1. 'Gary time' is back.
Throughout Gary Johnson's four and a bit years as Torquay United manager, the Gulls have developed a habit of scoring goals late on in what has become known as 'Gary time.' In the seventh minute of injury time. right-back Dylan Crowe added his name to the list of players who've found the target for United during this time period when he fired home from 25 yards after being set up by Aaron Jarvis. The only shame was that it only sealed a single point for the Gulls, instead of all three.
2. Asa at the double.
When Torquay United and Gary Johnson needed their experienced players to step up to the plate, skipper Asa Hall duly delivered as he scored his first goals of the 2022-23 season. After trailing 2-0 at half-time, Hall headed home Brett McGavin's corner two minutes after the restart and then slotted home a short pass from Will Goodwin in the 71st minute to equalise. Hall is now United's joint second highest scorer with McGavin and Aaron Jarvis.
3. Aaron Jarvis led the line well.
After some promising displays in pre-season, Torquay United fans had to wait a while before seeing striker Aaron Jarvis in action as he suffered a double dead leg, which ruled him out for several months. However, now back fit and firing, Jarvis is starting to show the Plainmoor faithful what they were missing. The former Luton Town and Scunthorpe United man led the line well for the Gulls, constantly putting the Alty backline under pressure and he teed up Dylan Crowe for United's last gasp equaliser. If he can add a few more goals to his tally - he has netted twice already this season - then United will begin to climb the table.
4. Dean Moxey rolled back the years.
He might have been the oldest player on the pitch at the age of 36, but United left-back Dean Moxey had a hand in three of four of United's goals. For United's second goal his blocked cross fell into the path of Will Goodwin who squared the ball to Asa Hall to score, sub Tom Lapslie turned home his cross to put them 3-2 up and then finally for United's fourth his low shot found Aaron Jarvis who then in turn found Dylan Crowe who struck to score the Gulls' fourth.
5. Ross Marshall's red card.
Had Dylan Crowe not scored his late equaliser deep in injury time then it is likely that Ross Marshall would have been the villain following his 88th minute dismissal for a dangerous stamp on Altrincham skipper Jordan Hulme. It was the second time that Marshall has seen red this season, after previously being sent for an early bath against Bromley earlier in the season.
There have been a number of players with suspect disciplinary records; two who spring to mind include Gary Brabin and Angus MacDonald. Brabin was sent off twice for the Gulls during his brief five match stint at Plainmoor in the 2001-02 season and left after seeing red in a Devon derby defeat to Exeter City. MacDonald, on the other hand, overcame his disciplinary issues to become a leading figure in United's 'great escape' in 2015-16 under Kevin Nicholson. MacDonald spent much of the season trying to avoid receiving a 15th yellow card, which would have seen him face a three-match ban, but he successfully avoided reaching that tally until United were safe, and in the following summer he joined Barnsley for £100,000. Which direction Marshall now takes is completely down to him.
6. Survival is achieveable, but changes need to be made.
In eight league and cup matches, Torquay United are yet to achieve a victory at Plainmoor. Even during some of the worst leagues in the club's history have they ever gone that long without achieving a win in front of their own fans.
One area of the side that surely needs addressing is the defence, which conceded four goals, and with Ross Marshall (22), Ali Omar (23) and Chin Okoli (19) the only other centre backs available to Gary Johnson other than Dean Moxey (36) an experienced figure would help in that regard. When United completed their 'great escape' of the 1992-93 season, Neil Warnock returned to his old club Notts County to sign Don O'Riordan to bolster an inexperienced backline that featured a young Darren Moore and a relatively young Chris Curran. In the end, United lost only two of their final nine matches of season and secured survival with a 1-0 win over Carlisle United in their penultimate game of the campaign.
