UNITED SURVIVE EARLY DISASTER

Exeter City 2, Torquay United 2

Match Report by David Thomas
at St James Park


A GOAL behind after 22 seconds and two down in less than five minutes, Torquay United still managed to overcome a gamble that went badly almost disastrously wrong in last night's hectic local derby.

Risking the fitness of central defender Steve Wright, who had a teatime test for an ankle injury, United nearly found themselves blasted out of the match before they had even started. First Warren Ward (photo) and then Steve Harrower helped themselves to goals as the whole Torquay defence - not just Wright seemed to fall apart. But leading scorer Mario Walsh pulled one back for Tel- quay with his ninth goal of the season in the 12th minute. And then midfielder Steve Pyle equalised in the 33rd minute of a game that flopped into massive anti-climax in the second half. But it will take United supporters several sleepless nights to get over the nightmares of that first half when all princip- les of positional play, marking and guarding against the through-ball went out of the window. Centre-half Paul Compton struggled against the intelligent, nippy play of Alan Crawford until he was allowed to take the bigger Ward in the second half arrived at half-time and it was only in the second half that left-back Steve Pugh got to grips with Martin Ling.

It was a recipe for disaster. First Ward brushed past a static defence to score the first from a McNichol cross before some fans had even taken their seats. Then a defence-splitting pass by Crawford put Harrower clear for a 40-yard run and shot past the advancing David Fry. If Crawford had taken another good chance in the tenth minute, United would surely have been dead and buried. But Exeter are by no means a formidable side, even with a start like that. And United were soon back at them. Walsh chested down Compton pass, took the ball into the penalty area and beat keeper Shaw from 12 yards. Then a 25-yard free kick by David West cannoned off Harrower in the wall and the alert Pyle swept the rebound past Shaw's right hand from 15 yards. Fry had to race out of his area a couple of times, but it was City who looked rocky for a while and more positive play by United might have paid off at that stage. Relieved United manager Stuart Morgan took Wright off at half-time, sent Dawkins on to sort out Fowler's problems, withdrew the combative Mark Crowe into defence and reshuffled in midfield. It solved the problems at the back, but the attack fell away disappointingly in the second half. As if sobered up by their early excesses, both teams played aimlessly and the less said about the second half the better. Pyle, one of the few players who looked capable of lifting things out of the mud, wasted a good chance in the 46th minute when he should have shot instead of crossing. Fry made two good saves from McNichol and Ward in quick succession. And Pyle almost won it with a 25-yard volley just wide eight minutes from time. But generally, standards of concentration, anticipation and quickness off the mark were sadly lacking in some players. City had McCaffery, Viney, Marker and substitute Kellow booked, all for fouls on Steve Phillips, but there was never anything nasty. And McNichol made a meal of a frustrated elbow that earned Pugh a caution.

EXETER CITY (4-4-2):
Shaw; McNichol, McCaffery, Marker, Viney; Ling. Johnson (Kellow 59 mins). Keogh, Harrower; Ward, Crawford.

TORQUAY UNITED (4-4-2):
Fry: Fowler, Compton, Wright (Dawkins 45 mins). Pugh; West, Pyle, Crowe, Loram; Phillips, Walsh.

Referee: Mr G. Ashby (Worcester).

Attendance: 2,420,

Managers Comments 

UNITED manager Stuart Morgan said: "I was going to bring Derek Dawkins on anyway at half- time, but the Steve Wright situation forced it. Derek did a great job, and they didn't penetrate us nearly as much in the second half. "It was a gamble to play Steve, but I didn't want to change the side. We probably had the better chances in the second half, but I was happy with the result after what happened early on. "We were two down in five minutes against Orient and now this-I think we'll try and delay the kick- offs in future!"

CITY boss Colin Appleton said: "It's got to be disappointing after being two up like that."It became a real dour slog in the second half. But overall it should make the second game next Tuesday very interesting."