Buoyed by the pre-match signing of Gabby Rogers, formerly Player A, Torquay United ended their pre-season preparations on a high with an emphatic win over AFC Bournemouth Under-23s.
A first half double from Dan Holman and a headed effort on the stroke of half-time from Ali Omar gave the Gulls a three-goal cushion heading into the interval. United then added a fourth in the 74th minute when Tom Lapslie slotted home after connecting with a precision pass from substitute Alex Moyse – but in truth it could have been more.
Gary Johnson made one change to the side that defeated Chippenham Town on Saturday as Rogers started the game in place of Klaidi Lolos, who dropped to the bench. Armani Little once again captained the side.
United set the tone for the evening in the first minute as Lapslie nodded a cross from Little wide.
The visitors threatened for the first time when Connor Kurran-Browne raced free of the Gulls’ defence in the fifth minute, but he could only manage to fire a tame shot straight at United keeper Mark Halstead.
A minute later, Joe Lewis connected with a Little free-kick but he missed the target and headed wide.
In the eighth minute, the Gulls
finally made the breakthrough when the ball fell to Holman in the penalty area.
His initial shot was blocked, but he made no mistake from the rebound as he
fired home to give United the lead with his fifth goal in three pre-season friendlies.
Holman had formed a highly effective partnership with Danny Wright during the second half of the 2015-16 campaign with Cheltenham Town as the Robins won the 2015-16 National League title, and two combined to good effect moments later when Wright laid on a cross for Holman, which failed to fully connect with.
However, the young Cherries’ managed to carve out a few chances of their own, as Jack Wadham and Euan Pollock both went close. Wadham fired wide in the 18th minute while Pollock saw a shot pushed onto the bar by Halstead and behind for a corner two minutes later.
Nevertheless Torquay regained their composure as Rogers latched onto a diagonal ball from Dean Moxey and fired over in the 25th minute.
Nine minutes later, United doubled their lead when Holman found the target with a cool finish after being picked out by Little.
The Gulls added a third two minutes before the break when Omar rose highest in the box to head home a corner from Little.
Despite making four changes at half-time, United started the second half in a similar manner to which they began the first. Rogers went close again before the pick of the early chances fell to sub Klaidi Lolos who rattled the upright in the 53rd minute.
The Bournemouth youngsters threatened to reduce their arrears on the hour mark when right-back Brooklyn Genesini shot wide – but that was the best chance they could muster in the second half.
On 74 minutes, United added a fourth when sub Alex Moyse threaded the ball through to Lapslie, who by this stage had taken over the captain’s armband when Little was substituted, who calmly slotted home.
The Gulls had further chances to add to their lead in the final ten minutes, as Jake Andrews hit the post and Omar was denied a second by Cherries keeper Billy Terrell. United also played out the final few minutes with ten men after Rogers hobbled off in the 87th minute.
All eyes will now be on United’s first league fixture of the 2021-22 campaign against Altrincham.
United (4-4-2): Mark Halstead (Marcin Brozozowski 72); Ben (Chiori Johnson 46), Joe Lewis (Louie Slough 61), Ali Omar, Dean Moxey (Dan Martin 46), Gabby Rogers (87), Armani Little (Alex Moyse), Tom Lapslie, Keelan O'Connell (Jake Andrews 46), Dan Holman (Scott Pioer 61), Danny Wright (Klaidi Lolos 46)
