United 2
(Lolos 90′, Little 90+1′)
FC Halifax Town 3
(Slew 30′, 46′, Waters 50′)
Match Sponsored by:
Two late goals weren’t quite enough for United on Saturday, as FC Halifax ran out 3-2 winners at Plainmoor.
After a nip-and-tuck first half hour, it was Halifax who opened the scoring through Jordan Slew, and that same man extended his side’s advantage moments after the restart, before Billy Waters, a key member of Torquay’s EFL push last season, then rubbed salt into the wounds shortly after. As the match entered in jury time, a double strike from Klaidi Lolos and Armani Little gave proceedings a little twist, however it wasn’t enough to alter the course of the points.
The Gaffer made one change to starting line-up that went down to that late defeat at Aldershot on Tuesday, with fit-again skipper Asa Hall returning in place of Jake Andrews, who dropped to the bench.
United were certainly out of the blocks the quickest, with a lung-bursting run from Dan Martin in the 2nd minute ended illegally by a Town defender of the touchline. When the resultant free-kick was whipped into the box, an initial fumble by Halifax goalkeeper Sam Johnson appeared to present Ben Wynter with a chance to hook the ball into the barely guarded net, however the referee signalled an infringement, allowing Town to escape.
Wynter was at it again soon three minutes later, with a superb 20-yard half-volley heading goalwards, until Johnson dived across his goal to parry the ball behind. Three swift corners came and went, but it marked an excellent start to the game from Gary Johnson’s charges.
As the game hit the ten-minute mark, it was The Gulls who were fortunate to remain on level terms though, as Matt Warburton was presented with a clear sight of goal inside the box. After parrying the first effort, MacDonald then reacted superbly to deny him a second time around.
Any new faces in the crowd would have been delighted with the entertainment on offer during the first half-hour, as both sides continued to trade proverbial blows with chances to break the deadlock.
On 19 minutes, an Little was directed towards the back post where Joe Lewis met it with a firm header, however Johnson merely reached above his head to claim the ball.
Moments later, and it was the men from Yorkshire who looked dangerous, as Slew forced MacDonald into a fine low save, however with the ball bouncing towards a Halifax attacker and goal at his mercy, Tom Lapslie arrived just in time to produce a sublime clearance, almost off the goalline.
On 21 minutes, recalled skipper Hall attempted to mark his return with the opener, however he didn’t have quite enough time to set his sights, and the shot was scuffed wide from 20 yards.
With the game remaining very open, Waters then missed a chance to punish his former club, as he volleyed a presentable chance over the bar, after finding himself in space to meet a right-wing cross by the penalty spot.
With the match just short of the half-hour, Johnson’s Gulls fell behind.
Slew, who had already signalled his intentions early on, was allowed time to look up and find his range from the edge of the box with a low drilled effort that, on this occasion, MacDonald could do nothing about.
It took the men in yellow a little while to get going following the setback, but when they did rouse themselves once more, they nearly made it count.
Little’s run into the right-hand side of the penalty area saw him break free of the retreating Town backline, and the midfielder’s hooked cross towards Martin seemed set to restore parity, before a Halifax man intervened with a desperate clearance.
Despite the disappointment at falling behind, it was to their credit that United ended the first half in the ascendancy, with the ever-willing Tom Lapslie doing his best to alter the interval team talks, with an overhead kick from close range. It was, however, with relative ease that the visiting stopper gathered the ball, as the referee’s whistle signalled the break soon after.
Torquay would have been looking to start the second period in a positive manner, however instead disaster struck, as the away team made it 0-2.
Having threatened to catch United out on the counter attack, the move appeared to have lost its momentum, however after seeeing Warburton’s 22-yard effort charged down, Slew tried his luck from a similar range, with very different consequences, as it sailed high into the roof of the net.
Worse was to follow.
Waters found space on the left of the box, however with the angle against him, it was with some surprise that he was able to swivel and turn his low effort into the net, to compound Torquay’s misery.
For a stage thereafter it looked like the deficit may even increase, as Warburton sent a rising effort over the crossbar in the 62nd minute, before substitute Dan Holman went close twice in quick succession, as he saw a near-post flick deflected behind seconds later, before sending in a low curler that Halifax stopper Johnson made a routine save from.
Torquay kept plugging away, even thought it was becoming increasingly clear it wouldn’t be their day, and they were spared a fourth in the later stages, as Jack Vale’s run at a retreating backline ended with his low shot striking the outside of the far post in the 76th minutes, before MacDonald’s smother at the hands of the advancing Jack Senior, just did enough to prevent the ball from being slipped under him a minute later.
With the match entering the dying moments, the destination of the points seemed certain – but nothing ever is with Gary Time.
First, Lolos jinked inside the box before rifling home a low drive from eight yards to make it 1-3.
Seconds later, and another surge forward ended with Little’s shut being palmed insufficiently by Johnson, allowing it to make the score 2-3.
Sadly though, time just ran out.
A tough afternoon, no doubt, but also a long way to go before final positions are decided.
For now, thank you for your support, Yellow Army.
UNITED: 37. Shaun MacDonald, 2. Ben Wynter, 3. Dan Martin, 4. Tom Lapslie, 7. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 8. Asa Hall (19. Klaidi Lolos, 70′), 10. Armani Little (c), 15. Harry Perritt (16. Keelan O’Connell, 61′), 21. Dean Moxey (30. Dan Holman, 55′), 25. Sinclair Armstrong, 31. Joe Lewis.
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Mark Halstead, 11. Jake Andrews.
Yellow Card: Hall, 57′
FC HALIFAX TOWN: 1. Sam Johnson, 3. Jack Senior, 5. Jesse Debrah, 8. Kieran Green, 10. Matt Warburton (4. Luke Summerfield, 68′), 11. Billy Waters, 17. Kian Spence (26. Martin Woods, 82′), 21. Tyrell Warren, 22. Jack Vale (24. Elliot Newby, 76′), 25. Jordan Slew, 31. Niall Maher.
SUBS NOT USED: 18. Javid Swaby-Neavin, 20. Harvey Gilmour.
Attendance: 2,269 (76 away)