Encouraging signs from a fantastic game of football at Plainmoor

They may not have beaten Dorking Wanderers, but Torquay United breathed new hope into their National League South promotion chances in Tuesday’s breathless 2-2 draw at Plainmoor.

Galvanised by the return of five players from injury/suspension, the Gulls went toe-to-toe with the leaders and were within a toe-end of beating them in new manager Jimmy Ball’s home ‘debut’.

Fit-again Callum Dolan’s two-goal recall from the subs’ bench will live long in the memory for the near-4,000 crowd.

But it wasn’t just that.

United proved that, when they’ve got even most of their best players on the pitch, they’re still a threat to anyone in the division.

The match was one of the best seen at Plainmoor this season, rivalling the 3-2 win over Worthing in November, in front of the best crowd and in the best stadium in the NLS.

It was a terrific advertisement for the division and would almost certainly have done credit to the NL Premier as well.

New centre-forward Deon Moore held the ball up well, ran hard and was unlucky not to score.

Dylan Morgan in the first half, fellow winger Jordan Young, goalkeeper Seb Stacey, Matt Jay, Sam Dreyer – it was his outstretched boot that deflected Kai Enslin’s shot past Stacey for the equaliser – were among those who impressed before Dolan and Louis Dennis went on to move United up a gear in the second half.

Although Dorking emerged with a point – to their credit, they kept going forward at 1-0 and 2-2 – the result did the title race a favour.

The Wanderers (two wins in seven) are now four points ahead of Worthing with six games to go, and five in front of Hemel Hempstead Town, who have a game in hand.

And remember, in-form Hemel this Saturday and Worthing both still have to play at Dorking.

Wanderers boss Marc White tried to say that he ‘rested’ one or two of his sizeable squad on Tuesday, hinting that he regarded the Hemel and Worthing matches as more important.

Well, if that decision works out, good luck to him, but..!

Meanwhile, United are up to sixth place and, while the title may be in ‘miracle’ territory (they’re ten points behind Dorking), the Play-Offs are very much on and, possibly, still that important second or third spot.

Of course, Torquay can afford few, if any, slip-ups.

They need to follow up at home to Horsham on Saturday before tackling Weston-super-Mare away on Good Friday (all Gulls tickets already sold out) and Bath City at Plainmoor on Easter Monday.

Then it’s Slough away, Hemel home and Tonbridge away on the last day of the regular season (Apr 25).