Knill praises battling Gulls

Torquay boss Alan Knill has hailed his sides fighting spirit after they came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Dagenham.

Knill's team had the worst possible start at Victoria Road when defender Aaron Downes was sent off for a third-minute foul on Abu Ogogo - Medy Elito netting the resulting penalty. But the Gulls showed their battling qualities as loan recruit Joss Labadie equalised with 19 minutes remaining. Josh Scott put the hosts ahead again in the 85th minute, but experienced striker Rene Howe held his nerve under pressure to slot home an 89th-minute spot-kick after Luke Wilkinson was penalised for a foul on Lloyd Macklin. "We never stopped battling right until the end," Knill said. "We left ourselves with a mountain to climb but the longer the game went on and they didn't manage to score a second goal, the better the chance we had of getting something from the match. "To be honest we could have won it in, especially because of the way we played in the second half. Nobody wants to go down to 10 men but the lads really stuck at it and, after a chat at half-time, I've got to say I was really proud of all of them. "Even when we went behind for a second time we didn't throw the towel in." A point for Knill and his struggling team, who remain two points above the drop zone, was understandably welcome, especially considering Torquay went into the game having lost eight of their last nine. "It's a horrible run but we're going to fight all the way to the end of the season," Knill stressed.