U's 2-0 Torquay: Carry On Bouncing
Tuesday 22nd April 2008 - U's 2-0 Torquay: Carry On Bouncing
The sight of it was quite shocking. The Main Stand, that bastion of restraint and decorum, of blankets and flasks of cocoa, was... well... rocking. Row upon row of people, on their feet (gasp!), singing (eek!), shouting (egad!), bouncing (gadzooks!!). Admittedly, most of these roustabouts were its younger members, dotted in and round the family section - the older ones still had some knitting to finish - but there was the spirit of the Abbey, writ large, loud and proud for all to see. The Bounce has conquered all this season, and what an appropriate motif it is, as the team which has inspired and been inspired by it stands on the verge of bouncing back to where it belongs.
The whole day had a good feel to it. Gone was the chill and the drizzle of this interminably rusty spring, and in its place came classic end-of-season weather: warm, hazy sunshine and a balmy early evening temperature which signalled the symbolic discarding of the winter fleece for many of the amber faithful. The crowd gathered early and noisily, in good voice long before kick-off, and they witnessed the traditional season's-end player of the year awards plus a stirring speech from the inestimable Richard Caborn, who seems like a decent, caring and unselfish politician, making him practically unique on this planet.
Just one win away from the playoffs after occupying a place in the top five from day one, JQ was in no mood to alter the system from Saturday's scrap at Salisbury, retaining a 4-4-2, but two personnel changes saw Lee Boylan replace Jack Jeffery, returned to West Ham after a loan spell which got more impressive the longer he stayed, and Michael Morrison came in for Ben Farrell, Morro slotting in at right-back to enable Dan Gleeson to play on the right of midfield.
Rumours that Torquay would be sending a shadow side as they had already qualified for the promotion semi-finals were soon dispelled by a very strong line-up captained by the veteran Chris Hargreaves and with two extremely dangerous strikers in Tim Sills and Lee Phillips. As is traditional at the Abbey, United would have to do it the hard way.
The visitors made a purposeful start and within a couple of minutes tricky left winger Chris Zebroski had danced between Morrison and Gleeson and crossed to the far post where the unmarked Roscoe D'Sane had a header cleared off the line by Danny Brown. There seemed a distinct undercurrent of jitteriness in United's play, understandably in the circumstances, and a little uncertainty tactically too, most notably when Gleeson seemed unsure how deep to come back to cover (winger or wing-back?) and had an animated discussion on the subject with Morrison and Mark Albrighton.
The right side was a cause for concern, because danger man Zebroski was usually to be found stationed ahead of Gleeson with only Morrison between him and goal, and the former was perhaps in need of some clarification as to how far back he should track his opposite number before leaving him to Morro's tender mercies.
Up the other end Rob Wolleaston found Mark Beesley on 5, who poked into the net but was foiled by the ref's whistle for his colleague's handball. Four minutes later a piercing through ball from Courtney Pitt found Stephen Reed galloping forward, but his first touch was heavier than John Prescott in diving boots and the ball squirmed to Torquay's waiting centre-backs.
Torquay looked strong and committed, not wasting any time in getting the ball forward in the most direct of styles ("Mmm, nice!" - John Beck) but a U's defence marshalled by centre-backs Albrighton and Wayne Hatswell stood firm. On 13 Lee Mansell tried a wildly ambitious half-volley from over 30 yards with Danny Potter off his line, but although his effort had the length, it had nowhere near the direction and trundled off towards the corner flag. A minute later his colleague Matt Hockley blasted wide from slightly closer, and there was no doubt that edgy United were second best so far.
The visitors gained a free-kick just outside the area on 17 when Hatswell felled Phillips, and left-back Kevin Nicholson stepped up to hammer a decent set piece past the wall but Potter flung himself to his right to catch comfortably, doing particularly well to hold onto it safely when he hit the floor.
United battled gamely to gain a decent foothold in the game, and none more so than Reed, obviously desperate to prove a point against his old club, but his enthusiasm got the better of him on 20 as he clattered Hockley and became first cardee of the evening. Torquay were forced into a change five minutes later when D'Sane collided with Pitt and was forced to withdraw with a damaged shoulder, replaced wide right by Tony Bedeau.
Having so far been mostly on the back foot, United created their best chance on 26 via a good old-fashioned up-and-under down the middle, Boylan nipping behind the Gulls' defence as they failed to deal with it, but with only keeper Simon Rayner to beat, he went for a spectacular half-volley instead of the expected placement and shot a few feet over the bar.
Disappointing as the miss was, it seemed to galvanise United to pull themselves together, forget the nerves, roll their sleeves up and get on with it. Reed sent Pitt racing down the left channel just before the half-hour and he cut inside to pull a shot just wide of the near post (why does he always shoot with his weakest foot?), and on 32 the lively Beesley made space for a shot but could not beat the towering Rayner.
