FL2: Torquay Utd v Wycombe 22 April 2011

Very unlucky not to win today, better team in the first half and completely dominant in the second. If Wycombe do end up in the play offs then they won't want to play us!

The formation was better with Eunan on the right wing and Zebs/Tomlin up front. Much of our good play came from the right with Robinson drifting in and out of the game at times although a volley in the first half would have been goal of the season if it had gone in. He was also unlucky not to score in the second half cutting inside and unleashing a shot that just went the wrong side of the near post!

Zebs and Tomlin both had half chances in the first half but it was kicking towards the Ellacombe End where a series of near misses and saves denied us victory. Branston could have scored twice from corners. The first early in the half where his header hit the base of the near post and the second where Bull pulled off a reaction save to keep it out. Kee had an one on one though from a tight angle and his shot went agonising wide of the near post. Murray had a glancing header from a Nicholson free kick which went off the bar. O'Kane tried a lob from near the half way line after Bull cleared from outside his area under pressure but it was under hit and he was able to get back and catch it.

Amazingly there were other chances with shots from Kee, Stanley and O'Kane going wide / over or being blocked which gives an indication of the pressure Wycombe were under. At the other end, Nicholson had to make a clearance header and Bevan / Rendle both went for and missed an inviting cross but it was mainly one way traffic.

Defensively we were solid and the back four took it in turns to support our attacking intent. Stanley did what he does well but got a yellow for his troubles after speaking to the ref after one of our players got flattened for not the first time. Lathrope did well alongside him and O'Kane had an above average game in both positions but could have done better on occasions. Tomlin continues to impress and has good control such as directly bringing the ball down to his feet from a goal kick. Both him and Zebs do run a lot and keep their defence under pressure. This was epitomized with a few minutes remaining when Zebs outran a defender to a through ball into the corner and won a free kick! (I think it was when Murray then hit the bar)

As for Wycombe, they had a big defensive unit but maybe because of the pressure they were under didn't threaten often and had to resort to fouling. Bull as usual, came up with some good saves and kept them in it but even he spent much of the second half looking relieved and counting his good fortune.

What a cracking game of football under a delightful Torbay Sun ;D Nice to see the usual suspects in the usual places.

Scott Rendell got a reasonable welcome and lined up with a good side and a giant (Winfield) at number 5, Ainsworth the peg seller at 7 and Betsy at 11. Decent bench as well.

Nice to welcome Stanley back - when we get to the play off's he will be missed. Not sure what the formation was but looked 4 - 4 - 2!

A great first half where we had them on the ropes (love those boxing terms ;D) spolit to a certain degree by the whistle happy ref. The Wycombe giant went down injured (no head or obvious blood injury) and stopped play why? Branston had the peg seller tied up and Ainsworth tried every trick in his book i.e. he fell over all the
time.

We seemed not to want to spray the ball from the right to left when Robinson was free but chose theleft which was broken up well by the Wanders number 6.

Was it a good penalty shout in the first half - looked like their player scooped it up?

Half-time 0 - 0

The second half started with a bang with Branston hitting the post within a few minutes of the restart. Nicky Bull (remember him?) pulled off a fantastic save from Branston. We whould have been at least 2 nil up at this stage.

Tomlin had a good chance and wasted it, then Robinson cut in well and flashed a 30 yarder just past Bulls right hand post.

Billy Kee had the chance to wrap up the three points (would have fancied Tomlins chances better with this chance) but put his chance inches wide into the side netting. Cue hands round heads.

Ronan then glanced one against the bar and it was obvious by then that we wouldn't score.

With this point goes our automatic play off chances and meant that Chesterfield were promoted. Well done to them.

MON Branston with a crowd of just over 4,000

Mathmatically we can still get automatic promotion! I think it's only Wycombe we can catch now so they would have to lose all their remaining games...which aint gonna happen! Do we want to go up in third though? Somebody mentioned that the money a club receives for said position is £5.000! Which to be honest...is crap! I know that the play-offs are a complete lottey, but, the financial gains are enormous. Our home game will be sold out and televised. The away leg will be televised. The final will be a share of the gate money and that match will be televised also! That lot must come to a quater of a million...surely!

So all we have to do is continue to play as we are~Stanley is going to be a huge loss though~and it's simples!

Register - I think you are wrong about Wycombe having to lose all their remaining matches for us to catch them. We are on 66 points with 3 to play so we can achieve 75 points. Wycombe are on 71 and an inferior goal difference so they could even win and draw a game and still be pipped by us. They have a tough game at Bury.

Of course, this ignores Shrewsbury who have 69 points and 4 games to play. Their run in looks easier starting at Hereford today and I think they will clinch the 3rd automatic spot leaving the prospect of us facing Wycombe again in the play-offs which wouldn't worry me from what I have seen so far.

I do agree that the play-off route would bring a significant financial advantage but not counting chickens or pound notes just yet.

Interesting stuff Register and Ricardo.
I spoke with some Wycombe fans after the game - they feel Wycombe have 'come off the rails' and in fact they have had four draws in a row...

So, just for fun:-
For any chance of automatic surely we need to win all three?

Wycombe need to gain only four points from three games (Lose at Bury and draw ONE of home games v Crewe or Southend. Possible, based on their form....)

Shrewsbury need to take only six out of their last twelve points for us to end above them on goal difference (hopefully).

Half time today they are winning 1-0 at Hereford.
They have Accrington at home and Cheltenham away

Key to me is that Oxford still have something to play off in Shrewsbury's last game by it being mathematically possible for them (Oxford) to still reach the play offs...


So I'm also rooting for Oxford in the next few games...

Of course there are other teams who pay today who can win their games and hit automatic promotion too.....

Any way, this ramble contains no gurantees!
COYY

Great game yesterday - I thought Tomlin played well. If we can bounce back from two nil nil scores with a confidence enhancing resounding win at Burton, then..............
To those making the trip - BE LOUD!

After about 20 mins of play a successful pincer movement of stewards successfully confiscated a bell being rung on the pop side. As it was being escorted away (why ?) a wag shouted

'You may have our bell.... but we have our freedom ................!!'

to much mirth & merryment.

scott rendell has twittered that derogatory remarks were made to him about the death of his child at christmas during the match with us,if true name shame and ban please tufc,he was an excellent servant for us and many of us fortunately havent had to suffer the heartache that he and his wife have been through nor wont too.We dont need to be associated with fruitcakes that come out with hurtful garbage like this