FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED FROM TORQUAY VS HARTLEPOOL

1. Consistency is key for United going forward.

Despite their defeat to Hartlepool United - Torquay United's form over their past five league matches reads: played five, won two, drawn one and lost two.
That sequence includes impressive wins at home to Maidenhead United (4-0) and Ebbsfleet United (1-0) plus a 1-1 draw with FC Halifax Town. That run may represent progress for the Gulls, but what United really could do with is a sequence of fives matches where they can put together three or four wins. Had United maintained the performance levels which they displayed for the opening 45 minutes, during which time they could have counted themselves unlucky not to be ahead, then they could have come away with all three points. As Torquay head coach Gary Owers said afterwards: "Today could have been three wins, one draw and one defeat but we didn't get it so we are chasing again."

2. George Dowling is a class act in midfield.

After having only recently recovered from a hamstring injury, Bristol City loanee George Dowling was only fit to start the game from the bench but still managed to make a big impact when he came off the bench on 67 minutes. From the moment he entered the fray Dowling was hungry, committed and showed a bravery on the ball that belied his 18 years of age. It would be a major shock if he was not named in the starting eleven against Maidstone United just under a fortnight's time.

3. More striking options required.

With Rhys Murphy missing out with an ankle injury sustained against Ebbsfleet and Jon-Paul Pittman still absent through injury, Gary Owers currently finds himself limited in terms of attacking options and was unable to name any forwards amongst his five substitutes. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if a new arrival wasn't unveiled in time for their next league meeting with Maidstone.

4. More players could also be going out on loan

Given that the Gulls squad currently includes 23 players, which is arguably far too many for a club of United's stature, more players could be following the path of striker James Gray who recently left Plainmoor to join York City on a one-month loan deal. With no official reserve team, players such as Myles Anderson, Yan Klukowski and Sam Chaney who have recently returned to fitness are prime candidates for such a move in a bid to get precious minutes under their belts, as are Pittman and Jake Gosling who are also set to return from injury very soon too.

5. Scott Loach is still an excellent goalkeeper.

It may seem a bit odd to sing the praises of an opposition player in this column but yesterday's game left me wondering whether there really are 92 goalkeepers in the footballing pyramid better that Hartlepool's Scott Loach. The one-time Watford and England Under-21 goalkeeper, who was even called up to the England senior squad to provide cover in 2010, made the save of the day to deny Josh McQuoid on 15 minutes and also made several other key saves over the course of the afternoon to keep the Gulls at bay.
If Pools can keep him fit, and avoid any possible approaches from league clubs in the January transfer window, he could be the difference between them being involved in the National League play-off system or missing out altogether.

TRURO DRAW CHARLTON IN ROUND ONE

As a reward for beating Hampton and Richmond Borough to qualify for the first round proper of the FA Cup, Truro City have been handed a plum draw with 1947 cup winners Charlton Athletic.

The Addicks, who were playing in the Premier League as recently as 2007, currently play in League One and the tie could yet be destined for live television coverage by either the BBC or BT Sport.

Elsewhere in the draw, Exeter City, Plymouth Argyle and Yeovil Town all received home draws and will play host to Heybridge Swifts, Grimsby Town and Southend United respectively.

All ties will take place over the weekend of November 4th and 5th.

TRURO ENSURE CORNISH REPRESENTATION IN THE FA CUP FIRST ROUND

There will be Cornish representation in the first round of the FA Cup for the first time since 1969 after Truro City won their fourth qualifying round match with Hampton and Richmond Borough.

The White Tigers defeated their fellow Vanarama National League South 2-0 to become the first side from the county since Falmouth Town to reach the first round proper of the competition.

Midfielder Noah Keats opened the scoring on the half hour mark before goalkeeper Tom McHale made an important penalty save to deny Hampton and Richmond an equaliser.

With three minutes remaining Keats completed his brace with a low strike from distance to ensure that the White Tigers would be history makers.

Potential opponents for Truro now range from Devon neighbours Plymouth Argyle - the former club of manager Lee Hodges - or Exeter City - who assistant manager Chris Todd played for between 2003 and 2007, or even the 1995 Premier League champions Blackburn Rovers and 2008 FA Cup winners Portsmouth.

However, they won't be joined by Torquay United as the Gulls were beaten 1-0 by fellow National League side Aldershot Town courtesy of a 79th minute effort from former United loanee Scott Rendell.

GULLS SEEKING CHANGE IN CUP FORTUNES

As a player Gary Owers appeared for Sunderland in the 1992 FA Cup final and in 2017 he will be looking to end Torquay United's wretched run in the competition against Aldershot Town.

Not since November 2011 have the Gulls tasted victory in the world's oldest knock out cup competition when they defeated Chesterfield 3-1 in the first round, which set up a meeting with Sheffield United in round two that United lost 3-2.