Now at last the U's were playing with a certain amount of freedom, with the wide men eager to get forward, Reed and Wolleaston energetic in the middle, and two forwards of rare intelligence in Beesley and Boylan moving hither and thither to pull the Torquay defence out of shape like so much blue-shirted Blutak.
The hosts came even closer on 34 when Reed's corner found Albrighton at the far post, but his header cannoned off the outside of the post. Four minutes later, pressure still growing, a further Reed flag-kick again found Albrighton, who this time nodded on for Beesley to poke wide under pressure.
United's ascendancy was crowned on 41. It was Gleeson who was the creator, intercepting an intended pass for Zebroski on halfway, haring forward as the Torquay man tussled with him every inch of the way, holding him off, cutting inside, then spotting the run of Beesley and sliding through an exquisite reverse pass to send the striker sprinting down the right channel. He seemed to have run too far to get a shot in, but almost from the byline he arrowed over an outrageous low scudder that slipped between the astonished Rayner and the near post to nestle in the opposite corner. What a shot, what a goal: 1-0!
The whole of the Abbey erupted with a mixture of joy and relief as Beesley gleefully celebrated his fifth goal in the last five games. Let the bouncing commence.
You could sense the confidence flooding through both players and supporters alike as United continued to take the game to their opponents, and they were rewarded on the stroke of half-time. Again Gleeson was the instigator, crossing from the right, and as Rayner came out expecting an easy catch, the indefatigable Boylan nipped in to get a touch, and with Rayner floundering after the loose ball it was Beesley who was there first to tap home from close range for a gift second. 2-0!
That pre-match feeling had been spot on: this was to be United's day. The NRE bounced, the Habbin bounced, the South Stand bounced, the Main stand bounced in a shared collective joy that said, yes, it's going to be all right! We're going to do it! And by 'eck, it's been the best part of ten years since that feeling was shared at the Wembley of the Fens.
Boylan received some treatment for the knock he got in providing his assist, and last shot of the half went to Sills, who did not overly trouble Potter, then United retired to the dressing rooms in the knowledge that they had weathered the early storm and come through all the stronger. Destiny awaited. And a whole lot more bouncing.
Boylan was deemed unable to continue in part two so the Abbey hordes were treated to the cheering sight of Lee McEvilly back in the black and amber for the first time since 15th March. What a comforting sight the big man was after five weeks tending to his ankle injury and playing a Sontaran without the need of makeup in Doctor Who.
Ever positive, Big Mac bustled at Torquay like a runaway bulldozer from the start and gained his side a corner within a minute, Hatswell's header hoisted clear by Bedeau. This time United started the better as confidence coursed through their veins. The visitors responded with another Nicholson free-kick on 50 which was again claimed with ease by Potter, then the U's resumed their ascendancy.
McEvilly drew a foul from Chris Todd on 57 and from the resultant free-kick Reed's driven curler found Hatswell at the far post, but he could only head into the side netting from a difficult angle. Torquay resisted as stoutly as United had in the equivalent period of the first half, and next into the book was Albrighton on 64 for an uncharacteristically clumsy foul on Phillips.
A minute later the ball pinged around the U's box before Sills hammered one wide, then Hargreaves brought down Zebroski's cross but could not beat Potter. To their credit, Torquay had not folded as we might have hoped they would and United began to sit back just a little, mostly content to see the game out.
There was an unpleasant incident on 68 when Bedeau scythed Reed down with a horrible challenge which somehow escaped a booking, then Zebroski felt the need to lean down at the prostrate Reed and mouth off nastily, which like a slap around the chops with a rotting halibut, was unwelcome and uncalled for.
Reed recovered to swing the ensuing free-kick towards the box, but McEvilly's attempted blaster sailed over, but United went closer a minute later when Gleeson produced a brilliant Stanley Matthewsesque dribble, slaloming past three opponents as he cut inside but screwed his shot wide of the near post with his left swinger.
Torquay responded with a good spell of their own. Albrighton blocked a Hockley blaster on 72, Morrison was robbed by Zebroski who sprinted down the left before slashing a shot across the six-yard box, then a further melee culminated in a Sills shot which was well parried by the ever-alert Potter. But somehow, we just knew that they were destined not to score tonight.
Darren Mullings replaced Mansell on 75 and essayed a long-range effort a couple of minutes later which was always sailing over the bar like a beach ball in a sea breeze. The visitors remained on top in terms of possession, but they found it hard to hurt a doughty home defence in which Danny Brown was a dominant presence.
