Post by rjdgull on Oct 1, 2023 8:18:42 GMT
It is not often that you see a Torquay team have so much time and space and there was only going to be one result in this game. It did take us 20 minutes to get on the scoresheet but we were knocking on the door before then and it was only a matter of time.
Hungerford did put us under some pressure earlier on with a few corners and long throws into the box but we stood up pretty solid and their defence was becoming ever shakier with a yellow card conceded after Stobbs was pulled back on the counter as he was starting to look dangerous on the right wing. He eventually broke the deadlock after a pass from the left to the right side of the area which just went past Lapslie who may have been offside in the centre of the area but Stobbs made no mistake blasting the ball into the roof of the net to take a well-deserved lead.
He was instrumental in creating the second running into the area from right to left and his left-footed shot towards the far corner was clearly handled by a raised defender’s hand and the ref had no hesitation in pointing to the spot where Jarvis made no mistake slotting home. By the end of the half, Hungerford were in complete disarray, I think Brent McGavin supplied the pass that split the defence high line for Brad Ash to run onto and he made no mistake in a one-on-one with their keeper. Collins was then put through, but this time he tried to lob the keeper, but it was too weak with Lapslie able to latch onto the loose ball to shoot home from the left of the area. Finally, another cross on the right from Stobbs saw Jarvis being clearly pushed as he jumped for a header as Hungerford conceded their second penalty and again it was powerfully put away with Clark just managing to get a hand on it.
So the second half ended up being an anti-climax and it almost looked like a training game. We had a couple of good chances, both with crosses from the right with a Jarvis header hitting the post and a Collins header unable to get enough power to beat the covering Clarke. While Hungerford had a few chances as the intensity went out of our play, Halstead was grateful for the clean sheet. At the end of the day, it was a cup tie that was effectively over at the halftime whistle. Stobbs MOTM for me, however, for the sponsors, the walking dead, it was Collins.
Hungerford did put us under some pressure earlier on with a few corners and long throws into the box but we stood up pretty solid and their defence was becoming ever shakier with a yellow card conceded after Stobbs was pulled back on the counter as he was starting to look dangerous on the right wing. He eventually broke the deadlock after a pass from the left to the right side of the area which just went past Lapslie who may have been offside in the centre of the area but Stobbs made no mistake blasting the ball into the roof of the net to take a well-deserved lead.
He was instrumental in creating the second running into the area from right to left and his left-footed shot towards the far corner was clearly handled by a raised defender’s hand and the ref had no hesitation in pointing to the spot where Jarvis made no mistake slotting home. By the end of the half, Hungerford were in complete disarray, I think Brent McGavin supplied the pass that split the defence high line for Brad Ash to run onto and he made no mistake in a one-on-one with their keeper. Collins was then put through, but this time he tried to lob the keeper, but it was too weak with Lapslie able to latch onto the loose ball to shoot home from the left of the area. Finally, another cross on the right from Stobbs saw Jarvis being clearly pushed as he jumped for a header as Hungerford conceded their second penalty and again it was powerfully put away with Clark just managing to get a hand on it.
So the second half ended up being an anti-climax and it almost looked like a training game. We had a couple of good chances, both with crosses from the right with a Jarvis header hitting the post and a Collins header unable to get enough power to beat the covering Clarke. While Hungerford had a few chances as the intensity went out of our play, Halstead was grateful for the clean sheet. At the end of the day, it was a cup tie that was effectively over at the halftime whistle. Stobbs MOTM for me, however, for the sponsors, the walking dead, it was Collins.
