United were undone by their old boys tonight as Chris Zebroski and Tim Sills scored the goals to give the Gulls a win over the battling U's. A first minute goal from Craig McAllister and a penalty from Adam Murray meant United played a full part in a pulsating game and meant that the two teams have scored eleven times between them in their two meetings this season.

There were two changes to the team, with Luke Foster restored at centre half and McAllister back in the forward line. It was McAllister who made the instant impact.

What do you want to do when you're back in the team? Well, first you should control an Eddie Anaclet ball in and play it wide to Matt Green. Once Green has engineered some space you then control his low cross eight yards out, swivel to your left and thump the ball home after 52 seconds.

A perfect start and it might have got even better. Green fizzed in a shot which Simon Rayner had to save at full length by his left hand post and then Adam Murray ended a fine flowing passing move with a powerful shot from the edge of the area which flew over the bar on nine minutes.The U's were rampant, the Gulls hesitant and the home crowd edgy. The team that had led the Conference earlier in the season were looking short of confidence and nerves were jangling. Anyone seen that somewhere before?

Torquay tried to step things up, launching the ball long and looking for knock-ons from former United striker Tim Sills, but Foster and Barry Quinn were always comfortable against that and it was the men from the dreaming spires looking to play the more cultured football.

The only down side came with a booking for Luke Foster for a foul on 22 minutes which will rule him out of the next two matches, but by half time those Gulls fans were howling in disapproval as Lee Mansell sprayed a delightful pass into the far stand from right back. Music to United ears.

They should have had a penalty for handball on 34 as a stray arm batted away another Murray free kick, but then it was hero to villain as McAllister unintentionally set Torquay on their way to the equaliser. The striker tried to lay the ball back for Trainer but gave it away to Mansell. He surged forward and the ball was worked out to Zebroski on the left. Quinn slid in to challenge but Zebroski fired in a low shot which seemed to flick off Quinn's leg and deceive Turley to nestle in the corner of the net and make it 1-1. If The U's had held on until half time, who knows?

Having had the better of the first quarter The U's had been under constant pressure for the second, leaving everything up for grabs in the second half, which started in almost as dramatic fashion as the first as Lee Phillips ran into the area, Quinn stuck out a leg and Phillips threw himself over the protruding limb. Ref Coote left just long enough for everyone to worry then booked Phillips for diving, waving away penalty appeals at the same time.

Quinn was at the middle of everything and ten minutes into the second half crocked himself as he kicked the sole of Phillips' boot as the two challenged. The Dubliner battled on, playing like a boxer who can only use one hand, and that sort of challenge started to become the norm as the game became a battle of attrition.

Torquay knew they needed a win, and are a side that gets the ball forward fast, looking for mistakes. That meant plenty of possession but few clear chances, and at the other end Matt Green hung in the air and powered in a header at the far post which was hacked away at the base of the post.

It was a good game to watch, as they say, and the fact that United were putting their bodies on the line and scrapping for their lives despite having nothing to really play for tells you plenty. Anaclet, Day and Quinn played through the pain barrier, clearly carrying knocks, while Hand and Murray ran and ran all night. Eventually that effort and an accumulation of injuries was bound to tell...

Torquay kept coming and on 77 minutes finally found a way through as yet another high ball came in from the right. Day challenged but could only grimace in expectation as the ball skidded off his head and landed at the feet of Zebroski, inside the area and with only Turley in front of him. Zebroski controlled, pulled the trigger and suddenly United were behind.

Worse was to come. A minute later and a high ball from the other side forced another aerial challenge. Foster rose but was shoved, and that meant a raised arm, which the ball struck . Sills calmly converted from the spot: another player who has now scored more against The U's than he did for them.

A painful ending to a game that had been a tough, physical encounter, but with four minutes to go the scoreline was made much more reflective as Richards was bundled over inside the area and Murray buried the penalty to set up a pulsating final few minutes.

In the end there was no further way through, so a first defeat in five away games, but once again plenty of encouraging sides. We know United aren't the finished article yet, but there was little to choose between them and a team on the brink of promotion. Finding that little bit extra is the key to the coming months.

Att: 2,241

Away: 246