Hat-trick of home challenges for Torquay United

Following on from the midweek trip to Salisbury City, Paul Wotton’s Torquay United face a trio of crucial home fixtures in two different competitions.

The sequence begins with a visit from Tonbridge Angels on Saturday and a side licking their wounds after a surprise and painful FA Cup exit at home to Southern League club Harborough Town last weekend.

It is then the FA Cup experts of recent seasons, Maidstone United, who arrive at Plainmoor on Tuesday evening. The Stones, who saw their latest FA Cup journey ended by Solihull Moors, have games in hand to start making a dent on the current play-off teams.

Torquay complete the hat-trick with a visit from Truro City in the FA Trophy on Saturday, November 16. It will be a particularly interesting occasion for Wotton, facing his former club, and a tough assignment against the Cornish club enjoying a fine campaign at the top of the National League South.

It has been a weekend of cup disappointment and frustration for Torquay United U18s and Torquay United Women.

Travelling to Eastleigh in the first round proper of the FA Youth Cup on Monday night, the young Gulls grabbed an early lead courtesy of an own goal but were pegged back by a penalty midway through the first period.

Eastleigh enjoyed a strong spell leading up to half-time, forcing United goalkeeper Luke Adams into a brace of top saves. The Spitfires finally found a way through on 51 minutes but the United response was instant, Fin Herbert jinking down the right and standing up a deep cross for Toby Hard to force the ball home.

The young Gulls upped their game in the final half-hour, with chances created at both ends, but an Eastleigh goal on the counter with two minutes remaining was a killer blow. Two further goals in stoppage time provided a skewed scoreline of 5-2 to the hosts.

It was an equally painful experience in the Women’s FA Cup, as the Gulls were beaten by a solitary penalty from Bridgwater, despite dominating for large periods of the game.

Ellie Bishop forced a fine save from the visiting custodian Alex Madden and the Bridgwater stopper continued that form with further blocks to deny Lucy Solloway, Tee Kaptein and Bishop again.

Bridgwater escaped a strong red card claim for what appeared to be a professional foul and they used that reprieve to bring two strong saves from Jasmine Read early in the second period.

United then conceded a soft penalty, converted by Connie Pengelly. The Gulls threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, with the pace of Emily Elliot creating one last opportunity but Solloway’s strike lacked the power to trouble Madden.