FL2: Torquay Utd v Accrington Stanley 11 Sept 2010

Having seen the ground but not a match on it, perhaps the view from there is better ~ it's where I stood to take a look at it.

To be fair, Accrington has only half as many more people living in it than Newton Abbot (35,000: 23,000) and a good number of those are of the Asian fraternity who have hardly taken football to their hearts; so in effect they are achieving the equivalent of Newton Spurs playing in the Football League.

Just 10 miles away you have Burnley, Blackburn is about 6, Greater Manchester a mere 8 miles (with the centre about 20) too; so you see the up hill struggle they have just to attract the few they do. It has always been that way, and is what lead to their forerunners' demise in 1962.

With a population of just under 25,000, Workington Reds achieved a similar miracle until their ejection from the Football League and look how they have tumbled since.

We visited Histon who are achieving a similar near impossibility in The Conference and the achievements of Forest Green Rovers aren't far short of that either, and I think it's out of order to belittle these communities or their clubs; but at the same time there should be a bottom line of facility that is accepted in the Football League or Conference and FGR certainly set the bench mark there.

The problem Stanley have is that the actual footprint of the ground is so small, particularly down the sides; and the only way top overcome that is by building two tier.......................somehow I can't ever see that happening in Accrington and at the moment such basic problems of their awful pitch need to take priority.

Certainly the Football League equivalent of a South Devon League trip to Teign Village!

Fancy a spread bet?

How many times will Steve Breed say "absolutely" today?

I'll go for 75, and start a campaign to bring back Chris Fleet! ;D

Courtesy of other scores, gone back top on goal difference according to my Sky sports app. Come on you Gulls.

Benyon was rested it seems but was in dugout

Back down to earth with a big bump today. I almost started to sing "top of the League were having a laugh" at one point, if you study the BBC match stats of 30% - 70% possesion in Accys favour you would think it hard to believe but I honestly thought it was MORE one sided than that!
First to everything and passing the ball very well right from the start, winning all the second balls we were never allowed to settle and dictate our normal and competent passing game. The players looked jaded, Benyon was absent and was badly missed for his high energy endeavour if nothing else so Gritton and Zebroski were paired up front for the first time. It didn't work with our only outlet being the long high ball to Gritton which got us nowhere he did what he could but looked off the pace and nothing stuck up front all afternoon.
Midfield totally out played and over run at times it looked to be only a matter of time before they would get their noses in front. We lacked any width and Wroe was impotent in engine room and was completely snuffed out as a creative force. Fortunately the whole back line did have pretty good games Branston Ellis were excellent though Bevan had to produce some pretty good saves in both halves to keep us in the game and deservedly won the sponsors MOM award.
The introduction of Macklyn, Okane and Kee did perk up the front line somewhat but the Accy defence were so on there game and we were so off ours it made little real difference.
Kee continues to disappoint after so many rave revues he was puffing a bit today I noticed and definitely lacks pace.
Not much more to add really we didn't have one serious attempt on goal that tested the keeper and if we had nicked at the death it would have been a complete injustice and if Accy had had a decent striker who could receive and finish we could well have lost this by very big margin indeed. I do hope that this is our poor spell and we can snap out of it soon we didn't get beat and that is very important no matter how you play and Accy Stanley are a very very good passing side and were really up for it today so well done to them.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm well that was Ok but only just. Pitiful first half performance, inept of ideas and as for the 4-5-1 formation well that just didn't cut it !!

Second half better and the introduction of the subs did quicken our pace but we still missed that goalscorer instinct.

Stanley could pass the ball nicely and rated their No 15 !!!

Worthy of mention, Bevan, Ellis and Branston

Naff performances and shouldn't draw wages from Gritton, Zeb, Wroe, Stevens and Carlisle

Could have been worse I guess with jams on route back to Brizzle and the sun was shining ....................................

Budleigh, we will sort beers out maybe not up to Mr B to do so in light of his company today !!!!