TUFC 4 V 0 Nuneaton Town
Torquay United dominated proceedings at Plainmoor against Nuneaton Town, in the Vanarama Conference and ran out 4-0 victors.
The scene was set from as early as the first minute when Courtney Richards had the chance to put the Gulls one up but his effort was tame and went wide of the post. 6 minutes later United went closer when captain Young saw his direct free kick from just outside the box hit the foot of the post and go out for a goal kick.
The opening goal was not long in coming and it was Luke Young who opened his United account in the 21st minute with a powerful strike from 20 yards out into the bottom left hand corner of the Boro’s net.
Young then doubled his tally with a wonder goal 8 minutes later. The move started in Torquay’s right back position by the corner flag with Toby Ajala winning the ball and playing a long ball up to the ever strong Ofori-Acheampong, who controlled the ball well before knocking a fantastic ball across the the box a knee hight for Young, who made a driving run from midfield, to back heel the ball into the net.
Torquay then continued to press and where rewarded with a third goal just before the break, when Aaron Downes nodding into an empty net at the far post after an in-swinging corner from the impressive Young.
The Gulls could have gone in front before the opening goal with a penalty claim on Bowman, which looked clear to everyone apart from the man in the middle. Ajala, also could have scored early on, when his turn and shot from the centre of the box could only find the keepers hands, either side and he would have been rewarded.
Martin Rice was mostly a spectator for the majority of the game but did have to produce a fine save in the first half from Nuneaton’s Ryan Smith. Smith was unmarked on the right hand side of United’s box as the ball was laid across to him but Rice was alert to the danger and dived full strech to his right to turn the powerful drive out for a corner.
The only concern to an excellent and entertaining first 45 minutes for Hargreaves was the substitution of Courtney Cameron with what looked like a hamstring injury on the half hour.
After the break Nuneaton showed some signs of fight for the first 10 minutes but United kept their shape well and then continued from where they had finished in the previous half. The returning from suspension Ryan Bowman then got the fourth for United when a lucky shot from Ajala ran across the box and the Gulls forward was able to take advantage and tap the ball into the net. The goal was well deserved for the number nine after a fantastic performance, leading the line well with Ofori-Acheampong.
The United manager praised all his players after the game for their performance and highlighted the hard working front four who’s link up play was a delight to watch and showed that the hard work on the training ground is starting to pay off when it comes to match day. Hargreaves added “This was one of the best performances I have seen as a manager or a player for a long time by a Torquay side. We kept the ball so well it was great to watch, i’d like to see the stats from today’s game”.
The Gulls will now travel to Chester on Tuesday night before another away game at Grimsby Town on Saturday. Hargreaves has a number of slight niggles to players that will need to be looked at before the manager can pick his side for the coming fixtures but the confidence in the squad is high and the young United side must keep the momentum going into the next few games.
TUFC: Rice, Tonge, Cruise, Downes, MacDonald, Ajala, Young (Capt), Richards (Wakefield 80), Cameron (Chapell 30), Ofori-Acheampong (Yeoman 72), Bowman
Subs Not Used: Seabright, Pearce
Bookings: Richards, MacDonald
Aldershot: Charles-Crook, Starosta, Franklin (Quinn 68), Streete (Capt), Geohaghon, Walker, Anton Brown, Fowler (Dyer 46), Smith, Curran, Andy Brown
Subs Not Used: Hogarth-Wren, John, Waite,
Bookings: Walker, Anton Brown
Sent Off: Anton Brown
Referee: Brett Huxtable
Attendance: 2,177 (200 Away)
