Boroughs 2nd home game
in 4 days saw title chasing Torquay United arrive at priory
lane on a cold but still night; and after a 2-0 win in
Devon only a few weeks past; must have been confident
of keeping the pressure on at the top of the Blue Square
Premier Division. Ashley Barnes and Dan Smith maintained
their positions in attack; Simon Wormull starting as Paul
Armstrong’s midfield partner with both Dan Brown
and Matt Smart not yet fit.
The 1200+, boosted by a
more than respectable number from the English Riviera,
saw Boro start brightly; the side continuing the excellent
form from the 4-1 victory .v. Northwich only days earlier.
Barnes stabbed a near post low Matt Crabb delivery just
wide of the post on 2 minutes later but Barnes had only
to wait until the 7th to open the scoring. Excellent control
and 1st time shot beat Kevin Nicholson for 1-0; the celebration
more muted but the on-loan striker maintaining a rich
vein of form.
The full-time ex-league
side looked very ordinary in the opening moments and Matt
Crab’s right-wing corner was met well by Ben Austin;
Lee Mansell forced to clear off the line to keep his side
just 1 down. Barnes and Wormull combined to allow ‘Crabby’
to burst through the heart of ‘The Gulls’
defence but a last ditch tackle prevented the Boro 11
from getting his shot away.
It took 24 minutes for
the visitors to threaten Lee Hooks goal and they should
have done better than the ball lifted over the bar from
close range as Boro failed to clear. Barnes headed wide
before the lively Elliott Benyon levelled the scores at
1-1; turning inside and firing low past Hook; a goal very
much out of nothing.
Garry Wilson and Nick Greenwood
commented after the game that it was one of the best Boro
displays that they had ever seen at Priory Lane, especially
as this was an ex-league club, challenging for honours
on a long unbeaten run as visitors, and although Boro
played fabulously well across the 90 minutes the 2nd 45;
with 3 fine goals; will live long in the memory. It started
well with a Jay Lovett cross just inches over Barnes’s
head but on 50 minutes ‘The Sports’ regained
the lead and never looked back. Armstrong provided a clever
ball inside the right-back and Matt Crabb finished well;
with his right-foot; inside the far post for 2-1.
Lovett headed over when
rising unmarked; Torquay struggling to track the pace
and movement of the Boro midfield and front-line; before
the visitors made changes designed to rescue something
from the game. There was little time for the changes to
take effect as within moments of the double substitution
Crabb had grabbed his 2nd and Boro’s 3rd, heading
home a right-wing cross past Nicholson and in-off-the-post
for 3-1.
It could have been 4 as
2 minutes later as with Barnes closing in on goal with
only the keeper to beat he was bundled to the floor from
behind, Mr Whitton unmoved. Tim Sills fired a shot wide
before Lovett and Barnes combined twice in 2 minutes;
Nicholson required to save on both occasions. Finally
Boro got what their play deserved with Crabb this time
provider; his low cross met by Smith, his close range
effort only reflecting his sides dominance.
MOM Matt Crabb left the
field to a standing ovation before the visitors had their
best spell of the game; finally Sills scoring from a right-wing
corner to pull a goal back. The match ended after the
allotted added 5 minutes; Chris Hargreaves missing from
close range in the dying seconds; but no one in the ground
left in any doubt that the home side had justifiably claimed
all 3 points from a game that, on paper at least, looked
a tough ask. The win lifted the side to 15th in the table,
the word confidence was often mentioned as the difference
between the Boro side in the last 2 games as opposed to
November, and as the mysterious ingredient any side needs.
Words - Lee Peskett
