Five games for Gulls to save their season

Torquay United have just five games to secure their place in the National League South next season and the first four of these ‘cup finals’ are away from home.

The Gulls spurned a huge chance to give themselves breathing space above the top four after surrendering a two-goal lead at home to Weston-super-Mare.

Jack Stobbs and Arkell Jude-Boyd put United in a superb position after just 15 minutes on Easter Monday but Weston fought back to draw level just after half-time. Jude-Boyd notched again with seven minutes remaining but defensive fragility came back to haunt United, as Reuben Reid scored a late leveller for the visitors.

United travel to Welling on Saturday, then fellow strugglers Truro City on Monday. Bath City is the next away game on April 13 and then a massive six-pointer with Taunton Town on April 16 before the season ends with Havant & Waterlooville visiting Plainmoor on April 20.

As it stands, United are five points clear of the bottom four. Dover are already relegated and Havant look close to following them down but Taunton and Dartford are just one point from safety, and the Somerset club have three games in hand on United.

Welling, Truro, Hemel Hempstead and Eastbourne are the other clubs in trouble, so the Gulls can take some solace from the fact four of their last five games are against teams also in relegation trouble.

But, as interim boss Aaron Downes explained after the Weston draw, United must learn to see out games. “It is frustrating and annoying,” he said.

“It was a good game of football. In the first 20 minutes, we were great and 2-0 up but we allowed them to settle and we knew, if they get the ball moving, Weston are a good side.

“At 2-2, we looked like the team that would go on to win and we got our goal but reverted to sitting back. We’ve done enough to win the game but we can’t concede three goals. There were definite positives tot take from the game, we were just naïve at times.”