TRAILING 2-1 in the first half, and reduced to nine men at one stage in the second, Torbay 1st XI fought back to earn a last-gasp 3-2 home win over Premier Division Three promotion rivals PGSOB at Shiphay.

Club stalwart Ian Murphy's set-piece goal two minutes from time clinched another big result for Jon Veale's in-form side.

It leaves Torbay a point behind leaders Marjons 'A', who they meet in potentially the most important match of the season in Plymouth this Saturday.

One quality that Torbay do not lack these days is determination.

After Matt Smyth gave them a fifth minute, from good approach work by Jamie Walsh, Torbay found themselves behind only ten minutes later.

Slack marking aided the PGSOB equaliser.

Then Torbay goalkeeper Dean Mitchell, who had carried an arm injury into the match, aggravated it trying to stop the visitors' second goal, accidentally caught in a 'sandwich' between skipper Veale and an opponent.

In obvious discomfort, Mitchell carried on.

Torbay equalised ten minutes before half-time, when Matt Robinson pounced to score after Matt Clark's short corner shot had been saved.

Already concerned about Mitchell's injury, Torbay's defence faced a major crisis early in the second half.

Within a minute of each other Smyth and Murphy were both sent to the 'sin-bin' for late tackles.

But during this key spell, Torbay managed to hold on.

PGSOB missed two short-corner chances and fired just over Mitchell's bar from open play.

The two sides are old rivals, and there was no quarter asked or given during the second half.

With Smyth and Murphy back, PGs also had a man carded after one stick-tackle too many.

Walsh hit the outside of the post and Nick Wilkinson had a goalbound shot saved.

But it looked as if Torbay would have to settle for a point until they won that late short corner.

The ball broke to Murphy — he's been suffering from a bout of 'flu during the week — at the top of the circle, and he finished with a reverse stick shot to win the match.

The 2nd XI played well in a 2-1 defeat away to Marjons 'B'.

A mix-up between goalkeeper Mark Newell and defender Stu Godsland led to the first goal, and the second came from a short corner.

Torbay fought back and they pulled a goal back with a Christian Pitocco penalty stroke, after Chris Reeves was brought down.

They had set-piece chances in the closing stages, but the Marjons defence held on.

Goals from Ed Blackborrow (2) and Ian Clark earned the second-placed 3rd XI a 3-2 win at Bridgwater in South East District One.

The 4ths also won, 3-2 at home to Sidmouth.

Goals by John Julyan (2) and Barney Tuck put Torbay in charge, but after a 'Keystone Cops' moment in defence handed Sidmouth a second goal, they had to hang on through the last five minutes.