Bishops Lydeard Ladies 0 Torquay United 5
Torquay United recorded their fifth win in six league outings, moving to within 3 points of the top of the South West Regional Women’s Premier League, courtesy of a comfortable victory in Somerset.
Lee Mann made one change to the 11, unluckily beaten in the FA Cup a fortnight ago, with Ellie Bishop recalled and Chloe Williams named as a substitute on a strong bench, which included Kayleigh Brown on her return from injury.
Looking to bounce back after the season’s first defeat and a week of inaction, United got the perfect start, with Lucy Solloway on target after just three minutes, steering home at the near post from Tee Kaptein’s looping cross from the right. It was her eleventh goal of the season and the perfect settler for the visitors.
Sam Burnham added the second with perhaps a little luck. Lydeard only half cleared a Sam Burnham corner, and she re-delivered the ball from the left corner of the area, over everyone and past the unmoved keeper!
And Torquay had virtually assured the points were heading back to south Devon, when Ellie Bishop notched her third of the campaign, exchanging a neat one-two on the left side of the area with Lucy Palmer before cooly slotting home to give United a 3-0 advantage at the interval.
Solloway added to her tally to put United out of sight, stabbing home Emily Elliot’s cross after Lydeard twice failed to clear.
Lucy Palmer providing the cherry on top of the victory, bagging her first goal of the season and Torquay’s fifth, exchanging passes with Williams before finding space unmarked in the area to turn home the winger’s low cross from the right.
The victory moves United back to third in the table, two points behind Forest Green Rovers Women with a game in hand, and three behind leaders Marie Academy Plymouth Lades with two in hand.
TUFC WOMEN: 1. Jasmine Read, 2. Lucy Palmer, 5. Sam Burnham, 14. Kaitlyn Harris 17. Natasha Bevan, 6. Adele Brown, 7. Tracey Cross ©, 10. Tee Kaptein, 9. Lucy Solloway, 12. Ellie Bishop, 3. Emily Elliot Subs: 4. Alex Sheppard, 19. Rebecca McMullin, 16. Lexie Watts, 11. Chloe Williams, 13. Kayleigh Brown