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The visit of Torquay United on Tuesday night was a perfect chance to see if we really had improved since getting walloped at Cambridge before Christmas. The last time we played the Gulls at home was about a year and a half ago on the day when Gerry Francis returned to Rovers through a cloud of smoke induced by rather premature fireworks. Back then we were strong favourites and won 1-0 with a huge slice of luck, but in the present climate I think we would be setting off the pyrotechnics if we beat anyone 1-0, perhaps even getting the RAF to perform a fly-pass to add to the celebrations. The six thousand inside the Mem witnessed the familiar sight of an early away goal, when within six minutes Alex Russell despatched a screamer from 25 yards which clipped the bar on its way in. Thankfully we were not left to chew our nails for long, unlike in the Boston game, as that nice man Mr Durkin awarded us another penalty to level the match. Paul Tait appeared to be caught, but our man clinched the decision with a theatrical stumble just to make sure. Up stepped Wayne Carlisle, with me worried that keeper Kevin Dearden would remember his Boston kick, but the rejuvenated winger showed cunning to put it down the other side. Ray Graydon filed another absentee slip as he went off to watch a potential super-signing who was also playing that night; a look at the other fixtures that evening hinted that he was either viewing an FA Cup replay, or else he was at the San Siro to watch Milan or the Bernabeu for Real Madrid. Knowing our budget, he was bound to be at the Scottish Cup 2nd Round tie between Airdrie United and Threave Rovers. Anyway, John Still continued his media monopoly after the Torquay game and stated categorically that it was either one point gained or two points lost. For me it was an unexpected point gained against a club pushing for promotion in the top three, and it helped cancel out the fortuitous point Exeter City claimed at Hull on the Saturday, after they were 2-0 down with 20 minutes left. The 'mini-league' we find ourselves battling in with the rest of the bottom five is where we need to steal our points, if only to stop those around us pulling away. So far we have drawn all these fixtures and done the double over helpless Swansea, and anything extra we get from the rest must be seen as a bonus. The 1-1 scoreline bizarrely tied us dead level with Exeter for 22nd place. We now have exactly the same goal difference, and identical for and against tallies, yet Rovers seemed to be moved up a place on Tuesday night for no other apparent reason than for being alphabetically superior to our Devon rivals! If anything the Grecians should still be above us because they have gathered their 22 points in two less matches, and so their points average is better per game, but I don't know the League rules regarding this strange situation. If Ipswich can qualify for the UEFA Cup for being the nicest team in the Premiership, maybe Ray Graydon's disciplinary ideals could see Rovers stay up for being the nicer team in a relegation scrap - we shall see. In terms of individual performances, Rob Quinn looked like a new man as he got stuck into Torquay's midfield, while Richard Rose was superb again at full-back, but unfortunately our attack was toothless all night. Kevin Austin and Adam Barrett seemed a lot stronger together at the back until the latter started shinning the ball in all directions in the second half, but defensively they were sound. For once we didn't let in a silly goal, just a wonder-strike this time.
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