Torquay United taught a lesson by Taunton

Torquay United 0 Taunton Town 3

If Torquay United fans thought they had turned a corner after Saturday’s big win over Dartford, Taunton taught them a tough lesson at Plainmoor tonight.

Unbeaten in three games since interim manager Aaron Downes took over from Gary Johnson, United fans had started thinking they might have a faint chance of sneaking back into the play-offs if they could put a run together.

But this dismal performance was a painful reminder that this Gulls squad is still far short of the consistency required for progress.

Torquay have the threat of administration hanging over them, and with it the possibility of a 10-point deduction, but their Somerset neighbours have their own financial worries which are if anything even worse than Torquay’s.

Against that background, the visitors weathered an early Torquay storm and took the lead midway through the first half when Ollie Tomlinson surrendered possession and Nat Jarvis raced through to slot the ball neatly past home keeper Mark Halstead.

Five minutes later Cameron Evans made it 2-0, glancing in a header from a long throw into the box which the home defence failed to deal with.

The third goal came midway through the second half, and Taunton sub Ross Stearn celebrated gleefully in front of the home fans after hammering an unstoppable volley over Halstead and into the net from 25 yards.

Torquay had plenty of shots but few on target, and Taunton keeper Dan Lavercombe barely had a serious save to make against his hometown club. His closest call came late in the game when United sub Duane Ofori-Acheampong raced in on a Jack Stobbs cross.

The two players collided painfully and the ball rolled away harmlessly, which rather summed up Torquay’s night.

United squandered possession time and time again and had run out of fresh ideas long before the final whistle.