Torquay United opened the 2025 pre-season campaign with a confident 3-0 victory in glorious Devon sunshine at Buckland Athletic.
After two weeks of intensive training, United boss Paul Wotton named a strong starting line-up for the opening half at Homers Heath, and it showed, with a Dylan Morgan brace sandwiching Jordan Young’s penalty before the interval.
The goals dried up after the break but both sides continued to provide excellent entertainment for the thriving home crowd, with the added bonus of some first-team experience for five of the Gulls’ Under-18 squad.
After a gentle start to the game, United’s imposing press began to cause serious disruption in the Buckland defence and the opening goal duly arrived on 15 minutes, when a Matt Carson cross was parried by home custodian Jordan Duffey.
The ball fell nicely for the arriving Jordan Thomas to fire through a crowded penalty area and it was creeping over the line as Morgan applied the final touch.
There was a pleasing fluency to United’s work in attacking areas, although all on the pitch warmly welcomed a drinks break in the searing heat. After the restart, dazzling feet from Young resulted in a clear foul in the box, and the number eight picked himself up to despatch a low spot-kick.
Moments later, Morgan nabbed number three, pouncing on some loose play in the Buckland defence to slot an easy finish into the gaping net.
Wotton rang the changes at half-time, providing opportunities for a couple of trialists alongside the experience of Jordan Dyer, Jay Foulston and Cody Cooke. Morgan also stayed on for a further 15 minutes and impressed further with some mesmerising runs down the left.
Cooke came closest to adding a fourth, glancing a header narrowly over from a Jadyn Crosbie cross, and there was also a fantastic moment for U18 quintet Stevie Cole, Fin Herbert, Coby White, Jonah Shaw and Toby Hard, who were all given a taste of representing Torquay United.
A great day out, superbly organised by Buckland Athletic, and the Gulls can now look forward to an enticing hat-trick of home fixtures against Newport County, Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City.
Goals: Morgan 15′ & 28′ | Young 26′ pen
United First-Half: 1 James Hamon; 5 Sam Dreyer, 7 Louis Dennis, 8 Jordan Young, 11 Dylan Morgan, 14 Matt Carson, 16 Ed Palmer, 20 Dan Hayfield, 24 Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 26 Jordan Thomas, 27 Matt Jay.
United Second-Half: 13 Matt Wonnacott, Trialist A, 4 Jordan Dyer, 3 Jay Foulston, 14 Matt Carson (Cole 60′), Trialist B (Hard 88), 6 Munashe Sundire (White 75′), 29 Aiden Edwards (Shaw 88′), 15 Jadyn Crosbie, 9 Cody Cooke, 11 Dylan Morgan (Herbert 60′).
Att: 1,208
