Torquay went down to a single goal defeat at Kidderminster tonight after a promising first half performance. A goal just before half-time proved enough to win the game for the home side and no amount of changes in the second period could effect a result for the Gulls who now look ahead to a match with Northwich Victoria at Plainmoor to kick start their season.
Kevin Nicholson returned to the United starting line-up at the expense of winger Mustapha Carayol who dropped to the bench. That was the only change to the first eleven and the rest of the bench had a familiar ring to it with Danny Stevens, Nicky Wroe, Elliot Benyon and Matt Green keeping Carayol company.
The match started on a very damp surface but was perfectly playable. The first corner of the match went to the home team in the second minute but they could make nothing of it and a minute later Richards shot so far wide the ball went out for a throw-in. Meanwhile still inside the first three minutes Wayne Carlisle jumped on to a mistake at the back from Kidderminster but from 18 yards the Gulls midfielder shot just wide of the left hand post.
United were trying to play the ball on the floor where possible and Wayne Carlisle was having a very positive start to the match. This was one of the better starts from Torquay this season without being spectacular they were looking very purposeful and motivated, Mark Ellis found himself on the end of a Kevin Nicholson free-kick after a flick from Tim Sills but the Gulls centre half went for power and the ball flew well wide of the far post but it was more positive play from United.
In the 18th minute Wayne Carlisle produced another quality cross from the right and the ball found Roscoe Dsane six yards out but his first touch let him down and the ball screwed away for a goal kick when the best chance of the match looked to have fallen to the United forward. A minute later and the United striker was wrongly judged off-side when put clear as Torquay pressed in what had turned into monsoon conditions.
On the half hour mark Chris Robertson made a perfectly timed challenge to deny Richards who was 8 yards out and about to pull the trigger. The conditions were actually helping play with the ball holding up in the heavy conditions. Although United were having a positive time of it they still hadn't tested the home 'keeper after 30 minutes although Kevin Nicholson did his best with a twenty yard free kick which fizzed past the right hand post of Bartlett's goal. Michael Poke came to United's rescue on 36 minutes when he reacted quickly to a header from Richards from six yards but the Gulls 'keeper held on in the slippery conditions. United were putting in arguably their best opening 45 minutes of the season but, and it's always a big but, they hadn't turned their good play into goals, would this come back to haunt them?
Poke was on hand again four minutes before the break when he was well positioned to deal with a Barnes-Homer shot from the edge of the penalty area and the Gulls 'keeper gathered comfortably. In the 44th minute United received a haunting; Brittain found himself free wide on the left and only Lee Mansell was close enough to try and close him down, Mansell tackled the Kidderminster winger but his sliding effort was not good enough to win the ball and Brittain continued on his run before crossing for Barnes-Homer who had got between Woods and Robertson to knock the ball home from four yards giving poor Michael Poke no chance, not for the first time this season. A goal down at half-time and not what Paul Buckle's side deserved but there was no point in crying about it there were forty five minutes left to put things right and on the first half showing there was no reason why not.
The second period began and United were straight at it from the kick-off, a free kick was won and from the delivery Tim Sills got higher than everyone else and got his header on goal but Bartlett gathered easily. Soon after and Torquay were under pressure, Brittain was causing United problems out on the right and the United defence had to be at their best to keep the score at 1-0 with some last ditch defending. United created their best chance in the 53rd minute when a long cross field from Lee Mansell found Lee Hodges, the United midfielder looked up and picked out Dsane on the penalty spot but Roscoe's finish was too weak to trouble Bartlett who dropped on to the ball easily, these chances have to start being taken.
The home side had clearly taken confidence from their first half goal and were giving a better account of themselves in the second half which was obviously giving United more to think about and the start of the second period wasn't as positive as the first 45 minutes had been. United weren't getting Wayne Carlisle in the game as much as they were previously and the ball wasn't finding it's way into the wide areas where Torquay were looking dangerous in the first half. In the 64th minute Matt Green was introduced to replace Dsane in a straight swap as United looked to unlock an increasingly strong looking home defence. Another change for Torquay on 73 minutes with Carayol replacing Hodges on the left of midfield but United weren't looking the same side as they had in the first half although some credit for that must go to Kidderminster who had certainly upped things since the break.
The final throw of the dice by Paul Buckle came in the 81st minute when Tim Sills was replaced by Elliot Benyon, could United's youngest striker pull his side back into the match? Benyon's first run almost brought an equaliser after he jinked past two defenders but his centre evaded Chris Hargreaves and was cleared for a corner. Kidderminster were still looking dangerous and Woods had to block from Penn when the home favourite looked to have a free shot at goal but the United defender timed his challenge well. Great work down the left from Carayol in the 89th minute released Benyon and his shot from six yards forced a save from Bartlett but the ball was cleared with United players bearing down on the loose ball. A twenty five yard shot from Lee Mansell was sweetly hit but straight at Bartlett when any kind of deviation would have beaten the home 'keeper as Torquay pushed for a goal. After four minutes of time added on the final whistle brought the game to an end, conceding a goal a game isn't disastrous by any means but it is at the other end that things don't seem to be functioning as they should.
