Sheffield U 3 Torquay 2: Two-goal Evans joins fans in paying tribute to mentor Speed

Speed was a key figure in persuading his fellow Welshman to swap the multi-mllion pound lifestyle at Manchester City for Bramall Lane.

And even after leaving United to take on the Wales national job, Speed kept faith in Evans, who has not had the easiest of times – both on and off the pitch – since his £3m move.

News of Speed’s death last weekend shocked the world of football, with Evans joining the hundreds of supporters who laid flowers, scarves and shirts in the Bramall Lane car park during the week in their own personal tributes to the former Leeds United, Newcastle United and Everton midfield player.

Before Saturday’s game there was an emotional tribute to Speed, a video played on the big screen in the stadium followed by a minute’s applause. Wreaths were laid in the centre circle by Blades captain Chris Morgan and former team-mate Robert Page.

Maybe it was the sombre mood, but United struggled to deal with the occasion as Rene Howe gave Torquay United a deserved half-time lead in this FA Cup second-round tie.

A half-time pep talk from current manager Danny Wilson seemed to do the trick as the Blades looked much more livelier in the second half, Evans netting twice to cap an emotional day for the striker.

“The other day I went down to the ground alone to lay some flowers for Speedo, because it was something I wanted to do for him,” said Evans, who has been capped 13 times by Wales, scoring two goals.

“I knew him on a personal level here, he was more to me than just a coach or manager.

“He will remain someone I always remember and look to for inspiration.

“He was the kindest man I ever met in the game and the nicest man you could wish to talk to. When I joined the club I had a few calls from Gary and he was probably the biggest reason I came here.

“I always looked up to him as a Welsh legend and when I did arrive he took me straight under his wing.

“When he was manager he spoke to me and told me I need to get my head down and work harder. He wanted me to stop messing about but said it with a smile on his face because he knew the type of character I am.”

Evans displayed his own personal message to his former mentor on the pitch, too.

He netted the second of two goals in as many minutes to bring the Blades back into this FA Cup tie, running to the home dugout to reveal a vest under his shirt with the words “Rest in Peace Speedo”. Thankfully, referee Chris Sarginson kept his yellow card in his pocket.

“It was poignant from his point of view to get two goals,” said manager Wilson. “He was confident he was going to score because he had a good vest on underneath.

“He knew he was going to score but that’s the type of form he is in at the moment.

“He took his goals well, the third was fortunate but you have to be there at the right time and you still have to finish it off. But he’s in form.

“I think it was a fitting tribute to Gary. Being team-mates, then working for him and then taking him to the Welsh squad as well I think Gary had a very big feeling about the talent that Ched has and was very supportive. That’s why he wore the shirt that he did.”

Torquay were quickly out of the blocks and Howe fired past a stranded Steve Simonsen after Kevin Nicholson’s free-kick was flicked on. Danny Stevens and Billy Bodin both had chances to extend the visitors’ lead, and Harry Maguire headed wide at the other end and Bobby Olejnik tipped over Evans’s free kick.

Olejnik then thwarted Michael Doyle before Evans smashed his effort against the post as United went in search of an equaliser after the break. When it did come, it was from an unexpected source.

Matt Lowton’s teasing cross was knocked into his own goal by covering defender Mark Ellis.

If that was a fluke, there was nothing fortunate about Evans’s goal which gave United the lead.

He charged at the opposition defence, who backed off, then switched the ball from his right to his left foot to create the gap to power home his shot from 25 yards.

Torquay goalkeeper Olejnik gifted the Blades their third goal, scuffing his clearance straight to the feet of Evans, who rolled the ball home and the Blades should have finished the tie before Stevens struck a late consolation.

Afterwards, Wilson refused to blame a pedestrian first-half on the sombre mood inside Bramall Lane.

“We can use it as an excuse but when the whistle goes we have to put our professional heads on,” he said. “We never got started.

“We had a few words at half-time, because we didn’t play with a high tempo and the sparkle that we have had in previous games. The tempo was slow and we were quite negative in our passing, going backwards instead of forward. We invited them onto us more than we should have done.

“Can we be forgiven for letting in a goal so early? Possibly. But it was still a soft goal.

“But I thought as the game went on we got stronger and had some good chances in the first half. Their goalkeeper has made three or four great saves.

“It was a tough tie, thankfully we took our chances. The first goal we scored there was a certain amount of flukiness in it, but it was a difficult ball to defend against. Once we got the first goal I never thought there was any danger of us not winning.”

But the day belonged to Speed, who himself played in two FA Cup finals in his Newcastle United days, and this was a fitting tribute for a true footballing legend.

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Sheffield United: Simonsen, Lowton, Collins, Maguire, Williams (Jean-Francois 62), Williamson, McAllister (McDonald 61), Doyle, Quinn, Cresswell (Porter 83), Evans. Unused substitutes: Long,Montgomery, Ertl, Flynn.

Torquay: Olejnik, Oastler, Ellis, Robertson, Nicholson, Stevens, O’Kane, Mansell, Morris (Atieno 77), Bodin, Howe. Unused substitutes: Rice, Rowe-Turner, Leadbitter, McPhee, Aldred, Yeoman.

Referee: C Sarginson (Staffordshire).