Torquay went back to the top of the Blue Square Premier today after a superb 4-2 win over in form Stevenage at Plainmoor in front of a crowd of 3744 supporters.

Anyone who didn't watch the match and is wondering how close a 4-2 scoreline actually was then let's make it clear - it could and possibly should have been six or seven. The two goals scored by Stevenage were an irrelevance as United stormed through the second half to punch out a message across the Blue Square Premier.

United started with a slightly different line-up from the Oxford game, Tony Bedeau came in at right back with Steve Woods moving back into the centre of defence and Ishmael Welsh started the match on the left side of midfield with Chris Zebroski moving to the opposite wing. The first half was very similar to a chess match with both sides trying to out manoeuvre the other and, to a certain extent, cancelling each other out. A notible feature was the admirable way the visitors tried to play the ball on the floor, even from Julian in the Stevenage goal distributing the ball out to his defence. Ishmael Welsh started the game like he finished the match on Thursday, taking on his marker and trying to get to the goal line to pull the ball back using his pace and no little skill. United nearly opened the scoring in the third minute when a Kevin Nicholson corner was met by Lee Phillips with a flick header which just flew past the far post. Nicholson was again involved when a long free kick from out on the left was met by Tim Sills but he put a difficult headed chance over the bar. The same two players combined in the 24th minute but this time Sills couldn't get a powerful enough header in towards Julian who collected easily. Stevenage were playing some neat football and creating opportunities of their own, most notably near the half hour mark when a free kick from just outside the left hand side of United's area was struck low in toward the near post but Simon Rayner was already there waiting to collect the ball in anticipation.

The match was unlikely to end 0-0 and in the 32nd minute United broke the deadlock. Ishmael Welsh collected the ball wide left and went straight at the right back, Ishmael's pace was too much and he made himself a couple of yards to crack a low left footed shot which Julian couldn't hold, Zebroski had drifted in from the right and darted in to finish from five yards. The odd thing about the goal was that United were down to 10 men at the time after Chris Hargreaves had gone off for treatment after getting a kick in the head a couple of minutes before. Unfortunately, Hargreaves' absence may have played a part in Stevenage drawing level six minutes later when he was still off the field of play. Lee Mansell committed a foul 25 yards out and the resultant free kick took a couple of deflections before Dobson hit a good first-time shot which curled it's way along the floor to elude Rayner. The crowd only had to wait four minutes for United's second goal, Chris Todd made a good pass up to Lee Phillips' feet he passed the ball out to Zebroski who collected the ball, took a look up, saw Julian off of his line and curled a shot over the goalkeeper and in off the far post. A half-time scoreline of 2-1 which United just about deserved.

Stevenage are a well organised team and must have done their homework on the Gulls in preparation for the match and they surely new how strongly United have performed in the second half of matches this season but if they did they had no answer. Straight from the off United pressed forward, Zebroski letting fly with a 25 yard shot which was blocked by Julian, the ball fell to Sills but he couldn't supply the finish. Three minutes later and Lee Phillips was at his best chasing down the ball which fell to Sills under his strike partners challenge, Sills took the ball on and hit a hard drive which Julian was equal to. The third goal no-one could have predicted, Kevin Nicholson took an inswinging corner from the right, Julian claimed the ball on his line and then seemed to take a backward step, the referee had a look at his assistant who signalled that the ball had crossed the line, harsh on Nicholson but should an own goal be chalked up?

Torquay had taken complete control of the game by now and a minute later the match was ended as a contest. A long clearance from Rayner was flicked on by Sills, touched on again by Zebroski before sitting up perfectly 8 yards out for Lee Phillips to slam a volley into an empty net. The flood gates had opened now and Chris Zebroski was causing problems for the visitors time after time, he nearly set up a fifth goal just after the hour when he crossed low but Sills couldn't find a finish when off balance after Julian had spilled the ball. Ishmael Welsh and Chris Hargreaves had further chances to bury Stevenage completely but Julian, to his credit, was doing all he could to keep out a rampant home side. Chris Zebroski almost capped another man of the match show with a hat-trick but he didn't connect well enough with a Welsh centre to trouble Julian. Stevenage were to have the last say in the game when Tes Bramble finished well on the turn 12 yards out after good work from Wilson on the right but it was no more than a consolation goal and did nothing to dampen the high spirits of the Gulls players and supporters at the final whistle.

Stevenage should be applauded for the way they go about their football and at times it was easy to see why they are considered to be a team in contention at the top of the division but United could have blown them off the map today if all the chances created had been taken, we can all look forward to the next match at 'Fortress Plainmoor'.