Post by rjdgull on Apr 3, 2011 8:10:19 GMT
It is been a quiet week with that sixth minute injury time equaliser at Northampton putting a downer on things as we slid from fourth to just outside a very tightly packed play off zone.
However, once again, the members have gone for a honest match report, doubly appreciated in that it was an away game. Well done Enzo, once again your name is in yellow!
Anyway, on to the game. Frustrating in so many ways. Bucks must have fed the players fizzy pop and E numbers during those hours stuck on the coach. We came out very hyped up - but not in a good way. Little discipline, no composure and little football played. All night we conceded stupid fouls. It was more like a wrestling match at times as the ball spent much of the time in the air with players pushing, shoving and grabbing each other whenever they could get away with it. Our ball retention was awful for much of the first hour or so. Trying to play pretty football at the wrong times and hoofing it when there was no need. We couldn't string four meaningful passes together. All very similar to Aldershot a couple of weeks ago.
That said, O'Kane took his goal very well, taking advantage of sloppy Northampton play. He was probably the only member of the Torquay squad with the ability to finish from where he picked the ball up. After this, Northampton stepped up a gear and had far too much space as we lost the midfield battles and failed to keep the ball when we had it. We gave away so many free kicks and it was only a matter of time before Northamton used one of them. I dare say some of the challenges were fair and that the Northampton players made the most of them, I'm no purist and there is a time and a place when the best course of action is to take the man out of the game - but we did this so often we just invited pressure on ourselves. I imagine many Gulls fans will say that the ref was a homer - maybe he was..........but we kept on giving him the opportunity to penalise us with silly, niggling fouls when much of the time there was no need. Both of thei goals came from a needless free kick concession. The first goal came form a free kick which was rightly re-taken as the first one was taken whilst the ref was trying sort out some pushing and shoving in the box. Typical of the night really. I thought they had over hit it, but it was headed back across goal and nodded in. A stupid goal to concede.
We were slightly better in the second half - a tiny bit more composed and started to create one or two chances as Northampton seemed to get tired. Robinson flashed one across goal - I have seen him put more difficult chances away. Kee came on for the very oirdinary Tomlin. We still struggled to retain the ball and Bevs made two very decent saves and his handling was pretty good under pressure.
Into the closing 4 minutes added time and most gulls fans present would have settled for the draw. Then up pops Billy with a terrific strike from the angle of the edge of the area. A peach of a strike. Had we held on it would have been unjust on Northampton, but who cares. We had the points in the bag if we could just remain composed and keep our discipline for two minutes. No such chance. People will look at the fact that there were seven or so minutes injury time, but in truth there was very little football played between the two goals - a couple of pointless substitutions and then there seemed to be an age before they took the free kick form which they eventually scored.
I don't exactly know what happened. I know Northampton had the ball on the wing not far from the half way line and there was no danger whatsover. Then one of their players went down on the edge of our box - completely off the ball. I don't know if he dived and I don't know which Torquay played fouled him, but suddenly Northampton had a life line. To be honest we had been far too keen on grabbing their players all night and it would not suprise me if free kick was genuine. Anyway. the initial free kick was blocked only to be smashed in on the volley - Bevs no chance. Que a bizzare pitch invasion as if they had just secured promotion.
In the cirumstances a decent point, but don't be fooled by any people blaming the officials or coach journey for this one. We caused our own downfall tonight and have no one to blame but ourselves. No discipline and no composure.
I think the team and PB have done very well this season - exceeded my expectations by miles. Whatever happens the season has been a success in my eyes. However, as well as this debacle I have now seen us against Crawley and at Aldershot, Accrington and Cheltenam in the last 6 weeks or so. In it's current state I don't think the club is good enough on and off the pitch to be anywhere near promotion. Tonight underlines that.
However, once again, the members have gone for a honest match report, doubly appreciated in that it was an away game. Well done Enzo, once again your name is in yellow!
Mar 26, 2011 1:59:01 GMT Enzo said:
Even by Torquay's standards that was a bizzare night. You guys probably know more about the reasons for our lateness than I do. I know the M5 was closed, but to leave Torquay at 13:00 hrs for this journey on a Friday night is wrong - no excuses, just plain wrong. Anyway, on to the game. Frustrating in so many ways. Bucks must have fed the players fizzy pop and E numbers during those hours stuck on the coach. We came out very hyped up - but not in a good way. Little discipline, no composure and little football played. All night we conceded stupid fouls. It was more like a wrestling match at times as the ball spent much of the time in the air with players pushing, shoving and grabbing each other whenever they could get away with it. Our ball retention was awful for much of the first hour or so. Trying to play pretty football at the wrong times and hoofing it when there was no need. We couldn't string four meaningful passes together. All very similar to Aldershot a couple of weeks ago.
That said, O'Kane took his goal very well, taking advantage of sloppy Northampton play. He was probably the only member of the Torquay squad with the ability to finish from where he picked the ball up. After this, Northampton stepped up a gear and had far too much space as we lost the midfield battles and failed to keep the ball when we had it. We gave away so many free kicks and it was only a matter of time before Northamton used one of them. I dare say some of the challenges were fair and that the Northampton players made the most of them, I'm no purist and there is a time and a place when the best course of action is to take the man out of the game - but we did this so often we just invited pressure on ourselves. I imagine many Gulls fans will say that the ref was a homer - maybe he was..........but we kept on giving him the opportunity to penalise us with silly, niggling fouls when much of the time there was no need. Both of thei goals came from a needless free kick concession. The first goal came form a free kick which was rightly re-taken as the first one was taken whilst the ref was trying sort out some pushing and shoving in the box. Typical of the night really. I thought they had over hit it, but it was headed back across goal and nodded in. A stupid goal to concede.
We were slightly better in the second half - a tiny bit more composed and started to create one or two chances as Northampton seemed to get tired. Robinson flashed one across goal - I have seen him put more difficult chances away. Kee came on for the very oirdinary Tomlin. We still struggled to retain the ball and Bevs made two very decent saves and his handling was pretty good under pressure.
Into the closing 4 minutes added time and most gulls fans present would have settled for the draw. Then up pops Billy with a terrific strike from the angle of the edge of the area. A peach of a strike. Had we held on it would have been unjust on Northampton, but who cares. We had the points in the bag if we could just remain composed and keep our discipline for two minutes. No such chance. People will look at the fact that there were seven or so minutes injury time, but in truth there was very little football played between the two goals - a couple of pointless substitutions and then there seemed to be an age before they took the free kick form which they eventually scored.
I don't exactly know what happened. I know Northampton had the ball on the wing not far from the half way line and there was no danger whatsover. Then one of their players went down on the edge of our box - completely off the ball. I don't know if he dived and I don't know which Torquay played fouled him, but suddenly Northampton had a life line. To be honest we had been far too keen on grabbing their players all night and it would not suprise me if free kick was genuine. Anyway. the initial free kick was blocked only to be smashed in on the volley - Bevs no chance. Que a bizzare pitch invasion as if they had just secured promotion.
In the cirumstances a decent point, but don't be fooled by any people blaming the officials or coach journey for this one. We caused our own downfall tonight and have no one to blame but ourselves. No discipline and no composure.
I think the team and PB have done very well this season - exceeded my expectations by miles. Whatever happens the season has been a success in my eyes. However, as well as this debacle I have now seen us against Crawley and at Aldershot, Accrington and Cheltenam in the last 6 weeks or so. In it's current state I don't think the club is good enough on and off the pitch to be anywhere near promotion. Tonight underlines that.