ALAN Knill has been sacked as manager of Torquay United after back-to-back defeats against local rivals Exeter and Plymouth left the Devon side second bottom of League Two.

The former Bury boss was only officially appointed to the role at Plainmoor in the summer after guiding Torquay to safety last season as temporary manager.

But he fared less well this season after only managing five victories in the first half of the campaign.

Knill looked safe in the job after his side won 3-1 at Bury at the start of November.

But after losing at home to Rochdale in the first round of the FA Cup, Torquay picked up just eight points from their next nine matches, culminating in a 2-0 defeat at Plymouth on New Year’s Day.

Knill had been working with no assistant manager after his number two, Chris Brass, left to join up with David Flitcroft at Bury last month.