TUFC 0
Plymouth Argyle 3
(Ennis, 41′, Camara, 45′, Hardie, 81′)
United suffered their first defeat of pre-season, as neighbours Plymouth ran out 3-0 winners at Plainmoor.
Goals from Niall Ennis and Panutche Camara late in the first period left United somewhat short-changed after a evenly-matched opening 45 minutes, and despite their best efforts in the second half, a further strike from Ryan Hardie sealed victory for the visitors.
The men in yellow began the game well, and created the first chance of the game on four minutes, as Joe Lewis rose highest from a corner to steer his header narrowly wide of the far post.
That pattern continued over the next few minutes, with a next one-two between Armani Little and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans ending with the former sending his left-footed effort wide of the post from 20 yards out five minutes later.
The visitors eventually responded just short of the quarter of an hour mark, with Ryan Broome sending his curling effort just over the crossbar from the edge 0f the penalty area, after Ennis did well to retrieve an overhit ball from the right.
The match was still goalless at the halfway-point of the first half, however it took an excellent point-blank block from Lewis to deny his opposite number Luke Jephcott from putting his side a goal up from close range.
The Gulls continued to give as good as they got though, and boss Gary Johnson would have been delighted with the way his new-look side were showing up against their League One opponents.
Former Argyle man Klaidi Lolos was looking for every opportunity to show his former club what they were missing, with one ambitious shot from the left-hand side looking threatening before eventually drifting wide of the back stick.
Despite United enjoying the bulk of possession as game headed towards the interval, Plymouth struck twice in the latter stages to give the side a lop-sided look.
Some good work from Trialist A down the right wing initially saw The Gulls win a corner, however after failing to profit from it, a swift break upfield saw Ennis evade the attentions of Ben Wynter and Lewis, before rifling his shot diagonally past Mark Halstead’s outstretched hand.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, a second followed from another visiting break moments later.
With defenders back in numbers, Ryan Broome was forced to try his luck from 22 yards out, however although Halstead was equal to it, his parry fell kindly to the lurking Camara, who slotted the ball home amid fruitless offside claims from the Torquay contingent.
The start of the second half saw Johnson’s men begin on the front foot, however it was ‘keeper Halstead who was called into action in the 56th minute, reacting smartly to turn Macauley Gillesphey’s 25-yard low free-kick round the post.
Torquay soon responded through substitute Jake Andrews though, although his dipping effort from a similar distance was just too close to replacement glovesman Michael Cooper as the clock ticked past the hour-mark.
United kept plugging away, and in the 72nd minute, Danny Wright’s header fed Trialist B in space inside the box, with Cooper forced into a much more serious intervention on this occasion.
The same Gulls player went close again five minutes later, as he met Little’s corner at the near post, however on this occasion, his header cleared both ‘keeper and woodwork.
Just had happened earlier though, United’s opponents soaked up the pressure before striking again.
Finley Craske’s run down the right forced Torquay’s defenders to retreat, however the ball was turned inside towards Hardie, who duly turned his marker and fired the ball into the net to round off the scoring.
After two games at Plainmoor, United next head to Ladysmead on Tuesday evening, as Johnson’s men take on Tiverton Town in their fourth friendly of the 2021/22 warm-up campaign, as their preparations ahead of August 21st continue.
TUFC: 1. Mark Halstead, 2. Ben Wynter, 5. Ali Omar (11. Jake Andrews, 39′), 7. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 9. Danny Wright (18. Olaf Koszela, 76′), 10. Armani Little (c) (20. Scott Piper, 85′), 14. Trialist A (17. Trialist C, HT), 16. Keelan O’Connell, 19. Klaidi Lolos (15. Trialist B, HT), 21. Dean Moxey, 31. Joe Lewis (22. Alex Moyse, 76′).
SUBS NOT USED: 23. Marcin Brzozowski (GK).
Attendance: 2,357