Torquay United's flying start fades in disappointing draw

Torquay United 2 Chelmsford City 2

New Torquay United signing Jordan Young didn’t take long to announce his arrival on the Plainmoor stage.

Inside five minutes he had created the opening for a goal for striking partner Cody Cooke, and within 13 he had helped himself to a goal of his own as the Gulls looked set to run riot in front of another big crowd.

But they inexplicably allowed Chelmsford back into the game, and the visitors celebrated the 2-2 final scoreline as if they had scooped all three points.

United were left to ponder missed chances and a disallowed goal which would surely have put the game beyond City if it had stood.

Young joined United from National League Yeovil in midweek, and earned himself a place in manager Paul Wotton’s starting line-up. Along with Omar Mussa, Oscar Thrkeleld and Matt Carson he was among four changes from the team that lost at Hornchurch last week.

Lirak Hasani, Brad Ash and Finn Tonks dropped to the bench, while Will Jenkins Davies was injured and played no part.

Young’s first big involvement in the game came in the fifth minute when he received the ball on the right and raced past a number of City defenders before firing in a shot. The effort was blocked but the ball fell for Cooke to rifle it home.

Then the new arrival got himself on the scoresheet with a confident shot from the edge of the box after a corner had only been half-cleared.

At that point it looked as it Torquay would run riot, but Chelmsford kept their composure and gradually fought their way back into the game. A header from Jake Hyde made it 2-1 just after the half-hour, and when Torquay had a third goal disallowed by referee Stacey Pearson for reasons which were not made clear, it gave the visitors the glimmer of hope they needed.

There were plenty of chances at both ends in an action-packed second half. Young curled a free kick just over the bar and put another great chance over the bar. Omar Mussa also shot too high from a good position and Dan Hayfield had a goal-bound effort blocked.

The final goal of the game went to City skipper Cameron James, who made the most of a spill by home keeper James Hamon to lash home the loose ball.

Young earned the man of the match award for his dynamic debut, but even he will have been disappointed to see a sure-fire win slip away.