Jordan Young levels late to give Torquay United draw with Exeter City

The final pre-season friendly of the Plainmoor summer ended in an entertaining 1-1 draw between Torquay United and Exeter City.

The game burst into life in the second period, with a terrific atmosphere inside TQ1, as Jayden Wareham headed the Grecians in front, but the Gulls battled back to earn a draw with a Jordan Young special in the final couple of minutes.

There was little to shout about in the first period, Wareham steered a tight-angle shot wide, and Ryan Rydel also asked some questions with an inviting low cross. United responded through the trialist left-winger, who was a menace all night, and one weaving run almost bore fruit.

When the Gulls did move the ball around, it was done with pleasing pace and precision, as the best move of the half culminated in former Grecian Matt Jay curling a first-time effort narrowly over the bar.

City also had a sniff before the break, Liam Oakes nodding wide, but the visitors increased their tempo early in the second half and took the lead. Matt Wonnacott had already made a decent low save before a cross picked out Wareham for a header guided into the corner.

The attacking trialist took matters into his own hand with a delightful run down the left, bearing down on goal from a tight angle but his final shot was blocked by goalkeeper Jack Bycroft.

United introduced some fresh legs and fresh power from the bench, as the pattern of late proceedings generally flowed in favour of the Gulls.

Eventually, the equaliser arrived courtesy of a familiar source, as United moved the ball wide to the right for Young to drop a shoulder, skip through a couple of challenges and plant a lovely finish beyond Bycroft in the bottom corner.

Job done at Plainmoor for the summer of 2025, the Gulls move forward to their final pre-season game at Weymouth on Saturday and then the real business begins at home to Enfield.

United: 13 Matt Wonnacott; 5 Sam Dreyer, 9 Cody Cooke (7 Louis Dennis 68), 10 Callum Dolan (8 Jordan Young 60), 14 Matt Carson, 16 Ed Palmer, 17 Trialist B, 18 Matt Worthington (6 Munashe Sundire 57), 20 Dan Hayfield (24 Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 72), 23 Trialist A, 27 Matt Jay. Subs (not used): 1 James Hamon, 3 Jay Foulston, 11 Dylan Morgan, 15 Jadyn Crosbie, 21 Finley Herbert, 29 Aidan Edwards.

Referee: Jonty Bolland

Attendance: 3,121