Ten out of ten display from Torquay United Women moves them to the top

Torquay United Women surged to the top of the league table with a commanding 10-1 victory over Saltash on Sunday at Coach Road.

United made the perfect start, opening the scoring inside the first minute when Connie Pengelley continued her impressive return to the club by firing home from close range after Saltash goalkeeper Tiffany Westacott failed to hold on to the ball.

The early breakthrough set the tone for a dominant first half, with Torquay applying sustained pressure and winning a succession of corners. One of those proved decisive in the 17th minute, as Roxy Thomas’ delivery caused problems in the Saltash area and was inadvertently palmed into the net by Westacott.

Torquay extended their lead four minutes later when a defensive mix-up allowed Georgie Knott to seize possession and square the ball for Tee Kaptein, who finished confidently for United’s third.

The goals continued to flow, and within three minutes it was 4-0. Thomas was again the provider, sending in an inviting cross that Pengelley converted at the back post for her second of the afternoon.

Kaptein grabbed her second shortly before the interval, finishing low to the goalkeeper’s left to send United into the break with a commanding 5-0 advantage.

Any hopes of a Saltash response were quickly extinguished after the restart. Within seconds of the second half, Beth Everson struck from a tight angle to make it six.

Kaptein completed her hat-trick soon after, reacting quickest when Matilda Franchi’s effort was parried into her path, allowing the United forward to slot home and make it 7-0.

Substitute Jasmine Barker made an immediate impact on the hour mark, scoring a stunning curling effort from distance to extend the lead to eight. The goals kept coming, and in the 67th minute Thomas finally claimed a deserved reward for her influential display, unleashing a superb 25-yard strike to make it nine.

Saltash showed commendable resilience despite the scoreline and were rewarded with a consolation goal in the 74th minute, as Gracie Procter found the net.

Torquay, however, had the final say, with Barker adding her second of the afternoon in stoppage time, once again finding the target from range to complete the scoring at 10-1.

The emphatic victory sees Ryan Perks’ side move to the summit of the table, underlining their title credentials with a performance that will take some stopping.