The winter of 2015 had proved to be one of discontent as far as Torquay United were concerned on the eve of their Boxing Day fixture with high-flying Forest Green Rovers.
Earlier in the 2015-16 season, Paul Cox resigned after only ten games in charge - after working on an expenses only basis after succeeding Chris Hargreaves in the summer of 2015. United director of football Dean Edwards and Cox's assistant John Ramshaw both had brief spells in caretaker charge before the Gulls' board headed by Dave Phillips, who had taken over from Thea Bristow's consortium in the close season, appointed Kevin Nicholson as player-manager.
With money tight at Plainmoor, it proved to be struggle for Nicholson at first and as United headed into their festive clash with Forest Green on the back of a 4-0 away defeat to Chester FC the omens didn't look particularly good. Nicholson was also yet to oversee a home win at Plainmoor, Luke Young was still sidelined with a knee ligament injury sustained in pre-season and the signings of the likes of Shaun Harrad, Nathan Blissett, Danny Racchi and Josh Rees who would prove to be so influential in keeping the Gulls in the National League hadn't arrived.
Then there was the small matter that United were second from bottom in the National League table and Rovers were second place behind a Cheltenham Town side managed by Gary Johnson and captained by Aaron Downes.
After a promising start, Forest Green finally made the break through on 20 minutes. Winger Keanu Marsh-Brown found the top corner from the edge of the penalty area, with a shot that had Gulls' keeper Dan Lavercombe well beaten, after Torquay’s stand-in skipper Courtney Richards headed an Elliot Frear corner straight into his path.
The Gulls’ response to going behind was both sharp and swift as a cross from Andre Wright picked out Tyrone Marsh who, in turn, found the target with an angled effort. Initially it had looked as though he had been denied by the reflexes of Rovers’ keeper Steve Arnold, but the linesman on the far side ruled that the ball had crossed the line.
Torquay edged ahead in the 37th minute when an unmarked Marsh headed home a cross from Richards, following a short corner routine, to complete his brace.
Six minutes after the re-start for the second half, Kurtis Guthrie looked well placed to equalise for Forest Green, only to be denied by a fine reflex stop from Lavercombe.
With seven minutes to go, substitute Louis Briscoe looked well placed to score for the Gulls, after being sent through by Dan Butler, but he was twice denied by Arnold before the ball fell invitingly to Durrell Berry who slotted home to score his first goal for the club, which ended the game as a contest.
Then, in the 88th minute, Wright burst clear of the Forest Green defence to add a fourth as United wrapped up their first league win since October 2015. It was also their first victory in front of the Plainmoor faithful since they defeated Macclesfield Town 1-0 in Cox's first game in charge on the opening day of the season.
As late Christmas presents go it wasn't too bad and, although it only provided United with a temporary respite, it gave the Gulls a genuine belief that they could avoid the drop into the National League South with a few additions.
And those additions would come in the January transfer window as messrs Harrad, Blissett, Racchi and Rees all arrived alongwith the returning Toby Ajala and Iffy Allen also joined from Yeovil Town.Later on in the season, Luke Young would even return for Eventually the corner began to turn for United, as a 1-0 win at Boreham Wood in early February 2016 proved to be the start of a revival that would culminate in a 2-0 win away at Bromley in April 2016. It was mission accomplished for Nicholson as the 'great escape' of 2015-16 was complete.
The United XI that won 4-1 against Forest Gren (4-4-2): Dan Lavercombe; Durrell Berry, Ben Gerring, Nathan Smith, Kevin Nicholson (Josh Carmichael 86); Aman Verma, Simon Heslop, Courtney Richards, Dan Butler; Tyrone Marsh (Louis Briscoe 74), Andre Wright
