Taunton Town 1
(Chamberlain 47′)
United 2
(McGavin 16′, Hall 27′)
United secured their National League South status on Tuesday evening, as they emerged 2-1 winners in Taunton.
Brett McGavin and Asa Hall scored the decisive goals inside the first half, before Ollie Chamberlain’s second-half reply for the visitors gave the hosts hope. The Gulls though, held out for an invaluable three points.
Interim Manager Aaron Downes opted to name the same starting eleven that lost out to Bath on Saturday, with the only change coming on the bench, where Lewis Collins replaced Jacob Wellington.
It was a quite scrappy start, unsurprising in the circumstances, but Downes’ side certainly enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges.
Arkell Jude-Boyd was the first to test home goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe with a low drive from from 20 yards on nine minutes, before a long throw from Dean Moxey caused chaos inside the Taunton box, with Tom Lapslie and Brad Ash both unable to steer home the loose ball from six yards.
It didn’t matter though, as United took the lead four minutes later.
After Jack Stobbs cut in front the left wing, his pass to Tom Lapslie on the edge of the D attracted the interest of McGavin, who picked up on Lapslie’s lay off and fired a superb strike into the top corner of the net from 22 yards out.
It was his ninth goal of a productive season, with almost every one being a true belter.
Even better would follow just short of the half-hour.
Having already marked his own card by breaking the deadlock, McGavin turned provider by delivering a pin-point corner into the boot on Hall at the near-post, with the skipper’s volley finding its target in the roof of the net.
2-0, and if full control at the break.
Taunton needed to find something from somewhere to give themselves hope, and they duly found it just two minutes after the restart.
Zac Bell’s long throws had already served warning, and with his latest delivery finding Chamberlain in space at the back post, the Town midfielder lashed home a rising drive past Mark Halstead to have the deficit
Now was no time for the faint-hearted.
A disallowed ‘goal’ from Ross Stearn shortly after may have seen a few nerves appear amongst the magnificent travelling support, however it appeared to be the right call, and Taunton struggled to get much change out of Torquay’s well-marshalled defence.
There was one let-off in the dying stages though.
After McGavin went close to firing home with a low effort on the edge of the area, Taunton responded with Bell sending in a diagonal effort that beat Halstead, but not the far-post. The ball fell directly on a plate to substitute Evander Grubb, but with little time to correct his footing, the Town man could only fire wide from near point-blank range.
It was ultimately the closest they came.
When the final whistle finally sounded after twelve minutes of stoppage time, Torquay were United as much as ever, with Downes, his staff, players and supporters warmly embracing and saluting each other in acts of relief as well as celebration.
The first mission has now been completed, and with our beloved Yellow Army on our side, the hope is that Taunton 2024 will be the stepping stone for brighter times ahead.
Our wonderful fans, and this special club, certainly deserve it.
TAUNTON: 1. Dan Lavercombe, 2. Zac Bell, 5. Dan Ball, 7. Ollie Chamberlain, 8. Lloyd James (c) (18. Marcus Day, 77’), 9. Nat Jarvis, 11. Ben Acey, 12. Rabby Tabu-Minzamba, 13. Ross Stearn (32. Evander Grubb, 59’), 17. Cameron Evans, 19. Callum Dolman.
SUBS NOT USED: 21. Lloyd Irish, 4. Nick Grimes, 27. Seb Bolton.
Yellow Cards: Evans 39’
UNITED: 1. Mark Halstead, 2. Arkell Jude-Boyd, 4. Tom Lapslie, 8. Asa Hall (c), 11. Brad Ash, 14. Brett McGavin, 18. Will Jenkins Davies, 21. Dean Moxey, 23. Ollie Tomlinson, 27. Jack Stobbs (10. Lewis Collins, 76’ (5. Austen Booth, 83’)), 30. Ethon Archer.
SUBS NOT USED: 22. Rhys Lovett, 24. Calum Thomas.
Yellow Cards: Lapslie 67’
Attendance: 2,531