Chelmsford City 2
(Jenkins 3′, Barbrook 84′)
United 0
United’s winning run came to an end in Essex, as Chelmsford ran out 2-0 winners at the Melbourne Stadium.
An early goal from Luke Jenkins gave City a perfect start, and although Gary Johnson’s side continued to probe without success, a late second for Finley Barbrook sealed victory for the hosts.
Once again, Johnson was forced to ring the changes, with the suspended Brett McGavin and Will Jenkins Davies replaced by Dillon De Silva and new loan signing Osman Foyo.
A third-minute corner saw The Gulls up against it.
Samir Carruthers’ near-post inswinger was directed straight onto the head of Jenkins, who powered home his header past Mark Halstead and into the net.
It took a while for Torquay to get going, with Halstead the busier of the two goalkeepers.
United’s No.1 could only watch on on 7 minutes though, as a Charlie Ruff through ball found Freddie Hockey bearing down on goal. Although Halstead did well to narrow the angle, Hockey’s strike sailed over him, only for the crossbar to intervene and save Johnson’s side further punishment.
A 25th minute shot over the ‘bar from fifteen yards was the best Torquay could muster at that point, with Halstead producing a fine save to prevent Ruff’s run and shot extending The Claret’s advantage shortly after.
A brief flurry of activity at the other end ten minutes before the break hinted that United were finding their feet, as De Silva flashed a ball across the face of goal, before Foyo and Lewis Collins saw goalbound efforts blocked inside the box.
After Ross Marshall headed wide from a set-piece in the 39th minute, home goalkeeper Henry Gray wall called into serious action for the first time just before the interval, as De Silva’s twist and turn forced the glovesman to stick out an outstretched boot to keep the ball out.
Another Ruff-Hockey link-up caused United’s backline problems again in time added on, with Halstead again producing a fine parry to keep things competitive, and The Gulls’ No.1 was at it again following the changes, with Ruff this time seeing his half-volley pushed away to safety.
A flurry of bookings littered a stop-start spell in proceedings, before United went within inches of levelling things up on 70 minutes.
With De Silva getting some joy on the right of the Chelmsford area, the Sri Lankan winger saw his initial effort blocked by Josh Castiglione, however his persistence earned him another bite of the cherry, with his follow-up clipped volley cannoning off the same piece of woodwork City had rattled an hour earlier.
Sadly, that near miss failed to spark a rousing finale in front of another fine showing from the Yellow Army, as the home side upped the ante in the closing stages.
A neat interchange of passes between Ruff and Castiglione on the left flank ended with the latter darting into the box before firing narrowly wide in the 73rd minute, before Robbie Simpson’s team sealed the deal with six minutes left on the clock.
Torquay’s defenders initially did well to repel the combined efforts of Hockey, Russ and Callum Watts, however once the ball worked out to Barbrook on the edge of the D, City’s No.11 placed a low shot into the bottom corner of the net, and with that went United’s hopes of parity in Essex.
Despite the setback, Johnson’s side remain handily placed in 3rd place at the halfway point, with a double-header against Truro City to come next.
CHELMSFORD CITY: 13. Henry Gray, 2. Cameron James, 5. Dave Winfield, 10. Samir Carruthers (18. Ody Alfa, 76′), 11. Finley Barbrook, 12. Luke Jenkins, 15. Jermaine Francis (3. Ben Brookes, 80′), 16. Charlie Ruff (26. Henry Ochieng, 88′), 19. Freddie Hockey, 23. Callum Watts, 24. Josh Castiglione.
SUBS NOT USED: 14. Callum Jones, 17. Jazzi Barnum-Bobb.
Yellow Cards: Barbrook 5′, Jenkins 17′, Carruthers 36′, Winfield 39′, Ruff 61′, Francis 62′, Gray 78′
UNITED: 1. Mark Halstead, 6. Ross Marshall, 7. Ryan Hanson (2. Dylan Crowe, 81′), 10. Lewis Collins, 17. Dillon De Silva, 19. Theo Williams, 21. Dean Moxey (c), 23. Ollie Tomlinson, 26. Archie Harris (3. Dan Martin, 64′), 30. Ethon Archer, 32. Osman Foyo.
SUBS NOT USED: 22. Rhys Lovett, 24. Calum Thomas, 35. Tom Chastey.
Yellow Cards: Foyo 13′, Harris 58′, Archer 63′
Attendance: 791