A late penalty denied Torquay United all three points on the road, as they opened their South West Women’s Regional Premier League season in Bristol. In a hard-fought game, United twice battled back after going a goal behind, before Lucy Solloway’s second looked to have secured the victory.
With a number of niggles and longer-term injuries, plus a couple of players unavailable, it was a very different squad that began the season, to the one which just missed avoiding relegation on the final day of the National League in May.
If new boss, Lee Mann, was perhaps unhappy with his side twice falling behind, he will have been pleased with how they responded. It was Meg Bloomer who started the ball rolling, so to speak, giving Boco the first lead of the afternoon, but Torquay restored parity within minutes, a great cross in from Chloe Williams, and Solloway was there to finish.
The first half tit-for-tat continued and Lucy Atkinson fired AEK 2-1 ahead, only for United to again respond within moments, Tracey Cross bagging the equaliser with a great header.
United finally forged ahead for the first time in the second half as Solloway made it an early season double. And with time running out and all three points seemingly headed back to South Devon, so United conceded a late, late penalty and Jess Dobbins earned the point for Boco from 12 yards.
Next up, the first of a run of home games, as United host Frampton Rangers Ladies, next Sunday 15th September, at The Rec, Marsh Road, Newton Abbot.
Torquay United: 1. Jasmine Read, 2. Natascha Bevan, 15. Lily Hilton, 5. Samantha Burnham, 4. Alex Sheppard, 6. Adele Brown, 7. Tracey Cross, 10. Tee Kaptein, 3. Emily Elliot, 9. Lucy Solloway, 11. Chloe Williams Substitutes: 8. Kayleigh Brown, 12. Gracie Proctor, 13. Rachel Heron, 14 Kaitlyn Harris, 16. Lexie Watts
Player of the Match: No.11 – Chloe Williams