A Craig Reid
hat-trick had put the visitors 3-0 up, but United hit back to find the back of
the net four times through Billy Bodin, Ryan Jarvis, Ashley Yeoman and Howe to
complete an incredible turnaround.
Reid’s first of the
evening came on 28 minutes when he steered home a free-kick from the left from
Alex Rodman.
Nine minutes later,
future Shots’ right-back Joe Oastler fouled Danny Hylton in the box and Reid
stepped up to successfully convert the spot-kick to double their advantage.
And both Reid and
the Shots continued where they had left off in the second half as Reid pounced
to complete his hat-trick two minutes after the restart.
A minute later,
United pulled one back as Bodin slotted home from close range after Nathan
Craig had been denied by a stunning double save from Shots’ keeper Jamie Young.
The Gulls then
reduced their arrears to a single goal on 69 minutes when Ryan Jarvis – two minutes
after coming on as a substitute – slid in to make it 3-2 following some
unselfish play by Howe.
With six minutes to
go, fellow sub Yeoman, who had only been on the pitch for three minutes, headed
home a Lee Mansell cross to equalise with his first goal for the club.
It was then left to Howe
who smashed home a dramatic winner in the 89th minute with his seventh goal of
the season, which completed what had seemed like an unlikely victory at one
stage for United.
Torquay United
(4-5-1): Michael Poke, Joe Oastler, Aaron Downes, Brian Saah, Kevin Nicholson; Billy
Bodin, Niall Thompson (Ashley Yeoman 81), Nathan Craig, Lee Mansell, Danny
Stevens (Ryan Jarvis 67), Rene Howe
Attendance: 2,358
