Back-to-back defeats for Shaymen as Torquay record smash-and-grab win

Brett McGavin's goal just before half-time proved decisive, but no-one inside The Shay quite knew how with the home side utterly superior from start to finish.

If Halifax continue to play like this, goals and points will arrive very soon, but they really should have appeared here as Halifax missed a string of chances and failed to convert some exciting, attractive football into what would have been a thoroughly deserved win.

Jesse Debrah, Sam Minihan, Luke Summerfield and Milli Alli all came in for Town, who certainly started much better than they had a week ago.

Alli had a shot blocked after some fancy footwork, and from the resulting low corner, Luke Summerfield's first time effort went just over.

Jordan Slew's shot was then tipped behind as Town's pressure grew, with the left flank their attacking area of choice, maybe because it was closer to the shade at a sun-drenched Shay.

Town were everything they weren't at Barnet - inventive, creative and incisive with good movement, running off the ball and intensity.

They were cutting through Torquay like a knife through hot butter, time and again they sliced through the visitors' creaky back line, but didn't convert their superiority into a lead.

Just before the first drinks break, a corner fell to Gilmour, who had curled a shot just wide minutes earlier, and he picked out Debrah, but his header was kept out by Mark Halstead at point blank range.

The way it was going, Torquay must have felt like requesting another drinks break long before half-time.

Town's front three of Alli, Slew and Mani Dierseruvwe had been terrific, finding space, linking play and causing a threat.

Since the drinks break, Torquay had taken the sting out of the game somewhat, with Halifax chances drying up a little although their domination remained.

Town left their best opportunity of the opening half til last when Jack Senior's cross reached Alli at the far post, but he skied his shot from close range with the net waiting to bulge.

That miss looked even worse when, inexplicably, Torquay took a shock lead as Dean Moxey's long throw fell to McGavin in the box, who was left unmarked four yards from goal to lash home.

It was Torquay's first shot compared to Halifax's ten from a first-half in which a Town goal seemed inevitable. Football, bloody hell.

Only a good save from Sam Johnson prevented a second Torquay goal shortly after the restart, before emotions started to reach boiling point in the afternoon sun amid Town protests over Torquay time-wasting.

There were shots off target from Jordan Keane and Debrah as Town continued to control the match and be the only team producing vibrant, attacking football.

The Shaymen went to 4-4-2 with the introduction of Rob Harker as the pressure built; Alli and Dierseruvwe both fired just wide, Torquay defended well, clung on and ran down the clock.

The Town players and bench were up in arms at referee Paul Marsden, not for the first time, when one penalty appeal was rejected for a foul on Dierseruvwe and then another was when the hosts were awarded a free kick instead of a spot kick. Marsden rubbed salt in the wounds by awarding a goal kick despite Summerfield's free kick deflecting off a Torquay player.

Alli then had a shot saved by Halstead before the keeper did brilliantly to keep out Dierseruvwe's shot from five yards. It was relentless.

Dierseruvwe missed again from near the penalty spot with three minutes to go. It just was not Halifax's day.

Halstead then made three outstanding saves in added time, twice denying Dierseruvwe and keeping out Summerfield's effort. It really wasn't Halifax's day.

Halifax: Johnson, Minihan, Clarke, Debrah, Senior, Keane (Hunter 90), Summerfield, Gilmour (Smart 82), Alli, Slew (Harker 63), Dierseruvwe. Subs not used: Cooke, Golden.

Shots on target: 9

Shots off target: 14

Corners: 10

Torquay: Halstead, Crowe, Donnellan, Wyatt (Iseguan 57, Evans 71), Marshall, Moxey, Hanson, Lapslie, Hall (Hughes 57), McGavin, Goodwin. Subs not used: Lovett, Tomlinson.

Scorer: McGavin (45)

Shots on target: 2

Shots off target: 1

Corners: 0

Attendance: 1,774

Referee: Paul Marsden

Town man of the match: Toss of a coin between Milli Alli and Mani Dierseruvwe, but I'll give it to the latter for his hold up play, movement and aggression.