Martin Ling pleased as Torquay United players step up to the plate

The absence of suspended skipper Lee Mansell had clearly occupied a few minds before the match, but Torquay United manager Martin Ling was delighted with the way the Gulls reacted to clinch their second away win of the season at York City.

After goals by Danny Stevens and Joe Oastler had earned a 2-0 npower League Two victory at Bootham Crescent, Ling said: "I thought plenty of players stepped up to the plate with Lee out.

"It was a good solid performance, not just at the back but also with the forwards, who did their defensive work well. That paid dividends for us."

Ling was quick to pat goalscorers Stevens and Oastler on the back.

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"Danny has had a stop-start season with injuries, but he got his place back today and took his chance," said Ling.

"He scored ten goals for us last season. That's his second this year and hopefully it's the start of a run of good form from him."

Ling added: "I don't know what Joe Oastler was doing up there for his goal, and I don't think he knows either. But he was there to finish off a good move, and there were a few of them in the second half.

"I didn't think we played particularly well in the first half, but we kept the ball better in the second.

"York had quite a lot of possession, but I don't think they got through us too often.

"Michael Poke, Brian Saah and Aaron Downes formed a solid triangle in the middle of our defence, and it was nice for them and everyone at the back that we kept a clean-sheet," the Gulls' boss added. "We played a 4-2-3-1, which I thought worked well.

"Rene Howe has been such a threat this year, often against two men, and, by putting Ryan Jarvis there just behind him in the middle, it gave Rene a bit more help.

"And, if anything, I think it should work just as well at home."

York manager Gary Mills, who received an overdue award before kick-off for City's FA Trophy and Conference play-off victories last season, had few complaints about the result.

"I didn't see much belief from us out there," said Mills, whose team held in-form Port Vale 2-2 away last weekend. "I thought we were poor, and we looked stale at times.

"We looked scared to have the ball and a little bit desperate from the word go.

"We had more possession and we've had chances to score, but it just didn't happen.

"We're trying to establish ourselves in this division, but we've got a fair bit more work to do."