TUFC 3
(Hall 10′, Little 26′, Duku 39′)
Swansea City U23s 2
(Dhanda (pen) 53′, Cullen 55′)
United withstood a second-half fightback to emerge with their fifth win in five against Swansea City U23s at Plainmoor.
First-half goals from Asa Hall, Armani Little and Manny Duku put Gary Johnson’s side firmly in charge at the interval, only for the deficit to be cut twice in opening stages of the second period, through goals from Yan Dhanda and Liam Cullen.
After a quiet opening, the first goal came on ten minutes through Hall. Little’s ball into the box found Jamie Reid, whose shot was charged down. The ball fell kindly for the Torquay captain though, and an even kinder deflection saw the keeper and ball go their separate ways to give United the lead.
Torquay extended their lead on 26 minutes through what is becoming a familiar source. After winning a free-kick on the edge of the box, Little sent a beautifully directed effort past Gould in the City goal to make it 2-0.
Not quite the showstopper that last week’s effort was, but the ease that United’s new midfield man dispatches his set-pieces is a joy to behold.
The Yellow Army didn’t have to wait long before they were celebrating again.
In the 39th minute, Keating, always a willing runner, seized on a loose ball and drove towards the penalty box. Spotting Duku in space to his left, he sent an inch-perfect pass into the path of the Dutchman, who buried the ball to make it three.
The comfort at which Johnson’s men had opened up their young opponents had United’s supporters dreaming of a rout at the interval, but to their credit, City had other ideas.
Swansea had already threatened in the early stages, before Evans went down under the challenge of Hall, leaving the referee to point to the spot. MacDonald guessed the right way, but Dhanda’s effort had just enough on it to drag his side back into the game.
Within two minutes the deficit was reduced to a single goal, as Ollie Cooper crossed deep into the United box for Liam Cullen to bundle home.
Reid thought he had put the game to bed with seven minutes remaining, but the effort was ruled out for offside, leaving a tense finale instore.
United weathered the final stages and now face one more pre-season challenge before the action starts for real, with Exeter City the visitors to Plainmoor on Saturday (27/07/19 3pm KO). Tickets are available here.
TUFC: 1. Shaun MacDonald, 2. Ben Wynter, 4. Kyle Cameron, 7. Ruairi Keating, 8. Asa Hall ©, 9. Manny Duku (11. Jake Andrews, HT), 10. Armani Little, 14. Frank Vincent, 16. Matt Buse (18. Olaf Koszela , 73′) 19. Jamie Reid, 20. Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala. SUBS NOT USED: 21. Andy Collings (GK), 22. Jacob Evans, 23. Louie Slough, 24. Josh Baxter, 25. Owen Price.
Key Dates
- Pre-Season Friendly Vs Exeter City (Home) | Saturday, July 27th (3pm KO)
National League Season Commences on Saturday 3rd August v Boreham Wood (Home, 3pm KO)