With 2023 now nearly upon us, we take a look back at the past year on the pitch, rounding things off with the opening months of the current season.
August
A new season, and a largely new set of players heralded the dawn of 2022/23, as ex-Premier League outfit Oldham Athletic made a rare trip to the English Riviera.
United began the season with a goalless draw against The Latics as despite chances for both sides, it ran out a stalemate, with the two teams battling hard, but forced to share the points.
In roasting hot conditions seven days later, United came away from The Shay with a hard-earned victory, as a Brett McGavin goal – allied to a Mark Halstead masterclass in between the sticks – was enough to give the Gulls all three points in Yorkshire.
Four points from two games represented a solid start, but the rest of the month was quite a test for Gary Johnson’s new-look side.
United slipped to their first defeat of the season the following Tuesday evening, as a late goal saw Bromley overcome ten-man Torquay.
Having given as good as they got for long periods, a red card for Ross Marshall saw The Gulls facing an uphill challenge, before Louis Dennis scored the solitary goal to leave United unrewarded for their efforts.
If that was tough to take, their first home reverse was an even move bitter pill to swallow, as Boreham Wood repelled United’s efforts at Plainmoor.
An early goal from Boreham’s Jamal Fyfield had Torquay chasing the game from almost the first whistle, and despite a concerted bid to drag themselves level, the equaliser they deserved just wouldn’t come.
Lady luck wouldn’t be paying a visit anytime soon, as a late goal saw The Gulls leave Kent without reward in their next match, as Maidstone snatched the points at the Gallagher Stadium.
After dominating possession and chances for much of the first half, it was the hosts who ran out 1-0 winners, as James Alabi’s late strike saw the home side keep the points in Kent.
A visit from old rivals in the final game of the opening month failed to stem the unfortunate tide, as The Gulls slipped to defeat to make it a Bank holiday to forget, as Woking came from behind to secure a 3-1 win at Plainmoor.
A second-half header from Ross Marshall appeared to give United the impetus to go on and collect their first home three points of the season, however two goals from James Daly, and another from Jack Roles saw the game turned on its head.
September
Desperately seeking a result to put an end to the barren run, United produced a performance full of heart and desire to take maximum points at Roots Hall, as The Gulls triumphed 2-1 against Southend.
Ryan Hanson fired United ahead from close range in the 4th minute, before Will Goodwin doubled the advantage in the second half. Substitute Chris Wreh got a goal back for the home side in the final few minutes of regular time, but Gary Johnson’s men battled on to ensure the 3 points travelled back to Plainmoor.
When Goodwin repeated the trick against Solihull only a few days later, Torquay’s fortunes looked to be on the up, however Solihull Moors had other ideas, as they secured a 4-1 win at Plainmoor.
An early strike from the Stoke loanee got United off to the perfect start, however an almost instant response from Andrew Dallas has the visitors back on level terms during a frantic start to proceedings. The game was swiftly turned on its head when Joe Sbarra put Solihull ahead midway through the first period, and although Torquay continued to fight on, a second Dallas goal – via the penalty spot – ultimately sealed the outcome, before Callum Maycock added further gloss in injury time.
Another bright start got them going away from home, however, another rally from their opponents denied Johnson’s men victory, as Wealdstone came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw.
A second minute from Ali Omar gave The Gulls the perfect opening, but despite a magnificent defensive display, a second-half leveller from Stephan Rhys Browne eventually ensured the points were shared.
The Gulls arguably played much better in their next game – but they ran up against a well-back team, bang in form as United suffered a heavy defeat against Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground.
An early strike from Jordan Davies left United facing an uphill challenge, and that task got even harder on the half-hour as Paul Mullin doubled the home side’s advantage. A third before the interval only rubbed salt into the wounds, and three more after the break, from Aaron Haydn, Samuel Dalby and Anthony Forde only added further gloss to Wrexham’s winning margin.
October
Not for the first time, United started strongly at home to Scunthorpe on October 1st, before ultimately having to settle for less than maximum points at Plainmoor.
In the end, it was a point apiece to open up the new month, as the visitors came from behind to claim a share of the points in a 1-1 draw.
Dan Martin got The Gulls off to a flyer with his first goal for the Club, and that lead lasted until just after the interval, as Alfie Beestin levelled the scores. Neither side was able to force a winner in remaining period, leaving both sides to take the draw.
There was late heartache for United three days later, as a stoppage-time winner saw Maidenhead snatch the points on Tuesday evening.
Twice in the first half The Gulls went ahead, however after Will Goodwin and Aaron Jarvis’ strikes were cancelled out by Emile Acquah and Charlee Adams respectively, Remi Clerima scored a fortuitous winner in stoppage time.
