All Photos © Phil Ladbrook Photography
The Yellows looked for their fourth straight victory in all competitions by hosting Warminster Town Ladies, who were promoted into the SW Premier league having finished as champions last season in their respective league.
Having drawn against Bristol Rovers in their last game, their confidence was high but the Yellows started on the front foot, as they still often do, forcing a string of chances in the opening ten minutes with a couple of strong saves from the opposing keeper stopping United from taking the lead.
However, the deadlock was soon broken when the ball broke to Tracey Cross on the edge of the box, and she fired yet another unstoppable drive past the opposition ‘keeper, to give the ladies the lead they thoroughly deserved in the opening quarter of the game. The goal seemed to spark a very strong reaction from the opposition with their midfielders beginning to grab hold of the ball and playing some interesting through balls behind the United back line, and on a couple occasions, with more focused finishing, the young team from Warminster may well have levelled the game.
An injury to the Warminster ‘keeper gave United a five minute reprieve, and the players, along with the management, got to grips with the way the game was turning and implemented a change in strategy which paid dividends as from the restart after the injury, United scored their second goal. Again taking the game to their opponents, Ellie Bishop used her pace getting into the box and hitting a low cross shot, which was parried by the opposing ‘keeper straight into the path of Mia Preston who rolled the ball into the unguarded net for a 2-0 lead at half time for United.
The second half started much the way the first half had with the Gulls on the front foot and with United controlling the opening quarter and creating a couple of notable chances. Torquay’s third goal of a game came from a cross into the box that struck the hand of a Warminster defender, and the referee awarded a penalty to United much to the annoyance and frustration of the opposing bench and players. Bishop stepped up and calmly slotted the ball in the bottom left hand corner of the goal for what should’ve been a comfortable 3-0 lead.
However, the young talented opponents refused to give up, and for the next ten to fifteen minutes of the game they had large periods of control with the ball and caused United a few problems without being clinical but forcing Yellows ‘keeper Emma Ayres into action. It was a free kick from the halfway line that got the visitors back into the game, with the long ball bouncing and skidding over the head of centre back Jana Richards allowing the Warminster striker to nip in behind and smash the ball past Ayres which was no more then the visitors deserved for their play leading up to that goal.
United, though, restored their three goal lead within two minutes with the ball yet again breaking to Bishop on the left-hand side, and, again using her pace to get to the byline, she hit a beautiful cross for the outstretching Danni Wyatt to smash the ball into the roof of the net and give United a 4-1 lead. With the ball flying around in the United box, it was a Warminster cross followed by a shot that allegedly came off the hand of central midfielder Rebecca McMullin, and the visitors were given a penalty, and although it was a very tough decision to give, it was one that went against the Yellows on this occasion. The Warminster striker hit the penalty low to the corner to make the score 4-2, and although that was the last main goal action, it saw United make changes from an attacking system to a more defensive one to see out the last fifteen minutes of the game and secure the three points, which keeps them joint second in the table and now only one point behind league leaders Sherborne Town, after their 3-3 draw with Poole Town Ladies.
“We now put our full focus on to the Devon County Cup next Sunday…preparing for Exeter City and a rerun of last year‘s Cup Final.”
Steve Elswood (manager)
Manager Steve Elswood reflected on another strong performance and victory:
“ We didn’t know too much about Warminster having not seen them last season, but we knew they would be young, energetic and confident after a good point the weekend before, and they didn’t disappoint. They gave a very good account of themselves and in spells tested us, but overall our clinical attacking threat and attitude got us over the line with four separate scorers again. It just goes to show how we can rotate the goals throughout the squad.
“We now put our full focus on to the Devon County Cup next Sunday, with us trying to defend it this season, as we start preparing for Exeter City and a rerun of last year‘s Cup Final.”
This Sunday’s Devon County Cup match against Exeter City will take place at Devon FA Headquarters at Coach Road in Newton Abbot, with the game having a 3pm kick off. There will be full coverage of the game on TUFC Radio for those unable to get along to the game, with commentary starting around ten minutes before the kick off.
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