NL:Torquay United v York City 3pm 10 Sept 16

rjdgull



I'd like to think we'd get a decent gate for this game as well. After providing us with two exciting games of open attacking football, it would be no more than Nico and his players deserve. Mind you, home games on three consecutive Saturday's is asking a bit much of those who didn't have the foresight to buy one of the bargain Season tickets. Also, especially given there unimpressive form on their travels, I can't see a great number of York City fans making the long journey down.

Let's hope the fans turn out to give Kev and the lads the support they deserve. Of course Hector is fond of suggesting that you need to be a Trust owned club to ensure that fans will loyally turn up to watch, though Exeter City's revelations at the beginning of the month seem to indicate that results and performances could be the more important factors as The Grecians are already 1500 down on their attendance estimations for the first three home games:

To assist in this, whilst the Gates Committee, comprising of a number of statistical experts, estimates attendances and what the income from gates is likely to be (incredibly well in fact) as part of the budget round, much is dependent on loyalty and home form. It would be stupid not to recognise and acknowledge that factor, and the Board does so, especially as the estimates for the first three home league games this season is already 1500 below that anticipated by the Gates Committee. The effect of this is stark, income being well below budget for these three matches alone, and is already having consequences on our planning elsewhere for the rest of this season.

If Nico continues to enthrall us with his exciting brand of football, I predict even more Grecians will be forsaking St.James and heading over to Plainmoor, as the ECFC authorities realise their supporters can't be 'Trusted' 

Quite a comfortable win in the end but plenty of goal mouth action with both teams having enough chances to add at least a couple of goals to their final tally and our clean sheet was only achieved by the smallest margin.

I actually entered the ground a few minutes late to witness a fine flowing move started by Blissett and ended with a good low shot turned around their left hand post by the keeper. From the resulting corner,the ball was punched clear but fed back in for Blissett to emphatically head home to the delight of home crowd, his team mates and of course himself as he broke his season's duck!

Although we kept the pressure on, York had a good chance when Brodie was able to cut inside an over committed LRT and shot from the edge of the area with the ball luckily cannoning off the far right hand post and although a York player was able to then hit the back of the net, he was in an offside position. Just inside the half hour mark Sparkes did well to head a deep cross back into the goal mouth for Blissett to impressively volley home giving their keeper absolutely no chance!

In the second half, I expected York to really come at us but initially at least, we kept them at bay and had some good chances to put the game beyond reach. Sparkes got through early in the half but under pressure from defenders only hit a moderate shot which their keeper somehow contrived to fumble before retrieving it a foot from the line. Blissett received the ball in a similar position after a delightful weighted bisecting pass put him clear but he went down too easily to no avail when completing his hat trick was on.

York, did steadily up the ante though, creating some good chances including hitting the cross bar from a narrow angle, missing a header when the goal looked on and having a few penalty appeals turned down which I was not in a position to judge although Brodie was trying it on all match. Saying that we had a great shout ourselves when a York defender jumped up and very clearly handled a bouncing ball after a corner. Final mention to Scrivens who produced a scintillating run from defence with good skill to deliver the ball into the area just slightly too far for Young to bundle home but the young baggie will be pushing for a start soon at this rate.

Great entertainment from first minute to last, and frighteningly good value when you take into account the generous season ticket deal that we loyal fans have been rewarded with. To tell the truth the entertainment started before the first minute, as I wished there'd been a longer queue at the turnstiles to let me continue listening to an on-going 'discussion'. A female fan, having consumed her can of fizzy pop, proceeded to crush the can, and then request permission to take the empty receptical into the ground with her. The steward on the gate did not accede to her request; 'But why ?...it's empty, I want to take it home to recycle it !'
Not being able to get a guarantee that her can would be made available for her outside the ground at full time in order for it to accompany her on the homeward journey, further negotiations were underway, when I had no option but to leave them to it and head for Bristow's Bench.








More good news once I was inside. The big screen proclaimed the forthcoming launch of TORQUAY UNITED OFFICIAL SUPPORTERS CLUB (TUOSC). This was also advertised in the programme, with the all important emphasis that this would be a 'properly recognised' supporters group. A long overdue step in the right direction hopefully, with more details to be made available nearer the end of the month.

