Torquay United’s unbeaten run in the South West Regional Women’s Premier League came to an end as they were soundly beaten by a strong and physical Sherborne Town Ladies side, on a bleak afternoon in Ivybridge.
This was by far the worst performance of this current squad, and even though United had played just one competitive match in seven weeks, and were bound to be rusty, they were outthought and outplayed in every department.
Lee Mann was blessed with a full squad and therefore a selection headache. Adele Brown was given the captain’s armband in the absence of Tracey Cross, with Lexie Watts slotting into the third midfield role. Goalkeeper, Jas Read, having been recalled by her parent club, Exeter City, was available to United and started between the sticks.
The pattern of play with visible from the off, Sherborne slick and quick going forward, tough and physical at the back, Emily Wilkinson rarely troubled in the Town goal, despite Torquay’s plethora of attacking options.
In fairness, United defended reasonably well for the opening half hour, resolute if sometimes disorganised, but more than once put themselves in danger, trying to playout from the back, on a narrow pitch which rarely afforded the wingers time or space.
Having got the job done for thirty minutes, with the help of two fine saves from Read, they will have been bitterly disappointed to concede from a route one. Wilkinson’s clearance was flicked on just inside United’s half, and Town skipper, Chloe Snook, raced through to slot past the advancing Read.
And it was a similar through-ball that produced controversy, and a second Sherborne goal, six minutes later. The assistant flagged for offside against Chloe Snook, United’s defence stopped and Snook almost half-heartedly flicked the ball over Read as she came to collect it for the free kick. But referee Stephen Brearly checked with the assistant that a United player had touched it on the way to Snook and the goal was given.
United were enraged! By the letter of the law it was a goal of course. The question mark though is why the assistant didn’t let play progress. Torquay’s defence may not have caught Snook, but as least Read would have been in keeper, rather than retrieval mode.
The two-goal cushion for the visitors had given United a mountain to climb in the second 45, but after an extensive team talk at the interval, they conceded aagain90 seconds after the restart. Torquay’s defence failed to cut out a ball from the right, and Chloe Snook got ahead of a defender at the near post to slot home.
The introduction of Rebecca McMullin in the second half finally gave United some bite, but at 3-0 Sherborne were able to soak up what little Torquay mustered going forward, and counterattack effectively passing at pace.
United also had to weather ten second-half minutes missing Tee Kaptein, sin-binned for dissent at Mr Brearly, after the assistant involved in the second goal, missed an easy throw-in call.
Read made three more important saves and Molly Gladwell hit the crossbar with a looping effort late on. The closest Torquay came was an Ellie Bishop shot sliced wide in the opening fifteen minutes, a similar one from Kate McKane midway through the second half and a wicked curling effort from McKane that just dropped over in the closing stages.
The defeat brings a disappointing end to 2024, but United will have thirteen more games in 2025 (almost twice as many as they’ve played already) to ensure their title aspirations get back firmly on track. They resume away from home against AFC St Austell Ladies at Poltair Park on Sunday 5th January 2025 – kick-off 2pm.
Torquay United: 24. Jas Read, 2. Lucy Palmer, 5. Sam Burnham, 14. Kaitlyn Harris, 17. Natascha Bevan, 6. Adele Brown ©, 10. Tee Kaptein, 16. Lexie Watts, 3. Emily Elliott, 9. Lucy Solloway, 12. Ellie Bishop Substitutes: 4. Rebecca McMullin 23. Kayleigh Brown, 11. Chloe Williams, 15. Kate McKane, 19. Sasha Mole
Player Of The Match:
After the disappointing end to 2024, you can hear the post-match assessment of United Manager, Lee Mann, by clicking HERE