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Live Commentary: Torquay United vs. Cheltenham Town

Follow live updates of tonight's League Two playoff semi-final second leg between Torquay United and Cheltenham Town, courtesy of Sports Mole.

Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the League Two playoff semi-final between Torquay United and Cheltenham Town at Plainmoor.

Crewe Alexandra have already booked their place at Wembley, and Cheltenham are in pole position to join them following their 2-0 first-leg victory on Sunday.

The hosts were dealt a blow with the news that top scorer Rene Howe is ruled out with injury after limping off during the tie at Whaddon Road.

Despite his absence, Martin Ling's side will still be hopeful of becoming just the fifth side in the history of the playoffs to overturn a two-goal deficit.

(Please refresh this page for the latest updates)

FULL-TIME A night of fine margins at Plainmoor, where Cheltenham moved a step closer to League One football next season. Torquay twice struck the woodwork and were denied on several more occasions by an inspired Scott Brown in the Robins' net. It just wasn't their night as they fell victim to a pair of fine second-half Cheltenham goals. Mark Yates's side will now face Crewe at Wembley on May 27 for a place in English football's third tier. Thanks for joining Sports Mole this evening.

FULL-TIME: Torquay 1-2 Cheltenham (agg 1-4)

90 mins: Cheltenham are content to wind the clock down in the corner and the disappointment is starting to show on the faces of the Torquay players.

90 mins: We are entering stoppage time now, of which there will be five minutes.

87 mins: Marlon Pack quashes any dreams of a memorable Torquay comeback with a goal worthy of securing them a place in the Wembley final. There seems to be little threat on Olejnik's goal when a free kick is awarded 35 yards out, but Pack unleashes a superb dipping drive which finds the top corner and leaves the Austrian rooted to the spot. Stunning strike.

87 mins: GOAL! Torquay 1-2 Cheltenham (agg 1-4) (Pack)

84 mins: Did I speak too soon? Torquay have a goal back courtesy of Atieno's header. The substitute meets a corner at the near post and flicks it past the previously-unbeatable Brown in the Robins goal.

84 mins: GOAL! Torquay 1-1 Cheltenham (agg 1-3) (Ateino)

82 mins: A bit of a goalmouth scramble forces Steve Elliott to head the ball over his own bar for a corner. The Robins will have more pressure to soak up before the tie is over, but their three-goal cushion should be enough to see them home from here.

80 mins: Just 10 minutes left as Yates introduces some fresh legs up front for Cheltenham - sacrificing Ben Burgess for Jeff Goulding.

76 mins: Jermaine McGlashan may just have put this tie beyond the reach of Torquay with a goal that has really come against the run of play. Mohamed cuts inside from the left and runs across the Gulls' back four before slipping in McGlashan, who timed his run on the blindside of Nicholson to perfection. His slots the ball under Olejnik and where the woodwork hasn't been kind for Torquay, it was for the Robins as the ball strikes the inside of the post on its way into the net.

75 mins: GOAL! Torquay 0-1 Cheltenham (agg 0-3) (McGlashan)

74 mins: Interesting change by Ling. McDonald is a defender by trade and has slotted into centre-half. His incumbent, Ellis, is thrown up front to add an extra aerial threat.

73 mins: Another change for United, who introduce Reading loanee Angus McDonald in place of winger Danny Stevens.

71 mins: The resulting free kick nearly results in a Cheltenham goal. Summerfield's low strike deflects off the wall and leaves Olejnik stranded, but the ball drifts wide of the hosts' net.

70 mins: First yellow card of the evening as Ellis is penalised for a foul on McGlashan.

66 mins: Mohamed is proving to be a good outlet for the visitors as he combines with Jombati, who displays some great footwork before laying the ball back to the winger. Mohamed tries to bend the ball into the far corner, but the shot goes narrowly over the bar.

64 mins: The change in personnel has also resulted in a change in system. Torquay have switched to 4-4-2 as they search for a much-needed goal.

60 mins: Offensive-minded substitution from Martin Ling, who replaces Lathrope with Atieno.

58 mins: Brown nearly undoes all of his good work when a long punt forward, with the aid of a strong breeze, nearly bounces over his head. The keeper recovers to gather the ball, but there were a few gasps of concern from the travelling fans.

53 mins: Great save from Brown! Brown is having a fine night in the visitors' goal, this time showing great reactions to palm over Burgess's deflected header.

50 mins: Sweet strike by Ben Burgess, who is now operating as a lone forward. Straight at Olejnik though, who gathers comfortably.

49 mins: McGlashan runs with pace down the Cheltenham right, but his cross is intercepted by keeper Olejnik, who clears the danger.

