Torquay United cruised into the quarter finals of the Devon FA St Luke’s Challenge Cup

Torquay United cruised into the quarter finals of the Devon FA St Luke’s Challenge Cup with an 11-0 victory over Holsworthy at Plainmoor.

Gulls boss Jimmy Ball named a strong side with Cody Cooke, Tegan Finn, Jake Wannell Isaac Westendorf, Dan Hayfield and Matt Jay all starting, and very quickly it became apparent that Torquay had far too much quality for their opponents.

There were only eight minutes on the clock when Cooke fired home from the penalty spot. Soon after it was two when Finn delivered a corner that sailed all the way through and into the back of the net. The Plymouth Argyle loanee then made it three just before the half hour mark.

Cooke from close range and then a smart finish from Sean Robertson 30 seconds before the interval to give United a commanding 5-0 lead at the break - and just two minutes into the second half, Jay at the second time of asking slammed home, before Hayfield curled home a free-kick to make it seven.

Cooke completed his hat trick in the 67th minute, and then he added his fourth of the evening just a few minutes later with a composed finish from inside the penalty area. Jay then got two goals late on to make it 11 and to score his own hat-trick as the Gulls showed no mercy.

Five academy prospects were also involved in the first-team squad as Mack Stokes, Fin Herbert, Owen Bailey, Elliot Osman and Ashton Harvey were all named in the squad, with all four outfield players gaining valuable minutes under the lights at Plainmoor.

For Assistant Manager Darren Way, seeing the youngsters take their opportunities was one of the evening’s biggest positives, with the club’s Player Pathway continuing to provide a route from youth football into the first team.

“The younger lads made a huge contribution,” Way said. “It gives the youth an opportunity to be in front of the first-team manager, Jimmy.

“The game at Bovey Tracey wasn’t only good for us, but for Hutch (Craig Hutcheson) and Bish (Paul Bishop), because we had them in and around the dressing room, and I thought that all the younger lads have played a real big part in both games for the first team now.

“You need a little bit of time and patience, but the biggest thing is that those players got their opportunity to play at Plainmoor in front of good support.”