SUBSTITUTE Matt Green’s searing drive, in the third minute of stoppage time, hauled Torquay United – with striker Tim Sills in goal! – back for a never-say-die victory in a remarkable Westcountry derby against Forest Green Rovers at the New Lawn last night.
Their equaliser was also a brilliant effort, a show-stopping volley by Elliot Benyon, also a sub, in the 69th minute.
United had to weather all sorts of problems, starting with the loss of goalkeeper Michael Poke to a thigh injury after only 17 minutes.
With no keeper on the bench, Sills went into goal, and what a heroic performance he put on – saving, catching and punching as if his life depended on it.
United also lost centre-half Chris Todd, to a groin injury, in the 39th minute.
It seemed a long way back when Rovers took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Jonathan Smith.
But United would not accept defeat and roared back in a memorable second half.
Benyon and Green supplied the finishing touches, but along the way Rovers missed a penalty through Adriano Rigoglioso and also hit the bar through Darren Jones.
Nothing, though, could deny Paul Buckle’s Gulls a fourth successive victory.
United had to make one change because leading scorer Wayne Carlisle had picked up a hamstring injury, so Buckle recalled loan transfer-listed Dsane on the right wing.
Rovers boss Jim Harvey took action after the 3-0 home defeat to Stevenage at the weekend, making three changes.
Out went Lee Molyneaux, the injured Simon Clist and striker Michael Symons, and in came Curtis McDonald, Les Afful and Andy Mangan in attack.
Playing towards their own supporters in the first half, United were intent on taking no risks in the early stages, Lee Hodges trying to turn the Rovers defence as a first priority.
Sills won a couple of early headers without finding enough support, but in the ninth minute it was a flick-on by Tyrone Thompson which forced Rovers goalie Ryan Robinson to race out of his area to clear from Sills.
But three minutes later Rovers set up the first real opening, Jon Smith whipping the ball out to Mohamed on the left.
Mohamed cut in past Lee Mansell and let fly with a 20-yard right-foot shot which flew just over Poke’s bar.
Within moments it was clear that Poke was struggling badly with his right thigh.
It looked as if he would have to go off and, after treatment from physio Damian Davey, the on-loan Southampton goalie did just that.
Referee Paul Tierney gave United plenty of time to sort out the problem, but eventually it was Sills going into goal.
And striker Matt Green was sent on to take Sills’ place in attack in the 17th minute.
It was immediately obvious that Sills’ kicking would be suspect, but his first catch of the ball, admittedly one which ran through to him on the ground, was secure enough.
Rovers thought they had taken the lead in the 19th minute when Andy Mangan lobbed Sills from long range, but the goal was disallowed for a push by Mangan on Steve Woods.
Sills was smartly off his line to catch a loose through-ball after 25 minutes, and he followed with a thumping clearance which any keeper would have been proud of.
United nearly got in on it too, Dsane almost getting round the back past McDonald.
The most important thing was to keep the ball away from Sills as much as possible, but in the 31st minute Dsane, looking sharp on his recall, beat McDonald and forced a corner.
Hodges’ inswinging flag-kick was only cleared with great difficult by Rovers, after Hargreaves and Todd both had efforts to force the ball home.
In the 38th minute Sills came up trumps with a half-save from Mohamed, who had been slipped through on Rovers’ left by Adriano Rigoglioso.
The ball was bouncing towards the empty goal when Hodges completed the rescue with a hooked clearance off the line.
But only a minute later United’s injury problems worsened when Todd had to go off.
This time Buckle sent on Nicholson at left-back and switched Hodges inside to centre-back alongside Woods.
Dsane, with a left-foot volley from 20 yards, and Carayol with a cross-shot just over the bar, both went close for United, roared on by fans behind Robinson’s goal.
But just as the fourth official indicated four minutes of stoppage time, things got even worse on the injury front.
Hargreaves appeared to twist his right knee after winning a header, but he was able to continue after treatment from Davey.
United desperately needed to get through to the interval on terms, but in stoppage time Rovers took the lead.
Rigoglioso forced a corner on their right and, although he failed to beat the first defender with his first flag-kick, his second attempt was deeper.
The ball bobbled around a packed goalmouth before it fell for Smith at the far post and he stabbed it home from point-blank range . . . 1-0 to FGR.
United barely had time to restart before referee Tierney blew for half-time.
Goalkeeping coach Kenny Veysey spent the whole interval putting Sills through his paces, with substitutes Danny Stevens and Elliot Benyon supplying the crosses.
But the first goal under pressure was Rovers’, Green having a shot on the turn deflected behind from a long throw by Nicholson.
From the corner Woods had a goalbound header, but it never had enough power to bother Robinson.
Then United went close twice more, Hargreaves with a diving header at the far post from a Nicholson corner and then, from the half clearance, Nicholson with a fierce drive which Robinson did well to parry.
Despite their manpower problems, United continued to carry the battle to the home side.
Thompson was fouled wide on the left, Nicholson’s free-kick was on the money and Hargreaves headed over.
Then Green dashed away on the right wing, laid the ball back to Dsane and his shot flew off defender Mark Preece and behind for a corner.
Rovers’ attack was having little impact, so Jim Harvey sent on Symons for Mangan in the 56th minute.
Two minutes later Buckle responded with his last change – Benyon for Thompson in attack.
Sills drew a huge roar from United’s fans when he came off his line in a crowded area to cut out a free-kick by Stonehouse.
Wroe was starting to have a bigger say in midfield, working hard and threatening to hit the pass which might unlock the Rovers defence.
But in the 69th minute it was a move up the right wing, started by Mansell to Green, which set up the equaliser.
Dsane joined in, chesting the ball down to Benyon who crunched a brilliant right-foot volley over Robinson from the edge of the area . . . 1-1.
Rovers immediately took off former Gulls loanee Mohamed and sent on Conal Platt in attack.
Symons did beat United’s offside trap on a through-ball, but his attempt to control the ball only took it wide of goal with Sills off his line.
But that was only punctuation in United’s almost constant pressure, cranked up by the introduction of the lively Benyon.
Sills drew another loud cheer when he launched himself off his line to punch a Platt corner off the heads of several Rovers forwards.
But eight minutes from time United’s emergency goalie had to face the ultimate test.
Stretched by Afful on the left, United could not stop the winger’s clever ball inside the area, McDonald went down over Woods’ challenge and Mr Tierney pointed to the spot.
It looked a harsh decision, for Woods had checked his move and McDonald was looking for the foul.
Anyway, after a long delay, Rigoglioso stepped to take the penalty . . . and pulled his shot wide of the left-hand post. Sills had guessed the right way!
Moments later United had another major escape.
Sills dived to his right to push a Stonehouse 25-yarder wide – another excellent stop – and from Afful’s corner Jones smacked a far-post header against the bar and away.
Rovers finally mounted some pressure in the closing stages, the first time they had managed it in the second half.
But in the second minute of stoppage time Dsane nearly won it with a snapshot which Robinson tipped wide.
And in the 93rd minute Green did!
Dsane slipped him through on the left, Green cut back when it seemed better to run on, but he knew what he was doing, beating Jones on the turn before belting a right-foot shot past Robinson from the edge of the area . . . 2-1 to the Gulls.
It was no more than they deserved.
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