Every Wednesday in the Herald Express, our Torquay United correspondent Richard Hughes takes a sideways look at what's going on in the world of the Gulls. This week, he talks the arrival of Matt Jay

I have never seen such a one-sided game end in a defeat for the wrong team – but, to be fair to Hampton & Richmond Borough, they worked hard for that win on Saturday.

Torquay United had chance after chance to break through and batter Hampton, but a trinity of great goalkeeping from a Chelsea loanee, some determined last-man defending, and a splash of luck denied the Gulls in a game they might have won four, five or six nil!

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This isn’t a tale of woe. What happened happened and the Gulls will go again. Last night’s game at Chippenham Town was postponed because of the weather, so it is Saturday’s trip at Maidstone United that offers them the opportunity of being the winners from a lesser performance.

Against Hampton, according to my match report, Torquay had an astonishing 23 chances to score a goal, with the ball flying wide, going over, hitting defenders’ backsides, and being stopped by an excellent Max Merrick, who was making his loan debut after joining the club from Chelsea.

In the first 13 minutes there were chances for Jordan Thomas, Cody Cooke, Matt Jay, Thomas again, Jay again, and Jordan Young. Then there were more chances in the first half for Oscar Threlkeld, Young, Cooke, Dylan Morgan, and Dan Hayfield. In the second half the chances went to Ed Palmer, Young, Hayfield, Young, Young, Will Jenkins Davies, Young, Lirak Hasani, Young, Emmanuel Ilesanmi, Hasani andThomas. It is, quite frankly astonishing that none of those chances went in.

But if Torquay create that amount of chances in the final 18 games of the season, then they will win more than they lose or draw. You read it here first. The signing of Matt Jay means, finally, Cody Cooke looks to have a foil for all his hard work up front.

Cooke gets beaten up by defenders in every game as he defies the odds to hold the ball up – but so far this season, Paul Wotton’s attempts to find Cooke a strike partner that can complement his game have failed. Brad Ash (now on loan at Bath City), Ben Seymour (not on loan at AFC Totton in the Southern League), youngster Jaydn Crosbie (out learning his game at Gloucester City in the Southern League) and Omar Mussa (pushed up front from his midfield berth) have all been tried – but Jay showed an awareness and a deft of thought and touch that should now see more settled going forward. I don’t want to tempt fate – but I don’t think it will be too long before the goals start coming from the boot of Mr Jay.

Having grown up playing the game with mates Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa and England) and Jamie Reid (Stevenage and Northern Ireland), Jay has returned to the Bay after captaining Exeter City to the League Two title and then having a rather less eventful time at Colchester United.

It feels like it didn’t work out there and Wotton must have been watching his situation for a while. Rumours persisted online about his availability and when he was released by Colchester last week those rumours went into overdrive. But the last thing you are going to do as a manager or a club is start talking about the possibility of bringing in such a player – until the deal is done.

But when the signing video was released on Thursday night, it felt like a good move for all concerned. The 28-year-old has been able to bring his family back to Devon, and Torquay get one of the best players in the division!

Wotton said of Jay’s signing last week: “MJ is someone who I’ve known about for years. He brings a wealth of experience, and he has captained a League Two promotion-winning side.

“He’s obviously got tremendous qualities as a football player, and he adds huge value and experience to the squad. He’s a forward, we needed to sign some, and I can’t wait to get working with him.”

From experience, I know MJ is a thinker as well. His ghostwritten column for the Express & Echo, which I would edit when he was the captain at St James Park, was always thoughtful and insightful. Jay is a player I think the fans will take to their hearts, and will only get better and better as the season nears its exciting climax.