Trophy turmoil for Torquay United

In a performance that came from nowhere, Torquay United’s 13-match unbeaten run stretching back to the end of October ended in emphatic fashion with a 5-1 defeat at Worthing in the FA Trophy.

The Gulls were originally scheduled to play Gosport Borough but when they were removed from the competition for a rules infraction, United were handed the much tougher tie at a dangerous Worthing, who are among the National League South promotion contenders.

Despite the change in challenge and an awkward trip along the south coast, United boss Paul Wotton will be very disappointed with the lacklustre first-half period that saw the game killed as a contest inside the opening 45 minutes.

United refreshed their ranks from the bruising 1-0 win over Truro on New Year’s Day but Jordan Thomas, sent off late on NYD, was one of those keeping his place in the side and he came close to notching an early goal for United.

Unfortunately, that was as good as it got!

Worthing snatched the lead on 16 minutes when Muhammadu Faal found space in the danger area to slot the opener beyond James Hamon.

One became two on the half-hour, Joel Colbran doubling the lead for the home side, and United were reeling when Faal notched from a tight angle just five minutes later. Painfully for the Gulls, Faal still had time to complete his hat-trick in the closing stages of a brutal half of football.

Wotton introduced Jordan Young, Jordan Dyer and Cody Cooke from the bench, and Young did provide a consolation on 73 minutes, whipping a delicious free-kick into the top corner to give the travelling Yellow Army some cheer.

Ben Seymour and veteran Dean Moxey also entered the fray, and Young had a long-range strike blocked on the line in a more encouraging end to the game for United.

The respite for United proved to be brief, however, as Worthing underlined their dominance with a fifth goal on 86 minutes, when a deflected effort from Danny Cashman looped over the head of a stranded Hamon to sum up a torrid afternoon.

United’s cup endeavours are now complete for the 2024/25 season and the old cliché of ‘concentrating on the league’ will be banded about, but the determined approach of Wotton that has been a hallmark of his entire career will no doubt have the manager targeting the league return to Worthing on February 11 as an opportunity to right the wrongs of this display.