Little’s goal has big impact as Gulls win away

ONE goal was just enough for Torquay United at Woking where the Gulls continued their chase of a National League play-off placeyesterday.

Armani Little scored with a lovely break and strike early in the first half, with more goals looking likely in the first 45 minutes, but there were none, and it was a nervy second-half as Woking rallied and tried in vain to get back into the game.

With Eastleigh at home to come on Monday, this was perhaps a tougher 97 minutes than manager Gary Johnson might have liked, but at the end of the day, it was another three points won, though they remain in 10th with the gap to Grimsby Town in seventh still seven points.

There were two changes to the starting line-up from the 5-1 home win against Notts County last weekend with Asa Hall and Dan Martin coming in for the injured duo of Tom Lapslie and Stephen Wearne.

There were returns to the bench for Klaidi Lolos and Joe Felix, with Opi Edwards also included in the 16. But, notably, Mark Halstead was missing from the squad so there was no substitute goalkeeper.

With the travelling fans in good voice, Torquay began the game better than Woking, but chances were few and far between. Woking were playing a very direct game though and Torquay’s defence needed to be on constant stand-by throughout.

A Stephen Duke-McKenna shot in the 15th minute resulted in a corner but Armani

Little’s cross was cleared. Joe Lewis picked up a yellow card for a foul on Inih Effiong on 17 minutes after being turned by the Woking player. Max Kretzschmar’s free kick came to nothing.

Little opened the scoring on 18 minutes after beating the offside trap, running on, and hitting the ball high into the net. It was a quality strike from the former Woking midfielder that gave the goalkeeper Craig Ross no chance.

Woking dealt with a couple of Dean Moxey free-kicks into the box before LemonheighEvans had a shot blocked on 34 minutes.

Kretzschmar could only find the side-netting at the end of a good move from the home side as the game entered the final five minutes of the first half. Lewis was forced to clear a late Tyreke Johnson into the box in time added on before a Torquay counterattack was foiled by Johnson.

Torquay had controlled the game in the first half – but half-time substitute Jamar Loza certainly added some impetus to the Woking attack, and the home side seemed to be a bit more awake after the break.

Lemonheigh-Evans won a free-kick on 51 minutes but Moxey’s free-kick only found Ross in the home goal. Moxey then picked up a yellow card for a ‘tactical’ challenge on George Oakley. Effiong couldn’t find the right pass when Lewis allowed Woking in on 57 minutes.

Effiong hit the bar with a header on 68 minutes, and Kretzschmer hit the side-netting from a great position in the follow-up move.

Ross hit Lemonheigh-Evans’ back with a clearance – and got away with it. At the other end, the impressive Johnson attacked well for Woking and won a corner, with LongeKing’s header going wide.

With 20 minutes to go thegame began to get a bit stretched, which didn’t suit Torquay.

The Gulls slowed the game down and began to take back control, with Ross having to punch away a fizzing Little free-kick into the box. Josh Casey broke and there was a yellow card for Duke-McKenna after he stopped the attack. Edwards came on for the Gulls with 12 minutes to go – Duke-McKenna making way. Danny Wright couldn’t quite get on the end of a Little cross.

It was nervy for the Gulls still as Woking forced the ball forward. Loza made a great run but his low pass across the face of the goal found no-one. Effiong had a great chance next but fired his shot wide.

Five minutes to go and still Woking kept coming – and they won a free-kick when Loza was fouled by Ben Wynter, who was yellow carded. Jack Roles’ free kick was parried by Shaun MacDonald. Nicke Kabamba headed wide next just before seven minutes were added on to the 90 by the referee. Keelan O’Connell came on for Chiori Johnson in the 91st minute.

Despite more possession for the home side, Torquay could have made it 2-0 when Little broke and Lemonheigh-Evans’ shot was saved by Ross.

It could have been 1-1 but Lewis crucially got himself in the way of a Loza shot right at the end – much to the delight of the 650 Gulls fans in the Good Friday crowd.