Torquay vs Cardiff City U21

Torquay had already seen a Callum Morton effort ruled out for offside before captain Matt Worthington opened the scoring in the 7th minute. Worthington capitalised on indecision in the Cardiff defence as they tried to play out from the back, stole the ball 12 yards out and drilled a low shot past goalkeeper Jake Dennis.

The second followed within 68 seconds. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton forced Dennis into a parry from similar range, and Deon Moore was perfectly placed to slot home the rebound from point-blank range.

Moore added his second in the 22nd minute from a short corner routine. Jordan Young's set-piece was worked through a series of incisive passes inside the box, and Moore arrived unmarked at the back post to clip the ball into the net from six yards.

Jordan Young made it 4-0 just before half-time (42nd minute), darting onto an inch-perfect pass inside the box before firing high into the roof of the net at the near post.

Torquay made seven changes at the break, switching from a back four to a back three/five. The second half followed a similar pattern. Cardiff's young side managed to stem the tide but could not find a way past Toby Savin or his replacement Zak Baker.

Matt Jay added the fifth in the 84th minute, reacting to a loose clearance in the Cardiff area and volleying home from eight yards.

The double strike inside 68 seconds — Worthington's 7th-minute opener followed by Moore's 8th-minute tap-in — rendered Cardiff's game plan redundant before the quarter-hour mark. Ball's high-pressing approach, which he described post-match as designed to "not allow them to get into any rhythm," forced the defining errors from a young side trying to play out from the back. (Source: Devon Live, Richard Hughes, 26 July 2026)

• Deon Moore — Two goals inside 22 minutes (8', 22'), the first a poacher's finish from a rebound, the second a well-timed run to the back post. The clinical finishing that Ball has been building his pre-season around.
• Matt Worthington — Set the tone with the opening goal in the 7th minute, reading the Cardiff defence's attempt to play out and dispossessing them inside the box.
• Cody Cooke — Made his first appearance since dislocating a shoulder against Chelmsford in February. The striker almost scored with a header that flashed just wide, and his return adds a focal point Torquay have lacked since February.
• Trialist A (Harry Shields) — The right-back's performance drew praise from the Plainmoor crowd, with multiple driving runs forward.

Player of the Match: Deon Moore — two goals and a constant threat in the first half.

The provider payload shows goals at 7', 8', 22', 42' and 85' — all five arriving in open play, with four before half-time. The 4-0 half-time scoreline reflects Torquay's territorial dominance. The gap between the 42nd minute and the 85th tells its own story: mass changes by both sides disrupted the rhythm, but Torquay's second-half control was never seriously threatened. The fifth goal arrived late, but the game was decided in the opening 22 minutes.

Torquay now have one pre-season fixture remaining: the visit of Exeter City to Plainmoor on Friday 31 July (7.30pm KO). The Grecians, recently relegated from League One, represent a significant step up in quality. The National League South season begins on 8 August.

For Cardiff City U21, this was another pre-season test against senior non-league opposition, following a 1-0 defeat at Yeovil Town on 18 July. The young Bluebirds continue their preparations for the Professional Development League season.

Ball's squad has now played three home friendlies (0-1 vs Plymouth Argyle, 5-0 vs Cardiff City U21, with Exeter City to come), with the defensive solidity of the Plymouth defeat — a single goal conceded from a set-piece — carrying into this shutout. An attendance of 1,003 watched at Plainmoor. (Source: Torquay United official match report, 25 July 2026)

A routine pre-season workout that told Ball more about his squad's depth than the opposition. The 20 players used, the tactical switch at half-time, and Cooke's return were the real takeaways. The Exeter friendly on Friday will be the far sterner examination of whether Torquay are ready for the National League South campaign.