Gulls face sternest test yet – and pass with flying colours

TORQUAY UNITED

Apart from scoring a couple more goals, it is hard to imagine many boxes that were left unticked for manager Gary Johnson as Torquay United first matched Wealdstone’s energy and intent and then outplayed them at Grosvenor Vale.

The Gulls’ boss reckoned that this victory was the best performance that United had produced in the first seven unbeaten games under him, and even firm Stones fans were generous in admitting that their previously in-form side had come off second best in every department.

It’s worth remembering that Wealdstone started the day in fourth place – they have since returned to that spot after a 2-0 home win over Gloucester City on Monday night – and Torquay in ninth.

United had lost acting captain Asa Hall as well as talented loanee Jake Andrews to injury, and their defence had looked unusually vulnerable in their previous league game, a 4-2 win at Eastbourne Borough.

You can also throw in the fact that Johnson had to start Ryan Dickson earlier than either had probably planned, after the 31-year-old midfielder had recovered from a leg fracture which kept him out for two months.

In other words, everything pointed to this match being the severest examination of the ‘new’ United so far.

And for at least half-an-hour in the first half and for a spell at 2-0 in the second, it was.

Wealdstone play just like you would expect from a side managed by the always-animated Bobby Wilkinson.

It was nip-and-tuck in the early stages, with two hard-working sides cancelling each other out.

It was 33 minutes before George Essuman flicked on a Connor Lemonheigh-Evans corner, former Gulls trialist Godfrey Poko handled Saikou Janneh’s 18-yard shot and referee Philip Staynings – he’s one of the best we’ve seen so far this season – was well-placed to give the penalty.

Jamie Reid hasn’t looked like

Opi Edwards of Torquay United celebrates breaking the deadlock in Saturday’s match against Wealdstone missing recently, but he decided to go the same side as his three previous spot-kicks, Jon North read it, parried and then deflected Opi Edwards’ follow-up behind.

It might have been a turning-point, but United, visibly growing in confidence, made sure that it wasn’t.

Seven days before they had ended an FA Cup contest against Winchester City (4-1) with a salvo of three goals in the space of eight minutes just before the interval, and this time they did it with two in three minutes either side of half-time.

As the first half moved into stoppage-time United struck with a stunning end-to-end move that started with goalkeeper Shaun MacDonald’s alert throw out to Edwards.

Edwards swapped passes at pace with Janneh down the right wing, took the return,

skipped past a retreating defender and tucked an angled right-foot shot past North and into the far corner…1-0.

It was Edwards’ overdue first goal for Torquay and one that would have graced any division.

In the 47th minute Lemonheigh-Evans drove a diagonal free-kick into the heart of a crowded goalmouth and Essuman rose to head firmly inside the right-hand post from eight yards out…2-0 and also his first United goal.

Wealdstone weren’t completely done, and Wilkinson’s introduction of the dangerous Bradley Hudson-Odoi on their left wing sparked a spell of home pressure which tested United’s defence, and Essuman in particular.

But on this day MacDonald and his back-four of Essuman, Jean-Yves Koue Niate, Kyle Cameron and Liam Davis were not for turning.

Cameron, made captain in Hall’s absence, was outstanding.

Dickson had made light of his long lay-off before Johnson took him off with eleven minutes to go, sending on fit-again Samir Nabi.

In the 82nd minute, with United mounting one counter-attack after another, sub Ruairi Keating and Lemonheigh-Evans combined to slip Reid away on the right, and he cut back on his ‘weaker’ left foot before then stroking home a cool shot from 12 yards…3-0.

It was Reid’s tenth goal of the season and his ninth in eight games.

In the closing stages Edwards twice, Keating and Brett Williams all might have turned the victory into a rout, but the points were already in the bag and all those important boxes had been ticked.

Wealdstone (4-4-2): North; Sheppard (Charles 72), Okimo, Stevens, Tyler; Green (Mensah 63, Poku, Lench (Hudson-Odoi 63), Shomotun; Bubb, Pratt; subs not used - Wilson, Clark. Booked: Sheppard 70.

Torquay United (4-4-2): MacDonald; Essuman, Koue Niate, Cameron, Davis; Edwards, Lemonheigh-Evans, Dickson (Nabi 79), Kalala (Keating 72); Reid, Janneh (Williams 83); subs not used – Wynter, Burton. Booked: Edwards 60.

Referee: Philip Staynings (Wilts). Attendance: 1,241.

Statistics: Fouls – Wealdstone 10, United 16; Offsides – Wealdstone 4, United 5; Corners – Wealdstone 7, United 4; Shots/Headers On Target – Wealdstone 2, United 10; Off Target – Wealdstone 3, United 6; Hit Woodwork – None.

James Fearn/PPAUK]