Gulls ease past battling bottom club Barnet
GARY Johnson says it was important that Torquay United didn’t give Barnet any ‘oxygen’ when they beat the National League’s bottom team at the Hive in London on Saturday.
The Torquay manager sounded satisfied after the game, with the Gulls looking particularly comfortable in a battle they won without really setting any fires.
An excellent strike in the seventhminute by Ben Whitfield – the winger’s sixth goal of the season – meant Torquay never really looked in danger of losing the game; and Jake Andrews came off the bench in the second half to finish the job off with his first goal this term.
With biggest rivals Sutton United losing 1-0 at Hartlepool United, the win saw the Gulls move 10 points clear at the top of the table, ahead of the visit of Altrincham tomorrow night.
“The important thing is, when you come to these teams that are fighting for their lives, that you don’t give away a goal and give them any oxygen,” said Johnson.
“I thought we defended well as a team because they have some big lads and they went quite direct, very direct in fact, and we had to deal with that.
“But throughout the game, when I look back at it, we had quite a bit of play and got some good quality passing and moving. I probably would have liked a bit more end-product, but 2-0 is enough and it’s a good result against a team that are trying to revitalise themselves.”
On loan Crystal Palace striker Rob Street made his full debut, with midfielder Armani Little too in the starting eleven, and captain Asa Hall was back in midfield after being rested for the goalless draw against Sutton in midweek.
Left back Dean Moxey was suspended so Johnson went with a back three that could become a back four when Adam Randell dropped back on the right.
Whitfield scored on seven minutes, the left winger running through into space and striking the ball really well with his left foot from the edge of the area.
There were further first-half chances for Connor LemonheighEvans and Little but, apart from a well-timed punch, Shaun MacDonald didn’t have much to do.
Sam Sherring headed a Randell cross over on 39 minutes, and a cross from Little was almost turned in by Street.
Gary Hooper headed Barnet’s best chance of the half over in time-added-on.
Joe Lewis was forced to head a dangerous cross over his own bar in the first minute of the second half as Barnet started well, the Gulls having to defend resolutely during a good period for the home team.
Whitfield was clear again on 68 minutes but this time goalkeeper Scott Loach got down well to cut out the Torquay player’s shot. Street drifted in behind a Barnet defender, getting on the end of a long ball forward by Kyle Cameron, but the young striker could only put this chance across the goal and wide.
Billy Waters replaced Street on 72 minutes, and Andrews came on for Little three minutes later. With his first touch the midfielder fired a shot from the edge of the area but it was blocked.
Torquay played the ball around really well for a long spell before his 83rd-minute goal. Randell down the right found Andrews in space in the middle of the park and from 25 yards the left-footer beat the diving Loach with a quality 25-yard strike.
It was a great goal and one that Andrews deserved after making such an impact from the bench.