Results were also going against United away from Torbay.
The Gulls, playing at the LNER Community Stadium for the first time, went down to single goal defeat, in yet another match that could have panned out so differently.
In the end, it was a second-half goal that decided the match in York’s favour, as despite more than matching their opponents for most of the game, a breakaway goal from Alex Hurst punished Gary Johnson’s side, leaving them to head home without any reward for their efforts.
The arrival of Emirates FA Cup football to Plainmoor may have therefore seemed a pleasant distraction, however with just nineteen minutes left, it looked from that.
Thankfully though, the side’s battling qualities were on full show, as United battled back from two goals behind to keep their FA Cup hopes alive at Plainmoor on Saturday.
Temi Babalola’s first-half effort gave The Beavers a first-half advantage, and when that was doubled in the latter stages by Jake Gray, things looked bleak on a sunny day in the English Riviera. Gary Johnson’s men summoned up all their reserves of spirit though, and eventually salvaged a replay thanks to goals from Brett McGavin and Shaun Donnellan.
That spirit would be called into action again in the replay.
In the face of adversity, ten-man United came from behind to clinch a place in the FA Cup First Round after a gritty 2-1 win at Hampton & Richmond.
After a Tommy Block strike gave the hosts the advantage just before half-time, The Gulls levelled things up just after the interval through Dean Moxey. Things looked bleak when Dillon De Silva received his marching orders just past the hour mark, but Gary Johnson’s men responded manfully to the setback, with Aaron Jarvis heading home minutes later to clinch an eye-catching home tie against League One big-hitters Derby County in Round 1.
Back to league matters, and what a game for the BT Sport cameras to be present for, as an eight goal thriller ended with a last-gasp Gulls equaliser securing a share of the points against Altrincham at Plainmoor.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring six minutes in through Chris Conn-Clarke, before Altrincham doubled the advantage on 29 minutes. After the restart Gary Johnson’s men were quick to respond, with a brace from captain Asa Hall establishing a level playing field. Moments after being subbed on Tom Lapslie made it 3-2, before United were pegged back by Altrincham’s captain Jordan Hulme in the 85th minute. After going down to ten men in the latter stages, Jake Cooper put Altrincham ahead, before a last minute strike from Dylan Crowe made it 4-4.
Despite the Euphoria of that never-say-die finale, another setback was just around the corner.
A spirited performance on the road was to no available at the Silverlake Stadium, as ten-man United succumbed to a single-goal defeat at Eastleigh.
A converted penalty by Danny Whitehall in the 33rd minute was enough for Eastleigh to take all three points, and although The Gulls mounted a concerted effort to turn the game around in the second period, they were unable to respond, as they returned home from Hampshire pointless.
A month that had brought some marvellous moments ended on a disappointing note at Meadow Lane, as Johnson’s men were condemned to defeat as Notts County ran out 4-0 winners.
Two goals in each half saw the home side come out on top. Connell Rawlinson opened the scoring in the 27th minute, before Ruben Rodrigues converted a penalty on 34 minutes. However it was two goals in quick succession in the final stages of the game from Quevin Castro and Geraldo Bejrami that rounded off the afternoon for the hosts.
Better would follow though.
November
A new month, and a new dawn?
United turned on the style on the opening day of November as they thrashed Aldershot at Plainmoor to secure their first home win of the season.
After Aaron Jarvis got The Gulls off to the perfect start, Tom Lapslie and Will Goodwin added first-half strikes, before Jarvis and Hall stretched their handsome advantage even further during the opening stages of the second period. Although Tommy Willard registered a late consolation for his side, Jarvis’ perfect evening was crowned soon after as he secured a deserved hat-trick.
With the ITV cameras descending on Devon to cover United’s FA Cup tie at home to Derby County next, it produced one of the most memorable finales in the Club’s long history in the competition.
A nerve-tingling fightback saw United once again battle back from two goals down to secure an Emirates FA Cup 1st Round replay against the League One side..
Two Will Osula goals -either side of the interval – put the visitors into a commanding position, however, a converted Asa Hall, followed up by Will Goodwin’s last-gasp equaliser saw Gary Johnson’s men earn themselves another go at The Rams at Pride Park.
The Gulls certainly gained a few new admirers, as the videos of Goodwin’s late strike did the rounds on social media that Sunday evening.
The comebacks weren’t just confined to cup clashes, as an evening of high drama ended with honours-even again three days later as United produced another remarkable fightback to secure a 3-3 draw with Dorking.
