Gulls denied by late Flack attack

Exeter City 1 Torquay United 1.

Match Report by Mike Eltham

Boxing Day
Saturday 26 December 1998

A LATE header from man of the match Steve Flack rescued a point for Exeter in a lively and hard-fought Devon derby. Torquay looked like they had done enough to win the game but were denied by Flack three minutes from time in stormy conditions at St James' Park. Exeter brought back Jason Rees following a one-match suspension, while Torquay named the side which beat Shrewsbury last week. Torquay could have taken the lead after only three minutes. Brian McGorry curled in the first corner of the game and found un- marked Jamie Robinson. The defender rose well and headed powerfully but his effort was superbly saved by the feet of Ashley Bayes. Three minutes later Exeter could have opened the scoring in similar circumstances. Jimmy Gardner floated a free kick into the box and Flack jumped highest but put his powerful header just past the post. The driving rain and strong wind made conditions difficult but both teams contributed to a lively opening. Flack came within a whisker of giving the Grecians the lead on 13 min- utes. The giant striker pounced on a poor clearance from Jim Aggrey and lashed a 25-yard shot against the crossbar. Four minutes later Bayes made a fine save from Scott Partridge who thumped the ball goalwards from 12 yards after he was found by Kevin Hill. Flack was booked on 22 minutes for diving after referee Paul Taylor dis- missed his claim of being fouled by Robinson. The conditions made life almost impossible for defenders and Shaun Gale almost let in Partridge on 34 minutes after a dreadful back pass. But Bayes rushed off his line and made a superb sliding tackle to rescue his defender. The rain continued to lash down as the second half kicked off but Torquay again made an early chance. Hill beat Gale on the left and whipped in a low cross which was struck wide by McGorry. Torquay finally took a deserved lead on 55 minutes. Robbie Herrera thumped a long clearance which found Partridge. He ran superbly with the ball and beat several defenders before finding Alan Lee who tapped the ball home from 10 yards. It was Lee's first goal for the Gulls since he arrived on loan from Aston Villa. Torquay goalkeeper Neville Southall, making his 650th league appearance, saved smartly to deny a long range effort from Jason Rees. Exeter threw on new striker Brian Quailey, on loan from West Bromwich Albion, to replace the injured Rowbotham, and youngster Geoff Breslan. Quailey almost made an instant impression when he took the ball past Southall but could not finish from a tight angle. Exeter had a last throw of the dice by bringing on youngster Chris Holloway as they chased the game. City thought they had earned a point with five minutes left when Jon Gittens' header found the back of the net but was judged offside. Then, with three minutes left, Flack rose well to meet Gale's corner and his header flew past Southall for the equaliser. Gale thought he had earned a penalty for Exeter in the dying sec- onds. But Steve Tully's challenge was judged to be fair and the appeals were waved away by referee Paul Taylor.



EXETER CITY
Bayes Fry. Power Baddeley Gale. Gittens Rowbotham. Rees. Flack. Curran Gardner Substitutes: Breslan (for Baddeley, 69), Quailey (for Rowbotham, 47), Holloway (for Gardner, 78).

TORQUAY
Southall Tully Herrera Robinson Thomas Leadbitter Aggrey McGorry Lee Partridge Hill
Substitutes not used: Hapgood, Bedeau, Watson.

Match stats

Scorers:
Exeter - Flack (87 minutes);
Torquay - Lee (55 minutes).

Bookings:
Exeter - Flack 22, Gale 59;
Torquay - McGorry 85.

Referee: 
Paul Taylor (Cheshunt)

Attendance: 5,575.