United’s women continued their pre-season preparation with a 2-0 victory on Sunday against Marine Academy Plymouth.
Torquay United Women kicked their pre-season campaign into gear with a more comfortable victory over Marine Academy Plymouth than the two-nil scoreline suggests. MAP, just promoted to the South West Regional Premier League, which United won last season, played some good football and threatened on occasions, while a more season-sharp United might have had the game won a lot earlier.
Once again, Head coach, Alan Wyatt made good use of retained players, new signings and triallists throughout, revolving personnel and positions, as his side look to find the keys to unlocking a successful National League season.
United settled the better and exploited space down the right early on to great effect. Inside ten minutes Bex McMullin fed Emily Eaton and her cross to Danni Wyatt was only kept out of the net by the MAP keeper’s quick reactions. From the resulting corner, delivered by Ocean Latto from the right, Emma Hollingsworth’s header looked to have found the net, but a goal line clearance kept the game scoreless.
Again, Eaton and Wyatt combined, denied by another save from the MAP keeper and moments later United were served warning of the visitors’ danger, as MAP’s number 18 forced Emma Ayres into a save with a shot from the right side of the area.
It served to fire up the hosts, who broke from the resulting corner to take the lead. Once again Wyatt and Eaton combined on the right setting up Tee Kaptein for a ferocious long range shot that the Map keeper failed to hold, Tracey Cross on hand to poach the rebound.
United, tails up looked quickly for another, Kaptein producing a fabulous save from the MAP stopper, before the keeper was called into action again, to tip over Latto’s free kick. And Latto went close again on the half hour, as United switched her into a more forward role, dropping Jess Smith to left back. As always, a one goal lead is frail, and MAP were almost level five minutes before the interval, when Ayres misjudged a corner on the right, and McMullin cleared off the line.
The start of the second half almost saw the Gulls girls extend their advantage immediately as a Cross flick on set up Connie Pengelly, the Coach Road faithful collectively holding their breath as her lob dropped onto the top of the bar! As United looked for their best combinations in all departments so MAP enjoyed their best spell. Smith’s back pass almost allowed an equaliser, Ayres alert to the danger and out to block the shot. And it was United’s keeper called into action again just after the hour, sprawling to stop a long distance shot from the visitors’ number 7. Nat Warman shot over the angle from Mia Preston’s cross as United looked to seal the victory, and it was Warman who finally supplied the killer pass for Pengelly to drive low into the bottom corner, eight minutes from time, to give United the two-goal cushion. Pengelly, could have extended the advantage further, but twice in the last five minutes the MAP keeper again came up with big saves.
All-in-all a testing encounter, which is what United wanted at this stage, in warm conditions at Devon FA headquarters.
Preparations continue next Sunday (29th) with a trip to Pucklechurch Sports, before Saltash United provide the opposition at Liverton in United’s final warm-up. Their National League season begins at Portishead on August 20th.
United Squad: Jana Richards, Emma Hunt, Jess Smith, Tracey Cross, Rebecca McMullin, Ocean Latto, Esme Kilburn Thompson, Danni Wyatt, Emma Ayres, Mia Preston, Connie Pengelly, Tee Kaptein, Rose Mason-White, Lucy Palmer, Emily Eaton, Rachel Griffiths, Emma Hollingsworth, Ella Stephens, Rhi Bailey, Rachel Griffiths, Nat Warman