Torquay United v Spurs Match Reports

Tottenham welcomed Torquay United in this League Cup Second Round Second Leg tie that saw them progress with a 3-0 victory.

Two Nico Claesen goals and an own goal sealed the aggregate 3-1 win for Tottenham on home turf.

Spurs –  Ray Clemence, Chris Fairclough, Gary Stevens, Mitchell Thomas, Gary Mabbutt, Paul Allen, Ossie Ardiles, Nico Claesen, Steve Hodge, Vinny Samways (Paul Moran), Shaun Close.
Torquay United –
Manager : – Cyril Knowles
Ref. : –
Crowd :  20,970

On a soaking wet night on the Plainmoor pitch, Tottenham succumbed to Fourth Division Torquay in the first leg of this League Cup tie. 

A Derek Dawson header won it for the Gulls, managed by Spurs favourite Cyril Knowles in front of a few Spurs fans gathered together on the open, four step terrace in the away end.

Torquay United – , , Ian Twitchin, , , , , , , Derek Dawson,
Manager : – Cyril Knowles
Spurs –  Ray Clemence, Chris Fairclough, Richard Gough, Mitchell Thomas, Gary Mabbutt, Paul Allen, Ossie Ardiles, Steve Hodge, David Howells, Johnny Metgod (Paul Moran), Chris Waddle
Ref. : –
Crowd : 5,000

Spurs won this League Cup Third Round trip to Torquay United 4-1.

Spurs took the lead through a Martin Peters penalty before Martin Chivers fired home left-footed from inside the box to double Tottenham’s lead and then added a third. Substitute Jimmy Pearce was prevented from adding a fourth goal when Gulls defender Ian Twichin cleared the winger’s shot off the line at close range, but Pearce was not to be denied and he wrapped up a 4-1 win with a late goal.

Torquay United –
Spurs –  Pat Jennings, Joe Kinnear, Cyril Knowles, Alan Mullery (c), Mike England, Phil Beal, Ralph Coates (Jimmy Pearce), Steve Perryman, Martin Chivers, Martin Peters, Alan Gilzean
Ref. : –
Crowd : 20,213
Ref. Mr. (-)
Linesmen : Mr. – (-) – Red flag; Mr. – (-) – Yellow flag

Bill Nicholson was disgusted with the performance in the Third Round tie and his blasting gave the side the gee-up they needed as Spurs romped to a big victory in the replay. White Hart Lane staged an FA Cup Third Round replay against Torquay United on a Monday evening in front of a big crowd.

An opener from Jimmy Greaves was equalised by Robin Stubbs, but Alan Gilzean scored the goal that Spurs go into half-time with a 2-1 lead.

After the turnaround, Spurs showed their quality with Jimmy Greaves going on tom complete his hat-trick and Jimmy Robertson also getting on the score-sheet to make the final score 5-1.

Spurs –  Bill Brown, Cyril Knowles, Ron Henry, Alan Mullery, Maurice Norman, Eddie Clayton, Jimmy Robertson, Jimmy Greaves, Alan Gilzean, Cliff Jones, Terry Dyson
Torquay United –  Terry Adlington, Alan Smith, George Allen, John Benson, Colin Bettany, Trevor Wolstenholme, Billy Atkinson, Geoff Cox, Robin Stubbs, Tommy Northcott, Micky Somers
Ref. : –  Mr. (-)
Linesmen : Mr. – (-) – Red flag; Mr. – (-) – Yellow flag
Crowd :  55,081

Spurs were drawn to play Torquay at Plainmoor in the Third Round of the FA Cup and we were lucky to take the home side to a reply.  It took a goal from Maurice Norman plus two from Alan Gilzean to gain a draw against a ferocious Torquay performance.

United had already beaten Canterbury City and Colchester United to reach the Third Round and they went ahead through a penalty, conceded by Cyril Knowles’ foul on Robin Stubbs and converted by Billy Atkinson.  Alan Gilzean quickly equalised with a header to Ron Henry’s cross, then England centre-half Maurice Norman and Gilzean’s second gave Tottenham a two-goal cushion.

Robin Stubbs scored to make it 3-2 with five minutes left and United threw everything towards the Babbacombe End goal, with Stubbs equalising with a goal, netting a rebound that bobbled over the line and Torquay nearly went on to score a winner in injury time when Tommy Northcott’s header hit the crossbar.

Torquay United – Terry Adlington, Alan Smith, George Allen, John Benson, Colin Bettany, Trevor Wolstenholme, Bill Atkinson, Geoff Cox, Robin Stubbs, Tommy Northcott, George Somers
Manager : – Eric Webber
Spurs – Bill Brown, Cyril Knowles, Ron Henry, Alan Mullery, Maurice Norman, Eddie Clayton, Jimmy Robertson, Jimmy Greaves, Alan Gilzean, Cliff Jones, Terry Dyson
Ref. : –
Crowd : – 20,000

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Torquay United had never managed to defeat a Division 1 side in the FA Cup, but they came close in the third round in 1965 when they drew 3-3 with Tottenham Hotspur at Plainmoor.

The Gulls had seen off Canterbury City and Colchester United in the previous rounds and the prospect of household names in the Spurs team created Cup fever in South Devon.  Over 20,000 crammed into Plainmoor to watch the cup-tie and seemed to be about to witness a giant-killing as Bill Atkinson put United into the lead from the penalty spot after Robin Stubbs had been fouled by Cyril Knowles. Alan Gilzean levelled when he headed home a cross from captain Ron Henry but a goal from centre-half Maurice Norman and a second for Gilzean seemed to have extinguished any hope of Torquay’s progress in the competition.

With five minutes left, Robin Stubbs found the net twice to make it 3-3 as the crowd could hardly believe what they were seeing and they were gutted when Tommy Northcott planted a header against the bar seconds before the final whistle blew, leaving the side to battle it out again in a replay at White Hart Lane.