Torquay 1/05/08

Play-off Semi-Final, Second Leg

W 4-1 (5-3 on aggregate)

"Que sera sera, whatever will be will be, we're going to Wembley, que sera, sera"

Attendance: 6015

Match day Report by Kirstie Bowden.

My decision to bring my Mackie shirt out of retirement for our play-off trip to Plaimoor caused controversy in the queue outside. A policeman told me I didn't want to be wearing 'that' shirt. I told him, in no uncertain terms, that if it wasn't for said player we wouldn't be in the play-offs. To that he had no response! Inside the ground my Dad and Waiter practised their poses for the TV cameras. Sadly shots of them party poppers in mouths, brandishing the victory v's didn't appear on air. As the teams came out onto the pitch our spot was showered in red, white, and blue card (covering all potential kit angles) which my mum had spent all weekend cutting up!

The game only really got going in the second half when City fell further behind. Confident in our ability I could take the goal, but the Torquay chants of "Que Sera Sera" and "You're not going up" I found hard to stomach. The away end kept the faith and continued our chants, notably the Torquay special "HOOF". We were rewarded in the 70th minute as supersub Ryan Harley slotted home from a superb Roberto Edwards cross to make it 3-2 on aggregate. Grecian the Lion went flying. Shortly after Tim Sills got substituted, leaving the pitch to a special Grecians chorus which drowned out the home applause. He was replaced by the generously proportioned Lee Phillips, a substitution which marked the beginning of the end for Torquay.

City kept up the pressure and were awarded a penalty. I started pacing my little spot. The Setanta cameras came running over and blocked out Ben so all we could see was the back of the net. And what a sweet sight that was.... Ben made it 2-1 on the day and 3-3 overall with little over 10 minutes to go. The confetti was flying again! Without time to get our heads around being back in the tie and heading for extra-time, Logie sent a thundering header past Rayner in the 89th minute. We were in front! I, like many other away supporters, totally lost it. I was screaming so much I near enough hyperventilated. Everyone was bashing into each other. Logie ran back to the restart kissing his badge. Que Sera Sera reverberated around the away end. The Torquay fans were silent.

Stress levels reached fever pitch as 4 minutes of extra time were announced. All I could hear around me was "I can't take much more of this". Neither could the Torquay supporters seemingly, who were now leaving on mass. Those early leavers can seek solace in the fact that they missed our 4th and final goal in the 93rd minute which sent the away supporters, team and Tiz delirious. After following the lads home and away all season, in this moment, reaching the play-off final, I must admit that there were tears. This pleased the photographer in front of me who snapped away with glee giving me the thumbs up!

As the team ran down brandishing a "We're going to Wembley" flag the roof very nearly came off the away end. After some dodgy dancing and a lot of jumping on each other the team, bar Jonesy, headed back to changing rooms. He instead shook hands with everyone, walking the entire length of the away end before heading back wearing a newly acquired City scarf around his neck. The slow walk out was a joyous one. Much like 'that' night at the Kassam my Mum hugged everyone and my Dad was dancing. I lost the ability to speak and was reduced to saying Wembley and then giggling. As the bus crawled out of Torquay we sung "You're not going up" to a man walking his dog. At the Penninn roundabout Grecian the Lion captivated a baby who gave us the thumbs up. But the moment of the return has to be motorbike man who was wearing his City shirt over his leathers and flying his City scarf. Back home the first song that came on the radio was 'Road to Nowhere'. We sang the City version, 'Road to Wembley' instead.