Marc named a slightly makeshift eleven to face playoff-chasing Torquay, with Jordan Norville-Williams and Dan Gallagher filling in at centre back and Niall McManus making a rare league start. The first 15 minutes saw both teams go toe-to-toe in the middle of the park, with Wanderers emerging as the team in control early on. Norville-Williams picked up a loose ball in the Torquay half and drove towards the box, but nothing came of the opportunity. Our boys also showed an absolute commitment to their defensive work, most notably with Norville-Williams launching himself into a diving header to meet a Torquay cross. He sparked a counterattack which saw Alfie Rutherford end up within inches of a golden opportunity, but visitors’ goalkeeper James Hamon pipped him to possession. Over 2000 fans at Meadowbank would wait 20 minutes for the game’s first big chance – and it fell to the unlikeliest of sources. A whipped cross was met at the back post by Niall McManus, and the ball fell to Tony Craig, who had a go from 5 yards out. Hamon was quick to close the defender down, and Torquay cleared their lines. Craig was then required at the other end, and made a thundering clearance to deny Torquay forward Offrande Zanzala in the Wanderers box. Gallagher showed his commitment to the cause with a brilliant double-block just before half time. It was a half that even the Bank struggled to garner much enthusiasm from, with no clear cut chances and a lack of attacking cohesion from both sides.
Half Time 0-0
Wanderers certainly started the second half brighter than they’d ended the first, with Jimmy Muitt in particular looking like a man on a mission. The problem for Wanderers was that the visitors were eager to meet them with equal force, and they enjoyed a few corners early in the half – but didn’t really threaten Harrison Foulkes’ goal.
As the half developed Wanderers grew dominant. The game was played largely in the Torquay half, and probing moves from Taylor and Muitt were certainly promising signs.
Just past 70 minutes, Jack Young played a beautiful incisive pass in behind to Matt Briggs, who couldn’t quite capitalise on the opportunity. Moments later, Briggs played a cute pass of his own through to Rhys Murphy, but as had been the story of the day, our end product was letting us down.The visitors’ threat took the form of set-pieces, which throughout the afternoon had asked questions of Wanderers’ somewhat makeshift defence. United hit the post, forced Foulkes into saves and we cleared our lines unconvincingly on a few occasions.
But eventually our fortune ran out. A testing corner from Jordan Young was met by Jordan Dyer, who nodded home to give the visitors the lead with less than 10 minutes to go. 82’ 0-1
A late Wanderers free kick was whipped in by Young and flew agonisingly past everyone across the six-yard line. The rest of injury time sailed by without action. Our first defeat since mid-January is certainly a sore one, but with Boreham Wood away next Saturday, Wanderers have a chance to bounce back in a week’s time.
Full Time 0-1
Match report by Charlie Partridge