Torquay United’s spirited FA Youth Cup run came to an end on Saturday afternoon, as Oxford United ran out 3-1 winners.
Despite showing up well in the opening stages, the game eventually hinged on a devastating 20-minute spell leading up to the interval, as Oxford struck three times without reply to take the game away from The Yung Gulls.
Ironically, it was Ryan Dickson’s who so nearly drew first blood on 24 minutes.
A neat delivery into the box picked out Mason Elliot perfectly, yet just when Torquay’s travelling contingent looked set to acclaim the opening goal of the game, home goalkeeper Fraser Barnsley reacted in the nick of time to deny the United centre-back and maintain parity.
It was to prove the game’s turning point, as two minutes later, The Us struck.
With many onlookers expecting the referee to halt play for a free-kick, home full-back Richard Gerrard Seized upon the indecision by striking a firm strike from distance that flew into the top corner to make it 1-0.
On the half-hour it got worse, as Oxford struck from a corner.
With the near-post delivery flicked into the path of Kasway Burton, the Oxford man volleyed home to double his side’s advantage.
Torquay battled on, yet on the stroke of half-time, a third goal left them with an uphill task to retrieve proceedings.
Having seen a dangerous free-kick of their own repelled, Oxford’s Tobias Brenan launched a swift break against The Gulls’ retreating backline before box and cutting the ball back to Aidan Elliott-Wheeler to add a third before the break.
Armed with a comfortable lead to defend, Dickson would have taken some heart by the way his young charges responded, and they did at least have something to cheer with seventeen minutes to play.
Having bagged two in the previous round, it was George Collins who once again got on the scoresheet following a neat set-piece to reduce the arrears.
An unlikely comeback may have gathered further momentum with four minutes remaining, had Will Brennan’s instinctive dart in-behind the Oxford backline been met with a finish to match, however the home side eventually saw the game out, to progress through to Round 2.
TUFC: 1. Lloyd Marshall, 3. Charlie Wills, 4. Mason Elliot, 5. Callum Thomas, 6. Harvey Field, 7. Sam Bishop, 8. Brandon Quinn, 9. Jayden Gilbert (18. Tom Chastey, 61′), 11. Issac McCue (10. Will Brennan, 69′), 14. George Collins, 17. Ben Aldous.
SUBS NOT USED: 2. Liam Poole, 12. Kai Swann, 15. Noah Al-Sedani, 16. Greg Eastman, 23. Thomas Bennett.
Images used with kind permission of OUFC.