A well-taken Mark Beesley brace of first half goals secured Cambridge United's play-off place in front of a noisy Abbey Stadium crowd.

Jimmy Quinn made two changes to the side that won at Salisbury, with Lee Boylan and Michael Morrison replacing Jack Jeffery (returned to West Ham) and Ben Farrell (bench). Striker Lee McEvilly was included among the substitutes.

Quinn retained the same 4-4-2 formation but Morrison slotted in at right-back and Dan Gleeson was pushed forward to the right of midfield in place of Farrell.

Torquay manager Paul Buckle named the same side that drew 0-0 with York City, including U's January transfer target Chris Zebroski.

With the home crowd in fine voice it was the Gulls who made the brighter start and Zebroski caused an early scare when he burst past Michael Morrison at right-back and crossed for Sills, Danny Potter blocking the shot and Mark Albrighton scrambling the ball away. 

United had the ball in the net in the fifth minute when Rob Wolleaston worked the ball to Mark Beesley who 'scored', but the flag was already raised for a handball by Wolleaston, and four minutes later Courtney Pitt made a neat turn and picked out Stephen Reed who had made a great run into the box but the ball bounced off his shin and away.

Lee Boylan was full of running after being rested on Saturday and kept the Torquay defence on their toes with his movement, and on 11 he released Beesley on goal but his strike partner was denied by the offside flag.

A minute later at the other end Lee Mansell spotted Danny Potter off his line and tried an opportunist strike from more than 35 yards that drifted wide, and soon afterwards Matt Hackle lashed a first time 25-yarder wide.

Torquay threatened again on 17 when Hatswell brought down Phillips on the left of the area and Nicholson drove a fearsome freekick through the wall, but Potter got down quickly to smother the ball.

It was a strongly-contested match with tackles flying in all over the pitch and Reed collected the first booking in the 20th minute for a tackle on Hockley with his studs showing, while four minutes later Dsane injured his shoulder in a clash with Courtney Pitt and was unable to play any further part, leaving the field to be replaced by winger Tony Bedeau in the 25th minute.

Boylan went within inches of giving United the lead after a swift counterattack when Pitt lifted the ball over the defence and the little striker left a defender in his wake as he burst to the edge of the area, his dipping volley just clearing the bar.

With United in the ascendancy, Pitt raced onto Reed's 29th minute through ball and skipped to the edge of area before driving a shot inches wide with 6ft 5ins goalkeeper Simon Rayner scrambling to reach it, and two minutes later Beesley showed quick feet and good control to leave the defence trailing but couldn't quite curl the ball round the stretching keeper.

Still United attacked and on 34 Beesley linked intelligently with Pitt and the latter's first time cross towards Boylan was scrambled behind for a corner, which Reed delivered precisely onto the head of Albrighton at the near post, but although his powerful header beat the keeper it crashed against the post and away.

Urged on by the singing and clapping of the home fans, United kept the pressure on and at another Reed corner in the 38th minute Albrighton headed the ball on and Beesley turned but fired wide under pressure from a defender.

But the former Forest Green man made no mistake three minutes later when he capped an excellent move that started at the back, bursting into the area in pursuit of Gleeson's excellent through ball, and although it looked as though the ball was just too far ahead of Beesley he got there to smash a superb finish into the far corner from an impossible looking angle. It was a top class finish to put United ahead in a vital match.

With United rampant, Rayner had to get down quickly to deal with a cross at full stretch, but United extended their lead in the final minute before half-time as the two strikers linked to great effect.

Rayner came to catch Gleeson's low cross but dropped the ball under pressure from the much-shorter Lee Boylan, and Beesley pounced to score his and United's second goal from close range. Boylan stayed down for a few moments and had to briefly leave the pitch, but was able to return for stoppage time, during which time Potter made a comfortable catch from Sills.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A quiet start but a loud finish to the half as United took control of their own destiny and of the match with two goals from Mark Beesley after United had weathered an early storm, but the ball is very much in United's court."

Second half:
Jimmy Quinn made a change before the second half started, replacing Lee Boylan with Lee McEvilly to make his first appearance for five weeks after recovering from an ankle injury.

The big striker was greeted with cheers from the home fans and immediately set about announcing his presence to the Torquay defence as United attacked from the whistle, winning a corner inside the first minute from Gleeson's cross, but although Hatswell met Reed's flag kick the ball was cleared by Bedeau.