 A perfectly observed minutes silence to remember Alan Smith, before a stunning display of attacking football by King Kev's lads got underway. Nathan Blissett heading us into the lead. As a cross was sent in from in front of Bristow's bench, it had 'goal' written all over it even before it reached big Nathan. Bliss buried the header emphatically, and 'The Minstermen from Harrogate' buried their heads in the big flag they had draped in front of them over the barriers in the Away End.

The quality of our football maintained it's admirably high level as we sought a further goal, and when it came, it was again courtesy of Bliss after a brave and painful challenge by Sparkes on a York defender. Bliss was close enough in for his skyward shot to impressively bulge the net rather than qualify for miss of the season.
Luke Young had a paricularly impressive first half, while Hector's lad,Jamie Reid, put in another impressive display. A thoroughly deserved standing ovation for King Kev's team at the interval.

H.T Gulls 2 Minstermen 0

Let's have a missing word quiz to fill the half time break. Taken from Cap'n Courtney's interview in the matchday programme:
'Nico offered me the captaincy when I was getting my ------ rubbed, so I didn't really see it coming'. Don't take any notice of the number of dashes, answer provided at the end of report.

50/50 draw won by someone called Nick I think. Ticket No. 06144. £250 prize money, of which Nick immediately donated £50 to the Players Fund. What a good gesture, I'd give him a year's free membership of the TUOSC as well if it were up to me.

£75 quid for the Crossbar challenge. Tkt No.05849. Two terrible penalties to start with, missing the goal compltely, then one that never left the ground. Of course wouldn't you know it... clipping the bar with the final attempt to win the cash.


The second half started with York withdrawing Aidan Connolly. He'd picked up a knock two thirds of the way through the first half, but up until then his nippy trickery had marked him out as their main dangerman. He was finding room centrally, could arrive late to support his attackers, and we'd never quite managed to handle him. With his non appearance for the second half, it was now surely a case of 'points in the bag'. Well, as there was no further change to the scoreline we did claim all three points, but the game remined very open with York giving us plenty to worry about; hitting the bar at one stage and Brendan Moore tipping a powerful close range header over the crossbar in spectacular fashion.

Brett Williams looked in improved shape when he came on for the last 30 minutes, replacing the hard working Reid. Sam Chaney took the place of Joe Ward in midfield, and WBA youngster Chay Scrivens provided the fresh legs when Dan Sparkes was withdrawn. The trip up to Woking for another away match on Tueday clearly on King Kev's mind. LRT is settling in well, and dealt adequately with Felix the speedy winger who he was up against in the second half. For the second time this season LRT tackled on one occasion in a fashion which concerns me that it will be interpreted as 'two footed' by a referee at some stage. Shaun Rooney's protests elicited no response from Mr.Fisher, but on our travels, with the home fans baying for blood, LRT may see red before the season is out.

King Kev was rightly less happy with our second half performance than the first, but overall pleased with the effort, the quality play, and the three points. A good match that absolutely whizzed by. Before you could say 'All power to the TUOSC' the 95 minutes had flown past.


* Cap'n Courtney was having his hamstrings rubbed

Feedback from Nico in the Herald - link - can be summarised as first half very good, second a big drop off in standards.

Whilst it was nice to win 2 nil and keep a clean sheet,I wish they'd throw away the 'Let's drop deep for the last 20 minutes' manual.I though at one stage we'd score 4 and put the game to rest early.

Whilst we were on top and had the rub of the green, poor defending meant they hit the post, bar and had a point blank shot saved by the 'keeper and on another day (Barrow/Lincoln) we wouldn't have won.

That Brodie chap is a funny looking bloke. It has taken me all week-end but now I knwo where I've seen him before:

Chris Fleet chaired TUST for a bit, I think. Am guessing he is still a member so wouldn't have thought so. Certainly hope not, as that would be completely pointless as we have a small enough fan base as it is. Chris was also the supporters club chairman when they voted unanimously (may have been 1 vote against? Alpine?) to join forces with TUST on its inception.

No harm in having a supporters club, though. Ultimately, it can be done as part of the trust or not, but it doesn't have as any part of its role to potentially rescue a dying club by ownership or part ownership. They are traditionally something run by the club's owners (be that Dave Phillips, GI or whoever) for members and not something run by members for members. If it helps propel the club's role in the community along with TUST and helps the club and fans' enjoyment of TUFC, all's the better. If people decide its one or other in terms of joining, that wouldn't be something I'd consider in the club's long term best interests. Alpine might, but I doubt Chris Fleet would see that any differently to me either.