Sunday, 13 December 2015

Cambridge United (h) (League 2) Match Report 12/12/2015

So after a two week lay off due to Argyle's early exit in the FA Cup, along came a chance to change recent fortunes. It was hoped that after a fourteen day rest some of the Green Army's injury concerns would be resolved, however it was only Peter Hartley making a welcome return to the starting eleven, in place of Luke Croll. There was further positive news in the sense of seeing Luke McCormick return to the match day squad, albit on the bench, with Christian Walton maintaining his place in goal. With injuries to key players such as Hiram Boateng, Reuben Reid and Graham Carey respectively, it would be interesting to see if Argyle's performance would improve on recent attempts. moving onto the Green Army's visitors for the day, and it was the turn of Cambridge United to make the fairly long trip down to Home Park. Recent managerial changes with former QPR player Shaun Derry taking the reins, combined with a fitness first approach have seen an upturn in fortunes in recent weeks. Having said that, the U's form can only be described as indifferent at best. Key players for Cambridge include local lad Luke Berry, Everton loanee and heralded prospect Ryan Ledson, and former England international goalkeeper Dave Beasant's son Sam Beasant, himself also a goalkeeper. This would prove to be a challenging test for Argyle and one, with the busy Christmas schedule approaching that the fans would hope to get a result from.

Referee Tim Robinson got the match underway and the match got off to fairly mundane pace. Both sides were closing each other down well and it seemed that it may prove to be a tight game. However with only six minutes on the clock and the U's opened the scoring. Berry picked the ball up in the middle of the Green Army's half before some neat and quick passing with Ledson allowed the latter to play a through ball to Ben Williamson down the right side of the Argyle box. Wiliamson allowed the ball to come across his body before firing a quick right footed shot across himself, beating Walton and nestling in the bottom left hand corner. Not the start the Green Army faithful wanted, and with injuries and confidence low it proved to cause indecision for the rest of the half. Despite a couple of speculative Craig Tanner efforts, the rest of the half belonged to the impressive Cambridge side. With just under twenty minutes on the clock, Kelvin Mellor was nowhere to be seen, and this let tricky winger Harrison Dunk in on the left. He cut inside the with the whole goal to aim at he hit a solid drive that Hartley did incredibly well to block and prevent further embarrassment. