Proud day for United's youngsters

Saturday, December 9, 2023, will go down as a day to remember for Torquay United’s Youth Academy.

Five members of the Gulls’ Under-18 side were included in the first-team squad for the 4-1 FA Trophy Third Round win at Frome Town.

Four of them made their debuts, including 16-year-old winger Jacob Wellington, who started the match in Somerset.

Their former team-mate from last season, first-year pro defender Calum Thomas, also made his first start after coming off the bench in last midweek’s 3-1 league win over Weymouth.

Injuries may have forced the hand of manager Gary Johnson, but behind Wellington, he named Charlie Wills, Harvey Coggins, Kai Swann and Thomas Chastey on the bench at Frome.

Forwards Swann and Chastey both went on in the second half.

And to cap it all – and it may have been the club’s best result of the lot – the Under-18s without all those players beat Fairford Academy 2-1 in Gloucestershire to boost their hopes of retaining the SW Counties Youth League title.

United’s head of youth Robbie Herrera said: “It was a great boost for the whole Academy to have so many boys involved at first-team level.

“And for the youth team to win again without those lads was a real bonus.”

Ashton Bullard in the first half and Gene Price with a second-half winner beat Fairford and kept up United’s 100% league record on a day when leaders Bridgwater United lost for the first time, 0-1 to Mangotsfield.

It sets up a key game this Saturday – Torquay v Bridgwater at South Devon College (10.30am) – with the young Gulls six points behind their rivals but still with three games in hand.

Brixham AFC suffered a rare home defeat when title-chasing Clevedon Town beat them 2-1 in the Toolstation Western League at Wall Park.

The visitors won it in the 87th minute after Kieran Parkin had equalised an early Clevedon breakthrough.

The Fishermen, away to Barnstaple Town this Saturday, are fifth, on the same points as local rivals Buckland Athletic but with an inferior goal difference.

And Boxing Day will see the first league derby between the two sides at Wall Park.

Torquay United Women’s next National League game isn’t until January 7 when they travel to Moneyfields.