McEvilly won another U's corner through sheer persistence in the 49th minute but conceded a foul as Reed swung the ball over, and a minute later Potter made another comfortable save from a Nicholson free kick.

Some home fans thought United had scored again in the 57th minute when Hatswell met Reed's free kick but his header nestled in the sidenetting with Rayner clutching unconvincingly at the air, and as United maintained their attacking momentum both Pitt and McEvilly had crosses blocked.

At times Torquay looked less than certain at the back and on 62 Pitt twisted his way past a challenge onto a through ball but couldn't quite get a toe to it, and two minutes later Mark Albrighton was booked for a foul on Phillips, Danny Brown hacking away the resulting free kick.

Torquay threatened a minute later as United's defence failed to clear the danger following Bedeau's cross and Sills turned on the ball but fired well wide, then a Zebroski cross was chested down for Hargreaves to shoot straight at Potter.

Tony Bedeau escaped with a warning for a poor challenge that left Reed in a heap and the resulting free kick landed with McEvilly but the ring-rusty striker sliced a volley off target, then in the 70th minute Dan Gleeson beat several Torquay players as he advanced into the area but couldn't find a finish to match the quality of his run and fired wide of the far post.

Torquay then enjoyed a spell of pressure as Hockley had a shot blocked from just outside the area, then Zebroski got past Morrison into the area but flashed a shot wide, and a follow-up attack saw a number of Torquay players weaving into the area and Sills taking the shot but Potter blocked and Gleeson completed the clearance.

Paul Buckle made his second change in the 75th minute to bring on Mullings for Mansell, who had suffered a knock, and Mullings announced his arrival by lifting a shot over the bar two minutes later. Further Torquay pressure led to a cross that Hatswell headed behind, and Mark Albrighton cleared the resulting corner.

The atmosphere had understandably dipped from the earlier cauldron and any tension in the United players had eased, and with five minutes remaining Zebroski drove a shot from distance that the commanding Albrighton cleared. Phillips had a similar long-range effort blocked by Hatswell a minute later, and with two minutes remaining Zebroski was withdrawn in favour of Torquay's longest-serving player Kevin Hill.

As play entered stoppage time and the Newmarket Road End launched into another chorus of "Bounce, bounce, Amber Army", Jimmy Quinn sent on Magno Vieira for goalscorer Mark Beesley, who left the field to a well-deserved ovation.

Albrighton cleared another cross before the final whistle signalled tremendous celebrations and the welcome sound of "Coconuts" as the players exchanged applause with the crowd.

The win confirmed a play-off place and lifted the U's into third place behind Torquay.

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Michael Morrison, Mark Albrighton, Wayne Hatswell, Danny Brown (c); Dan Gleeson, Rob Wolleaston, , Stephen Reed, Courtney Pitt; Mark Beesley (Magno Vieira 90'), Lee Boylan (Lee McEvilly 46').
Subs not used: Ben Farrell, Mark Peters, Robbie Willmott.

Booked: Reed foul 19', Albrighton foul 64'

Torquay United:
Simon Rayner, Lee Mansell (Darren Mullings 75'), Chris Robertson, Chris Todd, Kevin Nicholson; Roscoe Dsane (Tony Bedeau 25'), Chris Hargreaves (c), Matt Hockley, Chris Zebroski (Kevin Hill 88'); Lee Phillips, Tim Sills.
Subs not used: Martin Rice, Mark Ellis.

Referee: Mr Simon Hooper

Att: 4,100 (away 103)

Mark Johnson's Match Summary:
"Cambridge United booked their place in the play-offs with a mightily impressive win against high-flying Torquay. With the visitors already assured of second place you might think they would be going through the motions at the Abbey but you'd be wrong. The U's had to weather a storm early on but after starting the match quietly United finished the first half with a bang as Mark Beesley netted a pair of goals that contrasted in style but were of equal calibre. With the match won, thanks to some solid defending after the break, and post-season action assured, a return from injury from Lee McEvilly completed a perfect evening for the U's."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Mark Beesley - simply oozed class throughout. Two superlative goals, a bagful of running and class inside and outside the penalty area. Honourable mentions for Danny Potter for marshalling the back line as professionally and proficiently as ever, Messrs Hatswell, Albrighton, Morrison and Brown who were so solid in front of him, while wingers Pitt and Gleeson worked their socks off too."

Ref: Mr Hooper - I found myself barely mentioning him during the match so he must have had a decent game. 7/10."

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