Torquay United 4 Poole Town Ladies 2
Atrocious conditions at Devon F.A. Headquarters couldn’t thwart Torquay United’s progress in the South West Regional Women’s Premier League, as they overcame a stubborn Poole Town side, with two goals in each half.
Lee Mann was back in the dressing room and was again forced into changes to his side, with Kate McKane Alex Sheppard, and Emma Ayres all unavailable. In came goalkeeper Jas Read, Lucy Palmer and Sam Burnham at the back, with the returning Lucy Solloway spearheading a front three.
There was also a very welcome returning face on the bench, with Sasha Mole named amongst the five substitutes, some 18 months after suffering a horrendous ACL injury towards the end of United’s 2022/23 title-winning campaign.
A scrappy opening five minutes almost saw United fall behind in a similar fashion to their F.A Cup encounter a week ago, but thankfully Maisie Riley sliced her shot wide on the counter-attack.
It was the little wake up that Torquay needed, and they settled into a rhythm, for periods almost camped in the Poole half, but with the wind and rain in their faces, failed to find the perfect final pass. Eventually though the pressure paid off.
Adele Brown was afforded time and space on the edge of the area and though her low shot was saved by Be-be Smith in the Poole goal, the ball squirmed from her grasp and Solloway was on hand to slide the loose ball over the line.
One soon became two as United produced a slick passing move culminating in Ellie Bishop being clattered by a defender a yard inside the area as she tried to turn and shoot. Anthea Kaptein, who scored twice from the spot last week, fired the penalty high to Smith’s right – the keeper almost rooted to the spot.
United should have gone on to increase their lead, but twice Tracey Cross fired over, and Solloway also failed to hit the target, while Bishop, and Emily Elliot, celebrating her birthday, could only shoot tamely at Smith.
Four minutes before the interval, Town reduced arrears, Read calling to clear a long ball over the United defence, only to see her clearance rebound goalward off the shins of Riley. In drier conditions either Read or a defender may have had time to clear, but in the slick conditions the ball zipped off the synthetic surface and into the empty net.
It rocked Torquay, and they lost their concentration either side of the break, Poole pressing well and threatening an equaliser with some slick passing of their own. Meanwhile Smith saved brilliantly from Kaptein to deny United a third before the interval, and Bishop fired straight at the keeper inside 40 seconds of the restart.
Eventually United again settled and their third came, once again from the penalty spot, a touch fortuitous, but reward for Kaptein not giving upon a ball down the right side of the Poole area. Her hook back from the bye-line struck a defender’s arm, and after consulting with her assistant, referee, Nuria Bonet, pointed to the spot. Kaptein again, low and hard to Smith’s right for 3-1 United.
And just like the first half, Torquay quickly added another, good build up play in the 71st minute, served it up for Lexie Watts on the edge of the area, on in place of Solloway. Watts took a controlling touch before calmly slotting past the advancing Smith.
From that point it was a scruffy affair, some lazy tackles punctuating the final fifteen minutes with a series of free kicks, before Town had the last word with two minutes left. A goalward lob was misjudged by Read who realised too late that the ball was dropping in!
United up to second on goals scored from Marine Academy Plymouth and Sherborne Town. Forest Green remain top – five points ahead, though Torquay have a game in hand.
Torquay United: 24 Jasmine Read, 2. Lucy Palmer, 5. Sam Burnham, 19. Kaitlyn Harris, 11. Natascha Bevan, 7. Tracey Cross ©, 6. Adele Brown, 10. Anthea Kaptein, 3, Emily Elliot, 9. Lucy Solloway, 15. Ellie Bishop Subs:19. Millie Scully, 12. Chloe Williams, 13. Rachel Heron, 16. Lexie Watts, 23. Sasha Mole
Player Of The Match: Adele Brown