A lovely late leveller from Jordan Young guaranteed a share of the spoils between Torquay United and Exeter City in the final pre-season friendly at Plainmoor.
Goals: United:: Young 89′ | Exeter: Wareham 52′
Jayden Wareham had scored early in the second period for City but Young’s equaliser arguably told the story of an even fixture.
After a fairly sedate opening to the game, Wareham did have a scuttling sighter that skipped across Matt Wonnacott’s goal before drifting out of play.
United raised the tempo with a fabulous flowing move down the left, started by quick feet from Dan Hayfield, but the final pass was just too strong for Trialist B. City replied with a fizzing low cross from Ryan Rydel that only needed a touch to cause serious problems.
The Gulls put together their best moment on the half-hour, surging through the midfield and when Callum Dolan was initially crowded out, former Grecian Matt Jay arrived to curl a lovely effort inches beyond the top corner.
The next United attempt came marginally closer, as Trialist A, cutting in from the right, pinged a low drive into the side-netting. The final glimpse of goal in a quiet first period fell to City youngster Liam Oakes, glancing a header wide from 16 yards.
The second period sprung into life when Wonnacott was forced into an excellent low save, palming a bouncing ball wide, but the next attempt gave him no chance, as Wareham found a pocket of space in the box to nod home.
A fabulous break down the left from Trialist B had Plainmoor rising in anticipation and he was only denied by a strong near-post save from Jack Bycroft. United were then denied an equaliser from Louis Dennis, as the offside flag rose in the build-up.
No matter, Young popped up with his customary jink inside from the right on 89 minutes and drilled a super finish into the bottom corner.
United: 13 Matt Wonnacott; 5 Sam Dreyer, 9 Cody Cooke (7 Louis Dennis 68), 10 Callum Dolan (8 Jordan Young 60), 14 Matt Carson, 16 Ed Palmer, 17 Trialist B, 18 Matt Worthington (6 Munashe Sundire 57), 20 Dan Hayfield (24 Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 72), 23 Trialist A, 27 Matt Jay. Subs (not used): 1 James Hamon, 3 Jay Foulston, 11 Dylan Morgan, 15 Jadyn Crosbie, 21 Finley Herbert, 29 Aidan Edwards.
Referee: Jonty Bolland
MOTM: Trialist A
Attendance: 3,121
