Match Report: Torquay United 4 Dartford 1

Torquay United 4
Jarvis pen 47
Jude-Boyd 50
Ash 52
Ofori-Acheampong 88

Dartford 1
Akanbi 70

A brutal three-goal blitz at the start of the second period ended Torquay United’s long wait for a victory.

The Gulls had not secured maximum points since the visit of Dover in January but Dartford were blown away in the space of five frenetic minutes.

Aaron Jarvis started the fun from the penalty spot, quickly followed by goals from Arkell Jude-Boyd and Brad Ash. Ibby Akanbi pulled one back for Dartford but a late strike from Duane Ofori-Acheampong added gloss to the win.

United interim manager Aaron Downes made two changes from the side that drew 1-1 at Weymouth last weekend, Lewis Collins and Austen Booth coming in for Will Jenkins Davies and the suspended Ross Marshall.

Dartford were playing their first game under new boss Ady Pennock, and his players very nearly made an instant impression, Akanbi cutting in from the right for a shot that cannoned away off the post.

The visitors continued to look lively in the early exchanges, Jordan Greenidge using brute force to burst through the United defence before a shot dragged well wide of Mark Halstead’s far post.

The Gulls were struggling to find any attacking rhythm in deteriorating conditions and it was only down to a superb late intervention from Booth that United remained level. Eventually, there was some home menace in the Dartford danger zone, Ash firing into the side-netting from a deep cross by Jack Stobbs.

Dartford responded with another surge forward and a crisp low effort from captain Luke Coulson forced Halstead into a top save, Ollie Tomlinson cleaning up the rebound. Halstead was next swiftly off his line to thwart an increasingly threatening Akanbi.

United awoke from their slumber when Stobbs slipped the ball into the path of an onrushing Brett McGavin for a trademark strike that whistled inches wide. The Gills then had mild penalty appeals waved away after a clumsy challenge on Aaron Jarvis.

Top defending from Tomlinson stifled the next Dartford foray before United defended stoutly from successive corners. Dartford ‘keeper Billy Terrell then comfortably gathered a scuttling effort from Jarvis.

The half ended with a far more impressive contribution from Terrell, expertly denying Ash to keep the scores level.

Two minutes into the second period, United snatched the lead. Jarvis was felled in the box and picked himself up for an emphatic penalty rifled into the roof of the net.

The Gulls had lift off, and one quickly became two. Jude-Boyd, who opened his account at Weymouth last week, repeated the trick to send the Yellow Army wild with delight.

A win has been a long time coming for everybody involved at a football club in crisis and the game was effectively over when Ash made it an incredible three goals in the space of just five minutes.

The United players were suddenly enjoying their afternoon, pummelling the Dartford defence with a relentless siege of crosses, followed by a Lewis Collins strike that was too high to trouble the beleaguered Terrell.

Tom Lapslie for Kevin Dawson was the first change on the hour, as Dartford wilted in the wind and rain, Jude-Boyd fizzing a low drive into the arms of Terrell. The visitors replied with a header from Brandon Barzey brilliantly saved by Halstead.

Dartford did get reward for their efforts 20 minutes from time, Akanbi steering a neat finish past Halstead. Ofori-Acheampong and Jenkins Davies were introduced for Jarvis and McGavin, with United looking to see out the victory.

That ambition was achieved by Ofori-Acheampong sliding home the fourth two minutes from time. Well played Torquay United.

United: 1 Mark Halstead; 2 Arkell Jude-Boyd, 5 Austen Booth, 9 Aaron Jarvis (19 Duane Ofori-Acheampong 77), 10 Lewis Collins, 11 Brad Ash, 14 Brett McGavin (18 Will Jenkins Davies 77), 21 Dean Moxey (capt), 23 Ollie Tomlinson, 27 Jack Stobbs, 28 Kevin Dawson (4 Tom Lapslie 60). Substitutes (not used): 8 Asa Hall, 22 Rgys Lovett (GK).

Booked: Ash 43

Dartford: 22 Billy Terrell; 4 Tommy Block, 5 Tyrell Miller-Rodney, 6 Jack Smith, 7 Luke Coulson (capt), 11 Ibby Akanbi, 14 Manny Adebowale, 18 Fumnaya Shomotun, 20 Joash Nembhard, 23 Jordan Greenidge, 27 Tom Clifford. Substitutes: 8 Luke Allen, 12 Maxwell Statham, 13 Tom Wray (GK), 16 Elliott Romain, 17 Brandon Barzey.

Booked:

Attendance: 2,438 (117 away)