Match Report: Torquay United 3 Weymouth 1

Torquay United 3
McGavin 4
Ash 31
Collins 76

Weymouth 1
Bolton 41

Torquay United climbed to fourth in the National League South with a feisty 3-1 win over Weymouth at Plainmoor.

An early goal from Brett McGavin gave United the perfect platform and Brad Ash took that to a new level of comfort with a second on the half-hour.

Weymouth, however, fought back with a goal from Elliot Bolton on the stroke of half-time and the Gulls were only able to relax when Lewis Collins sealed the points on 76 minutes, with Calvin Brooks then dismissed for the visitors for a second bookable offence.

United manager Gary Johnson made two changes from the side that battled to an important 2-1 win over Tonbridge Angels on Saturday, Dylan Crowe and Theo Williams replacing Dillon De Silva and the suspended Ross Marshall.

Plainmoor was rocking inside four minutes, when Jack Stobbs was fouled 25 yards from goal and McGavin promptly curled a delicious free-kick into the top corner, giving goalkeeper Gerard Benfield no chance.

United continued to drive forward at the Terras, Stobbs fizzing a cross to the near-post for Ash, who struck the woodwork against his former club. The Gulls were in complete control but Weymouth showed their threat on the counter when Keelan O’Connor headed narrowly over from a Dan Roberts cross.

The cushion of a second arrived through more good work from McGavin, threading a pass to Ethon Archer. Weymouth managed to block the initial effort but the loose ball bobbled perfectly into the path of Ash, who steered an assured finish into the bottom corner.

The Terras, to their credit, responded with a goal back four minutes before the break, when a free-kick was half-cleared to Bolton lurking on the edge of the box, and he somehow drilled a half-volley through the sea of legs and beyond ‘keeper Mark Halstead.

Archer fired wide in an immediate riposte from the Gulls and there was a special moment for the next generation of United talent in the second period, as young defender Calum Thomas emerged from the bench for his first-team debut.

The game had become disjointed toward the end and United needed the calming impact of a third goal, duly delivered by Collins, who raced down the left flank before cutting inside for an emphatic drive into the roof of the net.

Brooks was shown the red card eight minutes from time and United happily played out the remaining moments for a third successive win.

United: 1 Mark Halstead; 2 Dylan Crowe, 4 Tom Lapslie (30 Ethon Archer 27), 10 Lewis Collins, 11 Brad Ash (7 Ryan Hanson 56), 14 Brett McGavin, 19 Theo Williams, 21 Dean Moxey (capt), 23 Ollie Tomlinson, 26 Archie Harris, 27 Jack Stobbs (24 Calum Thomas 67). Substitutes (not used): 17 Dillon De Silva, 22 Rhys Lovett.

Booked: Collins 74, Archer 90+2 

Weymouth: 1 Gerard Benfield; 3 Leo Hamblin, 4 Anthony Cheshire, 6 Olu Durojaiye, 7 Keelan O’Connell, 8 Tom Bearwish (capt), 9 Dan Roberts, 10 Brandon Goodship (11 Joel Robinson 55), 12 Ben Thomson (14 Ezio Touray 80), 16 Elliot Bolton, 17 Calvin Brooks. Substitutes (not used): 2 Callum Small, 13 Jason Matthews, 15 Tyrique Clarke.

Booked: Durojaiye 16, Brooks 52, Cheshire 70

Sent Off: Brooks 82

Referee: Eugene Robinson

Attendance: 1,640 (63 away)