GREAT SURVIVOR JOHNSON CAN’T REPEL THE ROMANS
Asked what lessons he would take from his first League defeat as Torquay manager, a thin smile formed on the lips of gary Johnson.
‘What have I learned? I’ve only had 1200 games, I’ve not learned anything,’ any he replied. Indeed, Johnson is one of football’s great survivors — in every sense of the word — and in 33 years in the dug-out there isn’t much he hasn’t seen s before. This is the man who was struck s down by Guillainbarre Syndrome shortly after a triple heart bypass operation ti in his time in charge of Cheltenham C Town in 2017; the man m who was potentially 36 hours ho from death after his immune im system attacked his nervous ne system; who lost the use us of his legs for five weeks and had to learn to walk again, and who conducted team talks via Skype from his hospital bed.
So, defeat in this barnstormer of a game at Bath City has to be put into context.
‘I have seen it all before, of course,’ said the 63-year- old. ‘You just have to let them know how you feel, that the real beyond-the- call- of- duty game just wasn’t there today. We’re not used to losing.’
That’s true. When Johnson replaced gary Owers at plainmoor in September, Torquay were in a bad way, having just been relegated from the national League into the sixth tier.
a club that played proudly in the Football League from 1927 to 2007, then again from 2009 to 2014, found itself a long way from normality. But Johnson set to work and a 16-game unbeaten run in the league had this rare full-time sixth-level club top of the table.
Bath away was always going to be awkward, though, the Romans on a seven- game unbeaten run themselves and hard on Torquay’s heels in third. While legions of tourists admired the famous Roman Baths in the city centre on Saturday, this event was unfolding on the edge of town.
Those who grow tired of soulless modern stadiums built on retail parks should pay Twerton park, City’s home since 1932, a visit. With its undulating terraces and floodlight pylons piercing the January gloom, it is what may be described as a ‘proper’ non-League ground.
Swollen by 1,426 visiting fans from the english Riviera, the attendance of 3,492 was Bath’s largest for a regular league game in 40 years.
It wouldn’t have amused Johnson, watching from the stands as he served a touchline ban, that the scorer of Bath’s opener, Freddie Hinds, is on loan from Bristol City — managed by his son Lee.
Torquay levelled through captain asa Hall before half-time and then assumed the lead on 65 minutes courtesy of Jamie Reid’s tap-in.
The Devon club should have been home and dry when awarded a penalty 10 minutes later. But Jake andrews took the ball off regular taker Reid in a Fulham-esque power struggle that Johnson later called ‘unprofessional’ and he skied the kick.
‘ That penalty- miss visibly lifted our players,’ said Bath manager Jerry gill and the pendulum did indeed swing.
Two goals in four minutes late on, an anthony Straker penalty and superb flicked finish by substitute Ryan Brunt, handed Bath a memorable victory that blew the title race wide open.
The Romans are on the march, but Johnson’s Torquay take some conquering.