United 2
(Jenkins Davies 5′, Young 7′)
Farnborough 0
United went top of the league on Saturday, as The Gulls secured victory over Farnborough at Plainmoor.
Early strikes from Will Jenkins Davies and Jordan Young gave Torquay the perfect start, and despite Farnborough’s best efforts, there were unable to unlock a resolute and determined Gulls side, who extended their unbeaten run to ten games.
Following on from the midweek FA Trophy success over Horsham, Gulls boss Paul Wotton opted to make two changes to his starting line-up, with Sam Dreyer and Cody Cooke recalled in place of Ed Palmer and Brad Ash. United’s new loan signing from Southend, Jack Wood, began his spell with the Club on the bench.
The match was only five minutes old when Wotton’s side broke the deadlock.
After getting hold of possession in their own half, United worked their way up the field, before a cushioned volley from Omar Mussa inside the centre circle was perfectly weighted pass into the path of the ever-alert Jenkins Davies, with the on-loan Plymouth man continuing his recent good form by holding off a retreating defender before firing low past visiting goalkeeper Jack Turner.
Only two minutes later, The Gulls doubled their advantage, as a ball into the Farnborough box proved too much for the away team to deal with. Young though, was alive to the opportunity, nipping in to bundle the ball home from close range.
Following that, Boro responding the way you’d expect of a side with their own promotion aspirations, however with United’s defence dealing with the test well, Gulls No.1 was left relatively untroubled prior to the change of ends.
The second half was largely a pretty even affair, with United looking as good a bet for a third as Boro did for a goal to drag them back in it.
For The Gulls, Mussa saw a 58th minute effort go wide when he had just Turner to beat, before his substitute replacement, home debutant Wood, saw a deflected effort bounce narrowly past the far post nine minutes later.
For all their possession, Wotton’s men were so well organised and committed at the back that it wasn’t until the 95th minute that Hamon was called into a serious save, as The Gulls’ No.1 tipped Millar Matthews-Lewis’ six-yard header over the bar.
Results elsewhere meant that come full-time, United were top of the league, with the Yellow Army celebrating Enfield’s leveller at Weston.
20 games in – plenty more work to be done yet. but do you think the loyal fans who have been through so much in 2024 might enjoy this moment as the year heads towards its conclusion? Quite possibly, and quite rightly, too.
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 3. Jay Foulston, 4. Jordan Dyer, 5. Sam Dreyer, 8. Jordan Young (14. Matt Carson, 69′), 10. Omar Mussa (28. Jack Wood, 62′), 18. Oscar Threlkeld (c), 19. Cody Cooke, 20. Dan Hayfield, 22. Will Jenkins Davies, 26. Jordan Thomas.
SUBS NOT USED: 11. Brad Ash, 16. Ed Palmer, 17. Finn Tonks.
Yellow Card: Dreyer 36′, Threlkeld 53′
FARNBOROUGH: 1. Jack Turner, 5. Ollie Robinson (c), 7. Richard chin, 8. Edon Pruti, 10. Joe Haigh, 11. Ricky Holmes, 17. Manny Oyeleke (9. Hisham Kasimu,, 77′), 18. Taylor Clark (23. Ben Acey, 80′), 27. Jack Bateson, 30. Matty Macarthur (33. Fionn Mooney, 62′), 32. Hady Ghandour (28. Millar Matthews-Lewis, 11′).
SUBS NOT USED: 6. Guy Hollis.
Yellow Card: Pruti 13′, Turner 45′, Robinson 50′
Attendance: 3,303 (96 away)