"Home to see my wife watching a Swedish film" sounds like a promising end to the day, but it appeared to be about murder and torture during army exercises, until the final scene, by which time wife had left for bed and will see it on the BBC's IPlayer service. She wanted to know how it finished today, so I told her how Wallander was sitting in the snow shattered by the deaths, especially his first girlfriend, and some kids were playing football, and asked him to pass the ball back, and this awoke him from his stupor and he said "you can't play footy in February" and one kid, his face shining with the hope of the future said "you can always play football". A great moment. I don't always get what these Swedes are all about, but this was clear. Footyyy!

I had been to Torquay where the abiding image was of an extra gull on the pitch, until it flew off. We must have been 1,000 strong, no seats in our section ("Stand up, if you hate Forest"), they had maybe twice as many. Little Saul Deeney warmed up between two sticks as we stood 10 yards away, in the line of fire, then stayed this end in the real goals for the start. He had his work cut out, they were keen. The local Herald Express headlined "Sturrock's back to face the Rams" on its back page, former Dundee Utd. Plymouth etc. forward and emphasised the "big" for their goalkeeper, Scott Bevan, who came over Crouch-size for the second half, reacting good-naturedly to our shouts, and wooooooooooaaaaaaahhhhhh as he took goalkicks, followed by "Oh S**t, arrrggh, arrrggh", a very West Country, parrot-on-the shoulder sound which kept us all amused.

It's great in these smaller grounds, you feel that when you yell "Come on you Savage" Robbie can actually hear you. Nige started with only him, Varney & McEveley from the winning team at Yeovil. In front of Deeney were Beardsley, McEveley, Buxton & Mendy; Savage was accompanied by Cambridge triallist Scott Neilsen plus Pringle & Steve Davies in the middle, with Varney and Giles Barnes up front.

The first half-an-hour had Davies just missing wide with a header from Pringle, and Giles falling over 4 times and winning free kicks twice. Look out Ronaldo, Giles does a great impersonation. He even did the pout when his free kick at goal bent over the top. Nearest to scoring in the first half was Robbie Savage? That's what my notes say, or was it a dream? A good low one for the gawky goalie to get down to, which he did. At this end, Buxton looked very sound, Mendy too for that matter, and diminutive Deeney had to stop one himself, not quite holding, but not quite allowing the rebound for their advancing striker. Nil-nil half-time. I remember one shot straight into their keeper's arms, and me yelling "hey, it's not supposed to be that friendly".

Just below a young blonde female Ewe/Ram with North Derbyshire family had been complaining about the stewards stopping them taking photos. I explained that it wasn't a copyright concern, but that primitive peoples believe that you take away their souls when you take photos. A smitten young steward came along with a pic. they had taken of said blonde taking a photo - with me so far? - as proof, but she could have it as a momento, friendly, friendly, and pretty soon after it had been passed around the family, she was waving the photo and four fingers at the steward to say "four more copies please". Her Dad was yelling "Play your subs Nige", when no longer chuntering about his right to take pics, so I pointed out that Nige was already playing most of them. "Come on Barnsey, Come on Barnsey, Get up Barnsey Get up Barnsey" seemed to keep them in good spirits. Who does he think he is, indeed? They have a town called Barnstaple in North Devon, and, no I think stretching that one to Barnes Staple would be too much, but he was rather stationery (get it?) when he wasn't falling over. Oh yes, he still has enormous potential, and he's not injured, but somehow I want more.

By coincidence, the second half was nil-nil too, as was the final score. They had the first great chance, a cross to the far post where Danny Stevens' shot was saved spectacularly with Deeney's fast feet - he has a great left foot boot for the goal-kicks, does the Irishman, and he had to react instinctively soon after, I don't think he could see it coming, even it was struck from well out by Wroe. McEveley pushed them out after that.

On the hour, Randall came on for Savage, and was a hot-shot immediately, 'tho the keeper was up to it, then Mendy came all the way from the middle before shooting wide. We were up for the kill, and a lovely corner from Randall had Steve Davies heading in, only for Great Scott! Bean Bevan to turn the ball on to the post - I can see it now, 20 yards away. The guy next to me took a fine action shot, and a yellow-coated steward had a few friendly friendly words with him.

Another Davies header went wide. The time slipped away with the sun below the horizon, a few more ooh arrrghs arrghhhhh to show we could speak West Country, the taste of hot Bovril lingering - they don't even do a pie at Plainmoor - as Pearson came on, reminding us of promotion at Wembley, for Varney; Croft Teale & Moxey replaced Barnes, McEveley & Neilsen. Finally with 10 minutes to go, our strike force of Pringle Davies & Mendy were replaced with O'Brien, Miles Addison & Shaun Barker. "Plainmoor fans may remember young Barker doing his best in a losing cause last season, when (Torquay) United upset his Blackpool team in the FA Cup." Thank you Herald Express, the voice of Teignbridge. Bywater & Connolly were unused subs.

"Well, it's a point", I remarked to the friendly friendly policeman at the gate, then strolled down to the car, and home for Swedish film. I know what that was about, it was footy, but the proceedings at Plainmoor, Dancing with Gulls, ws=a more mysterious (ws=a means was) [or it did when I wrote it, but time has of course shifted]. {shed if =t} s h i f te d.... Sh** I fed....

Nigel, what was your view? "Everyone participated and everyone took part in every task. Some of them were quite extreme; certainly the boys who don't like water or heights had to dig deep. It's important to get the boys doing different activities like this; I don't like the phrase team bonding as it sounds forced, but what we did today certainly helps to bring the team together."

Thank goodness for that, I thought you were going to say it was a good work-out.