Torquay United miss out on title despite Hemel win

Cody Cooke's hat-trick was not enough to send Torquay top of National League South

Torquay United missed out on the National League South title despite winning 4-1 at Hemel Hempstead on the final day of the season.

Truro City’s 5-2 win over St Albans City meant the Gulls ended the season in second place.

Paul Wotton’s side missed out on goal difference - their record was two goals worse than their Cornish rivals.

The result means the Gulls will have home advantage throughout the play-offs as they look for a return to the National League.

Jordan Young gave the Gulls a 29th-minute lead before Cody Cooke made it 2-0 five minutes later.

Cooke, a former Truro City striker, made it 3-0 12 minutes after the break before Mazeed Ogungbo pulled a goal back.

Cooke secured his hat-trick with 18 minutes to go, but despite piling on the pressure Torquay could not find any more goals that would have gone towards toppling Truro.

"The boys have done their job, it was never in our hands," Wotton told BBC Radio Devon.

"We were always clinging on to Truro not doing their job, and they've done it and congratulations to them.

"They were 3-0 up after 10 minutes and we kept going and going and going, and on another day we could have gone up.

"We haven't lost the title on goal difference today, it's over the course of a season.

"They players are feeling quite low, but it's a hell of a season and we've still got a chance of promotion.

"It's really important we remember that, we're guaranteed a home game and the boys gave everything."