United made it nine league wins in a row and their fourth consecutive clean sheet as they kept up their promotion chase with a deserved victory over a youthful Forest Green side at South Devon College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The hosts, hamstrung themselves by injuries, absences, and Lucy Solloway playing despite being ill, made hard work of the contest in the first half, while Rovers had goalkeeper, Florence Stiddard to thank for keeping the score to one, in the second period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alex Sheppard returned at centre-back with Natascha Bevan dropping to the bench, while Charlie Pettinger returned in midfield, giving Adele Brown a forward role in the absence of Ellie Bishop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most of the first 45 was punctuated by the whistle of referee Kelvin Day, who dished out a decent share of free kicks, but failed to brandish a yellow card despite more than one hefty and late challenge.\u00a0 And in an opening half hour devoid of any real goalmouth incident, it was he who led to the only goal of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solloway found space down United\u2019s right, and her low driven cross flicked up off the boot of a defender and onto her arm.\u00a0 Mr Day was in no doubt and pointed to the spot, though the only appeals had come from the crowd, and not United players.\u00a0 That said, Rovers didn\u2019t argue the decision, and Anthea Kaptein sent Stiddard the wrong way from the spot, her sixth penalty of the season bringing her total tally to fourteen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it was Kaptein who nearly doubled Torquay\u2019s advantage before the interval, lashing a free kick from just outside the left corner of the penalty area off the angle of bar and post, Kaitlyn Harris inexplicably heading the rebound over from about three yards out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Forest Green had offered little in that first half, trying to utilise Erin Williams and Leilani Ryder with diagonal balls out wide, but Rhiann Robbins never really received any supply, and Jas Read in United\u2019s goal was rarely called into service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clearly, whatever Lee Mann and his coaching team said in the dressing room at the break worked, as United created opening after opening, but couldn\u2019t beat Stiddard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Almost immediately, Solloway found herself clean through but denied by the keeper\u2019s foot.\u00a0 Lucy Palmer\u2019s corner from the left beat Stiddard but the finest defensive flick took the ball away from Brown, who seemed destined to score.\u00a0 Rover\u2019s stopper again used her feet, this time to deny Brown. Charlie Pettinger fired wide from distance, Bevan was off target under pressure from a defender, and Kaptein and Brown both hit powerful efforts straight at the keeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enter Jasmine Barker for Brown in the last ten minutes, and an almost immediate impact.\u00a0 A perfect pass split Green\u2019s back line, and Barker fired low, only to be denied by the quick advance of Stiddard.\u00a0 The Forest Green keeper then saved her best until last with a fabulous diving save to her left to deny Rebecca McMullin a late second, struck with venom from twelve yards out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, a dominant 1-0 if there is such a thing moves United to within five points of leaders Marine Academy Plymouth Ladies, still with two games in hand.\u00a0 But, the season could come down to next Sunday\u2019s encounter as Torquay travel to Manadon to face M.A.P. knowing that avoiding defeat there keeps them in pole position for the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Torquay United: 24. Jasmine Read, 2. Lucy Palmer, 3. Rebecca McMullin, 4. Alex Sheppard, 14. Kaitlyn Harris, 6. Adele Brown, 7. Tracey Cross \u00a9, 8. Charlie Pettinger, 10. Tee Kaptein, 9. Lucy Solloway, 12. Emily Elliott, Substitutes: 5. Lily Hilton, 13. Jasmine Barker, 16. Lexie Watts, 17. Natascha Bevan, 31. Danni Wyatt<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"