Torquay United 0 Exeter City 2.

Tuesday 20 November 2001.

Ref: Andy Hall
Att: 3764 with 1400 City fans.

Express & Echo. Wed 21 Nov 2001

As bad as it gets

BY DAVID THOMAS

IT WILL take Torquay United months, not weeks, to win back the confidence of their supporters after this numbing defeat at the hands of local rivals Exeter City at Plainmoor last night.

Everyone connected with the club had hoped that the surrender against York City in the first home game of the season marked a low point beneath which it was impossible for United to slip again, even while manager Roy McFarland set about rebuilding the team.

But United were so bad last night that the luckiest people in the ground were United's three unused substitutes Ryan Northmore, Lee Russell and Chris Brandon. They must have breathed a sigh of relief that they were spared. By the end of an evening which saw United reduced to ten men by another sending-off for skipper Gary Brabin, even the simplest pass, the most straightforward manoeuvre, seemed beyond some of them. When players' first instinct is merely to get rid of the ball, anywhere as long as it's away from their immediate area, you know they are in big trouble. City, with their three former United men Alex Watson, Chris Curran and Paul Buckle all to the fore, enjoyed themselves hugely at their rivals' expense. None more so than after veteran striker Sean McCarthy had helped himself to both the second half goals which sealed United's fourth successive defeat and their third in a row at home. City have now lost only twice in 12 games under new boss John Cornforth, and this result saw them leapfrog Torquay in the table. Exeter were packed with experience and know-how, and they made it count. When United's opening salvos failed to make the breakthrough, including one clear heading chance for Marcus Richardson on an Eifion Williams cross, their confidence visibly ebbed away. City, for whom Watson had a header nodded off his own line by Lee Canoville, looked the more composed side well before half-time. McCarthy's control and Graeme Tomlinson's movement were in contrast to the way the ball kept coming back off Richardson and Williams. But perhaps the most depressing thing, about United's attacking play was that, with no width to speak of, everything had to be aimed up the middle. When Steve Woods took one free-kick in the 35th minute, from a central position just inside his own half, there wasn't a single Torquay player within 15 yards of either touchline. The ball was predictably aimed at the head of wingback-cum-targetman Kevin Hill in a packed penalty-area, and City cleared. McCarthy had only just had one goal disallowed for a foul when the 34-year-old Welshman gave City the lead in the 48th minute. Sean Hankin, failing to take a chance to clear, was robbed by Buckle, Barry McConnell moved up from right-back to deliver the cross and McCarthy was unmarked at the far-post to bury a low right-foot volley from ten yards. United badly needed to hit back quickly. One cross-shot by Steve Tully, recalled in place of Matt Hockley, drifted agonisingly wide with no one to supply the finishing touch. And Brabin headed powerfully over from a Jason Rees cross. But in the 61st minute McCarthy struck again. Curran's through-ball may have taken a deflection, to help McCarthy stay onside, but he still looked a yard or two off as he went clear, before coolly beating the advancing Kevin Dearden with another right-foot shot. McFarland sent on Jimmy Benefield for Canoville in midfield, and the fans had called for Richardson's unhappy night to be ended some time before Tony Bedeau replaced him.

Launching the ball forward more in hope than expectation, United were denied twice in the 77th minute by two fine saves from Arjan Van Heusden from headers by Woods and Bedeau, both laid on by Rees. And Benefield showed a touch or two which held promise for the future. But just when United supporters must have thought that things could not get any worse, they did. In the 82nd minute Brabin, trying to work room for a cross from the right, suddenly burst clear of Martin Barlow, leaving the former Plymouth forward slumped on the pitch. Only those closest to the incident could have seen exactly what happened and the linesman did not appear to react, but referee Andy Hall was certain in his own mind that Brabin had beaten his man with the help of an elbow in the face. Brabin was off. And so were many supporters. They had seen enough and headed for home. How long will it be before some of them return?

MATCH FACTS

TORQUAY UNITED (3-5-2):

Dearden; Douglin, Hankin; Woods, Tully, Rees, Brabin, (Benefield 63mins) Canoville, Hill, Richardson (Bedeau 66mins), Williams;

subs not used Northmore (gk), L. Russell, Brandon.

EXETER CITY (4-4-2):
Van Heusden; McConnell, Watson, Curran, Power; Buckle, Barlow, Ampadu, Roscoe; McCarthy (Breslan 89mins), Tomlinson (Flack 74mins).

REFEREE: Mr. A  Hall (Birmingham).

SENDING-OFF:
United Brabin (violent conduct 82mins).

BOOKINGS:
United - Brabin City (foul 67mins);
Ampadu (foul 3mins),Roscoe (foul 11mins).

ATTENDANCE: 3,764.

STATISTICS:
Fouls - United 18, City 16;
Offsides United 0, City 9;
Corners United 5, City 3;
Shots/Headers On Target
United 4, City 3;
Off Target - United 9, City 2;

GOALS:
McCarthy (City) 48mins (0-1),McCarthy 61mins (0-2).