47 mins: Danny Stevens has Torquay's first effort of the second period, cutting inside and striking low. The ball bounces awkwardly for Brown, but he deals with it in the confident fashion with which he dealt with everything in the first half.

46 mins: Cheltenham boss Mark Yates opted to make a change at the break and operate a more defensive system. He's introduced Russell Penn into his midfield in place of striker Jamie Spencer.

46 mins: The action has resumed at Plainmoor...

HALF-TIME: Torquay can count themselves highly unlucky not to have at least pulled one goal back in the opening 45 minutes. Robins stopper Scott Brown twice kept them at bay with a pair of excellent saves and even when he was beaten, they were denied by the woodwork. Despite this, they still find themselves two goals adrift on the aggregate scoreline and will want to change that early in the second period and start testing Cheltenham's nerve.

HALF-TIME Torquay 0-0 Cheltenham (agg 0-2)

45 mins: Just the one minute of additional time to be played at the end of the first period...

44 mins: Torquay hit the bar! It was Nicholson who it hit sweetly left-footed, but his effort cannoned back off the crossbar. Cheltenham counter through Mohamed, who forces a smart save from Olejnik. Exciting finish to the half...

43 mins: Free kick in a promising position for Torquay after Bennett was penalised for a high boot on the edge of the area. Nicholson and O'Kane are both interested...

38 mins: Another half chance for Torquay as Morris heads over the bar from Nicholson's fine early cross.

36 mins: Cheltenham haven't had a great deal of the ball but when they have had it, Kaid Mohamed has proved a nuisance down the left. On this occasion he beats his full-back but the cross is too close to Olejnik.

31 mins: First real chance for Cheltenham as Burgess wins the aerial ball and Spencer is able to latch onto his flick-on. He strikes on the turn but the effort is straight at Gulls keeper Robert Olejnik.

26 mins: Great save from Brown! From the same period of pressure, Stevens floats a ball in from the right and Ellis meets it with a powerful, well-directed header. Brown keeps the score goalless though, reacting excellently to dive down to his left and push the ball away.

24 mins: Torquay hit the post! Ellis's header across the box is inadvertently flicked in the direction of his own goal by Jombati and it appears to be bound for the back of the net. However, a last-ditch slide from Lowe saves Cheltenham as his clearance comes off the post and safely out.

22 mins: They may still be two goals down, but the hosts will be satisfied with the first quarter of tonight's contest. They have already shown they are a goal threat, with O'Kane, who is their extra man in the middle of the park, looking particularly lively.

17 mins: This time Jarvis is presented with a chance as he's played in down the right channel. He shoots hard and low but Brown gets a strong hand to the ball and palms it wide.

15 mins: O'Kane is in the action again, fizzing a ball across the box. Jarvis is waiting for a simple tap in at the back post but Lowe stretches to intercept the pass and cut out the danger.

14 mins: The striker is back on, sporting a Terry Butcher-like headband to protect the aforementioned gash.

13 mins: Burgess, who started the match with some protection on his forehead due to a cut he received in the reverse fixture, is bleeding and has been ordered off for further treatment.

9 mins: An equally impressive strike from O'Kane at the other end forces Robins' keeper Scott Brown to tip the ball over for a corner.

8 mins: Jermaine McGlashan lets one fly from 30 yards and it is a sweet strike too, but it goes narrowly wide.

6 mins: The aerial ability of Notts County loanee Burgess is going to prove a handful for the Gulls centre backs. At the other end, the towering forward is on hand to head a corner clear.

4 mins: Cheltenham have had two early efforts, one from Ben Burgess and the other from Kaid Mohamed, both blocked by the Torquay defence.

1 min: We're underway at Plainmoor...

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Torquay UnitedTorquay Utd21117332191340
2Boreham WoodBoreham Wood21116436171939
3Weston-super-MareWeston21116434231139
4Truro CityTruro City21115533191438
5Dorking WanderersDorking22107544311337
6Maidstone UnitedMaidstone2199331201136
7Farnborough TownFarnborough2111373530536
8Worthing2110653330336
9Eastbourne BoroughEastbourne2110652926336
10Tonbridge AngelsTonbridge Angels209742721634
11Slough TownSlough2195738271132
12AFC HornchurchHornchurch218762321231
13Hampton & RichmondHampton218672922730
14Chesham UnitedChesham208483030028
15Chelmsford CityChelmsford City206773532325
16Chippenham TownChippenham2174102627-125
17Hemel Hempstead TownHemel Hemps.2274112945-1625
18Welling UnitedWelling United2173112337-1424
19Salisbury2156102833-521
20Bath City2154121529-1419
21Aveley2143142539-1415
22Enfield Town2143142246-2415
23St Albans CitySt Albans City2128112136-1514
24Weymouth2026121230-1812


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