Tongues were sharpening this week as managers Ron Duke and Mike Green built up yesterday’s FA Cup second-round replay at Torquay United.
The verbal battle began immediately after City’s superb second half performance had earned them a deserved second shot at the seasiders, and in the end overshadowed what happened on the pitch.
On the Clarence Park pitch, Paul Mayles had answered Gerry Fellas 37th minute goal with an excellent 53rd minute reply.
Off the pitch Duke and Green also matched each other shot for shot.
GREEN “He’s just a plumber who knows nothing about football”
DUKE “The geezer’s an idiot. He can’t teach me anything I can promise him I don’t have to read a Roy of the Rovers annual before we go out to play”.
GREEN. He insulted Bruce Rioch. He’s got no right to do that”.
DUKE. “I didn’t insult Bruce Rioch. I respect him but I don’t respect his manager”.
Its difficult to pin-point where the slanging match originated but Torquay’s basic complaint were City’s failure to provide a doctor, the lack of soap in their changing room and Ron Duke’s use of four letter words “in the direction of Torquay’s chairman”.
Duke’s aggression was aimed at Torquay centre half Richard Bourne who was sent off one minute from time for this second bad tackle on Mayles and whoever broke Mick O’Donoghue’s nose after the final whistle”.
Fortunately in soccer the actions of players speak louder than the words of their managers, and 24 year old Mayles’ goal brought the loudest sound that Clarence Park had heard for many years.
Yet the 4,061 crowd who turned up were forced into numbed silence for the majority of the first half. After a pulsating first ten minutes Saints increasingly found themselves playing the role of supporting cast as Torquay’s 4-4-2 formation took control.
The defensive approach was surprising and a complement to City’s part-timers. But the Torquay tactics were vindicated in the 37th minute when Keith Bowker passed to Gerry Fell and he beat Ian Plumley with a low shot from the edge of the box.
The seasiders looked in control and confident and then the tide tuned. A clash of heads between Nick O’ Donoghue and Torquay skipper Bruce Rioch resulted in a cut forehead for the former Scotland captain.
He left the game and within two minutes Saints centre half Alan Droy, who had a superb game, headed just wide from Ian Whitehead’s free kick. The half time screaming and shouting in the tunnel became almost hysterical as Torquay realised that Rioch would not finish the match and would have to be stitched up in hospital.
And their panic on the pitch overflowed when the always troublesome Paul Mayles equalised eight minutes into the second half. The re-organised Torquay defence misjudged Ian Plumley’s long punt downfield. Nick O‘ Donoghue ran the ball into the box for Paul Mayles to go round Torquay keeper Vince O’Keefe before side footing home.
The crowd now smelt a giant killing was on, and Mayles could have given them one as he broke free in the 67th minute only to see his shot go the wrong side of the post.
George Cooper for St Albans, had a couple of half chances, and a clean cut opportunity was squandered by Torquay when Steve Cooper headed wide.
But over the 90 minutes a draw was just about a fair result, and the two sides were left to fight another day for the dubious distinction of an away tie at Barnsley. |