Winger Dillon De Silva got things going nicely with an early goal, however the Yellow Army’s hopes hit a setback just before the change of ends, as the visitors levelled things up through Nicky Wheeler just before the change of ends. Things got worse following the restart, as Gary Johnson’s side conceded two goals in quick succession following the restart, with James McShane putting his side in front, and Jimmy Muitt then extending it shortly after. A second from De Silva restored faith in the home ranks though, and it was left to Mark Ellis to apply the finishing touch late on to cap yet another Plainmoor classic.
Sadly though, that impetus deserted them as much-fancied Chesterfield strode into town, with four second half goals seeing them run out 5-1 winners..
It was the visitors who opened the scoring through skipper Jamie Grimes in the eighth minute, before Dillon De Silva equalised to see the match enter the half time interval level. However second half strikes from Darren Oldaker, Bailey Clements, and substitutes Jesurun Uchegbulam and Kabongo Tshimanga secured a 5-1 victory for the Spireites.
United’s Emirates FA Cup run came to an end at Pride Park a few days later, as Derby County emerged as clear winners in their First Round Replay.
An unfortunate own goal from Mark Ellis gave The Rams an early lead against the run of play, with salt rubbed into those wounds as William Osula doubled the hosts’ advantage on the quarter-of-an-hour mark. Johnson’s men rallied, however County hit them again before the halfway stage, as Liam Thompson made it 3-0. There was further punishment after the break, with Lewis Dobbin finishing well to extend Derby’s lead, before McGoldrick did likewise in the game’s latter stages.
No-one could doubt The Rams’ class, yet you couldn’t help but think that Torquay – and their devoted Yellow Army – were deserving of a little more than they were getting in terms of results, with fortune again seeming to look the other way, with their next game at Barnet another illustration of that, as the hosts came out on top at The Hive.
An early Marvin Armstrong was all there was to separate the two sides, and despite launching raid after raid on the home goal, The Gulls were unable to retrieve the game as they left the capital without any reward for their efforts.
As the month came to a close, The Gulls were once again the better side in their home draw with Gateshead, but it was again a case of honours-even despite bossing proceedings as United and played out a 1-1 draw at Plainmoor.
Both goals came during the latter stages of proceedings, with Aaron Jarvis’ opener promptly cancelled out by Owen Bailey.
December
Having suffered what seemed like a never-ending barrage of bad luck, there was understandably huge delight at Dagenham in early December, as United clinched 1-0 win at Victoria Road.
It was Will Goodwin who provided the match with its decisive moment, as his first half strike gave The Gulls their first win at The Daggers since 2016.
With their exploits in front of the cameras during many neutral’s approval, BT Sport were delighted to see Gary Johnson’s side put on another exciting display in their last league game before Christmas, but although the praise for their efforts was certainly welcome, it failed to cushion the disappointment of defeat, as United lost out in a five-goal thriller, with Oldham securing a 3-2 win at Boundary Park.
An own-goal from Dylan Crowe gave the home side an early advantage, however Torquay roared back after the break, and deservedly equalised through Will Goodwin just after the break. The match ebbed and flowed wildly from that point, with Ben Tollitt’s strike cancelled out by Aaron Jarvis’ penalty, before Timmy Abraham eventually swung the match the home side’s way.
The next five-goal thriller would go The Gulls’ way, although the men in yellow once again had to show all their fighting spirit to come out on top, following a rollercoaster pre-Christmas FA Trophy tie at against Chippenham at Plainmoor.
Goals from Jordan Young and Alex Bray gave Chippenham a dream start, before Will Goodwin halved the deficit during an action-packed first half. Two goals in three minutes from Stephen Wearne turned the game on its head after the break, and secured The Gulls their place in the Isuzu FA Trophy 4th Round, with an intriguing New Year home tie against Taunton now on the agenda.
Prior to that though, another side from Somerset made their way to Plainmoor to round the year off, mirroring how it had begun.
With Gary Johnson’s side taking to the field in their new third shirt for the first time, in support of Shelter’s #NoHomeKit campaign, United had to settle for a point on Boxing Day, as Yeovil came from behind to secure a draw at Plainmoor.
Torquay took the lead in the 20th minute, when Mark Ellis’ header went in off the inside of the right-hand post. However, substitute Malachi Linton levelled things up in the second period, before a second bookable offence for Dylan Crowe saw The Gulls reduced to ten men late on.
Having shown plenty of heart throughout 2022, no-one should write United off though, with the belief around TUAFC being that the best of Johnson’s young side is still ahead of them.
With the Yellow Army backing them all the way too, 2023 could yet be one to savour.
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