Huge crowd roars Torquay United to victory

Festive football is the best!

On a day of incredible drama at Plainmoor, a superb crowd in excess of 5,000 roared Torquay United to an extremely tense 1-0 victory over promotion rivals Truro City.

Nerves were shredded before kick-off with the game in major doubt. A brace of pitch inspections on the soggy surface saw referee Lewis Sandoe eventually call the game on, largely thanks to a team of volunteers and more forks than a Christmas buffet easing the surface water.

United boss Paul Wotton had his team recharged from the Boxing Day draw at Weymouth but it was his former club offering the first threat, Jordan Dyer heading clear under pressure for the Gulls.

Jordan Young pinged an effort narrowly over the bar before Tyler Harvey squirted a shot over at the other end. After the frantic opening, things settled down and there was little to choose between two teams fighting at the top end of the National League South.

Arguably United’s best chance of the first period fell to Cody Cooke on 42 minutes but he prodded the ball wide after a drive from Will Jenkins Davies had been deflected into his path.

Truro responded with a superb opening of their own and it was all about goalkeeper James Hamon, producing a fabulous double save to deny Jaze Kabia from close range.

The Cornish visitors continued that momentum in the early stages of the second period, Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain firing narrowly wide after winning the ball in midfield before United had to repel a succession of corners.

Harvey then fluffed his lines from a decent position before the Gulls finally rediscovered some attacking impetus, Cooke firing into the side-netting. The lively Kabia replied with a fizzing low cross that just needed a touch for the visitors.

A booking for Jordan Thomas on 70 minutes would have deeper repercussions late in the game but the major moment of the afternoon fell to Jordan Young, who skipped through Truro challenges before lashing the winner beyond former United custodian Dan Lavercombe.

Plainmoor was literally bouncing but the nerves returned when Thomas was dismissed for a second yellow, prompting a 12-minute Truro siege in search of an equaliser. Connor Riley-Lowe struck the bar in stoppage time and Hamon found another super save to deny Billy Palfrey.

The Gulls held on and remain top of the table.