FL2: Torquay Utd v Port Vale 16 April 2011

Quite possibly my fault as I did mention he who shouldn't be mentioned in last week's Wolfie interview after it had been agreed to never mention again he who shouldn't be mentioned, even though now it seems we can't stop mentioning he who shouldn't be mentioned even if it's only to suggest that it's time to actually stop mentioning he who shouldn't be mentioned for the last time.

On account he was a bit of a donkey during his rarely seen time with us, now got these lyrics stuck in my head. ;D

On the first part of the journey
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound

I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la ...

After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
After three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead

You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la ...

After nine days I let the horse run free
'Cause the desert had turned to sea
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
there was sand and hills and rings
The ocean is a desert with it's life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
But the humans will give no love

You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la ...

Our first 0-0 draw since September and typically the largest league crowd of the season was there to watch it. ;D Torquay shaded the first half with Kee and Zebroski hitting the side netting but Port Vale looked more dangerous in the second and a share of the points on this occasion in a hard fought match was probably fair although after a good start the ref made a few strange decisions that wound up the home support and ended up with him being booed off the pitch.

The good news was that Tomlin was fit and he partnered Zebs up front. Oastler was dropped with Kee returning but strangely on the right wing with Eunan moving into the middle. The bad news was that we were kicking towards the family stand in the second half.

In the first half some good passing carved out some opportunities for Kee and Zebroski but these generally were not on target. One time Zebs managed to nut meg one of their players on the right wing and he looked to be our most dangerous player although Tomlin put a good shift in and held the ball up well using some good skill. There were a few melees in the Vale penalty area but the ball would not drop or it was well defended. On some occasions we were guilty of trying to pass the ball too much when a shot may have been on.

Vale had their opportunities too but a number of their corners did not get past their first man and one dangerous free kick was hit straight out.

The balance of the game went first one way and then another but the substitution of Robinson for Stevens just before the hour mark did not help as Danny certainly did not shine today and did not provide much of a threat.

Vale did step up their game more as the half wore on and for a long period the Gulls had to defend. The cross bar was hit from a shot just outside the area and poor control by Branston from a throw in let Richardson in on Goal and Bevan / Robertson had to defend that threat well. A corner was cleared by Mansell on the line and the ref kept up the pressure by awarding two dubious free kicks. The first was right on the edge of the area when no foul looked to have been made. The second was when Branston waiting to come back on the pitch appeared to be waved on by the ref as their winger came up nearby and a free kick was awarded when Branston came on and tackled him.

Torquay did have two late chances to score. The first was from Zebs when he got away into the penalty area and from a tight angle appeared to hit the near post although sitting in the family stand would need to view that one again! Then from a dead ball situation, Branston managed to head back across the goal for a Robertson header that had the family stand on their feet only to see the ref give Branston a yellow card. Zebs had got a yellow earlier for taking a throw in that the ref had reversed from the linesman so lucky it wasn't a game earlier!

All in all, a tough match that saw us retain our league position but games are running out if we are to get into the top three.

Thanks for the report, RJD. How do you think we fared without Stanley today? I think his return next week will give the team a massive lift and although I think that automatic promotion is just too far out of reach I think it will help us kick-on and hopefully nail a play-off place. Although we are not a one man team I think that getting 4 points out of 6 in his absence was very pleasing.

It is good that Zebs and Branston managed to keep from getting booked until today - losing those two for two matches between now and the end of the season would have been a big blow to our chances.

an entertaining but tense game,it showed in both teams play,defeat was unthinkable for either,i thought we shaded the first half,they the second,both hitting the woodwork us goal disallowed.On a day when up and at em was the idea,we patted the ball around,losing posession many many times,it was infuriating to say the least.I thought port vale deserved a draw,in the final quarter of the match they appeared to want it more.A draw was about right doing them more harm than us imho,but all to play for,so on we march,next up wycombe

Apparently it had gone out of play (according to the officials).