Torquay United 1-0 County

Stockport County made it five games without a win after crashing to their third straight defeat on Saturday at Torquay.

Jim Gannon made five changes to the side the lost 7-2 at home to Rochdale, and for 90 minutes of the game it looked like Gannon was going to be at least taking a point and a clean sheet back to Edgeley Park.

Rob Clare, Adam Griffin, David Poole, Michael Raynes and Tes Bramble all came into the side. Eddie Nolan, Michael Rose, Tommy Rowe, Tony Dinning and Liam Dickinson were the players that dropped out – and only one of the changes was enforced by injury.

County rarely had a chance, and neither did Torquay to be totally honest, but Torquay seemed the more eager team to get a shot away and attack when they did have the ball.

Ali John came closest with a cross/shot that ended up straight in Hennessey’s arms.

And County suffered their first injury blow of the afternoon when Rob Clare went down with a recurrence of his Achilles injury, he was stretchered off the field and young full back Eddie Nolan took his place.

Michael Raynes then had County’s first chance of the game, a beautiful Adam Griffin free kick was glanced across the face of goal by the despairing Raynes.

Ex-County full back Mark Robinson, who left on a free transfer in January to join up with Torquay, was saving Torquay on many occasions. Some great build up play by County between all the attacking men resulted in a fantastic cross from Anthony Elding, and with Tes Bramble & David Poole waiting to swallow up any chances Mark Robinson made a fantastic last-ditch clearance.

County then lost their second player of the afternoon through injury, Michael Raynes suffered a horrible fall and he fell to the ground awkwardly. You could tell it was bad when the County club doctor ran onto the pitch along with the County physio. Raynes lost consciousness and was stretchered off the pitch before receiving oxygen and regaining consciousness. Tony Dinning took his place in the centre of midfield.

And it was because of the two injuries that there were six minutes of added time at the end of the first half. But neither side used the time, and at half time the score was level at 0-0.

County had much more possession at the start of the second half, but again it was in the final third of the field that County were letting themselves down. The only real chance was when Elding flicked down for Taylor, but he could only get away a weak shot and it was easily saved.

I think the plan from Jim was to bring Adam Proudlock on early in the second half, but with him already using his two substitutions it would have been too much of a risk incase anybody else was tired or picked up an injury.

Torquay opened up the County defence for the first time in the game just after the hour mark, and it ended up with Rueben Reid getting away a good shot but it was easily saved by Wayne Hennessey. Anything higher towards the top corner would have caused Wayne problems, but the shot he did get away wasn’t too much of a problem to Hennessey.

Tes Bramble won a free kick on the edge of the area when Mark Robinson brought Tes down. Adam Griffin squandered the chance though and hit the ball wide of the mark from 20 yards out.

But as the fourth official raised the board for three minutes of added time, you could kind of sense that this game wasn’t going to be County’s first 0-0 of the season.

And when a Mark Robinson shout rebounded back out, it allowed Torquay to build once again. Robinson regained the ball on the left, and swung the ball across the box to Rueben Reid. He curled his shot towards the opposite post and it hit the cross bar, fell into the net and condemned County to their third straight defeat.

Again County had thrown it away, worked hard for 90 minutes and then lost it in injury time. You could almost see the play-off hopes sliding away.

County had one final chance, Tes Bramble met a corner from Griffin but the ball flew over the bar.

Straight from the resulting goal kick the referee blew his whistle. The 2500 Torquay United fans were taunting the County fans, who looked on in despair after a four hour horror journey resulted in another loss. Peter Ward decided to signal to some Torquay fans that were giving him stick that they were still going down.

So, Lincoln away next week. 5th V 6th. But looking at the form table its 20th V 23rd.

The only hope is that we’re still in the play-offs and its still in our own hands. Last season we went to Torquay at a similar stage and we got beat 4-0, but we still ended up getting what we wanted at the end of the season. I only hope that it doesn’t go down to the last game against Darlington. Please.