Paul Wotton: “Guts won the game and I love that”

Torquay United manager Paul Wotton was beaming with pride after a gutsy performance defeated Eastbourne Borough 2-0 in a crucial bounce-back win following the loss at Maidstone last week.

Sam Dreyer and Omar Mussa struck the late goals for United to maintain their status as one of the leading promotion contenders in the National League South.

“I’m so proud of the boys, I thought we were fantastic,” said Wotton. “They were at it from the first minute and we reacted so well from a very disappointing weekend last week.

“We are a consistent bunch, a consistent football club, we get our heads down, work hard in training, we stay humble and I thought we thoroughly deserved the win.

“Their ‘keeper made a fantastic save at 0-0 in the first half and our goalie did the same in the second half at 0-0. Other than that, we were the team trying to play football and our fitness levels in the last 20 minutes saw us come out on top in the game.

“It’s a fantastic result for us after a disappointing period. They played with their guts and I love that.”

The Gulls have been struggling with injuries all week but the players called into the side produced performances full of intensity and fitness.

In a game packed with top displays, goalkeeper James Hamon picked up man of the match for an extraordinary reflex save, while an ‘angry’ Omar Mussa made his mark from the bench.

“It’s very difficult for players like Carson, Craske, Palmer, Hasani to come in and play at the intensity we want without a reserve team,” added Wotton. “It’s difficult for them to play at the levels but they were fantastic.

“We played with a lot of passion, we showed a lot of guts and the trio of Craske, Dreyer and Palmer were outstanding.

“The first half wasn’t a particularly good spectacle and possibly a few nerves surrounding the game. Eastbourne had a plan of trying to get Yahaya Bamba isolated with Palmer, but Ed dealt with that magnificently.

“We thoroughly deserved it, and we should enjoy it because it feels like a long time since we’ve won. The boys were absolutely tremendous.

“Hammy made a big save at an important time. That is his job, but I’m pleased for him; he’s a reactive goalkeeper and that was a reactive save.

“The boys put in a shift and we said afterwards, whatever happens and wherever we end up this season, that’s the bare minimum. I’m their harshest critic but I’ll praise them as well because they’re my boys and I love them to bits.

“Last week, we came off those standards, but we came back and they deserve all the accolades they get.

“I’ve got a great relationship with Omar, he wasn’t quite to the pace of the game in his first five minutes, but he’s then had an assist and a goal.

“Omar is someone who needs to be a bit angry when he plays because he can be too relaxed.”