Before this match, Crawley Town’s manager Steve Evans had spoke about Torquay United’s chances of automatic promotion - and Paul Buckle’s apparent precarious job prospects should the Gulls lose out. Today’s result may well have consigned the Gulls to defeat on that front.
In a pulsating encounter at Plainmoor, it was Crawley who took the three points, with goals in each half from
Dannie Bulman and substitute Robbie Matthews all but ending Torquay’s promotion hopes, and in the process giving themselves a slim chance of making the playoff lottery.
The Scotsman is no stranger to controversy, of course, nor is he averse to mind-games with opposition managers. With tax evasions and refusals to shake other manager’s hands just some of the indiscretions to his name - Evans has built himself quite a reputation. And today he was at it again, gesturing and hurling abuse to the officials at every opportunity, and instructing his players to waste time whenever possible.
Clearly, Evans’ comments before the match had the desired effect. He had spoke of big budgets and the big expectations faced by Torquay prior to this match, and it appears his comments only added to the weight of expectation facing his opponents. From the kick-off his Crawley side looked the more lively - with his side outworking and out battling a clearly nervous Torquay, and his wingers proving to be a constant danger on the flanks.
So it proved for the opener. When Jamie Cook picked the ball up on the right touchline, there appeared to be little danger. However, the skilful winger had the beating of Gulls centre-back Chris Robertson on the edge of the box. His square pass to Bulman was perfectly measured, and the finish was slotted home coolly. A 3000 strong Plainmoor had been silenced.
Torquay responded immediately. Some good work from Blair Sturrock on the left hand channel kept alive what looked like a lost cause, and his persistance gave an unmarked Tim Sills the chance to even things up. His shot lacked accuracy, however, and fizzed well wide of former Gulls keeper Simon Rayner’s goal.
Half-time approached, and with that a big team talk was required from Paul Buckle. Only wins would do at this stage of the season, and his team responded in kind in the second half.
Indeed, it was constant pressure from Torquay - helped by a triple substituion on the hour mark - a signal of intent if there ever was one. It was substitutes Mustafa Carayol and Roscoe Dsane who came closest to breaking the deadlock - Carayol with a powerful effort that was tipped onto the crossbar after cutting inside from the left touchline, and Dsane with a shot that was tipped over by Rayner in the Crawley goal, who was clearly relishing his return to Plainmoor.
With Torquay committing so many players forward, a counter-attack was always likely. And in the dying minutes of the match, a swift Crawley move was finished by substitute Scott Matthews, who saw his powerful shot creep under goalkeeper Scott Bevan.
It was the least the visitors deserved, who have now beaten the league’s top two teams in the space of a week, and find themselves seven points from the playoffs with five games to play. As for Torquay, the dream of automatic promotion has now disappeared, and the playoffs are surely looming. And on today’s evidence, the prospect of Crawley over two legs is one they’d like to avoid. It’s a clash Evans would certainly relish.
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