FC: Torquay United v Nuneaton Town - 3pm, 6 September 2014

Haha del.......if last week was consummate ease.......what is today mate.......be careful in your reply mate it's a family site........ha ha ha.....si

A fantastic first half performance that simply blew Nuneaton away! It had everyone you hope for - slick passing, great movement, skill, invention and 3 first half goals! We reached the same sort of heights that we did many years ago under Leroy. I've seen some decent performances since under Buckle and Ling but this surpassed them. When all your 4 midfielders and 2 strikers all are very capable of turning on great skill, flair and can finish, when they click like today it is a joy to behold. Crowd 2,177 with a decent 200 from Nuneaton. When you start to feel sorry for the opposition fans and keeper you know you've had a good day! Sponsors MOTM Richards, twitter MOTM his midfield partner Young.

Torquay started positively and it was a question of whether we could convert our chances that came along. We had about 3 early close shaves and a good penalty shout turned down. However just before our opening, Nuneaton looked certain to score. In their best move of the match, the ball was pulled back to an unmarked player about 12 yards out. He shot powerfully but Rice at full stretch made a remarkable parried save. On 21 minutes just when you thought Torquay might again struggle to score, Young gave us the answer hitting a peach of a shot from outside the area low down that gave their keeper no chance. So that's 2 in 2 weeks that our central midfielders have delivered, something we could only dream about last season. Young's second goal on 29 minutes was from a glorius team build up. It started with Ajala who laid the ball onto O'Archie on the right. O'Archie shrugged off a defender and planted the ball across where the advancing Young pounced from close range. A goal that had quality written all over it. Cameron sadly limped off and was replaced by Chappel with Ajala switching to left wing. For the rest of the half Torquay were sensational and Downes headed our third from a Young corner. 3-0 at half time was a fair reflection of proceedings. What I particularly enjoyed was our movement off the ball. I loved the way we often had an overlapping player on a wing. All our players played a part and even players like Cruise and Tonge were showing confidence on the ball and were playing a part in our decent moves. Cruise finally was looking a decent player he should be bearing in mind his past with Arsenal.

The second half was a bit of an anti-climax and we did not reach the same heights as the first. Our fourth was thanks to work on the left from Ajala whose somewhat mis-hit shot eluded everyone except Bowman at the far post who finished off from close range. 4-0 was richly deserved and the crowd was baying for more. There were "ole's" from the yellow army and the Nuneaton fans showed their sense of humour and joined in when they had possession. Near the end there was a bit of a fracas in their box and Brown got his second yellow and our own MacDonald got booked. Torquay used their 3 subs but there were no more goals much to the relief of Nuneaton.

So a great afternoon at Plainmoor today and our spirits were greatly lifted today after our last 2 bleak seasons. Well done Hargreaves and all the players. There is something special brewing!

Plenty that wanted Bucks out in his promotion season si!!!!!

Thank you for the match reports, gents; unanimous in their praise of the entire team. I thought we may have a better season than some were predicting but I didn't envisage stuff like today. I would imagine the feelgood factor was sky high as our fans left Plainmoor. It certainly is in Florida!

I know it's early days but if CH were to get us promoted, what a great double that would be - promoted as a player and then again later as the manager of the same club. I wonder how many others have that claim to fame?

Nuneaton were poor but that need not take away from a super performance from Torquay. Had it finished 7 or 8 nil, then there could have been no complaints. It was the best football I have seen from a Torquay team since O'Kane et al tore Plymouth apart at Home Park. Really good brand of football being developed and it could just be that Hargreaves team are a little ahead of schedule in terms of challenging for the play-offs but we are nicely tucked amongst the chasing pack at the moment.

The thing that pleased me the most today was the excellent, composed performance of Tom Cruise. Much maligned, slated by many, I hope he can build upon his game today because that was the best left-back performance we have seen at Plainmoor for a couple of years - he didn't put a foot wrong. Well played, Tom, and I hope people get off his back now.

I think everyone played their part - Rice pulled off an early save when the Nuneaton player had a virtual open goal at 0-0 and it could have been very different if they had something to protect, so Rice certainly played his part in the victory.

Tonge, like Cruise, had a great game - he was actually the attacking threat, I think Hargreaves has wanted from his full-backs and it wouldn't surprise me if Tonge/Downes, followed Chapell by coming off the transfer list.

The midfield pair of Young and Richards is what we have been crying out for since O'Kane left. Richards is a real diamond and I don't think we will keep him for long and Young is growing into his captain role especially well. Ajala and Cameron, were particularly threatening and what joy to have two forwards who look like they can do some damage.

That team would be doing ok in League 2 - certainly better than what Knill was fielding a year ago and probably at a fraction of the cost. Hargreaves deserves some credit for assembling a promising young team that is capable of playing some stunning football. An excellent day.

It was a great game and a pleasant surprise to have 'paid entertainment' rather than pain.

Good all 'round performances from our back 4 with McDonald and Torry Canyon Downes being excellent. Midfield excellent - hope that Cameron is too badly injured. Thought that young Chappers lacked a wee bit of conviction. Front two top notch.

I think Nuneaton Town were very poor and the game should be put in context the same way. Yes the team have to be beaten but lets wait till 5pm next Saturday before we get the Promotion back to the Football League banner out!