Having won on the opening day Rovers were high on confidence, they had been named as one of the favourites for League 2 promotion, but that optimism came crashing back to earth with a 2-1 defeat to their West Country rivals, twice shooting themselves in the foot during the opening quarter of an hour. Taiwo Atieno opened the scoring before strike partner Rene Howe, a man who finished last term at the Memorial Stadium, slotted home from the spot, Byron Anthony’s second half header proving a mere consolation.
The result will have come as a surprise to many onlookers, not least Buckle himself.
"We didn't see that coming,” Said the Rovers boss, who was not drawn into fielding questions on the significance for the Torquay fans. “You cannot legislate for individual errors.”
"It hasn't gone for us today, we have got a lot to work on, but we only lost by the odd goal and in the end the players have shown great spirit to nearly come back and get a point.
"We had a go flow to our game in the second half, and put Torquay under severe pressure.
"I think if we can get that first goal teams are going to find it very difficult. The first goal in any game is vital and we feel we gave Torquay a big head start today.”
That head start was grasped in the eleventh minute when too many of the Rovers defence pressed Danny Stevens, allowing the midfielder with the simple task of playing in Kenyan international Atieno who had the time to take a touch prior to slipping the ball past former Gull Scott Bevan.
Little over four minutes later and the lead went from one to two, the Torquay frontline pushing up high on Rovers full back Michael Smith, pressuring the Northern Irishman into a dreadfully weak backpass that allowed Atieno to nip in and touch the ball first, only for the summer signing to have his shins taken from underneath by the sliding Bevan.
Up stepped former Pirate Rene Howe to take the penalty and, as casually as you like, the forward placed the ball into the bottom corner, that despite catcalls from the Rovers fans behind the goal, lambasting Howe about his weight.
A penalty shout at the other end against the arm of Brian Saah was waved away by referee Moss as Rovers pushed for a way back into the game, Adam Virgo nearly providing such an opportunity, his fiercely driven free kick being beaten away by Torquay ‘keeper Bobby Olejnik.
The intensity on the field was growing, Craig Stanley and Mustapha Carayol, both previously players for Torquay under Buckle, receiving yellow cards while Buckle himself also took an ear bashing from the officials.
After the break the visitors spurned a clear cut chance to go three in front as a Kevin Nicholson free kick from the right found Ian Morris in acres of space at the back post, his stooping header producing a stunning one handed diving save from Bevan that had everyone in blue and white breathing a sigh of relief.
Soon after Rovers gave themselves a lifeline as Byron Anthony, the only member of the starting eleven present at the Memorial Stadium last season, found the back of the net. A Stanley throw in looped over defensive heads to find Matt Harrold in the box, he fed Joe Anyinsah whose shot was only parried up into the path of Anthony who nodded over the line from close range.
After Lee Brown had cleared off the line from Atieno Rovers continued to search for an equaliser, substitutes Jo Kuffour and Chris Zebroski firing wide, the former also stinging Olejnik’s hands, but it was all in vein as Torquay went home with the points.
It all meant that Gulls gaffer Martin Ling was able to come away with his first win as United manager and post-match he also noted the importance of the result for the visiting fans.
"It was not a Martin Ling and Paul Buckle situation. Paul is here at Rovers and we needed to go out and play well to beat them, but we only get three points for today.
"It was obviously pleasing for our fans because they felt Paul left them in circumstances that were difficult, but Paul chose to go.
"For the fans, it was a massive game, for the players, I just built it up as a normal league game but it was difficult to come away from the Paul Buckle scenario."
Buckle is so ignorant he will never take responsability for his own actions, gas heads will do well to remember that. He always wants to try and prove hes bigger than the team itself. He will play his favourites and those who live in "bucksworld" rather than his best 11.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to more "Bucks speak" in his post match interviews, at least the gas will get some entertainment from that!
We at TQY can now at least look forward to players playing in their correct positions.