recent years, Yeovil have used the loan market to good effect, to the benefit of both themselves and the players whom they have recruited.
One player for whom this policy has proved to be hugely beneficial for is Spurs defender Steven Caulker who, after virtually sweeping the board at the Glovers' Player of the Year awards in the 2009-10 season during a season on loan from White Hart Lane, is now been given a run of games by Andre Villas-Boas.
Earlier today he managed to do for Spurs the one thing that he failed to do during his time at Huish Park, which was to score a goal when he found the back of the net in their 2-0 win over Aston Villa.
Maddern recently arrived at Huish Park on loan from Carlisle United and opened his account for the Glovers in the 20th minute before Jabo Ibehre levelled for the U's five minutes later.
The Irishman then bagged his double on 34 minutes and his strike partner James Hayter then added a third in the second half to clinch Yeovil's second victory over Colchester this season having previously beaten them in the Capital One Cup.
Paddy was one of three loan signings in Gary Johnson's starting eleven, the other two were defender Daniel Burn and midfielder Korey Smith who are on loan from Fulham and Norwich City respectively.
In recent years, Yeovil have used the loan market to good effect, to the benefit of both themselves and the players whom they have recruited.
One player for whom this policy has proved to be hugely beneficial for is Spurs defender Steven Caulker who, after virtually sweeping the board at the Glovers' Player of the Year awards in the 2009-10 season during a season on loan from White Hart Lane, is now been given a run of games by Andre Villas-Boas.
Earlier today he managed to do for Spurs the one thing that he failed to do during his time at Huish Park, which was to score a goal when he found the back of the net in their 2-0 win over Aston Villa.
Wednesday 3 October 2012
GULLS COME BACK FROM DEAD AGAINST SHOTS
When they found themselves three goals down against Aldershot Town on Tuesday night, most Torquay United fans feared the worse.
A Craig Reid hat-trick saw Aldershot, who featured former Gulls defender Guy Branston in the line-up, race into a comfortable lead before Billy Bodin pulled a goal back for Torquay.
Substitute Ryan Jarvis then reduced the deficit to one goal in the 69th minute before fellow sub Ashley Yeoman levelled on 84 minutes with his first goal for the Gulls.
This set Torquay up for a grandstand finish as leading scorer Rene Howe scored the decisive fourth for the Gulls with his seventh of the season as Martin Ling's completed a remarkable turnaround.
It is the first time the Gulls have cancelled out a three goal margin at Plainmoor since Adrian Foster's hat-trick from the substitutes bench saw them secure a 3-3 draw with Colchester United on September 4th 1993.
A Craig Reid hat-trick saw Aldershot, who featured former Gulls defender Guy Branston in the line-up, race into a comfortable lead before Billy Bodin pulled a goal back for Torquay.
Substitute Ryan Jarvis then reduced the deficit to one goal in the 69th minute before fellow sub Ashley Yeoman levelled on 84 minutes with his first goal for the Gulls.
This set Torquay up for a grandstand finish as leading scorer Rene Howe scored the decisive fourth for the Gulls with his seventh of the season as Martin Ling's completed a remarkable turnaround.
It is the first time the Gulls have cancelled out a three goal margin at Plainmoor since Adrian Foster's hat-trick from the substitutes bench saw them secure a 3-3 draw with Colchester United on September 4th 1993.
Monday 1 October 2012
FINDING A FORMULA
Most Torquay United fans would be more than happy at the start of the season if they were told that, at this stage of the season, the Gulls would possess one of the best defensive records in League Two and star striker Rene Howe was amongst the division's most prolific strikers.
Whilst Torquay have the joint second best defensive record in League Two, which they share with Football League new boys Fleetwood Town, and Howe shares fourth place in the divsion's top scorer, after finding the back of the net six times in nine appearances, Martin Ling's side find themselves in mid-table.
In their nine league games thus far, the Gulls have won only once and have found the back of the net only ten times, which includes Howe's six strikes.
This is in stark contrast to last season when every regular starter found the back of the net apart from Joe Oastler and Damon Lathrope as Torquay found the back of the net 63 times in 46 league games.
Nearly half of that figure were scored by midfielders with skipper Lee Mansell scoring 13 times, Danny Stevens found the target ten times, the departed Eunan O'Kane scored five whilst Ian Morris hit the back of the net twice.
So far in the current campaign, Mansell and Stevens are both yet to get off the mark, whilst Morris has managed just the one goal.
It is also worth noting that the midfield area is one department where Ling has been forced to chop and change on a regular basis due to injuries.
Anchorman Lathrope, who was an influential for the Gulls when deployed as a holding midfielder in front of the back four, is yet to make an appearance so far this season due to injury.
As well as having to make do without Lathrope, Ling went into the Gulls' last game with Chesterfield without Nathan Craig, the former Everton starlet who has impressed since being given an extended run in the side, and Ian Morris, who is set to be out for several months with an achilles tendon injury sustained on the Friday before the game.
He then lost Craig Easton, a player who he knows well from his Leyton Orient days, to a hamstring injury within the first half hour and was forced to play Tom Cruise, who is primarily a defender, in central midfield.
With a settled midfield in place, there is no reason why Torquay can't improve on their current form, which has seen them emerge as a side who is tough to beat.
Once again, just like last season, the challenge of finding a winning formula is once again facing Martin Ling and his coaching staff.
Whilst Torquay have the joint second best defensive record in League Two, which they share with Football League new boys Fleetwood Town, and Howe shares fourth place in the divsion's top scorer, after finding the back of the net six times in nine appearances, Martin Ling's side find themselves in mid-table.
In their nine league games thus far, the Gulls have won only once and have found the back of the net only ten times, which includes Howe's six strikes.
This is in stark contrast to last season when every regular starter found the back of the net apart from Joe Oastler and Damon Lathrope as Torquay found the back of the net 63 times in 46 league games.
Nearly half of that figure were scored by midfielders with skipper Lee Mansell scoring 13 times, Danny Stevens found the target ten times, the departed Eunan O'Kane scored five whilst Ian Morris hit the back of the net twice.
So far in the current campaign, Mansell and Stevens are both yet to get off the mark, whilst Morris has managed just the one goal.
It is also worth noting that the midfield area is one department where Ling has been forced to chop and change on a regular basis due to injuries.
Anchorman Lathrope, who was an influential for the Gulls when deployed as a holding midfielder in front of the back four, is yet to make an appearance so far this season due to injury.
As well as having to make do without Lathrope, Ling went into the Gulls' last game with Chesterfield without Nathan Craig, the former Everton starlet who has impressed since being given an extended run in the side, and Ian Morris, who is set to be out for several months with an achilles tendon injury sustained on the Friday before the game.
He then lost Craig Easton, a player who he knows well from his Leyton Orient days, to a hamstring injury within the first half hour and was forced to play Tom Cruise, who is primarily a defender, in central midfield.
With a settled midfield in place, there is no reason why Torquay can't improve on their current form, which has seen them emerge as a side who is tough to beat.
Once again, just like last season, the challenge of finding a winning formula is once again facing Martin Ling and his coaching staff.
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