Late drama 'perfect' for Torquay United boss

“It wasn’t a perfect performance, but it was a perfect result,” said Torquay United manager Gary Johnson after the Gulls had beaten Hemel Hempstead Town 3-2 at Plainmoor.

United had to come from 2-0 down early in the first half before earning a fifth successive win with captain Dean Moxey’s 89th minute goal.

A day when other results went for them ended with Torquay up to second place in the NL South, only seven points behind leaders Yeovil Town.

“People love dramatic games, especially when they go your way,” Johnson said.

“They (Hemel) celebrated when they got a 3-2 winner late on up there, but today it went our way.

“I thought it was a good game – they broke well when we gave the ball away – and we had to defend well, because they’ve got some big ‘uns.

“I’m delighted for the boys and for the fans.

“I thought the supporters were brilliant when they needed to be – that was so important when you look at the league and the way the results went again today.

“I was very pleased with a couple of our new ones.

“Some of them aren’t quite 90-minute match-ready, but they’ve got to play because that’s what we’ve got at the moment.

“Theo (Williams) and Ethon (Archer) put in a real good workrate.

“We were wondering ‘Would they be able to last 90 minutes?’ We could see that Theo couldn’t sprint any more, but he put in a hell of a shift up front against two big men.

“Plymouth only wanted Will (loanee Jenkins Davies) to play 30 minutes and then 60 minutes after his injury, but he’s done that, and now we’ve got him for as long as we want.”

Goals by Ryan Hanson and Archer pulled the score back to 2-2 before Moxey’s late winner, prompting Johnson to say: “That was everything he’s got – quality, passion and desire.

“It was a great cross by Brett (McGavin), we had a couple who missed it, but Dean came up a captain’s goods that we needed.”

McGavin was sent off in stoppage-time for a second booking, apparently for kicking the ball away, but Johnson insisted: “I think the referee got it wrong.

“When Brett is kicking the ball, the whistle hasn’t yet gone – we’ve watched the video back.

“The ref says he’ll look at it, but you can’t appeal (a booking).”

United, still wracked by injuries, are away to Taunton Town on Tuesday night.