United 2
(Ellis 29′, 77′)
Buckland Athletic 2
(Shearer 69′, Richards 90+3′)
United win 6-5 on penalties
There was penalty joy for United on Tuesday, as United beat Buckland in the Devon Bowl at Homers Heath.
Two Andrew Ellis strikes either side of Charlie Shearer’s strike for the home side appeared to seal the win for The Gulls, before Ryan Richards’ late equaliser took the game to spot-kicks.
With both sides missing one of their first five, a sudden-death miss for the hosts paved the way for Corey Luscombe to fire United into Round Two.
It didn’t take United long to create their first chance, with a lovely run from Jadyn Crosbie ending with a powerful 20-yarder that just cleared the crossbar.
There was plenty of end-to-end action thereafter – and plenty of full-blooded challenges, too – but it wasn’t until the 29th minute that the deadlock was broken.
A loose clearance from Bucks goalkeeper Adam Seedhouse-Evans drifted into the midfield, and with Ellis first to pick up on it, he took the opportunity to gain some ground before looking up and rifling a superb shot into the top-corner of the net from 18 yards.
With Will Jenkins Davies pulling the strings in midfield and full-backs Ashton Ballard and Ellis Drew a constant threat down the flanks, The Gulls were good value for their lead at the break.
The hosts upped the ante in a bid to get back on level terms following the change of ends, however Ellis went within a whisker of grabbing a second on 54 minutes, as his close-range shot was blocked at point-blank range just short of the goal line.
As the pressure began to mount from the home side though, Buckland eventually found their equaliser on 69 minutes.
A low ball from the left wing caught The Gulls’ backline out, and with the ball travelling across the box, it was Shearer who slotted home from twelve yards to level things up.
Torquay regained the lead eight minutes later, and they did it in some style.
After being awarded a free-kick some 30 yards from goal, Ellis took aim and smashed an audacious low strike into the bottom corner to put his side back in front, and duly received a standing ovation for his impressive efforts.
Just when it looked like United had done enough, the home side found a late equaliser.
Some hesitant defending allowed Richards to run into space, and after drawing Luke Adams out of goal, the Bucks striker fired home to take the match to penalties.
With both sides missing one of their initial five attempts, sudden death was called into play, and after a Buckland miss laid the path out for Round 2 for United, Luscombe made the most of the opportunity presented to him to send The Gulls through.
UNITED: 1. Luke Adams, 2. Ashton Ballard, 3. Ellis Drew, 5. Stevie Martin, 7. Andrew Ellis, 8. Roddy Collins (6. Corey Luscombe, 70′), 10. Finn Herbert (14. Lucas Robinson, 65′), 11. Cobi White, 15. Jadyn Crosbie (17. Freddie Hulance, 86′), 22. Will Jenkins Davies (9. Toby Hard, 70′), 23. Ollie Tomlinson.
SUB NOT USED:, 13. Callum Yeates.