United produced a battling performance to emerge as winners in a feisty pre-season clash at the Optima Stadium.
A competitive first 45 minutes saw both sides curtailed in their attacking ambitions, with Torquay’s well-organised backline nullifying a number of potentially dangerous forays into the United box.
The Gulls were also finding clear-cut chances hard to come by, until a trademark cut-in from the left of the box from Jordan Young saw Max Harris come up with an excellent save to deny the Yellows’ winger two minutes before the break.
The deadlock was finally broken in first -half stoppage time.
Dylan Morgan, who has been at the heart of United’s best attacks, was brought down once too many by Will Dawes, promoting the referee to issue a rare pre-season booking.
From the resulting 30-yard free-kick, Young’s delivery picked out the rising Sam Dreyer, with his header back across goal directed into the path of Kian Jenkins, who steered his own header past Harris and into the back of the net.
A goal to the good at the halfway point.
Torquay held onto that lead just short of the hour mark.
A loose pass in midfield saw Jacob Jagger Cane make the most of the opportunity, and after sending the ball across the face of goal, Liam Sercombe was on hand to fire home from close range.
That goal was hard on replacement glovesman Zak Baker, who produced two fine saves either side of the equaliser.
As the game wore on, it was Torquay’s new-look strike trio of Isaac Westendorf, Deon Moore and Callum Morton that looked the most likely to find a winner, and with three minutes remaining, the latter player did just that.
Moments after Westendorf fed Moore inside the six-yard box – only for a desperate Weston defender to deny him, a delightful ball from fellow substitute Sonny Blu Lo-Everton picked out Morton at the back-post, with the United striker slotting home from eight yards out to win the game for The Gulls.
With their away assignments wrapped up for pre-season, only a trio of home friendlies now separate Jimmy Ball’s side from the real thing – beginning with the visit of Plymouth Argyle to Plainmoor on Tuesday.
UNITED: Toby Savin (Zak Baker), Jordan Thomas (Dom Bernard), Sam Dreyer, Jake Wannell (Jordan Dyer), Kian Jenkins (Tyler Hill), Trialist (Matt Worthington), Dan Hayfield (Munashe Sundire), Jordan Young (Sonny Blu Lo-Everton), Matt Jay (Callum Morton), Dylan Morgan (Isaac Westendorf), Louis Dennis (Deon Moore).
