As Torquay United approach their National League South play-off semi-final with either Dorking Wanderers or Maidenhead United on Saturday, we will now look at the Gulls complete record in the play-offs from 1987-88 to the present day.
1987-88
United’s first involvement in the end of season showdown
came in the 1987-88 season when - after missing out on automatic promotion from
the Fourth Division under the late Cyril Knowles - the Gulls were paired with
Scunthorpe United, who they had lost out to on the final day of the campaign.
The first leg went well for Torquay as they won 2-1 with
goals from Paul Dobson and Dave Caldwell in what proved to be an ill-tempered
affair. Scunthorpe were reduced to ten men in a game that was most notable for
Knowles walking away from his dugout to avoid being sent off himself.
There was no quarter given in the contest between Caldwell
and the Iron defence – such was the ill-feeling for the return leg – which was
also Scunthorpe’s last ever match at their Old Showground prior to their move
to Glanford Park – that Caldwell was left on the bench by Knowles and he
required a Police escort for the warm-up!
The return leg ended 1-1, which set up a final between
United and Swansea City over two legs – Wembley finals for the Play-offs didn’t
start until 1990. After losing 2-1 at the Vetch Field, Torquay could only
manage a 3-3 draw in the second leg – which saw them miss out on a return to
the third tier for the first time since 1972.
United’s second leg against Swansea was also their record
62nd competitive match of the campaign which restored a lot of pride to the
club following their Bryn the Police Dog inspired ‘great escape’ of a year
earlier.
Scunthorpe United H W 2-1 Dave
Caldwell, Paul Dobson
Scunthorpe United A D 1-1 Mark
Loram
Swansea City L 1-2 Jim McNichol
Swansea City H D 3-3 Jim
McNichol 2, Dave Caldwell
Three years later in the 1990-91 season, United reached the Play-offs again - after flirting with automatic promotion under Dave Smith before he was replaced by youth team coach John Impey. Impey had been a player in Knowles’ 1987-88 Play-off side and the Gulls secured a Play-off place on the final day with a 2-1 win over York City, which set up a semi-final with Burnley.
Goals from Dean Edwards and Matt Elliott gave Torquay a win
over the Clarets at Plainmoor in the first leg, which proved to be enough to
seal a return to Wembley for the Gulls – despite Burnley winning the return leg
1-0 at Turf Moor.
United's win also ended any hopes of an all-Lancashire
final, as the Gulls’ opponents at Wembley would be Blackpool. Before the match,
a minute’s silence was held in the memory of former Tangerines’ striker Stan
Mortensen, who famously scored a hat-trick in the ‘Matthews final’ against
Bolton Wanderers in 1953, who had recently passed away.
Blackpool soon had their noses in front through Paul Groves
– but the Gulls struck back to equalise as Wes Saunders headed home a cross
from Mark Loram. Shortly afterwards edged ahead when Dean Edwards converted
from the penalty spot. An own goal in the second half from Chris Curran
levelled matters on the night, and that was how it finished after 90 minutes,
and even after 30 minutes extra time as the final head to penalties.
Mark Loram stepped up to take United’s first spot-kick,
which was saved by Blackpool keeper Steve McIlhargey. His opposite number Tony
Rodwell then stepped up for the Tangerines, but his effort was saved by United
keeper Gareth Howells. Mickey Holmes, Saunders, Paul Holmes and Chris Myers
then successfully converted their respective penalties for United as the scores
remained level after five spot-kicks – as the final went into sudden death.
Then came a moment of history as Howells took United’s sixth
spot-kick, which he fired home to become the first goalkeeper both score and
save a penalty at Wembley to put Torquay back in front. It was then down to
Blackpool’s leading scorer David Bamber to keep them in it. However, Bamber
fluffed his lines and missed the target – thus meaning United were returning to
the ‘old’ Third Division for the first time in 19 years.
Nevertheless, the Gulls’ stay in the Third tier proved to be
a brief one as they came straight back down again, and they then a second
straight relegation under the caretaker manager spell of Neil Warnock in the
1992-93 season.
Burnley H W 2-0 Dean Edwards, Matt Elliott
Burnley A L 0-1
Blackpool N D 2-2 (W 5-4 on penalties) Wes Saunders, Dean Edwards (pen)
1993-94
In the following campaign – the 1993-94 season – under Don
O’Riordan, Warnock’s successor, the Gulls made the Play-offs again after
finishing sixth in the ‘new’ Third Division – following the formation of the
Premier League in the 1992-93 campaign. This time they would be facing also
Lancastrian opponent in the form of Preston North End.
Goals from Duane Darby and Darren Moore gave United a 2-0
lead heading into the return leg at Deepdale, which would also the last game
played on Preston’s artificial surface.
Although Preston took an early lead, Gregory Goodridge’s
kept United firmly in the driving seat before the game turned ten minutes
before half-time when some theatrics from Paul Raynor got Darren Moore sent off
– Raynor acted as though he had been struck by Moore, but the replays show that
Moore hadn’t made contact with Raynor. The tie then ended up finishing 3-1,
forcing the game into extra time. However, just as when it looked as though
United had done enough to hold out for a win on away goals, Raynor popped up
with the winner – sending Preston through to the final, which they would lose
to a Wycombe Wanderers’ side managed by Martin O’Neill.
Preston NE H W 2-0 Duane
Darby, Darren Moore
Preston NE A L 1-4 AET Gregory
Goodridge
