Torquay United 2 Oxford United 0 - Simply Cup-tastic!

HIS FIRST TOUCH was one of those goals which mark out instinctive strikers, and if he scores many better ones than his 82nd minute clincher, then every Torquay United supporter at Plainmoor on Saturday will hope they're around to see it.

Substitute Elliot Benyon sunk Oxford United, lifted the ten-man Gulls into the Third Round of the FA Cup and topped off a stirring second-half performance by his teammates.

If anybody doubted that a rearguard action can keep you on the edge of your seats, they only had to be there.

Second-best for most of the first half and a man short after Roscoe Dsane was sent off on the stroke of half-time, United dug in to run out deserved winners and stretch that remarkable unbeaten run to SEVENTEEN games.

So well did they handle the loss of Dsane – for what referee Roger East described as "slapping" Oxford goalkeeper Billy Turley – that the U's did not create a single clear-cut chance in the second half.

They had a few long shots, but nothing that goalie Scott Bevan, who had kept United in it before half-time and had another fine match, ever looked like missing.

It was a proper winter's football day – cold, still, dry but with a hint of the drizzle which fell later in the match – and a proper cup-tie.

Oxford, desperate for a win to rescue a disappointing season on the pitch and major financial problems off it, made their intentions clear from the first whistle.

It was virtually all the U's for the first half-hour, even against a Torquay squad containing four ex-Kassam Stadium players – Chris Hargreaves, Lee Mansell, Tim Sills and Matt Green.

United's assistant manager Shaun North and goalkeeping coach Kenny Veysey also worked for them.

On the wings the U's Lewis Haldane and Sam Deering gave Mansell and Kevin Nicholson a hard time.

The passing of former United man Adam Murray in midfield always threatened to open up the Gulls' defence.

And up front the pace of Yemi Odubade and the bustling strength of James Constable was a constant threat.

Eddie Hutchinson, Constable, Haldane and Chris Carruthers all went close, and that was in the first 15 minutes.

Bevan was in regular action.

His best efforts were an important dash off his line to deny Constable and a full-stretch save to tip Carruthers' 30-yard free-kick round his right-hand post.

Odubade nipped down Oxford's left in the 24th minute, crossed and Deering fired not far wide from 22 yards.

United simply weren't firing.

Mustapha Carayol's bright pink boots may have brightened up the day, but his touch on crosses was off, and on the left wing Dsane could make little headway against James Clarke.

Manager Paul Buckle left it only 36 minutes before making what turned out to be a match-winning change.

Off came Tyrone Thompson, who had tried to play his shuttle role between midfield and centre-forward Sills, and on went Benyon up front.

At Woking seven days before United had been off the pace in the first half-hour – and conceded two goals.

It had been a similar story on Saturday. But, crucially, they had managed to survive intact this time.

Less than four minutes after entering the fray, and with his first touch of the ball, Benyon struck.

Nicholson launched a long throw from the right, Sills flicked the ball on at the near post and Benyon nipped in to drill home from just inside the six-yard box…1-0.

It was United's first attempt on goal.

They still breathed a sigh of relief when Haldane beat Mansell, Hargreaves had to get something on the cross to stop Constable scoring, but it only forced Bevan to an outstanding double-save to get the ball behind for a corner.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, United forced their first corner of the match, and a goalmouth skirmish whipped up players and the U's fans behind the Babbacombe End goal.

Football League referee Roger East eventually pulled Turley and Dsane away from the rest, booked Turley for pushing the United forward and then showed the red card to Dsane for apparently striking out in retaliation.

United fans were convinced that Turley's reaction had helped to get Dsane sent off, and they gave the U's goalie unmerciful stick for the rest of the afternoon.

Moments later Mr. East took umbrage at Hargreaves giving his verdict on the incident, and showed the United skipper his fourth yellow card of the season.

United knew they were in for a long second half of hard graft, and they set up accordingly.

Carayol, who had changed to bright orange boots during the interval, switched to the left wing, with Benyon asked to beaver away between the right and getting as close to Sills as circumstances and his legs would allow.

Importantly, United also swapped things around in midfield.

Hargreaves was detailed to mark Murray, and the former Derby, Mansfield and Carlisle playmaker was increasingly forced to pass the ball sideways. He was never the same threat again.

The player who was a worry was Odubade, now up against Nicholson on the U's right wing.

Odubade had too much pace for Nicholson, but a combination of cool positional play by United's left-back and some help from the willing Carayol eventually countered that threat.

Oxford, growing more frustrated by the minute, just couldn't break through. And nor did they really look like doing it.

In the middle of United's defence Steve Woods and Lee Hodges did a great job.

Nicky Wroe, recovering well from his half-time substitution at Woking, worked hard in midfield. Sills put in a tireless shift up front.

Bevan had only to keep out shots from Day and Deering, both from 25 yards.

United, urged on by an appreciative home crowd, started to counter attack with increasing conviction.

Wroe fired in off the bar, but moments after Mr. East had blown for a foul on Benyon. Sills then sent the free-kick just over.

With Haldane taken off on the hour, Mansell was able to push forward on United's right

And in the 82nd minute United's right-back made his new-found freedom count against his old club.

His cross found Hargreaves' head in the middle, the flick-on flew to Benyon, he chested the ball to open up a better angle and then, before it hit the ground, sent a peach of a right-foot volley into the top right-hand corner from 16 yards…2-0.

If it had been in the Premiership, they'd be replaying it over the Match Of The Day credits for months.

"Turley, Turley, what's the score?" sang United fans, while a conga started up down the Pop Side.

In stoppage time Benyon, who had covered enough ground in an hour to last him most whole games, was replaced by Green. He walked off to a standing ovation.