FINAL SCORE: Torquay United 1-1 Stoke City

TORQUAY United drew 1-1 with Premier League Stoke City in tonight's pre-season friendly at Plainmoor.

The match marked the official opening of Bristow's Bench, the spectacular new stand at United's home ground.

Live match coverage.

FINAL SCORE Torquay United 1-1 Stoke City

By the way, the consensus seems to be that Downes did get the last touch to that Etherington volley for the Stoke goal, but that was the only blemish on a man-of-the-match performance from the new Torquay centre back.

Much better than the performance against Leeds, this should give Torquay United boss Martin Ling some real encouragement.

92 mins A shot by Yeoman after a crisp Torquay move produces a good save from Nash.

89mins The attendance tonight is 2,155.

86mins The "One Paul Bristow" chants ring around the ground again. A nice touch on what must be an emotional night for the Bristow family.

85 mins Thompson, a real rocket ship, races away down the right and produces a shot which forces Nash to make a save.

81 mins Downes and Howe are replaced by youngsters Kirtys MacKenzie and Niall Thompson. Thompson has gone wide on the right with Macklin and Yeoman in the middle.

79 mins GOAL GOAL GOAL Torquay 1-1 Stoke No doubt about that one. Billy Bodin cut in from the right, took aim and lashed it into the bottom corner of Nash's net. Glorious!

76 mins Stoke clear the danger. Ashley Yeoman comes on to replace Danny Stevens.

75 mins Billy Bodin shot deflected behind.

72 mins Lovely football from Macklin and Oastler as Torquay push forward in search of a goal.

68 mins More subs for Stoke. Carlo Nash is on for Sorensen

67 mins Billy Bodin swings in a free kick which Rene Howe gets up to at the far post but his header is too high.

65 mins Jerome is turning on the skills down the right for Stoke. Visiting fans behind the goal down there are loving it.

63 mins Cruise is helped off the field. Daniel Leadbitter comes on to replace him.

61 mins Cruise is down after a collision with Shotton. This is a long delay. Looks like a bang in the face.

59 mins Torquay subs. Jerel Ifil is on for Brian Saah. Billy Bodin replaces Ian Morris.

58 mins Lovely run and low cross by Cameron Jerome for Stoke but no-one can get on the end of it.

52 mins More subs for Stoke. Jamie Ness and Dean Whitehead are on Whelan and Etherington.

According to Glyn Ley, our man in the stands, that Etherington volley may even have gone in off Aaron Downes.

51 mins Macklin is the man whose excellent pre-season form has seen him taken off the transfer list, and he already looks well up for this.

46 mins Subs for Torquay, Nicholson, Lathrope and Jarvis are replaced by Tom Cruise, Craig Easton and lloyd Macklin. Subs for Stoke, Kenwyne Jones and Cameron Jerome are on for Walters and Crouch.

Second half under way

HALF TIME Torquay United 0-1 Stoke City

41 mins GOAL GOAL GOAL Torquay 0-1 Stoke Jonathan Walters, we think, gets the last touch to a fierce volley by Etherington after a fine diagonal cross from the right by Shotton. There is some debate among the gentlemen of the press. No doubt about the quality of Etherington's volley. Some debate over whether it was Walters who applied the final touch.

33 mins Aaron Downes beats Crouch fair and square in the air to an Etherington cross.

30 mins Glorious evening sunshine gives the players long shadows across the pitch. Remember this in the middle of winter, Gulls fans...

27 mins Etherington crosses, Crouch knocks down and Shotton shoots for goal. Good save from Poke.

25 mins Excellent timing from Oastler to tackle Etherington at full speed.

23 mins Crouch is in a good shooting position again but this time crowded out by the home defence.

20 mins Rene Howe finds Danny Stevens, whose low shot is deflected behind.

18 mins Etherington is round the back again, pulls the ball back for Crouch, who shoots very high and very wide.

17 mins Crouch and Brian Saah fly into a tackle that was more a February slog than an August friendly. Both pick themselves up a little gingerly.

15 mins Peter Crouch appears to be winning everything in the air...

11 mins Decent low shot by Kevin Nicholson. Saved by a diving Thomas Sorensen.

10 mins Matthew Etherington gets the better of Oastler and shoots but Michael Poke has it covered low at his near post.

8 mins Ryan Shotton volleys over for Stoke from a good position.

7 mins Good run cutting in from the left by Danny Stevens but he can't get a shot in.

5 mins Ian Morris has a shot from the edge of the Stoke box but it's over.

3 minsJoe Oastler is wearing a cast of some kind to protect his broken nose.

7.30pm. They're off. Torquay are all in black, kicking towards the Babbacombe End.

7.26pm Dean Edwards is out there explaining how much the new stand means to the club. Sadly his microphone isn't working very well.

That's better. We can hear him now. Thea has cut the ribbon. The new stand is officially open.

The fans sing "There's only one Paul Bristow."

7.24pm Football Foundation cheque being presented on the pitch. Thea Bristow has been joined by Gulls fan Helen Chamberlain.

7.22pm They're out watering the pitch ahead of kick-off. Wouldn't have thought it needed much!

7.12pm This match marks the official opening of Bristow's Bench, Torquay's magnificent new stand name after club benefactor the late Paul Bristow.

His widow Thea said last week the new stand would be a 'fitting tribute'. It looks absolutely fantastic.

7pm Stoke manager Tony Pulis sent out a strong side for the match, including England striker Peter Crouch.

The Gulls welcomed Joe Oastler back after injury, and there was a place on the bench for traillist Jerel Ifil. No Nathan Craig in tonight's Torquay side. He picked up a foot injury against Exeter last week.

Teams:

Torquay - Poke; Oastler, Downes, Saah, Nicholson; Lathrope; Stevens, Mansell, Jarvis, Morris; Howe.

Subs Leadbitter, Rice, Macklin, Bodin, MacKenzie, Easton, Cruise, Thompson, Yeoman, Ifil.

Stoke - Sorensen, Sebastian, Whelan, Wilson, Shawcross, Walters, Upson, Crouch, Etherington, Shotton, Palacios.

Subs Higginbotham, Ness, Jones, Sidibe, Whitehead, Tonge, Delap, Wilkinson, Arismendi, Jerome.

Ref Steve Bratt.