NL: Torquay United v Macclesfield 3pm 8th August 2015

Get in .......cmon you gulls.......si

Lovely!!

A team of strangers who have never played together in a strange formation gain an unlikely win against a capable Macclesfield passing side.
If you had watched the first 45 minutes there really was only one team in it and it wasn't us. Macca passed, interchanged and supported each other and looked a threat throughout on a very hot day. A few tweaks at half time saw an improvement in our play though very little that was constructive or pretty to watch and safety first was the order of the day with the ball constantly hoofed to safety. Occasionally we managed to get the ball down and offer some threat as we tried to increase the tempo on a draining day. Not pretty to watch and we had good fortune on our side Spiess looked pretty assured and made one very good stop in the first half that looked a certain goal and I was generally impressed by his performance. Fisher looked like he was playing an unfamiliar role and was not in the game until switched with Murombedzi after half time when he finally started to have an effect on proceedings.
Unfair to criticise any player today they all put it in and wanted it badly. Quigley I thought was isolated with Fenwick playing just behind and it just didn't work for both players. Smith, Angus, Exodus all had sound games Dan Butler had his hands full on the left and was restricted playing in this formation. Quigley has strength and quality though and I see so much more to come from him. I guess the deal to get him and Carmichael was that they had to be included or it was anon starter hence the unexpected starting eleven.
We won but there is an awful lot Cox has to work on.
It was discipline and a slice or two of good fortune that won us the game today and expect Cox to tweak and continue to experiment until he finds a more effective formula with the group of players he has at his disposal..

Biggest disappointment was the poor turnout just under 2000 of our lot and Macca's contingent reduced somewhat after we scored and a few of theirs lost the plot in the sunshine - sunstroke more than likely as they never see it up there.

A hard fought win by the Gulls today in a game in which we got stronger as the game went on. That's something I have not witnessed for a long time. Under Hargreaves and Knill Torquay tended to start lively and fade out. Today Torquay in the first half were very much second best and should have gone in at half time a goal or two down. Goalkeeper Spiess saved a clear 1-on-1 with his legs and was alert to other dangerous moments.

The crowd of 2,066 (103 from Macclesfield) created a good atmosphere and I was proud of the chanting from all 3 home sides. You feel our supporters are really trying to do their bit to lift the club from its current predicament. Our current plight is indeed very concerning when you hear rumours of how low the players wages are and our manager and assistant are getting paid for their expenses only. It made today's win a big achievement especially for our manager, Paul Cox.

Torquay nearly scored in the first minute but our shot went across the goal from a tight angle. Torquay failed to clear their lines early on but just survived each time and we looked there for the taking. MacDonald and man mountain Geohaghon looked a good pairing in central defence and keeper Speiss was vocal. Torquay created very little in midfield and our front man Quigley had little impact. We really seem to be missing Young and we were looking like a bunch of strangers.

But we hung in there and came out in the second half with more purpose and intent. Macclesfield cleared the ball off the line in quick succession and finally Torquay were looking a bit dangerous, none more so from Geohaghon's long throws right into Macclesfield's goalmouth. Substitute Lavelle-Moore really had something about him in attack and shortly after his arrival, Torquay took the lead. Following a corner, the ball broke loose and Fisher swivelled and drove the ball into the corner of the net. Torquay grew in confidence and Macclesfield fizzled out.

There were huge celebrations at the final whistle from players and fans alike and it was a pivotal win in Torquay's history. It's a long, hard road ahead for the club and it was some achievement in winning today after all the troubles off the pitch. Well done to all concerned from the directors, management team to the players - you did the club proud today!

Thanks to everyone that have posted match reports. A really good win to get with four players on the pitch today having been signed in the last few days and injuries to three key players which necessitated a change in formation. In fact, only MacDonald and Richards were not making debuts for us! So understandably a bit disjointed but improvement as the match progressed. I thought new signing Alex Fisher was impressive and fully deserved his goal and unlucky not to get a second.

