Match Report: Braintree Town 1 Torquay United 0

Braintree Town 1
Blackwell 55

Torquay United 0

Just when you thought 2024 could not get any worse for Torquay United, a limp 1-0 defeat at a side playing with ten men for well over an hour took the club down another rung in the ladder.

Braintree dominated the chances and won the points with a goal from Tom Blackwell early in the second period, as the first-half dismissal of Alfie Pavey barely impacted the course of the game.

The play-offs now feel like a forlorn hope for a side bereft of belief after five consecutive defeats.

United boss Gary Johnson made two changes from the agonising late defeat at home to Slough Town, Ethon Archer and Brad Ash replacing Dan Martin and the injured Asa Hall. There was the welcome sight of a returning Kevin Dawson on the bench.

Braintree were first to threaten, captain Baris Altintop heading wide from a Blackwell cross before excellent last-gasp defending by Austen Booth thwarted the home skipper in the six-yard box.

United finally found some attacking impetus with a ball over the top from Booth picking out the run of Ash, who was only denied by alert goalkeeping from Jack Sims, racing off his line to gather.

It was a brief glimmer for the Gulls, as Braintree continued to control proceedings, Blackwell forcing a super low save from Halstead after a 25-yarder was arrowed toward the bottom corner.

United’s gloomy afternoon was given a major boost when Pavey was dismissed for lashing out at Ross Marshall in an incident that should have been their catalyst. Sadly, however, confidence is so low in the ranks that Braintree continued to look the more threatening, even with ten men.

A dangerous ball into the United area bounced off a few bodies before a generous free-kick rescued the Gulls from a probable goal. A painfully lacklustre first period ended with a shot from Ash deflected wide of the Braintree post.

The half-time interval failed to ignite the United troops and Braintree grabbed a deserved lead when Blackwell cleverly lofted the ball beyond an onrushing Halstead and slammed into an empty net.

Dillon De Silva replaced Ash for United and Tom Lapslie went close with a volley. The United substitute was then narrowly off target, as the Gulls desperately sought to lift their tempo.

Dawson then replaced Lapslie, who somehow still managed to receive a red card from the bench following an altercation with the Braintree dug-out. The home side followed that with an effort from former Gull Shaq Coulthirst cleared off the line by Booth.

Martin for Archer was the final roll of a desperate dice but the lack of clear-cut opportunities when trailing 1-0 against ten men was a sad indictment of the current malaise surrounding Torquay United.

Despite a late scramble involving Dean Moxey and Martin, Braintree held on for the win, as even seven minutes of stoppage time failed to rescue the Gulls from another brutal loss in a devastating run of form.

Braintree Town: 1 Jack Sims; 2 Leon Davies, 4 Baris Altintop (capt), 5 Joe Grimwood, 6 Ben Tompkins, 7 Tom Blackwell (3 Lewis Miccio 90+3), 8 Alfie Payne, 9 Aaron Blair (17 Charlie Wakefield 81), 15 Jayden Davis (10 Shaq Coulthirst 66), 16 Reggie Lambe, 29 Alfie Pavey. Substitutes (not used): 18 Jack Roberts.

Booked: Davis 18, Altintop 31, Sims 45+3

Sent-Off: Pavey 26

Torquay United: 1 Mark Halstead; 2 Arkell Jude-Boyd, 4 Tom Lapslie (28 Kevin Dawson 70), 5 Austen Booth, 6 Ross Marshall, 11 Brad Ash (17 Dillon De Silva 57), 14 Brett McGavin, 18 Will Jenkins-Davies, 19 Duane Ofori-Acheampong, 21 Dean Moxey (capt), 30 Ethon Archer (3 Dan Martin 82). Substitutes (not used): 16 Ronny Nelson, 22 Rhys Lovett (GK).

Booked: Jude-Boyd 90+2, Ofori-Acheampong 90+8

Attendance: