Despite their squad being severely stretched the Terras went close to taking the lead twice in the opening six minutes only to be denied by a couple of fantastic saves from visiting keeper Scott Bevan The Gulls were certainly not at their most fluent but on 24 minutes a huge slice of luck saw them take the lead when Green found the net with a hopeful shot that ricocheted in off the unfortunate Sam Cutler.

Weymouth threw everything at the Devon outfit in the second half to try and get a point but the visitors held on to extend the home side’s losing streak to three games in all competitions.

Terras’ boss Alan Lewer’s hands were tied in terms of team selection. With Scott Doe and Adam Bygrave both suspended and Jordan Collins injured, Cameron Mawer and James Coutts returned to the starting XI while Chris McPhee had to revert to centre back.

With no Josh Webb either, Stephen Reed had to take up a place on the bench despite having not fully recovered from an ankle problem. The other four substitutes were all teenagers.

So the omens did not look good for the hosts at kick-off especially with the Gulls having lost just one of their last 15 league games but they more than matched their high-flying rivals.

Stuart Beavon mustered the first attempt on goal on five minutes but away stopper Bevan comfortably held his tame effort, which came from 20 yards.

That seemed to bring the game to life and 60 seconds later the Terras had two good opportunities to take the lead.

Pierre Joseph-Dubois had a shot blocked by the on-rushing Gulls’ keeper before Beavon had a strike pushed expertly wide of the bottom right-hand post. Bevan has been in sparkling form for United since moving on loan to Plainmoor at the end of September and he was certainly impressing once again However, the Gulls were still struggling to impose themselves on the game despite some neat interplay on 14 minutes leading to a chance for Green whose powerful shot was denied by a superb point-blank block from McPhee.

Mawer then took a heavy touch and nearly let in Green again but the right back managed to recover with a fantastic sliding challenge on the edge of the box.

The action calmed after that with the ball spending most of its time in midfield before the breakthrough finally came in cruel fashion on 24 minutes.

The lively Green showed superb battling qualities to engineer some space and when he let fly with a weak shot the ball ricocheted off Cutler before beating keeper Danny Knowles.

Weymouth’s response was positive but on 40 minutes the Gulls nearly added a second. Wayne Carlisle produced a marvellous cross from the right that found Tim Sills charging in but the striker’s attempt went straight at the grateful Terras’ stopper.

After the break the hosts came out and continued to show promise with James Coutts pulling a 20-yard shot across the face of Bevan’s goal.

Torquay replied with Green racing clean through after getting the benefit of a debatable offside call but fortunately for the hosts his second touch let him down allowing Knowles to gather on the edge of his box.

The Terras continued to huff and puff and on 65 minutes they nearly got the opening they were after when Joseph-Dubois outpaced Lee Hodges on the left and cut inside only to be blocked out again by the advancing Bevan.

Green responded by racing through for the second time in the half moments later but a superb last-ditch tackle saw the ball ricochet out for a corner.

In the last 15 minutes the game became stretched with the Terras sending more men forward. That left more gaps at the back and when McPhee hesitated when dealing with a long ball it allowed Green to get in again but Knowles was out quickly to make a good save.

The home side threw McPhee up front in the final seven minutes and the move nearly paid dividends when Joseph-Dubois broke on to a loose ball and sent in a powerful shot which the dependable Bevan stood up well to and made another great block.

Coutts also went close with a chance in the dying seconds when he blazed just wide of the left upright but it was the Gulls’ day as they held on for all three points.