Gulls leave it late for crucial victory

Torquay United emerged from the minor slump of four winless games to secure a late 2-0 victory over a battling Eastbourne Borough at Plainmoor.

After two draws on the road and narrow defeats to Hampton & Richmond and Maidstone, the Gulls badly needed a return to the winners’ circle in an extremely tight race for promotion in the National League South.

Eastbourne arrived at Plainmoor as one of the major contenders in a table that has the top six separated by just four points, but goals from Sam Dreyer and Omar Mussa in the closing stages ensured United were the side to take a big step forward.

In a frenetic start to the game, Finley Craske executed a superbly timed challenge to thwart an early Eastbourne foray before Jordan Young whipped a delicious free-kick inches wide of the top corner.

A skewed effort from a decent position by Jason Adigun was a warning to United, who then had to repel a succession of set-piece situations for the visitors. In a game of few chances, United custodian James Hamon also had to be alert in racing off his line to prevent Yahaya Bamba reaching a searching ball over the top.

The final opening of a nervy first period fell to Lirak Hasani, who warmed the hands of Eastbourne goalkeeper Joe Wright with a sweet strike from 20 yards. Matt Carson then opened the second half with a deflected effort that plopped into the arms of a grateful Wright.

Another flurry of Eastbourne corners kept the United defence honest before Hamon produced a save worthy of his eventual man of the match award, brilliantly denying Adigun’s close-range effort with an instinctive reflex block.

The Gulls replied with a fizzing half-volley from Matt Jay that only needed a touch to trouble Wright, but the visitors were soon back in menacing mood, and United were grateful to substitute Mussa for some responsible recovery work to stem the danger.

The game entered its final five minutes when United won a corner and the ball fell for Dreyer to beat Wright with a deflected strike, sending the amazing Yellow Army crowd, again in excess of 4,300, into wild cheers of delight and relief.

A further six minutes of stoppage time offered some hope to the visitors, but it was actually United who were the side pressing for a second, Cody Cooke rifling the ball against the post after a dangerous cross from Jay.

The Gulls were soaring with confidence and belief, and as Eastbourne threw men forward in the desperate search for an equaliser, United countered at pace and Mussa was in the right place to wrap up the points.

A huge win ahead of another huge test at Worthing on Tuesday night.