Torquay United 'gave silly goals away' in disappointing draw

Manager Paul Wotton has reiterated that Torquay United ‘have to stop giving away silly goals’ after the 2-2 draw against Chelmsford City on Saturday.

Torquay were 2-0 ahead by the 13th minute after a blistering start and goals by Cody Cooke and new signing Jordan Young.
Young was particularly impressive, having numerous shots at goal and scoring Torquay’s second from the edge of the area when Chelmsford failed to clear their lines from a corner.

But Chelmsford came into the game after that and got a goal back in the 30th minute when Jake Hyde was given the space in the area to head the ball past James Hamon. The, after Torquay had a goal chalked off for offside after being allowed to celebrate it in front of the Popside first, there were great chances missed by Omar Mussa and Young, before Hamon let a shot out of his grasp for Cameron Jones to hit it home in the 83rd minute.

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Wotton said: “It’s two points dropped. I think everyone’s disappointed, everyone’s fully aware of that. We have got to stop the very. very silly goals we are conceding. It’s frustrating because I thought we were excellent for large periods. And again, decisions don’t go our way.

“The goalkeeper is on the floor, we impede his line of vision - but he’s on the floor! I don’t think we get that decision if it’s the other way round.”

With Young outstanding player on his debut, unusually, Wotton only made one change during the game with Lirak Hasani coming on for Mussa, who was limping when he went off in the second half. Strikers Brad Ash and Ben Seymour stayed on the bench. But Will Jenkins Davies was missing in the middle of the park after suffering a hip flexor injury in the game against Hornchurch.

Wotton said: “I think it’s the best we have played in a good few weeks now. We started the game in a really positive fashion and obviously got ourselves two goals up. We then had a spell when Chelmsford came into it in the first half. Ultimately we have got to stop conceding the goals we are conceding. A free header in the six-year box for the first goal.

“We came in really calm, no problems, The second half, Chelmsford were never going to score - we let a man in, don’t come out and get a block, comes off the goalie... Goal. And before that we have chances to put the game to bed, like clear-cut chances. Even at the end, Cody Cooke and the lad’s cleared it off the line.”

The point saw Torquay moved up from sixth place to fifth in the National League South table and they are still just three points off the top spot, which is currently occupied by Eastbourne Borough. On Tuesday night the Gulls are at 18-paced Salisbury, before returning home to Plainmoor for a home game against Tonbridge Angels next Saturday.