United 7
(Dennis 7′, 30′, 57′ Young 39′, 63′ Morgan 45+1′, 58′)
Eastbourne 0
United produced a sparkling performance on Saturday, as they outclassed visiting Eastbourne at Plainmoor.
A hat-trick from Louis Dennis, combined with braces from Jordan Young and Dylan Morgan saw United secure their biggest win since 2018, and seal an astonishing afternoon for the men in yellow.
Boss Paul Wotton made one change to the team that started last week’s FA Trophy defeat at home to Maidstone, with Sonny Fish replaced by Dennis. The former dropped down to the bench, where he as joined by new loan signing, Sonny Sharples-Ahmed.
Wotton’s men wasted little time getting to work, and they fashioned a number of openings before the breakthrough came on seven minutes.
Jordan Thomas’ intelligent ball played Dennis into space, and after taking a moment to set his sights, United’s No.7 coolly slotted the ball underneath the advancing Ryan Sandford to make it 1-0.
Young had the ball in the net again in the 20th minute, after following up on Sonny Blu Lo-Everton’s piledriver, however on this occasion the goal was ruled out for offside.
Not to matter, as on the half-hour, the second goal did arrive.
Once again it was Dennis who broke through the Eastbourne backline, before firing low past Sandford to double The Gulls’ advantage.
James Hamon did come up with a fabulous save to tip Pemi Aderoju’s header round the post shortly after, but that chance was merely a brief interlude to almost one-way traffic.
Torquay broke through again twice more before the break.
in the 39th minute, Dennis turned provider with his back-heel sending Young away, before the former Yeovil man confidently fired home his latest goal of an increasingly profitable season.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better – it did, in first-half injury time.
Morgan, who had played an integral role in United’s first half dominance, threw off the shackles of the Borough backline before rifling an effort into the net to seal a remarkable interval lead.
The second half had quite a bit to live up to, but remarkably, it did.
Far from sitting on their lead, Wotton’s men seemed hell-bent on finding a fifth, and after a couple of near-misses, it was Dennis who struck again to seal his hat-trick.
Having been provided with an inviting two-v-one opening by a slack Eastbourne defence, Dennis duly delivered again by firing home to clinch his fifth goal in his last two outings on 57 minutes.
A minute later, it was six.
After robbing substitute Mo Sagaf almost straight from kick-off, Morgan beat his man before working space for himself to curling the ball past Sandford from the edge of the box.
The scoring was – mercifully for the visitors – eventually brought to a close three minutes past the hour-mark.
This time, Hamon’s long ball forward was delivered to perfection towards Young, who produced a delightful chip over Sandford to make it 7-0.
As comprehensive and clinical as the scoreline was, it could have easily been more – such was United’s class and commitment to the cause.
You really did have to be there to believe it.
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 3. Jay Foulston, 4. Jordan Dyer, 5. Sam Dreyer (c), 7. Louis Dennis (17. Sonny Fish, 65′), 8. Jordan Young ( 2. Denzel Akyeampong, 85′), 11. Dylan Morgan (29. Aidan Edwards, 73′), 17. Sonny Fish, 20. Dan Hayfield, 24. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 26. Jordan Thomas, 27. Matt Jay (22. Sonny Sharples-Ahmed, 65′).
SUBS NOT USED: 13. Matt Wonnacott (GK).
EASTBOURNE: 12. Ryan Sandford, 2. Dan Quick (7. Joey Phuthi, 84′), 3. Isaac Pitblado (11. Josh Anifowose, 54′), 5. Laiith Fairnie (4. Camron Gbadebo, 54′), 6. Kai Corbett, 14. Pemi Aderoju (10. Victor Akinwale, 84′), 16. Freddie Carter (8. Mo Sagaf, 58′), 20. Arthur Grout, 23. Tayt Trusty, 25. Harry Phipps (c), 27. Maxwell Mullins.
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Jamie Searle, 22. Harvey Lintott.
Yellow Card: Aderoju 35′, Quick 61′
Attendance: 2,952 (45 away)
