Torquay United 0 Swansea City 0

Last updated : 26 December 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Two desperate goalline saves, one at each end, in the last five minutes ensured that play-off rivals Swansea and Torquay shared the points in a downpour.

In the 85th minute Torquay skipper Craig Taylor stretched to hook a Kevin Nugent shot away with keeper Arjan Van Heusden beaten.

And three minutes from time Taylor, up for an Alex Russell corner, thought his far post corner had crossed the line before Swansea defender Alan Tate blocked and cleared it.

A point was a far result after both sides had struggled manfully to cope with the deteriorating conditions.

The match was played in a near south westerly gale, and the rain reached monsoon proportions in the second half.

With the elements in their favour and Andy Robinson a live wire in midfield, Swansea had the better of the first half.

Van Heusden produced one brilliant reaction save to deny Richard Duffy in the 14th minute and Robinson sent a 20 yarder just wide moments later.

With the wind at their backs, Torquay edged the second half.

Russell and substitute Matt Hockley both went close from long range before Taylor's late header forced Tate to his point-earning save.

Torquay Leroy Rosenior said: "Both sets of players deserve a lot of credit for playing as well as they did in the conditions.

"Some of the defending was tremendous, and there was a lot of commitment on both sides.

"It would have been nice to get all three points, and we thought a couple of decisions went against us, but maybe Swansea deserved a point themselves in the end." Swansea manager Brian Flynn said: "It didn't look like a 0-0 game but that's how it ended up.

"We had to get back to basics and not give anything away, so I am more than happy with the performance and even happier with a clean sheet after conceding six goals in the last two games."