1. A game of two halves.
Never was the phrase 'a game of two halves' seemed more true than after Torquay United met Yeovil Town on Boxing Day. The first half saw the Gulls dominate the proceedings and take a deserved lead through Mark Ellis on 18 minutes and could well have increased their lead.
However, the second half proved to be a completely different affair as Yeovil boss Mark Cooper re-jigged their formation, sending on Malachi Linton and former Gull Alex Fisher on in place of another ex United player Chiori Johnson and Charlie Wakefield. The changes paid dividends as Linton equalised for the Glovers on 64 minutes and had further chances to add to his tally(more on that later) and Fisher also went close - so, in the end, it was United who were clinging on.
2. Mark Ellis on target.
Throughout his first spell with Torquay United between 2008 and 2012, Mark Ellis' dad Kevin often used to have a bet on Mark scoring first whenever he featured for the Gulls - and made himself a tidy profit too!
He also had a flutter on Mark scoring yesterday, as he headed home in the 18th minute in a first half that the Gulls dominated. However, he limped off towards the end as United finished the game with nine men - as Dylan Crowe saw red for a second yellow card (Gulls boss Gary Johnson also saw red after the final whistle). With his loan from Barrow presumably due to end soon, the question remains when will Ellis next be seen in a Gulls' shirt?
3. Mark Halstead to the rescue -again.
United were once again indebted to goalkeeper Mark Halstead for helping them to secure a point. The former Blackpool keeper made an important stop in the first half to prevent a free-kick from Glovers' skipper Josh Staunton from trickling over the line. In the second half, he called upon to deny Jordan Maguire-Drew, Linton and Fisher in the closing stages of the game - as United ended up holding on to secure a draw.
Parallels can also be drawn with United's 1-1 draw at home to Scunthorpe United when Halstead made a string of saves late on to ensure that the Gulls came away with a share of the spoils.
4. Shaun Donnellan's versatility.
Since his arrival at Plainmoor in the summer, Shaun Donnellan has filled in numerous different roles. He has appeared as a central midfielder and at right-back, as well as in the centre of defence where he partnered Mark Ellis against Yeovil. He produced a strong, commanding display which earned him the sponsor's man of the match award.
5. Draws are killing United.
As former Plymouth Argyle manager Paul Sturrock once said 'draws can kill, it's better to win one and lose one than it is to draw two.' Sadly, too many draws at home are having that effect on United's 2022-23 campaign, with their clash with Yeovil being their sixth draw at Plainmoor this term.
Had the Gulls managed to beat the Glovers on Boxing Day, then the extra two points would have lifted them out of the relegation zone at the expense of Maidstone United on goal difference. If they could have managed to turn two or three of their five previous draws into wins they would already be outside of the bottom four.
6. Nice to meet you.
Yeovil super sub Malachi Linton would have been a familiar face to United midfielder Brett McGavin, as the duo spent the 2021-22 season on loan at King's Lynn Town. Stephen Wearne also lined-up against his fellow Grimsby Town loanee Jordan Maguire-Drew.
