The Torquay United team still flying a Yellow flag in the FA Cup

Torquay United’s men fell at the first hurdle in this season’s FA Cup, while the U18s suffered penalty heartbreak against Street FC in the FA Youth Cup, but hopes are still alive in the Women’s FA Cup.

Welcoming Southampton to a sunny but gusty Plainmoor, United fell behind to a long-range strike from Izzy Conti and that proved the only goal in a first half largely controlled by the Gulls, without creating many clear chances.

The situation changed after the break, as the impressive Roxy Thomas unleashed her bullet left foot with a super free-kick speared into the top corner.

It was a goal United fully deserved and they then grabbed the lead on the hour, Jas Barker running on to a ball behind and forcing a top save from the visiting custodian, but Emily Elliot was perfectly placed to convert the rebound.

Within 80 seconds, Southampton burst the home bubble by drawing level, Hannah Francis finding the net with a rising drive that crept inside the near post.

As players from both teams began to tire, United were the side controlling possession and territory, asking more and more questions of a stretched Southampton defence.

Despite their dominance, it looked like another United team facing the lottery of penalties, but the excellent crowd of 495 were spared that agony by the alert Barker, who found a pocket of space and unleashed a terrific strike to secure a dramatic late win for the jubilant Gulls.