GULLS' WINGS CLIPPED

Taylor's goal earns a point

Match Report by Peter Masters 

TORQUAY UNITED 1
McNichol.
EXETER CITY 1 
Taylor

Half-time 1-0
Saturday February 27th 1988.

EXETER centre half Shaun Taylor scored the first goal of his career to salvage a point for his side in the 84th minute of the Devon derby at Plainmoor yesterday.

It was a blow for courage and determination as City came from nowhere to score the fifth draw between the two clubs in their last eight league meetings. Promotion chasing Torquay had made all the running in the first half and when the teams retreated to the dressing room it looked like it was once again going to be Jim McNichol's day. The former City defender scored the goal that separated the sides at St James's Park and when he pounced in the 44th minute we looked set for a carbon copy of that October meeting.

But lighting did not strike twice for the Gulls and a re- juvenated Exeter came out in the second half desperate to avoid a second humiliation. And Torquay played straight into their hands, losing a grip of the midfield and failing to play to their strength.

Striker Dave Caldwell was consigned to an aeriel battle with Taylor which he never looked likely to win. On the rare occasion that United did keep the ball on the deck they looked dangerous and City keeper Mel Gwinnett had to make a couple of point blank saves to keep his side in touch.

Torquay boss Cyril Knowles included 16-year- old Lee Sharp in the starting line-up in place of Mark Loram, and the teenager showed some useful touches in a well matched battle with City's young defender Richard Massey.

Torquay threatened to overpower Exeter in those early exchanges, but they could not bury their chances. Caldwell had a shot on the turn deflected for a corner in the 11th minute, and when Dobson was put in the clear, Gwinnett rushed off his line to block the striker's attempted lob. A through ball from Dobson in the 18th minute found Sharp on the edge of the box and this time it was only a lunging tackle from Massey that saved Exeter.

A knock on the knee forced Russell Musker to retire on the half hour, and he was replaced by the usually influential Sean Haslegrave. A master of the short passing game, his ability was largely wasted however, as United's fruitless ariel bombadment continued. The breakthrough eventually came from a corner just before the break. Pearce floated it in and McNichol ghosted in for a free header from seven yards out, Phil Lloyd had a point blank range header stopped by Gwinnett on the stroke of half time, but it was in the second half that things really began to go wrong for United. Dobson, Caldwell and Loram, on for Sharpe after 70 minutes, got little change out of an Exeter defence, expertly marshalled by Taylor, who had been booked for a foul as early as the fourth minute.

Darran Rowbotham came on for Scott Hiley in the 76th minute and Exeter slowly grew in confidence as the Gulls looked more like a side two down than one up. City's equaliser came from virtually their only clear chance of the match. Roy Carter curled in a free kick and Taylor looped a header over Kenny Allen's out- stretched arm. Two minutes from time Ci- ty's Brendon O'Connell lashed a volley high into the stand, but a second goal then really would have been pushing their luck.

Attendance 3,383.

Torquay United:- Allen; McNichol, Kelly; Musker, Cole, Pearce; Dawkins, Lloyd, Caldwell, Sharp, Dobson.

Exeter City:- Gwinnett; Harrower, Viney; Massey, Taylor, Wallace; Carter, Cooper, Edwards, O'Connell, Hiley.