A valiant effort at the EBB Stadium wasn’t enough for Torquay United who fell to a 3-2 defeat to Aldershot Town.
It didn’t take long for the hosts to get their noses in front, a deflection off McGinty falling nicely for Fenelon who fired home after just 4 minutes despite Clarke’s efforts to keep the ball out. With Josh Gowling out through injury, Luke Young was deputising and the skipper levelled the game just four minutes later with a superb free-kick. After an open period of play, both sides playing good football and Jamie Reid and Jordan Lee enjoying plenty of possession, Aldershot came close. Arnold got hold of the ball on the edge of the box and set up Fenelon. The latter struck the post but it wouldn’t have counted anyway as the flag was up for offside. With 19 minutes gone, Rowe sent Fenelon away on the break and the dangerman struck his shot over the bar. There were two bookings in two minutes, for Young and Reid, before the next goalmouth action, Higgins doing well to disrupt Fenelon’s attempts in the box. Former Exeter player Emmanuel Oyeleke won a corner from Sam Chaney as the last ten minutes of the half arrived, Clarke having already beaten away a previous effort. McClure tested the ‘keeper again before the half-time whistle, Reid also with a late chance.
HT: Aldershot 1 – 1 Torquay Utd
The Shots started the second half just as they had the first – with a goal, Fenelon the provider this time with Taylor hitting the back of the net in the 48th minute.Twenty minutes later, Reid headed the ball into the net but after a conversation between referee and assistant, the goal was chalked off for handball in the build-up. Torquay continued to press for the equaliser, Reid setting up substitute Jon-Paul Pittman who couldn’t get his shot away. Higgins then sent a ball into McGinty but his header missed the target. Rory Fallon made his debut for the Gulls with ten minutes remaining just before Aldershot set a dangerous ball across the visitors’ box. Then, with five minutes remaining, Aldershot scored what proved to be the winner, Okojie finding the net after a scramble in the box. Pittmans scored even later on, getting his jead to a vicious last minute corner from Reid, but it was too little too late for Torquay who returned to Devon with nothing.
FT: Aldershot 3 – 2 Torquay Utd
TUFC: Clarke (GK), McGinty, Chaney (Fallon 81), Young (c), Keating (Pittman 63), Anderson, Lee (Gosling 64), Gray, Klukowski, Reid, Higgins. Unused Subs: Lathrope, Osborn (GK)
Attendance: 2662 (343 away)