Farnborough 1
(Holmes pen 38′)
United 0
There was disappointment for United on Saturday, as The Gulls went down to a single-goal defeat in Hampshire.
A first-half penalty from Ricky Holmes ultimately decided a tight encounter, despite United throwing everything at Farnborough in a bid to draw level.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Paul Wotton named an unchanged squad from the side that secured a 2-1 win over Enfield Town at Plainmoor last weekend.
The early stages were certainly competitive, although there was little to report in terms of clear-cut chances.
James Hamon was the slightly busier of the two goalkeepers, and he was called into action to turn Olly Pendlebury’s long-range effort round the post in the 11th minute.
Five minutes later, and a productive run from Finn Tonks nearly caught the hosts out, however his low ball across the face of goal failed to find a teammate, as it drifted across the six-yard box.
Omar Mussa claimed the first shot on target for the afternoon, however in truth, Jack Turner’s save in-between the sticks was a relatively comfortable one.
Taylor Clark was next to try his luck, but again Hamon was up to the task, as he beat away the Boro man’s strike just short of the half-hour.
A clumsly-looking challenge on Cody Cooke five minutes later had the travelling Yellow Army appealing for a penalty, however the referee saw things differently.
It therefore rubbed salt into Torquay wounds when a spot-kick was awarded at the other end of the pitch shortly after.
With Reggie Young’s run taking him past a number of defenders, Tonks found himself on the back foot. Charged with stopping his man from breaking through, the Bournemouth loanee was forced to act, and with his challenge on Young drawing appeals from the home crowd, the referee was well placed to make his decision, and duly point to the spot.
Hamon did guess the right way, but Holmes’ penalty had too much on it – 1-0 to Farnborough.
Most would have agreed that there had been little to choose between the sides up until that point, and nothing in the remaining stages of the first period will have altered that viewpoint.
Forced to chase the game, Paul Wotton’s men began the second half on the front foot.
Lirak Hasani – on for Mussa at the change of ends – twice fed Cody Cooke in a bid to draw his side level.
On 48 minutes, Hasani brought the ball down well before laying the ball off to Cooke, who drew a decent save from Turner.
Seven minutes later, the two linked up again from a corner, but this time the Gulls striker could only head off-target at the back post.
Clark did likewise for the hosts on the hour mark, before Hasani’s delightful crossfield ball picked out Cooke once more, with Turner this time at full stretch to keep the header out.
Richard Chin forced a marvellous save from Hamon in the 65th minute, as the action began to switch from one end of the pitch to the other.
Last weekend’s goalscoring hero Brad Ash was certain he’d won his side a penalty moments later after getting in behind his defensive opponent – although the referee’s decision once again went against The Gulls, this time it was a tricky one for the naked eye to call.
With twelve minutes to go, only a last-gasp interception prevented The Gulls drawing level.
Cooke’s header was perfectly directed into the path of Dan Hayfield, and with his strike arrowing towards goal, it was Ollie Robinson who intervened to divert the the ball over the crossbar.
Turner was certainly earning his money now, and the ‘Boro goalkeeper produced his best stop of the afternoon to keep out Cooke’s close-range effort with his legs, as Torquay’s pursuit for an equaliser gathered more and more momentum.
The home side remained a threat though, with Hamon again producing the goods to keep out another dangerous effort from Chin with four minutes left on the clock.
United kept going, and a performance such as this will surely bring them points more often than not in the future, but unfortunately on this occasion, it was not to be.
Onto Bath on Tuesday.
FARNBOROUGH: 1. Jack Turner, 3. Josh Casey (c), 5. Ollie Robinson, 6. Guy Hollis, 7. Richard Chin, 11. Ricky Holmes (17. Manny Oyeleke, 77′), 15. Olly Pendlebury, 18. Taylor Clark, 22. Dan Bradshaw, 25. Reggie Young (17. Sam Smart, 80′), 26. Mason Bloomfield (16. David Bremang, 83′).
SUBS NOT USED: 4. CJ Fearn, 28. Millar Matthews-Lewis.
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 3 Jay Foulston, 4. Jordan Dyer (16. Ed Palmer, 90+1′) 5. Sam Dreyer, 10. Omar Mussa (7. Lirak Hasani, HT), 11. Brad Ash (15. Jadyn Crosbie, 77′), 14. Matt Carson (9. Ben Seymour, 58′), 17. Finn Tonks, 18. Oscar Threlkeld (c) (8. Roddy Collins, HT), 19. Cody Cooke, 20. Dan Hayfield.
Booking: Tonks 38′, Hayfield 66′, Dyer 90′
Attendance: 1,505