Torquay see their lead cut further after defeat
TORQUAY United’s lead at the top of the National League table was cut to just four points when they were beaten by FC Halifax Town 3-2 in front of BT Sport’s cameras on Saturday.
It was another lacklustre performance from a Gulls team lacking the bite, energy and consistency that saw them fly into an 11-point lead before Christmas.
Torquay started well with Ben Wynter looking comfortable and Ben Whitfield proving a real handful down the Halifax left – but it was a while before either team managed a shot on goal.
Kyle Cameron was forced off with an injury early on to add to manager Gary Johnson’s injury woes. He was replaced by Jake Andrews, with Joe Lewis moving from the left into the middle of defence.
On 19 minutes, Tahvon Campbell shot across Shaun MacDonald’s goal and wide. Billy Waters turned well in the box on 25 minutes and his shot was only inches wide.
On 34 minutes, a sloppy Connor Lemonheigh-Evans free kick, which didn’t even reach the box, led to Halifax’s opening goal when the visitors broke well and a low cross from the right was punched by MacDonald into the legs of Sam Sherring and the ball rebounded into the net.
However, Jeff King brought down Whitfield on 40 minutes as the Torquay winger went past the rightback and moved into the box. Hall confidently hit the ball home from the penalty spot for the equaliser.
The second half started in a similar fashion to the first with Torquay enjoying the majority of the possession but Halifax looking good when they had time on the ball. However, two King free kicks both hit Torquay walls as the away side got on top.
Torquay were under the cosh a bit. Hall made a chance-saving tackle when he took the ball off Campbell’s feet.
Billy Waters and Whitfield set up Adam Randell with a chance but the midfielder’s shot from the edge of the box was poor and hit a defender.
However, King gave away his second penalty of the game on 70 minutes when he brought down Waters who was running to meet a Lemonheigh-Evans cross. Hall smashed the ball home from 12 yards.
Earing scored the equaliser on 78 minutes when a goalmouth scramble followed MacDonald’s original save – with his feet – and he turned in his second chance after Torquay had failed to clear the ball.
And it was King who made sure he would enjoy the trip home when he cut inside on 87 minutes and struck the ball well and past MacDonald to make it one win in seven league games for the Gulls.
TORQUAY United’s lead at the top of the National League table was cut to just four points when they were beaten by FC Halifax Town 3-2 in front of BT Sport’s camera on Saturday.
It was another lacklustre performance from a Gulls team lacking the bite that saw them fly into a 11-point lead before Christmas.
Because it was a 5.20pm kickoff, second-placed Sutton United, who have three games in hand, had already hauled the Gulls closer to them with a 4-1 win at home against Wealdstone.
Halifax took the lead with the help of a Sam Sherring own goal, before two Jeff King fouls saw Torquay captain Asa Hall put the home side 2-1 ahead with penalties in the 41st and 71st minutes.
However, Halifax made it 2-2 through Jack Earing in the 78th minute and King struck with the winner with two minutes to go.
Johnson said: “I didn’t feel that enough people stepped up to the plate today – and showed their true ability.
“Halifax worked hard and it was quite competitive for the whole game – both teams were competitive.
“At 1-0 down I was disappointed but I was obviously pleased that we went 2-1 up. But they [Halifax] went for it a little bit and I felt we capitulated a little bit at the back – as a team.
“We went 1-0 down against the run of play in my opinion and we should have got stronger when it went 2-1 but we didn’t – we got weaker.”
Hartlepool United also closed the gap on Torquay as they came from behind to beat Yeovil Town 2-1 and they can cut the gap on the Gulls to just two points of they win their game in hand.
Johnson’s men have an immediate chance to right the wrongs from the weekend when they travel to 14th-placed Solihull Moors tomorrow, while Sutton are away to a Dagenham & Redbridge side that are struggling down in 18th place in the table.