FL2: Torquay United v Rotherham 21st November 2009

I've just got back up to London again and I'm so glad to read that nobody posted a negative view on the match. I don't think there was much you could criticise about the performance. It was played in absolutely atrocious conditions. I got soaked just walking from the car to the ground. I was gonna to wear my stylish Australian Jacaru but thought twice and then regretted it as soon as I walked past the old Caterfood building.

Adam Smith was excellent. Quick of foot, strong in the tackle, technically very good and the stamina of a camel (helps when you're a 1500m runner) . He copped a ball in the mush early doors from Paul Warne but showed character to roll his sleeves and get stuck in both in tackling and attacking endeavour. He also took out Warne with one of those fully committed man and ball tackles that were mandatory in the 1980s from a left back.

It's great to see Chris Zebroski back in a yellow shirt. If he does continue on the left wing then he'll bring pace, power and the promise of a shot on target. If he plays up front it's gonna be interesting to see which other striker will be the best partner.

Wroe and Carlisle were excellent and the crowd who braved the awful weather were very supportive of the team. I hardly heard one moan directed to a Torquay player during the entire 90 minutes, which always makes the game far more pleasant to watch.

Now. Mr Hall. The Referee. Did he actually travel to the ground on the Rotherham Team Coach? Not one of the better referees we've had at Plainmoor I have to say. I don't know why it took 3 fouls to book their right back Lynch when he didn't attempt to play the ball once but then got booked for the weakest of the three offences but then booked Wroe from being a touch late when going for the ball only for Adam Le Fondre to make a three course a la carte meal of what little contact there was.

There was minimal contact for the free kick for their goal and not enough to consider it being a foul but we switched off a little bit and conceeded a soft goal. The second was soft as well. In hindsight Poke possibly came out too early but it was a classy finish.

It's a crying shame that we didn't get anything out of the game but we live to fight another day.