FA cup 3rd Rd Torquay v Blackpool 3rd Jan 2009

Goal Matt Green on 32 mins
Torquay 1
Blackpool 0
Come on you yellows

try the Radio Lancashire commentary that's working...

We are the winners!!!! Bring on Arsenal in the next round

NOT MY MATCH REPORT PLEASE NOTE, BUT THE ONE THAT MIGHT APPEAR IN THE PAPERS TOMORROW. Seems to leave out the fact that we hit the post as well....

Matthew Green's clinical first-half strike earned Torquay a famous FA Cup win as they deservedly overcame Coca-Championship side Blackpool at Plainmoor to earn a place in the fourth round.

Green smashed a left-footed effort from 20 yards past keeper Paul Rachubka after 32 minutes to hand Paul Buckle's high-flying Blue Square Premier side a place in the hat and leave the managerless Seasiders without a win in their past six outings.

Heading into the game Blackpool caretaker boss Tony Parkes was forced into wholesale changes following the return of no less than six loanees to their parent clubs.

A hamstring injury to Rob Edwards also saw the influential defender miss out, along with the suspended Gary Taylor-Fletcher, as Parkes recalled Danny Coid as well as handing Stuart Green and Daniel Nardiello their first starts of the season.

It was therefore no surprise the visitors began hesitantly as Torquay made the early running, with Rachubka having to be alert to deal with a left-footed 20-yard strike from Chris Hargreaves inside the opening 15 minutes.

Hargreaves was at the centre of Torquay's attacking ambitions and shortly afterwards his free-kick fell kindly for Gulls midfielder Wayne Carlisle only for defender Ian Evatt to superbly block his shot from six yards.

It took Blackpool 18 minutes to carve out their first real opening, however David Fox wastefully fired wide of keeper Scott Bevan`s right-hand post from 12 yards.

It didn`t take the home side long to hit back and they surged ahead just after the half-hour when Green collected a free-kick from Steve Woods and struck a sweet left-footed effort into the bottom corner past a despairing Rachubka for his third of the season.

Buckle's side comfortably saw out the half and could even have extended their lead when Rachubka had to be on hand to deal with Kevin Nicholson`s cross in the dying stages of the opening period.

The visitors emerged after the interval with a renewed sense of purpose and came close to drawing level when Shaun Barker`s shot from inside the area was cleared by Woods following some initial good build-up play from Keith Southern.

Gulls striker Tim Sills again called Rachubka into action with a speculative 30-yard shot that the keeper easily clung on to while at the other end Stuart Green and Nardiello combined neatly only for the former to head wide from 12 yards.

The Seasiders continued to push forward and only a sharp block by Hargreaves denied Evatt as he blasted goalwards from a David Vaughan free-kick, with keeper Bevan easily collecting the resulting corner.

Parkes threw on Claus Bech Jorgensen for the ineffective Stuart Green after 71 minutes but Blackpool failed to carve out any incisive openings.

Indeed Nicky Wroe could have settled proceedings for the home side but he could only blast over a 20-yard shot in the aftermath of a Carlisle corner.

The Championship side could have earned a fortunate replay in the closing minutes when Dominic Merella fired goalwards only for Nicholson to superbly block the 20-yard effort.

Still buzzing after an outstanding performance.
These are the rare moments to treasure and our club fully deserves its share of cup success and hopefully a good draw tomorrow could posibly give us the financial platform to continue our push towards the football league where we belong and deserve to be.
Being at Plainmoor today was just like the old days and I exited the ground with a warm and contented glow.
Lets have some more
What surprised me was the fact that we didnt look 60 places appart and were as composed and as fit as they were.

I just hope that Matt Green, who gave there defence, and particlarly Barker some real scares and ultimately earned the club a huge amount of money can now get the credit he deserves from the somewhat blinkered faction who seemed like they wanted him to fail after missing chances lat week.

My thoughts on todays game:

It was a performance to be proud of against a team plying their football at Championship opposition. We didn't ever seem to be chasing the game or hugely under the cosh - we kept our shape and discipline and never looked like headless chickens. THe use of the ball was intelligent - even though not everything came-off (not that you would expect to).

I don't honestly feel that there was much difference between our performance today and the Kiddy match other than the fact that we managed to score. We created several half-chances as well as being dominant in possession, Green's pace worried the opposition, Hargreaves held the shape of the team so well and is playing a real captain's role, Bevan had little to do, Hodges was excellent (as was Woods) and showed how a ball-player from a higher level can benefit our defence and we merited at least one more goal.

Although I become frustrated with Wroe on occaisions, he showed more as a midfielder in terms of confidence, vision and ability than his direct opponents in their midfield.
Green deserved his goal - he as worked so hard after looking languid at best and plain greedy and disinterested at worst before his spell out of the starting line-up. Great to hear Bucks pay tribute to him and that he has had additional training work with his finishing.
Honourable mentions also go to Roscoe Dsane - his touch was EXCELLENT, his movement very good and his work-rate was incredible - a different player to a month or so ago! As PeteF says, there is a faction who vocally critisised Green in the most disgraceful manner - he improves week on week at the moment - and that suggests that he is working hard to harness his ability.

I stood near the dug-out and thought that Sills was telling Damien Davey that Hargreaves was suffering, but given that it was about 1/2 before the end and he carried-on with no apparent ill-effects hopefully suggests he was OK.

I hate seeing football as a business, but the "needs must" and all that. Today's result was a real money spinner and hugely important. £75k for the prize money in this round alone - plus we all await the draw tomorrow (which I expect will be Kettering away!).
All in all, a fanastic day for the club and the players and board deserve it.

If there were any concerns about today it is that Sills was booked..... Does that mean he misses the Burton game on Tuesday?