GULLS TAME THE SHREWS- BUT MISS OUT ON THREE POINTS

Torquay United 0

Shrewsbury Town 0

A first half penalty save from Nathan Abbey helped Torquay United to pick up a crucial point in their League Two clash with Shrewsbury Town at Plainmoor.

The spot-kick was awarded in the 21^st minute after referee Paul Taylor had ruled that Lee Andrews had handled the ball by referee Taylor. Ben Davies stepped up to take the penalty for the Shrews, but Abbey dived the right way to turn it away.

This provided the Gulls with a major boost and they could gave clinched all three points in the second half when midfielder Adam Murray had a long range shot that hit the crossbar.

Ian Atkins made three changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Stockport in the previous week as Martin Phillips switched to left hand side of midfield in place of the injured Kevin Hill and Leo Fortune-West started the game upfront in place of Mickey Evans who was also absent through injury. New loan signing Kyle Critchell made his first start for the Gulls in the centre of midfield.

After making a patient start to the game, the Gulls strike pairing of Fortune West and Jamie Ward started to put the Shrewsbury under pressure, but were unable to find the back of the net.

Defender Gavin Cowan came closest to scoring for Shrewsbury when he headed a Ben Davies corner wide.

Leo Fortune West almost gave Torquay the lead when the ball fell to him in the box after Scott Shearer had fumbled it. Fortunately for the visitors, his shot went wide.

In the 21^st minute, referee Taylor awarded Shrewsbury a penalty after Lee Andrews was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the penalty area. Ben Davies was handed the job of taking the spot-kick and he fired a shot to the left of Nathan Abbey, but the Gulls keeper was able to guess the correct way and parried the spot-kick away.

Ten minutes later, Adam Murray almost gave Torquay the lead when he volleyed over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.

Shrewsbury's best chance before the half-time break fell to their former Everton youngster Michael Symes, but his shot went wide.

In the second half, the Gulls started brightly and went on the offensive. Shrewsbury keeper Scott Shearer produced a superb reflex save to deny Torquay's top scorer Jamie Ward.

Shortly afterwards, Buster Phillips went close with a long range shot that Shearer managed to get his finger tips to.

Lee Thorpe also went close for the Gulls, when the ball fell to him following a free -kick from Adam Murray, but the Gulls defender shot was stopped by Shearer.

Fortune-West also went close to finding the back of the net for Torquay, but he couldn't find a way past Shearer.

At the other end of the pitch, Shrewsbury best chance fell to striker Andy Cooke, but he headed wide from close range.

The pick of the Gulls second half chances fell to Adam Murray when he fired a long-range effort at goal, which had Scott Shearer beaten, but unfortunately it couldn't beat the woodwork as he hit the crossbar and went wide.

Jamie Ward also managed to get in amongst the Shrews defence, but to no avail as the Gulls settled for what was a useful point.

Steve Harris

Man of the Match: Nathan Abbey