Trialists and development players turn out for United.
Two goals from Ollie Critchlow, and strikes from Connor Stewart, Craig Duff, and Danny Gaze earned Stoke Gabriel victory in a pre-season match that will allow Torquay United player-manager, Kevin Nicholson to further assess trialists that were eager to impress.
The Gaffer remarked after the match that when he assesses players, he learns more about them when things aren’t going so well on the pitch, rather than a comfortable win.
United were made up of trialists that had impressed enough against Newton Abbot Spurs on Tuesday to get another game, some development players from Torquay Academy and beyond, and some new faces.
The match was fairly even up until the last half an hour but then Stoke punished United who were finding it difficult stay competitive after numerous substitutions.
United opened the scoring thanks to a Stoke Gabriel own goal. Trialist, Kev Mbelek got behind Stoke’s defence and his low ball across the box was inadvertently deflected over the line by a Stoke defender.
One standout moment in the second half came from development player, Adam Seedhouse-Evans when he was called upon to pull off a full length diving save to his top right when keeping out a strong header.
Late on in the game, midfielder Liam Northcott lifted the ball over the advancing Scott Corderoy to – at that point – make it 4-2.
All eyes now point to Wednesday when the first team see their first action of pre-season. We welcome EFL Championship side Bristol City (kick-off 7:30pm) to Plainmoor, and we hope to see the Yellow Army there in what should be a very entertaining game.
We would like to thank Stoke Gabriel for their hospitality today.
Torquay United XI Stoke Gabriel Squad
Neal Osborn Scott Corderoy
Charlie Mares (Torquay Academy) Rob Farkins
Cameron Kelly Ryan O’Callaghan
Haydn Greening Danny Gaze
Jake Anderson Morgan Harford
Jamie Lowry Lewis Woodmore
Jay Malpas Ollie Booth
Macauley Southam Ollie Critchlow
Kev Mbelek Mark Ashworth
Ike Robertson Craig Duff
Montel Gibson Louis Roberts
Substitutes Tom Kelly
Kyle Willoughby Connor Stewart
Jack Compton Nathan Hebbes
Liam Northcott Jamie Orchard
Dan Buckley
Noah Keates
Robbie Herrera
Russell Cleave