OWERS’ GULLS ARE NOW READY TO SOAR
GARY OWERS wants Torquay United to keep turning the plaudits into points.
The struggling Gulls returned from Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday night with a hard-earned 1-0 victory, just a few days after securing a point away at FC Halifax.
While Owers says they haven’t cracked it just yet, he feels his side are showing they can pull away from the relegation zone.
And he wants the team to show why opposition managers aren’t just saying they can stay up to be nice.
“All the managers have said it, even the ones that beat us,” Owers said. “Dagenham, 1-0, John Still, ‘You’ll be fine, Gary.’
“Aldershot 1-0 in the cup, Gary Waddock, ‘You’ll be fine’. But it’s alright keep hearing that, I’ve got to get some points in the bag and we did that at Ebbsfleet. We have to take a lot of stick and we’ve been tarred with this, you’re bottom of the league, everyone’s queuing up to play you – everyone wants to play the team that’s bottom of the league.
“But teams are going to have work a lot harder to get points against us.
Spirit
“We’re getting there. I should have more points (since taking over last month). We should have won at Barrow in our first game – 92nd-minute equaliser – we should have won at Dagenham, 92nd-minute penalty.
“Games we lost were tight. Macclesfield was 1-0, Dover were better than us on the day which is fair enough, but we’re not miles off it – we never have been.”
While many are saying they don’t look like a side for the drop, Owers says the feeling in the dressing room is just as positive.
“There’s a great atmosphere in the dressing room,” he said. “I felt it last Saturday after Halifax, even better after Ebbsfleet. It’s up to them now. You enjoy it when you win. You’ve got to – that’s why we’re here.”
“Some of the lads are going on some community coaching courses tomorrow, which is important. I told them to go when you win, everyone wants to shake your hand then!
“There’s a good spirit among the lads and on the long journeys. They’re all playing some racing game online, I don’t know what it is, but plenty more laps to do!
And he was pleased for the fans who travelled to Kent.
“The best thing for me is standing there and watching the players go and celebrate with the supporters. That makes my night.”