Gulls end hotel hoodoo at the Angels

Torquay United delivered a ‘thoroughly professional’ performance in securing a crucial 1-0 victory on the road at Tonbridge Angels.

In a strange twist to the United season, Paul Wotton’s team has struggled to produce positive results in games where they have travelled up the day before, but any concerns of a ‘hotel hoodoo’ were dismantled by an excellent all-round display in Kent.

Jordan Young bagged the only goal ten minutes before half-time but Wotton felt the margin of victory could have been a lot wider.

“You should never underestimate a 1-0 win away from home,” he said. “In the first half, it had a feel of an end-of-season game with nothing to play for, so I reminded them at half-time that we have got something to play for.

“I was pleased we went in 1-0 up and I felt, if we upped our levels, it could have been two or three ahead. In the second half, it definitely wasn’t a case of seeing the game out.

“We kept the ball really well for sustained periods and we had a couple of chances to put the game to bed. James Hamon made a good save at the end but it was a thoroughly professional away performance.

“We did well in wide areas and, on another day, we could’ve got the second or third goal. We dug in as well and the boys kept a high line, which was really pleasing.

“There is a special skill-set to play on artificial pitches and some of our players are suited to it and some are not, but it puts away the hoodoo of an overnight stay. I thank the Board for backing us because it’s an awful long way to come.

“Tonbridge away has gone now and all we can do is worry about ourselves.”