MOORE LEAVES KEV THE MERRIER
AGOALKEEPING master class from Brendan Moore helped hold off a secondhalf Aldershot assault and secure a precious point for Kevin Nicholson’s Torquay.
The American made a string of fine saves to keep the Shots at bay, notably from substitute Matt McClure, who later crashed an effort against the post in the dying stages. “He has done very well,” said Nicholson of his match-saving keeper. “You would fancy Brendan in those situations, he’s got a presence about him. With most of the saves he’s made I wasn’t as worried as much as you’d thought I might have been. “It wasn’t as though we were without threat ourselves, but we did the ugly things better than we created chances today. “It’s a massive credit to the boys that they stayed pretty calm. For the most part they did the basics well, but take nothing away from Aldershot, they’re a good side.” And Aldershot counterpart Gary Waddock also heaped praise on the Gulls stopper, adding: “He’s had a worldy in fairness to him – a day today that he will remember for a very long time. All credit to him, but we’ve got to find a way to beat him. He got the better of our front players today. “With Matty McClure’s strike that hit the inside of the post, you’d expect it to ripple the back of the net. At the moment, I feel for Matty because he should have a better goal return.” Two of United’s Aldershot old boys, Brett Williams and Damon Lathrope, combined for the best early chance with Lathrope’s header from Williams’ cross sailing over the bar, while Bernard Mensah twice threatened for the visitors. Waddock’s response was to throw on McClure for midfielder Josh Wakefield at half-time and twice he was denied by the reflexes of Moore in the opening seven minutes of the half. Moore then thwarted the Shots again on 79 minutes, keeping out former Gulls loanee Shamir Fenelon. McClure crashed a long-range effort against the post on 89 minutes, but it was United who almost snatched a dramatic late winner when Joe Ward fired wide.