Torquay 0 City 4 – Capital One Cup
Report by Kate Thompson
After the longest close-season I can ever remember, it was time again for watching Leicester. OK, we had the Euros and the Olympics football, but it wasn’t quite the same as the ‘joy’ of following the City, with all its trials and tribulations – and occasional moments of euphoria!
As I was walking away from the ground after the game, I heard a Torquay supporter say that we were clearly bound for the premiership, which led to hollow laughter from me and some nearby City supporters.
There were apparently 1,166 Leicester supporters out of a total of 3,367 at the game and those of us who chose to sit were in the brand-new grandstand, known as ‘Bristow’s Bench’ after the late Paul Bristow who apparently saved the club five years ago. It was well-appointed, unlike the ladies’ loos – only two of them and only one automatic hand-washer! For once I bought a programme and was amused to see that the Torquay players had spent a week training with the Royal Marines!
Anyway, to the game. After last season, this was a match that City could have lost but thankfully the whole attitude of the team was a vast improvement over some of the fare dished up recently. The players that Pearson has signed were exactly what was needed, young men who want to make a name for themselves and are prepared to roll up their sleeves and give their all.
This positive attitude affected the older players in the side and Beckford, who I often criticised last season for being lazy and giving up far too easily, showed energy and a will to win – even if his attempts on goal lacked a bit of bite.
The first goal was a bit of a relief when it came, as with better finishing Torquay could have been ahead thanks to one or two moments of hesitancy in defence. A long ball from Wes Morgan found Dyer wide on the left and when the defender facing him was left looking somewhat foolish, he had the easiest of tap-ins.
This was in the 21st minute and ten minutes before half-time Ben Marshall scored a second from a beautifully taken free kick. The players and fans could begin to relax as the only real threat from Torquay came from their big centre-forward, Howe.
To the players’ credit though, they did not sit back – as they did far too often last season – and in the second half kept up the quick pace to cause panic in the Torquay defence time and again. Beckford unselfishly fed Matty James in the 50th minute for number three and new boy Vardy scored a fourth with a well-taken header after a superb pass from Marshall.
Vardy was denied a second – and City’s fifth – after a baffling offside flag. As the ball came out from the keeper before Vardy scored, one can only assume that someone was offside earlier in the move.
It must have been very hard to decide who to take off as no-one had a bad game. It was an excellent team performance with some quick and accurate passing, and to my delight none of the back and sideways passes that we saw in so many games last season.
If I had to pick anyone out for especial praise, I would say Liam Moore – who had a solid game and may well have done enough to keep out more experienced players – Danny Drinkwater and Ben Marshall.
But really this would be unfair on the others, who all played their parts in a very impressive performance. OK, it was against division 2 opposition, but some Championship clubs slipped up and others were lucky to overcome more ‘lowly’ opponents. So job well done and a lot of happy City supporters on the long journey home.
And, in the interests of completeness, three substitutes were used: Nugent (for Dyer), King (for James) and Danns (for Drinkwater). If the City can continue their impressive start in the Championship, perhaps we can start believing in the promised land. But I still want to win the FA Cup above anything else!
City (4-4-2): Schmeichel; De Laet, Morgan, Moore, Konchesky, Marshall, James (King 73), Drinkwater (Danns 78), Dyer (Nugent 66), Beckford, Vardy. Unused subs: Logan, Waghorn, Gallagher, Schlupp.
Goals: Dyer 21, Marshall 35, James 50, Vardy 77
Torquay United (4-3-3): Poke; Oastler, Saah, Downes, Nicholson, Easton (Thompson 64), Lathrope, Mansel, Jarvis (Yeoman 77), Howe, Morris. Unused subs: Leadbitter, Rice, Craig, Cruise, Yeoman, MacKenzie.
Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands) Attendance: 3,367 (1,166 away)
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation