Alan Wyatt’s women suffered a slim defeat at Coach Road on Sunday, going down to 2-1 to Keynsham Town Ladies.
United’s women suffered a heart-breaking National League defeat on Sunday, beaten 2-1 by a highly contentious Keynsham Town winner, thirteen minutes from time in a game they dominated. They were rarely troubled by a Keynsham side which had put seven past Portishead a week earlier, and having come from behind, looked the only likely winners.
The side showed two changes from the one denied victory at Maidenhead a week earlier by a last-gasp equaliser, Lucy Palmer into the back four for Emma Hunt and skipper, Tracey Cross returning in a forward role for Esme Kilburn-Thompson. The opening ten minutes, despite being devoid of clear-cut chance, saw United establish control, probing on either flank, but particularly on the right, where Nat Warman set up United’s first real goalscoring opportunity, Cross firing over the bar.
But as it looked like a Torquay goal was imminent, it was against the pattern of play that Keynsham took the lead on fifteen minutes. United were defending well, and it took a moment of brilliance for Naomi Clipston to turn her marker, and fire across Emma Ayres and in off the far post. United, as we know, have resilience and team spirit in abundance, and shook off the early setback as though nothing had happened. As predicted, they are maturing and growing into life in the National League, ensuring their back line is more secure, with Ella Stephens and Ocean Latto picking their moments to join the attacks from their full back positions.
The right side was producing rich pickings, Stephens and Warman again instrumental, as Rebecca McMullin, Cross and Warman herself having goal bound shots blocked in United’s next attack. On the left there was danger too, Emily Eaton sending Cross into the area who controlled well before seeing that effort blocked too, as Keynsham through bodies into the lines of fire.
Anthea Kaptein replaced Lucy Palmer on 27 minutes, the substitute into midfield with Rachel Griffiths dropping into the back four – a change which gave United more strength. Latto skipped down the left and laid in a low cross which Warman volleyed just wide, and United picked off a Keynsham throw moving the ball across the 18-yard line for Cross again to fire just too high.
United were hunting the equaliser and could have paid the price inn the final seconds of the first half as Vicky Vipond beat the high defensive line, but the advancing Ayres doing enough to send the Keynsham striker wide, and she finished tamely into the side netting.
Torquay picked up where they’d left off after the break, Cross firing a 35-yard effort straight at Isabelle Amphett in the Keynsham goal. Rhi Bailey replaced McMullin in a like for like change in midfield and United continued their patient probing possession football. It produced the reward it deserved, as Stephens delivered a delightful free kick from the right, Bailey’s shot was blocked to Griffiths who looped a neat finish over Amphett for 1-1.
United were rampant! A flowing move on the right culminated in a Cross/Kaptein one-two, Amphett equal to the Torquay skipper’s shot and Kaptein fired wide moments later as the hosts looked to press home their supremacy. It was on the hour mark that the Gulls defence got itself in a tangle for the one and only time, Ayres eventually saving from Vipond, as United spurned three or four chances to clear. Undeterred the hosts pushed for a winner, Emma Hollingsworth denied from a Stephens corner, by Amphett’s acrobatic tip over, and the Keynsham stopper was in action again a couple of minutes later to deny Eaton’s on target effort. Jess Smith and Lily Burton replaced the hard-working Warman and Wyatt, but within sixty seconds, United were behind.
Sophie Price was allowed to go on and beat the advancing Ayres, despite starting her run from an offside position with Stephens cautioned for her protests. With thirteen minutes left it was a desperate blow, but again United responded, now seeking an equaliser rather than a potential winner. A move on the left saw Eaton’s shot blocked, Bailey’s subsequent effort deflected into the arms of Amphett, and despite a late flurry of corners in stoppage time, it wasn’t to be, leaving a bitter taste for United and the Coach Road faithful, who know their side deserved better for their afternoon’s work.
Torquay continue to evolve into a side that can and will establish itself at this level, and there will be another measure of how far that evolution has come next Sunday, when an unbeaten AFC Bournemouth side visit Coach Road – kick off 2pm.
United: Emma Ayres, Ella Stephens, Emma Hollingsworth, Lucy Palmer (Anthea Kaptein), Ocean Latto, Nat Warman (Jess Smith), Rebecca McMullin (Rhi Bailey), Rachel Griffiths, Emily Eaton, Danni Wyatt (Lilly Burton), Tracey Cross Sub Not Used: Chloe Kind