Pools draw 1-1 with Torquay at Plainmoor
By Albatross
August 24 2002
Pools manage to draw with Torquay at Plainmoor as Jason Fowler sees red for the home side. Mickey Barron was lucky to stay on the pitch though. Albatross reports on the game, with some assistance from Pools World.
This report is from what I've heard of the match via Pools World.
Pools drew with Torquay at Plainmoor this afternoon in a game that saw one Pools player lucky to stay on the pitch, one Torquay player dismissed, and a peach of a goal.
Eifion Williams was passed fit, and Pools started with the same 11 that started against Macclesfield. There were changes on the bench though, with Jermaine Easter dropping out for Adam Boyd. Tommy Widdrington was also on the bench alongside Kevin Henderson, Paul Smith and Jim Provett.
After a couple of early exchanges, Pools began to dominate the first half; after about 5 minutes a Torquay defender went close to heading into his own net, a few minutes later a long shot from Darryl Clarke hit the bar. Bedeau was causing one or two problems, and Sean Hankin coming up from the back was putting some good balls in - but overall the Pools defence was up to the challenge, with Chris Westwood in particualr impressing.
Possibly the best chance of the half came after 28 minutes; Dearden saved a shot from Watson, and then Darryl Clarke followed up with a wicked shot that Dearden managed to beat away. Pools had won several corners but had failed to convert them; Tinkler missed with a left foot shot and a cross from Robinson proved to be just too far away from Watson.
With about 10 minutes to go before half time, Hankin went close for Torquay when he put an effort from 25 yards just over the bar; shortly after the Gulls won their first corner of the afternoon. As half time approached, Hankin went even closer, hitting the bar with a Free Kick.
Pools squandered a chance just on the stroke of Half Time as Watson played a ball across the face of goal to an unmarked Eifion Williams, but from three yards out the former Torquay man missed the target.
Half Time: Torquay 0 Pools 0We didn't have to wait long after half time for the opening goal. Darryl Clarke played the ball to Richie Humphreys about 35 yards out; Humphreys spotted Dearden well off his line and hit a lob first time that sailed into the net.
Unfortunately the lead lasted all of three minutes. Torquay put pressure on immediately after conceding the goal, and won a free kick on the right. Hankin crossed in for Marcus Richardson to head past Williams and level the match
Shortly after Westwood had a good shot from long range and saw it go about a foot wide; but Torquay took control of the game and began to dominate, winning several corners. They almost repeated their goal on 56 minutes but Westwood got in well to block. Eifion Williams had another chance go wide; and with about 25 minutes left Turner decided to bring on Paul Smith for Mark Robinson. Fowler was booked for Torquay, and then on the 70 minute mark the match exploded into life once more.
Tony Bedeau was on the break for Torquay, and looked likely to go clear when Mickey Barron took him out. The description from the commentators made it sound more like a Rugby Tackle than anything. Fowler came across and had a shove at Barron, and when the Referee finally calmed everything down everyone in the ground must have expected Mickey to walk. Instead, the Ref produced a yellow to the relieved Barron. Fowler wasn't so lucky: having been booked just two minutes earlier, he was shown a second yellow for retaliating against Barron and departed to leave Torquay to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men.
Leroy Rosenior shuffled his pack a bit, bringing on Hocking for Graham, and bothe sides continued to try and find the breakthrough; but it didn't happen and the Ref blew for Full Time with the teams still deadlocked.
Full Time: Torquay 1 Pools 1So a point away from home, and a draw sounded like a fair result. A win would have been better, but a return of 7 points from 4 games is reasonable enough - a repeat of that all through the season would earn us about 80 points, enough to be sure of the playoffs at least. Next up it's an important match with Hull at the Vic on Monday - watch out for the Pools Online Preview.