Torquay United Women's Team

I got into the ground just a few minutes before kickoff to see a bustling Bristows bench, albeit one showing a very different demographic to the usual match day crowd with the Euro Cup win effect in evidence. With a good 404 attendance, it does show the potential for an additional income steam with the ground otherwise normally only hosting 25 to 30 games per season. With women’s matches have a lessor schedule, playing on Sundays and causing so much less wear and tear upon the pitch, does it really create any conflict with the men’s team?

A welcome return to the side for Mia Preston on the right wing, Rebecca McMullin filled in at right back again with Sasha Mole still on the bench as she continues to recover from her concussion and subsequent hospital stay following the Bristol Rovers match. Otherwise, normal lineup with Anthea Kaptein not in the squad as I believe she cannot always get leave for games and Kiara Jade Robins making her debut this season, initially on the bench following recovery from an ACL injury, the scourge of the women’s game. I actually sat behind her mum and understand it was initially misdiagnosed and she spent a long time trying to play through it.

Initially Sherborne tried to pass the ball and while keeping some possession they were unable to make much headway and were soon on the back foot in the match. Connie Pengelly did some good work on the right wing to get clear of two of Sherborne defenders, but was unable to create a clear chance from her cross. She turned provider for the first goal though, holding the ball up well and sending the ball pass the last line of defence for Esme Kilburn-Thompson to run onto the ball and despite pressure from the last defender and being slightly forced to the right was able to slot the ball home into the bottom right hand corner of the net leaving their keeper no chance. Best move of the match!

Torquay continued to press without too many clear-cut chances with a long shot from Mia Preston being tipped onto the cross bar by their keeper and would have been one heck of a strike if it had gone in. The second goal came from a corner which was knocked back into the fray by Rhi Bailey for Connie Pengelly to latch onto deep in the area and she rarely makes a mistake from that range. Sherborne were at sixes and sevens at this stage and we almost got a third just before half-time, some good work down the right, saw Rhi Bailey get clear on the right hand side of the penalty area and her cross across the face of goal was just hacked clear by the defender before Nat Warman could turn it home.

The interval could not have come at a better time for Sherborne, who then came out firing on all cylinders and we struggled to retain any meaningful possession and consequently were under pressure in our own half. They managed to score from a corner early on with a header from a deep cross that was redirected back across the goal turning the game from comfortable to tense for the home support. Forays into the Sherborne half were few and far between with Mia Preston wastefully firing over after being laid on off on the edge of the area by Connie Pengelly. Like the first half there were a number of injuries, mainly to Sherborne players needing extensive treatment although Ocean Latto needed attention in the first half possibly contributing to being slightly off her normal high standards.

A spell of pressure came from Sherborne as the final whistle approached with a number of corners that saw Emma Ayres being called upon for the first time in the match to make some top class saves and keep our noses in front. Into injury time we finally obtained some much needed possession and were able to keep the ball in the corners and hold out for a crucial win.

Excellent. It’s good to see something positive at TUFC at the moment. Form suggests they’ll get that 4 points. And I do hope they will be back at Plainmoor en route to the title.

link - after a few weeks off the women have one of the biggest games of the season this Sunday away to Liskeard who are on a good run of form themselves with 3 wins on the bounce. They cannot afford to lose but a draw will be okay. I see that the Premier League cup match has been put back until the following week as the league has been deemed to take priority. Final game is at home to Wootton Bassett who are bottom of the league without a win all season, so you would hope that is three points in the bank with 4 points needed from these last 2 games to win the title.

So if the miracle doesn’t happen, and Sir Sharkey (I hear that he is up for the New Years Honours List, for services to smaller clubs) decides to close the purse strings forever, that will also mean the demise of the ladies team…a lot to play for on Saturday. The men, not the women, not the women. 🦫

The women are just about independent of the club.

Due to inadequate warm up Rhi Bailey got injured at the start of the second half. Much of the half played with just 8 outfields player until Danni came back on to play through injury and at least give some outlet up front. Somehow despite all this, held out for the draw for both one heck of a gutsy but also a champion performance.

You would think so. Big crowd again to see this team lift the league trophy. However, the word is “definitely not!” 🤬