Torquay United 0, Wycombe Wanderers 0.

A HEROIC defensive display from Leon Johnson and Dave Winfield enabled Wanderers to pick up a valuable point against fellow promotion hopefuls Torquay.

The two centre halves were absolutely outstanding as the Blues goal came under all kinds of pressure from the Gulls.

It’s another vital point towards the Wycombe total – but nervous eyes will now be on Shrewsbury’s result at Hereford United tomorrow, as they can overtake Wanderers with a win.

Things could have been worse for Blues as Torquay struck the woodwork three times – one of them coming thanks a fantastic reflex stop from Nikki Bull.

It didn’t look Johnson and Winfield would have a great afternoon as they collided with each other going for the same ball, which presented a shooting chance for Eunan O’Kane, but his shot slapped off a defender.

With so much at stake nerves were only to be expected and Torquay made a total hash of a free-kick in a promising position.

But the Gulls were well on top in the opening minutes and strike partners Gavin Tomlin and Chris Zebroski combined to create a chance for the former Wanderer, but Bull kept out his close-range shot with his foot.

Guy Branston, who was named in the PFA League Two team of the year this week, then headed over from the corner that followed before Blues went up the other end to force a set piece of their own after the recalled Matt Bloomfield had a shot deflected behind.

It was a frantic end-to-end start but too many passes went astray to create a real clear-cut chance but with both sides committed to attacking football the game never looked destined to end goalless.

On-loan Jake Robinson sent in the first warning shot with a glorious overhead kick from O’Kane’s cross in the best move of the game but it flew just wide.

Tomlin – part of what, at times, appeared to be a front four for United – was also off target with a rising near-post effort as the majority of the openings from a tight and tense first period came Torquay’s way.

Wanderers’ defence was holding firm though and that was epitomised by an excellent Johnson block from another O’Kane shot.

At the other end Scott Donnelly had a shot flicked wide before Winfield appeared to be shoved off the ball by Branston as it was flighted into the home penalty area.

O’Kane then had a penalty shout of his own for a handball waved away before Chris Robertson headed a presentable chance over.

Bloomfield’s shot was easy enough for Scott Bevan to gather and Stuart Lewis wasted possession by firing wide from distance – negating some of the excellent defensive work he had done throughout the first half.

The mantra from the Blues back four was ‘they shall not pass’ and Winfield – who earlier in the half had gone off for treatment for what looked like a serious knee injury – threw himself at a goalbound effort despite already being down on the ground.

The half closed with Kevin Betsy firing into the side netting when a pull back to either Scott Rendell or Bloomfield would have been preferable.

And right at the start of the second half Torquay had a golden opportunity to take the lead when Branston thumped Kevin Nicholson’s corner against the near post with Bull beaten.

Just as at the start of the first half the Gulls threw everything at Blues to begin with, with Andy Sandell making an excellent tackle to dispossess O’Kane before breathing a huge sigh of relief that Craig Stanley messed up the rebound by booting it high into the stand behind the goal.

Defender Nicholson then showed his abilities in more familiar surroundings when he headed Betsy’s delicious cross off the line with Ainsworth closing in for the kill.

It was nail-biting stuff for the 497 travelling fans though as Lewis, Winfield and Johnson all took it in turns to get their bodies in the way of goalbound efforts from Torquay players in one particularly frantic passage of play.

The two warriors at the heart of the Blues defence then took it in turns to deny Zebroski from his twin strikes on goal before Branston thought he had scored from the corner that came in next, but his powerful header was somehow turned onto the bar by a jaw-dropping Bull save.

Despite the Torquay dominance Bull hadn’t had a great deal to do but the save showed why he is a near certainty to win the club’s player of the year prize.

Parts of Plainmoor thought Robinson had fired his side into the lead when he turned Danny Foster and shot from 25 yards but it rippled only the side netting.

Substitute Billy Kee then failed to unlock the Blues defence after also shooting into the side netting but he will feel disappointed not to have opened the scoring after a super ball from Tomlin had carved apart the Blues defence and left him with just Bull to get past.

Tomlin was next to have a go but his effort was always rising after he had turned his man twelve yards out.

Former Torquay player Rendell just failed to get his head onto another great Betsy delivery.

But it was still Torquay who were on the front foot and sub Ronan Murray’s first touch after coming off the bench saw his fierce drive thump back off the crossbar.

The three minutes of injury time seemed like an eternity but Wanderers held on to extend the unbeaten run to seven.

Wanderers: Bull, Foster, Winfield, Johnson, Sandell, Ainsworth (sub Strevens), Donnelly, Lewis, Bloomfield (sub Montrose), Betsy, Rendell. Substitutes: Arnold, Bennett, Murtagh, McCoy, McClure.

Attendance: 4,009 (Wycombe 497)