Since then defeats against Harrogate Town, Rochdale, Aldershot, Basingstoke Town and Woking have followed over the period of six years.

In fact the only goals that United scored in their fourth qualifying round tie and replay with Woking last season - which were scored by Luke Young and Sam Chaney in games that ended 1-1 and 2-1 - were the only times that the Gulls have found the target in that spell.

However it wasn't always like this for United - between 2005 and 2011 the Gulls reached the fourth round twice, the third round twice and the second round twice.

Notable results in this sequence included a goalless draw with Birmingham City - then of the Premier League - in the third round in the 2005-06 season and a 1-0 win over Blackpool - who were in the Championship at the time - at the same stage in the 2008-09 campaign.

This golden spell started with a first round replay win over Harrogate Town on penalties - which saw goalkeeper Andy Marriott net the winning spot-kick - and a similar stroke of luck could be enough change United's cup fortunes for the good this time around.

Saturday's tie on Aldershot will also have an extra significance for Owers and his assistant Martin Kuhl, as the pair have both held coaching positions with the Shots. Owers served as number two to Kevin Dillon in the 2009-10 season, which Aldershot reach the League Two Play-offs and Kuhl held the same position under current Shots boss Gary Waddock during Aldershot's Blue Square Premier title winning campaign of the 2007-08 campaign.

Footnote: Gary Owers was very nearly not the only current member of the Torquay United coaching team to appear in the 1992 FA Cup final. Martin Kuhl's Portsmouth led Liverpool 1-0 through a goal from Darren Anderton with four minutes left in extra time before Ronnie Whelan equalised for the Reds. Pompey then lost the replay 3-1 on penalties after drawing 0-0 in normal time, with Kuhl missing one of Pompey's four spot-kicks

FRANK O'FARRELL AT 90

As tomorrow marks the 90th birthday of former Torquay United, Leicester City and Manchester United manager Frank O'Farrell we will now look at back at Frank's footballing life.

As a young boy, Frank O’Farrell’s biggest ambition was to drive a steam train between his native Cork and the Irish capital Dublin.

However, his life would take a very different route. He would become the manager of the most glamorous football club in the world and a spell in charge of Torquay United played a large part in helping him achieve that goal.

It all started for Frank with Cork United where he was spotted by West Ham United and moved to England in 1948. At Upton Park he became part of the famous West Ham Academy and many of his team-mates including Malcolm Allison, Noel Cantwell and Dave Sexton would also become managers themselves.  

In December 1956, Frank was on the move again when he left Upton Park to join Preston North End where he would appear alongside one of the true greats of the game in Sir Tom Finney.

As well as appearing for the Hammers and the Lilywhites, Frank was also capped nine times by the Republic of Ireland.

His career in management began in 1961, after his playing days were brought to a premature end by injury, as he took charge of Southern League side Weymouth. Frank proved to be a success with the Dorset side as he steered them to the Southern League title in 1965 before embarking on League management for the first time with Torquay United shortly afterwards.

On his arrival at Plainmoor, he signed a number of players that he believed that could help the Gulls achieve promotion from Division Four. Gerry King arrived from Cardiff City, Doug Clarke joined from Hull City and Alan Kirkman was signed from Scunthorpe United. Frank also returned to his old club Weymouth to sign midfielder Tommy Spratt, who finished the 1965-66 campaign as United’s top scorer with 18 goals.

The Gulls made a slow start to the season as they lost their first game of the season against Bradford City 4-1. However, they soon put the defeat behind them as they went on a run of four consecutive wins.

In the New Year, he pulled off a major coup when he persuaded his former West Ham teammate John Bond to sign for United. Bond had been part of the Hammers that had won the FA Cup in 1964. He proved to be a good acquisition for Torquay, as they clinched promotion for the second time in their history during the 1965-66 season.

Frank used his West Ham connections to bring a number of other players to Plainmoor including defender Bill Kitchener and midfielder John Smith. He pulled off a major coup when he persuaded Ken Brown to join the club in 1967. Like John Bond before him, Brown had been part of the Hammers side that lifted the FA Cup in 1964. He had later been part of the West Ham side that beat 1860 Munich to win the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965.

On the pitch, Frank had turned the Gulls into a force to be reckoned with as they finished seventh in their first season in the Third Division. In the following season, Torquay recorded their highest ever League finish as they came 4^th, narrowly missing out promotion to Division Two.

It was a shame that the Play-Offs didn’t exist in those days as United would have had a second chance to reach what is now the Championship for the first time in their history, after falling short of going up automatically.

His achievements were being viewed with interest from afar, as he left Plainmoor in December 1968 to take charge of Leicester City. Frank’s spell in charge of the Foxes also proved to be successful as he guided them to promotion from Division Two and the 1969 FA Cup Final, which they lost to Manchester City – then coached by Frank’s former West Ham teammate Malcolm Allison.

