Torquay United bounce back after bad start

Torquay United 2 Enfield Town 1

A bumper Plainmoor crowd went home happy as Torquay United recovered from an early setback to start their season with a win.

Enfield Town - playing their first match in National League South after being promoted from the Isthmian Premier League - punished some careless play by the hosts to take the lead in the fourth minute.

But new-look Torquay, with just one player in the starting line-up who was at the club at the end of last season, took stock, tightened up and took a 2-1 lead by the interval.

The 200 Enfield fans who made the trip to watch their team’s NLS debut were chanting “top of the league” as early as the fourth minute as they took the lead. Torquay dithered in midfield and lost possession, and when a cross was whipped in from the left Lewis Taaffe glanced in the cleverest of headers to open the scoring.

But Torquay skipper Oscar Threlkeld grazed the top of the bar with a long shot, and in the 15th minute the Gulls were level when Matt Carson drove in a shot from outside the box. There was some debate about whether home striker Brad Ash or even a defender got the final touch.

Carson turned provider in the 28th minute with a lovely chipped cross from the left which Ash gleefully nodded home.

There were plenty of chances at both ends for the rest of the game. Torquay, with most of a 3,800 opening day crowd on their side, had shots blocked thanks to some heroic Enfield defending, but the visitors finished strongly.

With the final moments ticking down, Torquay keeper James Hamon pulled off a remarkable double save to deny the visitors an equaliser.

Torquay will be happy to have started the new season with a win, but careless mistakes could have cost them dearly, and will need to be ironed out.