First league win delights Ling

Ling: Delighted with performance

Torquay boss Martin Ling hailed his side as they won their first league game of the season, beating Rochdale 4-2 at Plainmoor.

Goals from Billy Bodin, Aaron Downes and a Rene Howe brace turned things round for United, who trailed 1-0 to Andrew Tutte's seventh-minute strike in League Two on Saturday.

The Gulls were reduced to 10 men when Downes was dismissed for fouling Dale striker George Donnelly as he was set to shoot from 12 yards, but home keeper Michael Poke saved Jason Kennedy's spot kick. Substitute Ray Putterill scored Dale's second goal in the 85th minute after having an earlier effort cleared off the line by United left back Kevin Nicholson.

Ling said: "I was aware that it has been something like 10 games without a win if you include last season and the play-offs so it was important we got off the mark and what a way to do it. It was another end to end game. In attack we have got a lot of players that can do a lot of damage, and it looked like we could score every time we attacked.

"Rene Howe got two goals, Billy Bodin scored and Niall Thompson had one of those debuts you dream about. It could have gone either way for him but it went the right way and he was outstanding.

"On the negative side, every time they went forward it looked like they could score. At 4-1, obviously the sending off makes it difficult for us but we hung in there and got the result that we deserved."