Torquay United manager Martin Ling insisted he had not tried to sell defender Chris Robertson, but that the financial facts of life made the player's transfer to npower League One side Preston North End a "no-brainer".

Robertson, 25, moved from Plainmoor to Deepdale for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £50,000, on the last day of the January window.

The Nottingham-born centre-back, United's second-longest serving player, has agreed a two-and-a-half year deal with new Preston boss Graham Westley.

Two League Two clubs, one of them Northampton Town, were also interested in Robertson, who joined Torquay from Sheffield United in March 2007 and made nearly 200 appearances for the Gulls.

United had opened negotiations with Robertson over a new contract at Plainmoor, because his old one was due to run out in the summer.

"We could compete with League Two clubs, but once Preston came in, and Chris showed an interest in going there, it was always going to be hard to keep him," said Ling.

"I didn't want him to go, but if he didn't re-sign for us he would have been a free agent in the summer. So to get a good fee for him now made the deal a no-brainer.

"Chris has been a good servant for this club, and he had been playing well for us. We wish him well for the rest of his career."

The Robertson sale appears to have taken the pressure off in other areas. United are believed to have received enquiries, which fell short of firm bids, for a couple of other players, but they were able to bat them away comfortably.

Ling is likely to stick to his original plan, to strengthen his squad from the loan market, which reopens next week.

League Two rivals Swindon Town had been hoping that United might come up with a cash offer for ex-Gulls loanee Billy Bodin yesterday.

Ling hinted that, in the wake of Robertson's departure, he may be on the look-out for another defender as well as a forward.

One decision the Gulls' boss is poised to make is over the future of trialist Nathan Craig. The midfielder, released by Everton last May, showed up well at times in yesterday's 4-2 defeat for United's reserves against Forest Green Rovers reserves in the Football Combination, and a short-term "prove yourself" deal may be on the cards.

United pulled centre-back Brian Saah out of yesterday's game at Plainmoor and they looked vulnerable in defence throughout the match.

Lloyd Macklin spoiled a good run past two opponents by blazing over before Forest Green took a seventh-minute lead.

Tommy Wright seized on a back pass by Ashley Yeoman to go past advancing goalkeeper Martin Rice and score.

Yeoman, Chris McPhee and Ed Palmer all went close before ex-Cheltenham midfielder Michael Pook made it 2-0 from a Matt Patterson pass in the 20th minute.

Craig delivered a deep free-kick from the left for Palmer to head home in the 35th minute, but on the stroke of half-time Forest Green restored their two-goal lead when Danny Smith's deflected 20-yard free-kick gave Rice no chance.

Only a fine save by Matt Bulman stopped Craig scoring for United just before substitute Chris Allen made it 4-1 from a 22-yard free-kick over the wall in the 78th minute.

McPhee did help home a Craig corner ten minutes from time to make it 4-2, and Palmer hit the post with a deflected effort near the end.

The match also marked a return to Plainmoor for ex-United centre-half Chris Todd, who played the first 45 minutes on his return from injury.

Torquay United reserves: Rice; Leadbitter (Quinn 83), Beattie (Nardiello 55), Palmer, Rowe-Turner; Yeoman, Kewell, Craig; Macklin, McPhee, Spear (Thompson 60). Substitutes (not used): Ibbetson (gk), Latimer.

Forest Green Rovers reserves: Bulman; Imudia, Todd (Allen 46), Graham, Brown; Uwezi (Williams 78), Henry (Harvey 89), Pook, Smith; Wright, Patterson.