FAC2QR: Bishops Cleeve v Torquay United 3pm 14/09/24

link - TUFC match preview

Liverton - Chudleigh.... ha only kidding but losing 3-0 to a village side must be one of the worst results in the clubs history.
Goes without saying its a total embarrassment for all at the club including the manager who wouldn't have seen this one coming - like 99% of us I guess.

The bigger picture is far more important but today has really showed up our limitations in the current squad and to be honest I feel our league position is slightly flattering and has been achieved through hard work rather than outright ability. When you look back to the players we had in our promotion season form this division there's just no comparison and the general quality was far higher. I still feel we're just a developing squad and need to strengthen in a number of areas if we have genuine ambitions for this season.

Have to say big well done to Bishops Cleave who wanted it more by the sounds of it though surprised we didn't show enough desire and went out with a whimper.
Tough one for the manager to explain away to supporters - Goodness knows how he will react and respond behind the scenes or publicly but he sure wont be a happy bunny.

Certainly not watching this again but may be of interest to some.

They've got a cheek calling them highlights...

Apparently and according to some, it was the pink away strip that was the reason we performed so poorly.

No panic, I'm just pleased we still have a football club and owners that genuinely has ambition for better, has a plan to survive, live within its means and prosper in the "long term".

Barely a few months have passed since the club was sinking into the abyss and already many have forgotten where we were, on the brink of oblivion and what the new owners had to achieve to get some stability back into the football club.
Human nature I guess but we have no right to expect instant success.
Perhaps the bar has been raised too early with such a decent start to the league campaign and hand in hand with that comes raised fan expectation levels that just aren't realistic.

Nobody really needs reminding this was always going to be a long hall after assembling an entirely new "affordable" squad with one or two exceptions in slightly over the hill Dean Moxey, whos been forced to play early doors and the now banned Austin Booth.

Paul Wotton, who still has a lot to learn in his management role including his very revealing and open post match interviews, had to get on his bike quickly to sign the players he was able to in the short time window he had and has done a pretty decent job to get the group organised and in the top seven of the division. A far better position than many thought we would be and has come about through hard work in pre season and in training that has given us a slight edge over one or two others in the division especially the part timers with smaller part time squads.

I have my doubts that the current squad, as it stands will be able to maintain this initial impetus as the others find their feet and play catch up.
I would be pleasantly surprised if we can maintain a challenge for top spot or the playoffs with the current crop of players who have worked their socks off but happened to fall short at the weekend for whatever reason.
It happens at every level of the game.
No need for knee jerk reactions after one single poor performance and result that will be soon lost in history and absolutely nobody cares that we lost to a village side except the supporters of TUFC. I'm personally glad it happened in a cup game rather than a league game though you can be sure it will happen again just as it always has done.

Yes a cup run would have been nice but highly unlikely we would make very far. There's here's always the Devon bowl I guess...that sadly is about the only cup competition we have a chance of winning but though I'm certain that will change for the better in time.