But Gulls might regret not claiming a win having been 1-0 up and missing a penalty

Storm Boela blew into Plainmoor this afternoon and with it came an unpredictable game that saw torquay-united-fc>Torquay United battle hard for a draw against the National League South leaders Maidstone United.

The weather dictated the game, making it tough for both sides – but a first-half cross by Harry Shield was diverted into the Maidstone net, and in the second half it was a case of battening down the hatches.

It’s a shame Cody Cooke had a penalty saved in the first half, because it didn’t look like Maidstone would get two goals today. One was enough for the draw when the own goal man Frankie Hvid made up for that with a headed goal from a corner in the 84th minute.

Jimmy Ball made four changes to the starting line-up and began the game with a back three. Into the defence came Jake Wannell and Tyler Hill, while Matt Jay was in midfield and Cooke up front with Deon Moore. As expected, there was no Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Callum Morton or Isaac Westendorf – and no Munashe Sundire.

The rain was lashing down all game, and the wind was really strong. Torquay played with it behind them in the first half, attacking the Babbacombe end. Both teams struggled to get used to the conditions; there were also patches on the pitch where the ball was just dying. A lovely low cross into the box by Shield was dangerous enough but the ball spun through the 12-yard box and out the other side. A poor pass by Aludare Alufunwa was intercepted but Maidstone couldn’t make anything out of the mistake.

Torquay took the lead from Shield’s cross from the right in the 27th minute. The wind caught the Maidstone goalkeeper and defender Hvid in two minds, and Hvid tried to cut the ball out, instead diverting it into his own net. Jay got on the end of a low Shield’s cross in the 30th minute and was brought down. From the penalty spot, Cooke hit the ball low to the goalkeeper’s left – but Lenny Holden got his body behind it and parried it wide for a corner. Moore was not happy; he’d wanted to take the penalty.

The wind was so strong, a Toby Savin goal kick took one bounce and cleared the stand behind the goal. Two minutes were added on by the referee, and the players were quick to head off the pitch for a dry dressing room when he blew the whistle.

Kicking into the wind for the second half was always going to be tough, and Cooke was booked for an aerial challenge within a minute of the restart. Cooke then had a shot turned around the post by Holden. Jay also had a shot stopped. This was all in the first five minutes. Maidstone looked shaky.

Cooke broke in the 56th minute, finally fed the ball to Moore, who dallied a little and when the shot came it was right at Holden. But Torquay were on top. Jay shot inches over from the edge of the area. Moore almost got on the end of a Shield cross but it was a corner. The referee made no friends by stopping the game for an apparent head injury when Jay had the ball in the box – but then handing it to the goalkeeper when the game restarted. Leon Gravata shot over for Maidstone in the 72nd minute.

Dan Hayfield came on for Jay in the 77th minute; Cooke headed over in the 81st minute – but was offside; Torquay then had some more defending to do as Maidstone dug in. Shield got his head on a cross – but from the corner Maidstone got their equaliser, Hvid looping the ball agonisingly over the top of Savin from the far post after a half-clearance by Hayfield.

As six minutes were added on, Ryan Hanson hit a free kick wide from 35 yards. Torquay got the ball forward but were batted away. It was up the one end, then up the other. Maidstone won a soft free kick 25 yards out in the fifth minute of time added on but Riley Court whipped the ball over the bar. There was one more chance from another free that was headed away and that was that – bar some minor scuffles between Ball and some of the Maidenhead coaching staff.