Torquay United embarrassed after humiliating FA Cup defeat

Manager Paul Wotton said he was ‘embarrassed’ by his team in an emotional interview after torquay -united-fc>Torquay United were kicked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle by a team that plays its football two levels below.

Wotton was clearly upset after the 3-0 defeat by Bishops Cleeve in Gloucester, which saw Torquay leave the competition at the second qualifying round.

In a game in which the Gulls never remotely got going, they were 1-0 down by half time, after a defensive mix-up, before Cleeve striker Ross Langworthy scored his second goal six minutes into the second half. A third goal came in the 70th minute when Ethan Dunbar beat James Hamon in a one-on-one.

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It could have been worse - Cleeve striker Jay Malshanskyj missed some good chances on a day when Torquay’s defence made mistake after mistake, and the midfield was ineffective. The strikers were also off the pace, like the rest of the team. After Brad Ash had an early chance cleared off the line, the only other real chance for the Gulls - a second-half header by substitute Finley Craske - was tipped over the bar by Cleeve goalkeeper Lewis Clayton.

In his post-match interview, Wotton didn’t hold back. “I don’t even think we were second best,” he said. “Absolutely zero credit to be had today. Bishops Cleeve should have won by more. I am at a loss really, I didn’t think I would see that. They were pre-warned all week. But what I will say is, I thought training was flat all week because there was disappointment from the Welling game. I can’t accept that. I can’t accept that performance from Torquay United.

“We didn’t win a header, we didn’t win a tackle. The first half we were playing into a really strong wind, I told them to turn them in behind and play in their half but we persisted in playing short balls into midfield and Bishops Cleeve were on us. Our physicality was non-existent, our forward play was non-existent, the quality was non-existent. I can suffer a lack of quality in a football game, I have no problem with that, but I am embarrassed by the team today.”

Torquay have had some bad days in the FA Cup in the past, but this one might have been the worst of the lot. Bishops Cleeve play in the Southern League Division One South, two levels below the National League South. They play on a crumb-based plastic pitch - that’s no excuse for the Gulls - and usually have around 200 fans at their games.

They were turning people away for this one after their Kayte Lane ground was full to its 1,400 capacity before kick off. Cleeve fans were carrying their players on their shoulders at the end.

Wotton said: “Some people will say it doesn’t matter, we were never going to win the FA Cup. Some of the players might think that. That’s outrageous.”

St Albans City, the team at the bottom of the National South, come to Plainmoor next Saturday, with the Gulls fifth in the table. And Wotton says this result needs to ‘sting’ - and not be forgotten.

“It is not a case of drawing a line under it, we have had a good start in the league. There has to be an element of that at some point, but not now, not at this moment at time. That has got to sting. Bishops Cleeve should have won by more. That’s not good enough for Torquay United Football Club.”