Albrighton dealt with a hopeful Zebroski effort on 85, Hatswell did the same to Phillips, and Kevin Hill was a late replacement for the Gulls winger two minutes from time. Magno Vieira came on for Beesley as four added minutes were indicated, allowing United's outstanding player of their recent winning run to take a well-deserved round of applause.
Then it was all over, and the dancing, singing amber hordes all around the ground rose to acclaim their heroes, who returned the plaudits with gratitude. Even JQ managed a rudimentary bounce for the NRE, not the greatest for artistic expression but full marks for the sentiment, while Willy Wordsworth started bouncing then improvised a full dance routine like a mildly psychotic Michael Flatley.
Great scenes on a great night, and not, as the original fixture list once said, the last night at the Abbey this season. There will be a party at Northwich on Saturday, then this amazing team will be preparing to play the mysterious 'Special Match 4' (as it says on my ticket) next week. Who cares who they are; in this current mood, United can handle anyone. Bounce on, you crazy diamonds.
Statto Corner
United and Torquay first met back in November 1954, as the Eastern Counties League U's were beaten 4-0 at Plainmoor in the first round proper of the FA Cup. The attendance that day of 8,224 remains easily the largest in meetings between the two clubs: second best was the 4,280 at the Abbey in March 2003, and today saw the third highest.
In sixteen seasons of league encounters, this is the fourth time that United have done the double over their Devonian opponents. First time was in 1987-88, with two 1-0 wins thanks to goals from the legendary David Crown and the decidedly unlegendary Ronnie Hildersley. Second time around was in 1996-97, United triumphing 2-1 thanks to a brace from Scott McGleish (still banging them in now for Wycombe) and 1-0 courtesy of Jamie Barnwell-Edinboro. And the hat-trick came in 1998-99, with wins of 2-0 (John Taylor, Neil Mustoe) and 1-0 (Martin Butler).
Torquay have only doubled the U's once, in 2002-03, the Gulls victorious 1-0 at the Abbey and 3-2 at Plainmoor, Shane Tudor netting two consolation goals in injury time.
Chris Hargreaves seems to have been around forever; in fact he will be 36 on 12th May. His long, lank locks seems so familiar to us because he has played against United a remarkable total of 23 times in all competitions for seven different clubs over a period of twenty years, since his debut as a young substitute for Grimsby back in 1989. He has subsequently haunted us for Hull, Hereford, Plymouth, Northampton, Oxford and now Torquay, scoring a total of four goals. What's the betting the old buzzard will turn up at the Abbey again next season, whatever division we may be in...
Player Ratings
Potter 8. Not his busiest night, but was always alert and ready when needed, and his handling was immaculate.
Morrison 7. Not nearly as convincing at right-back as Gleeson was on Saturday, but stuck doggedly to his task.
Albrighton 8. Towering presence in the air and on the floor, bar the one bizarre tackle which got him booked.
Hatswell 8. Excellent foil for his centre-back partner, strong and decisive.
Brown 9. The very picture of no-nonsense, he seems to have found his best position at left-back and led by crunching example.
Gleeson 8. Seemed confused at times whether he was a wing-back or a wide midfielder, but did a good steady job and created both goals.
Wolleaston 7. It's been some time since we saw any flashes of individual brilliance from Wolly, but he has been quietly and effectively getting on with doing a job for the team.
Reed 8. To say he looked up for it against his former employers was putting it mildly, so credit to him for channelling his energies into mostly positive channels. And he's an infinitely better set-piece taker than Courtney.
Pitt 7. There is no doubt he looks most comfortable as a left-winger, and although he didn't pull up any trees today, he made a valuable contribution to the cause.
Boylan 7. Ran his socks off for 45 minutes, climaxing with his brave assist for United's second goal.
Beesley 9. Now blossoming forth, and by golly it's been worth the wait.
McEvilly 8. Big Mac brings the team a whole new dimension with his runaway-bulldozer physical presence, line leadership and neat skill. Welcome back.
Vieira 6. Brought on to run around busily during injury time, and fulfilled his brief adequately.
Match Summary
United dug deep and recalled their battling qualities of early season to grind out a rapturously-greeted playoff clincher. With the spirit, hard work and togetherness this team and its supporters share, anything is possible.
Man of the Match
Mark Beesley. This late-blooming flower has brightened up the latter stages of the season with six goals in five games, delightful skill and great vision and style, allied to a tireless work ethic. Knew he'd come good in the end.
Ref Watch
Hooper 5. Wildly inconsistent, he punished some relatively innocuous fouls then ignored much worse ones, and didn't seem to regard pushing as an offence at all. Much room for improvement.
Non-League Player's Name of the Week
Runcorn Linnets' Vincent Braine.
Soundtrack of the Day
Scott Walker 'We Came Through'
Andrew Bennett
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