United 1
(Cooke 22′)
Hamoton & Richmond 1
(Fernandez 45+1′)
Despite dominating for long periods, United had to settle for a draw at Plainmoor on Saturday, as Hampton & Richmond came form behind to take a point.
Cody Cooke marked his return to the starting line-up with the opener, before Luis Fernandez levelled just before the break. The second period saw Torquay push for a winner almost non-stop, but sadly one point would have to do.
Gulls boss Jimmy Ball made two changes to the side that lost out to Dagenham seven days ago, with Cooke coming in for Dylan Morgan following the latter player’s switch to Crawley Town, whilst Sonny Blu Lo-Everton replaced Matt Jay in the starting eleven. New signing Jacob Beaumont-Clark took his place on the substitutes bench.
After a hit & miss first quarter, United took the lead in the 22nd minute.
A back-header from a stretching Hampton man left goalkeeper Marco Underwood caught out, and although the Beavers’ custodian made up ground admirably to keep out Deon Moore’s low drive inside the box, Cooke was on hand to smash home the loose ball from close range.
After a slightly uncertain start to the game, that goal was the catalyst for Ball’s side to take full charge for the remainder of the half, with Underwood often the only thing preventing The Gulls from adding to their tally,
One particular save deserves special mention, as the visiting glovesman produced an excellent one-on-one smother to save the day for The Beavers, after a mistake in the backline found Moore presented with the ball and an unopposed route to goal.
It looked for all the world as though Torquay would be ahead at the halfway point, but a late sucker-punch in first half stoppage time caught them out.
A free-kick just in front of United’s corner flag gave Hampton the chance to send a delivery into The Gulls’ goalmouth. Fernandez made the most of the opportunity by rising highest at the far post, directing his header down and back across goal – beating the previously underworked Toby Savin in the process.
1-1 at the change of ends.
The second half followed much of the same pattern as the first 45 minutes, although the conditions – as much as the opponents – dictated that Torquay couldn’t quite enjoy the same level of clear-cut openings as they did earlier in the game.
They did have chances though.
The introduction of Jordan Young and debutant Beaumont-Clark boosted gave Ball’s side an added dimension in the final quarter, and they so nearly found a winner on 72 minutes.
A free-kick on the United right picked on Jake Wannell at the back stick, but just as his goalbound header was about to hit the back of the net, a desperate Hampton boot hooked the ball off the goalline.
Time and again the men in yellow kept pushing, as the visitors were restricted to a handful of counter-attacks, but in the end, time ticked out.
The next test is just 48 hours away, with a trip to Farnham next on the agenda.
UNITED: 1. Toby Savin, 2. Dom Bernard, 5. Sam Dreyer, 6. Munashe Sundire (8. Jordan Young, 51′), 9. Cody Cooke (11. Jacob Beaumont-Clark, 55′), 10. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 14. Deon Moore , 15. Kian Jenkins, 16. Jake Wannell, 18. Matt Worthington (c), 39. Callum Morton (27. Matt Jay, 61′).
SUBS NOT USED: 13. Zak Baker, 3. Tyler Hill, 26. Jordan Thomas, 38. Jonah Shaw.
Yellow Card: Worthington 90+1′
HAMPTON & RICHMOND: 20. Marco Underwood, 3. Harrison Sodje (18. Adam Reeves, 78′), 5. Luis Fernandez, 6. Theo Widdrington, 7. Sakariya Hassan (23. Uriah Djedje, 75′), 11. Max Mullins (8. Wes Fonguck, 83′), 12. Tobi Sho-Silva (9. Reece Grego-Cox, 78′), 14. Zandra Siziba, 16. Michael Atkinson (15. Jasper Mather 75′), 21. Ashley Akpan, 22. Ben Jackson.
SUBS NOT USED: 17. Kiban Rai, 24. Rohan Ince.
Yellow Card: Sodje 64′, Fonguck 90+5′
Attendance: 3,529 (28 away)
