GULLS MAKE LIGHT WORK OF RISE TO TOP FLIGHT
TORQUAY United continued their promising return to the National League as they secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season against Aldershot to move into the play-off zone.
Jamie Reid made it four goals in five matches with a long-range strike from 25 yards in first-half injury time before Opi Edwards struck early in the second half to seal a result that moves the Gulls up to seventh in the table – much to the delight of manager Gary Johnson.
“I told the lads at halftime that they are 16th at the moment with a game in hand and if they won it then they would move up to seventh,” said Johnson.
“I have always made them believe that they belong at this level and they proved that they do today.
“Credit to Aldershot, I thought that they were a decent side and we were under no illusions that this would be all about turning up and winning the game.”
His opposite number Danny Searle couldn’t hide his frustrations at his side’s disappointing showing.
“I thought 2-0 flattered us, it could have been four or five,” said Searle.
“When you play against a team that play the sort of football that they did today, the bare minimum has to be working hard, getting tight and worrying your runners and we didn’t do any of that today.”
Under the bright lights of the BT Sport cameras, it was the Gulls who made the brighter start as Armani Little and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans both threatened in the opening minutes.
The closest that the Shots came to finding an opener came in the 20th minute when Shamir Mullings connected with an Alefe Santos cross and forced a routine save from Gulls keeper Lucas Covolan.
On 30 minutes, Edwards made a dangerous run down the right flank and went down under a challenge, but regained his footing to pick out Jake Andrews who then shot wide.
On the stroke of half-time Reid gave United the lead as he received the ball from 25 yards out, took a touch and turned before drilling a low drive past Walker to score his fourth of the campaign.
In the 51st minute, the Gulls added their second as a shot from Kalvin Kalala was deflected into the path of Edwards who calmly slotted home his second goal of the season.
Aldershot came close to reducing their arrears on 53 minutes when Mullings tested Covolan with a shot on the turn which the Brazilian gathered at the second attempt.
On the hour mark, the Gulls were denied a third when Kalala set up Andrews for a close range effort but he was denied by an off-the-line clearance by Shots left-back Lewis Kinsella, as United saw out the game to make it two wins on the bounce.