Costly defeat for United’s Women leaves survival hopes hanging by a thread.
It will be mission improbable, rather than impossible for Torquay United’s women, as their fight for National League survival goes down to the final match of the season, after a disappointing 4-0 home reverse against Portishead. They now must beat big-budget Swindon Town at home on the final day, and hope Southampton lose at home to Maidenhead, to preserve their stay in tier 4.
Sunday’s defeat will be more frustrating by the fact United, again with a short bench, dominated the opening quarter of an hour. However, having failed to capitalise on territory and possession, they went behind to a sucker-punch goal, which changed the complexion of the afternoon. And, despite that good opening spell, only a speculative 45-yard lob looked like troubling Yasmin Davies in the Portishead goal, but it dropped tantalisingly over the bar.
As so often happens, the visitors took advantage of Torquay’s lack of firepower, on their first real foray forward. They worked a good opening, but Rosie Hill’s tame effort should have been bread and butter for Emma Ayres. Somehow though the ball squirmed under the United keeper and Portishead were in front.
Instead of settling back into the routine of the opening period, Torquay immediately started committing players forward in search of a quick equaliser, but in doing so allowed the Bristol-based opponents to exploit the spaces, as they’d done in the reverse fixture on the opening day of the season.
One became two on 21 minutes, as Portishead used that space in the inside left channel, and when the advancing Ayres was beaten to the ball by the striker, it fell kindly for Shannon Holloway to control and slot home.
United need the next goal to haul themselves back into the must-win encounter and went close went Rebecca McMullin’s cross was met by Danni Wyatt, but the effort lacked power and was comfortable for Davies to collect.
And they found themselves with a mountain to climb ten minutes before the interval, Rachel Griffiths failed to haul down Portishead’s right winger and her low pull back found Hill with space to slot home for the visitor’s third.
Tee Kaptein put a header wide of the back post from Ocean Latto’s free kick, before Ayres denied Portishead a fourth on the stroke of half time, saving at the feet of Holloway.
Torquay needed to start the second half strongly, but Ayres was immediately called upon to deny Emily Lindsey’s rasping drive from the edge of the box, before being beaten for a fourth time. Hill completed her hat-trick sliding home one on one with the United keeper as Torquay’s defence appealing for the offside flag.
The hosts tried to rally. Emily Eaton’s corner on the right was headed over at the near post by Tracey Cross, and then Wyatt pressured goalie Davies but couldn’t convert as the keeper dropped another Eaton cross.
From there on Portishead were happy to keep United at arm’s length and see out the victory which confirms their place in the National League next season. For Torquay United, it’s now about regrouping and finding the team and the strategy to cause a final day upset against Swindon, if they’re to meet these opponents next season.
Southampton’s 6-0 defeat at Moneyfields means United now have superior goal difference, and will stay up, if both they, and Maidenhead win on May 5th!
TORQUAY UNITED: Emma Ayres, Lucy Palmer, Rachel Heron, Rachel Griffiths, Georgia Chapman (Millie Scully), Emily Eaton, Anthea Kaptein, Rebecca McMullin, Ocean Latto, Tracey Cross, Danni Wyatt SUB NOT USED: Scarlett Williams