Fortress Plainmoor remains intact

A double from Jordan Dyer and Cody’s Cooke late goal ensured Torquay United preserved their superb unbeaten home record with a 3-1 defeat of Welling United in the National League.

The Gulls enjoyed a stellar start, Dyer notching inside three minutes, but were pegged back an equaliser from TJ Bramble just before the hour. Dyer restored the lead 11 minutes from time and Cooke ensured there were no last-minute nerves, with United maintaining their lead at the top of the table.

Manager Paul Wotton made two changes from the New Year’s Day league win over Truro City, veteran Dean Moxey and young defender Finley Craske replacing Matt Carson and the suspended Jordan Thomas.

In stark contrast to their tremendous league form, United entered the game on the back of a painful 5-1 defeat at Worthing in the FA Trophy but wasted no time in banishing those sour memories.

Will Jenkins Davies was the original architect, earning a free-kick with some slick footwork, and Dyer timed his leap perfectly to head home a fizzing cross from the in-form Jordan Young.

Playing in front of another amazing attendance of 3,794, United looked to build on their ideal opening with Sam Dreyer enjoying a rare foray forward and his well-struck volley brought out the best from Welling ‘keeper Dylan Berry.

United were in complete control of proceedings, Young smashing a shot wide of the target after another sweeping move. The irrepressible Young then jinked into space out wide, but his cross was deflected wide by a stretched Welling defence.

Dan Hayfield fired over from the subsequent corner before Dylan Morgan saw a shot deflected wide. Cooke completed a dominant half with a close-range header that looped narrowly over.

For all their control of the game, the lead remained slender and home custodian Jame Hamon had to produce his best to palm a Gene Kennedy rocket over the bar. It was a warning the Gulls failed to heed, as Bramble shocked Plainmoor with a close-range finish to level the scores.

United were jolted back into the ascendancy, Young denied a very strong penalty claim by the offside flag before a drilled cross from Jenkins Davies just eluded the forward runners.

The Welling backline was creaking and the door opened from another corner, recycled for Dyer to bundle it over the line. While it was fully deserved, there was a huge sense of relief all around TQ1.

Welling had no option but to throw men forward in search of an unlikely equaliser, but Cooke sealed the deal on 89 minutes, calmly rounding Berry before steering the ball into a gaping net for three more valuable points.