Ball slams Torquay squad after AFC Totton loss

Jimmy Ball led Torquay United to the National League play-off final last season [Shutterstock] Torquay United manager Jimmy Ball has criticised his players after their 1-0 loss at AFC Totton National League South. The defeat - which saw Torquay reduced to 10 men after Jake Wannell was sent off early in the seocnd half - sees the Gulls slip to 15th place in National League South They are six points off the play-off places and 11 behind leaders Ebbsfleet United having won just won of their last six matches in all competitions. "The whole performance was nowhere near good enough," Ball - whose side drew 1-1 with then-league leaders Maidstone United on Saturday - told BBC Radio Devon. "The players have just been told so in no uncertain terms and it brings pressure. "I knew there was pressure at this football club before they approached me and I decided to take that offer. "I knew that there was going to be massive pressure and so there is because the Jekyll and Hyde performances can't continue." 'Petulant' and 'childlike' Wannell 'let his team down' Jake Wannell's red card early in the second half added more misery on Torquay United [Shutterstock] Torquay goalkeeper Toby Savin made a number of good saves as the two sides went into the break goalless. But Totton went ahead two minutes after the restart as Luke Hallett converted from close range. It got worse for Torquay soon after when Wannell was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Reece Fleet. Deon Moore had an equaliser disallowed midway through the second half after a push on Hallett while he forced a good save from Totton goalkeeper Ryan Gosney with 15 minutes left. Totton had a number of chances to increase the lead, but Savin was equal to them as the Gulls tried in vain for an equaliser. It left Ball, whose side have won four and lost four of their 13 league games, angry with Wannell for his dismissal: "It's a shocking decision from him," said Ball, who returned to Totton for the first time since leaving to take charge of Torquay in March. "He's the captain, he's a leader. He's petulant, he was childlike and he's let his team down again for the second time with a red card and it's not acceptable. "There were loads of niggly fouls that we didn't get tonight, but you've got to keep your head. "You're at a tough place to come and you're petulant, you're a child about it, you've got to be a man about it, and he wasn't, he let his teammates down today and he let the fans down today."
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