Alan Lee scored an extra-time winner as Torquay United knocked big-spending Fulham out of the Football League Trophy at Plainmoor this evening.
With the Whites going for promotion from the Second Division and an FA Cup replay against Premiership Southampton to prepare, this defeat was not as demoralising as went Fulham, then 91st in the Football League, slumped to defeat in the south west against the only professional side worse than them in 1996. Kevin Keegan has placed this competition at the bottom of his priority list as evidenced by a line-up that showed ten changes and a switch in formation from the side that battled so bravely at the Dell on Saturday.
All the alterations didn’t seem to mater much when Paul Trollope atoned for his mistake at the weekend with a tap-in two minutes into the second half. But Torquay, who included former Fulham full-back Robbie Herrera in their side, were tenacious and keep searching for an equaliser, which arrived two minutes from time. Scott Partridge fired a right-footed finish past Andre Arendse to force an extra half an hour and two minutes into the second half of extra time, Lee headed home to send Plainmoor potty.
TORQUAY UNITED (5-3-2): Southall; Tully (Hapgood 75), Herrera, Thomas, Watson, Robinson; McGorry (Bedeau 63), Hill (Leadbitter 63), Healy; Partridge, Lee.
BOOKED: Robinson.
GOALS: Partridge (88), Lee (107).
FULHAM (4-5-1): Arendse; Finnan, Brazier, Uhlenbeek, Neilson; Keller, W. Collins, Trollope, Betsy (Brooker 98), Salako; Lehmann. Subs (not used): McAnespie, Davis.
GOAL: Trollope (47).
REFEREE: Ken Leach (Bicester).
ATTENDANCE: 2,596.