So the match started with a good goal scoring opportunity with Quigley showing good strength to get free from a defender to a through bouncing ball to shoot from a narrow angle but the ball went just wide. Thereafter, Macclesfield seemed to take control as a more cohesive unit with good passing ability. If anything, at times they seemed to be guilty of trying to pass the ball into the net but fashioned at least two excellent goal scoring opportunities with one being saved from the legs of Spiess and the other going just wide from a position near the penalty spot! ( Cannot believe we have gone from Rice to Spice in goal!)

We didn't create any more clear cut chances that I can recall in the first half but thought Fisher playing on the left up front and having to support both Butler and Quigley did well on the ball and came up with some excellent passes to Shepherd on the opposite wing! However Butler was kept busy in the first half and struggled at times on the defensive side of his game possibly as left a little exposed from our set up. Exodus was unlucky to get booked when a lunging tackle clearly got the ball and had to tread carefully thereafter.

There was not much in it in the second half but we started to create more opportunities. From a corner their keeper dropped the ball under pressure but Smith was not quite in right position to slot home from a couple of yards out. For someone playing out of position, he did OK and is a player with plenty of potential. With it being a hot day well in the 70s Cox replaced Quigley in his lone vigil up front around the hour mark with the fresh legs of Malachi who was probably more suited to that role than Marsh. Quite pleased that he signed after scoring against Exeter!

The goal when it came was a little scrappy and delivered from a corner by Fenwick? The ball was initially headed straight up from the cross by a defender and Exodus was able to use his strength and height to head the ball forward to Fisher who was able to swivel round and steer the ball home with just a slight deflection from the defender on the line. A few minutes later, we had the opportunity to put the game to bed. Malachi got the ball on the right wing and made space to deliver an inch perfect cross to Fisher in the centre of the area whose powerful header went just wide of the right hand post - an gilt edged chance!

We were able to see the game out comfortably thereafter without too much drama to achieve a morale boosting three points. Just a bit disappointed with the crowd for the first game of the season. I think we need to get some good results to re-engage the disinterested.....

Plenty of positives to be taken from the game yesterday and it was a young scratch side for me there were a number of concerns - glaringly obvious is that we failed to hold the ball very well and often gave up possession to easily by just hoofing the ball up field to a willing but isolated Quigley.
Quigley I thought got a raw deal but showed genuine flashes of real quality and strength and will be a handful if we can only get some proper support in and around him. A stop gap soloution perhaps but Fenwick didn't look to be the answer and his game suffered also as a result. Briscoe/ Fairhurst in the hole it surely has to be and maybe Cox felt he was obligated to play Carmichael was significant.
Despite the defence not conceding we rode our luck particularly in the first 45 minutes and failed on numerous occasions to mark tightly when Macca attacked us around the penalty box.
Alex Fisher unable to get into the game in the first half just doenst look like a wide man to me has a good first touch though and took his goal well.
Dan Butler taking corners - not sure about that one we were caught out a couple of times when corners were cleared and Macclesfield broke attacking the empty space vacated by Dan Butler. It could have so easily have cost us the match and maybe should have as Macca squandered their chances.
Just a few observations some of which PC would probably agree and will no doubt be working on before the net tough encounter this Tuesday at Wrexham. I feel this will be a much sterner test and Wrexham will be wounded and eager to make amends for yetserday's defeat at un-fancied Bromley and we may just get tested exposed a bit more in this one.

Amended.
Purely speculation from me that Bournemouth would have only agreed to loaning out these two on the assumption that they would be involved from the off.
More than likely that they are paying a large chunk of their wages.
Fairhurst could have played in the hole - his natural position with Fenwick playing deeper also a more natural position. Both Fenwick and Carmichael look a similar type of player and even look the same on the pitch.
No not fact DVN my poor inappropriate phrasing.