In 1971, he took on the biggest job in the land when he was appointed as manager of Manchester United. His spell in charge at Old Trafford did not turn out to be successful as Frank found it difficult to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Sir Matt Busby, especially as he found himself in charge of an ageing side in addition to dealing with an increasingly erratic George Best. He was dismissed in 1972.

However, Frank’s time in charge of the Red Devils shouldn’t be regarded as a complete failure. It is worth noting that the £125,000 which he spent on bringing Scottish defender Martin Buchan to Old Trafford from Aberdeen proved to be one of the most astute buys that Manchester United have ever made, as he went on to become one of the club’s greatest ever defenders in an 11-year spell at the club – which included several years as captain.

Spells in charge of Cardiff City and the Iranian national side followed before Frank returned to Plainmoor following the departure of Malcolm Musgrove in 1976. He stayed until March 1977 before handing over the managerial reins to player-manager Mike Green. However, he did remain at Plainmoor in a consultancy role and played a major role in the signing of striker Steve Cooper, who proved to be a big hit with the Plainmoor faithful, amongst others. 

In 1981, Frank returned to the Plainmoor hot seat for the third time following the departure of Green. He brought in former Scotland captain Bruce Rioch as his assistant. Later in the season, he pulled off a transfer coup by persuading former West Brom and England striker Tony Brown to sign for the club.

At the end of the 1981-82 campaign, Frank moved upstairs to become General Manager as his protégé Rioch took over as manager. He left the post in 1983 and retired from football.

Frank is considered by many to be one of the greatest Torquay United managers of all time – if not the greatest.

 

An abridged version of this article appeared in the Torquay United vs Rochdale programme on January 25th, 2006.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS FOR OWERS

It was a case of many happy returns for Gary Owers as Torquay United completed their first win of the season on his 49th birthday in superb style against Maidenhead United.

Kick off was delayed due to the Maidenhead team coach being stuck on the M5, but when play eventually did get underway at 8:15pm it was the Gulls who flew out of the traps.

On four minutes Northern Ireland international Josh McQuoid nodded home a curling free-kick from Luke Young to score his first goal for the club since joining on loan from Luton Town.

Young went from being provider to scorer eight minutes later when he found the target - with his second goal of the season - from the edge of the penalty area after being expertly teed up by the industrious Jamie Reid.

In the 21st minute, Rhys Murphy - on loan from Forest Green Rovers - opened his account for the Gulls when he turned the ball home following a long throw in from Ryan Higgins, after his initial effort rebounded off a Maidenhead defender.

A minute before half-time, Reid struck to score his first goal of the season - following good work on the left hand side from the impressive Liam Davis and McQuoid on the left hand side - which effectively ended the game as a contest.

In the second half Maidenhead raised their game but were unable to find a consolation effort, as United's defence - marshalled by skipper Josh Gowling - stood firm.

The Gulls also had chances to add to their tally, as Reid and substitute Ruairi Keating both went close but it ultimately didn't matter as, at the 14th time of asking, United finally won their first match since defeating North Ferriby United on the final day of the 2016-17 campaign.

NO HONEYMOON PERIOD FOR OWERS

Such is the scale of the task facing Torquay United head coach Gary Owers and his assistant Martin Kuhl - that the pair haven't been granted an honeymoon period since taking over.

Another late goal condemned them to defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge - this time through a penalty from Fejiri Okenabirhie - but Owers believes United could have taken more from the game if they had taken their chances.

"If we'd taken our chances we could have been two or three up," said Owers. "We didn't and we paid the penalty for it with a soft decision against us late in the game."

The pick of those chances included an agonisingly miss from Northern Ireland international Josh McQuoid - on loan from Luton Town - and in the second half Exeter City loanee Jamie Reid forced a top drawer save from Daggers keeper Mark Cousins, following a superb move involving Luke Young, Damon Lathrope and McQuoid, in the 74th minute.

Yesterday's game was also notable for the fact that it was the first time this season - under the reigns of Kevin Nicholson, caretaker manager Robbie Herrera and Owers - that the Gulls were able to field a full strength back four. The reason for this is the return of left-back Liam Davis who not only missed the regular National League season up until now, but pre-season also.

Prior to Owers' arrival, the Gulls had conceded an average of two goals per game. However, since his appointment, that has now dropped to one per game.

Nevertheless United have only netted once during that time.

Hopefully once the Gulls' more attack-minded players, most notably loan signings Rhys Murphy and McQuoid, who Owers has brought in can get up to speed after having barely featured for their respective parent clubs -  Forest Green Rovers and Luton - then real progress may not be far off the horizon for United.