Jarvis is the Gulls goal-den boy
AARON Jarvis’ 10th goal of the season earned Torquay United a priceless three points in their battle against avoiding the drop against relegation rivals Maidstone United.
The former Luton Town striker found the back of the net with 11 minutes to go to earn the Gulls only their second ever win over the Stones – and their first since December 1989 – much to the delight of manager Gary Johnson.
“I thought we saw the game out very well, but I would rather have scored in the 90th minute because scoring in the 70th or 80th minute gives the opposition time to create one or two chances,” said Johnson.
“Jarvs (Aaron Jarvis) is earning the goals that he scores at the moment because he works his socks off. At half-time, I asked them to find that key pass or bit of quality that wins us the game and they did that.”
Despite being condemned to their ninth straight league defeat, Maidstone interim boss George Elokobi remained upbeat about his side’s chances of staying up.
“The players are not down and there are plenty of points still to play for,” he added. “We have a long journey home now and after that the players will recharge and they will carry on improving as a squad. We are going to be taking it one game at a time.”
Arguably the pick of the early chances fell to Torquay’s Dean Moxey on 19 minutes when he nodded a Kieron Evans corner straight into the arms of
Maidstone keeper Daniel Barden.
The Gulls went close again as Tom Lapslie had an angled shot blocked before Moxey blasted over from the rebound.
Four minutes later, a curling free-kick from Moxey almost had the beating of Barden. However, he managed to react quickly enough to parry it away.
Maidstone went close two minutes before the half-time break as Shamar Lawson made a bursting run from midfield, but missed the target.
Three minutes after the restart, a free-kick from Moxey picked out Shaun Donellan who saw his header tipped over by Barden.
Torquay’ were now turnking the screw with QPR loanee Dillon De Silva beating two Maidstone defenders before curling his shot wide.
But the Guills didn’t have to wait long to make the breakthrough. Debutant Tope Fadahunsi combined with strike partner Jarvis, who raced clear of the Maidstone defence before finding the top corner.
United, however, still needed keeper Mark Halstead to turn an effort from Roarie Deacon over the bar and then keep out a George Fowler effort from the resulting corner to be sure of victory but it was no more than they deserved.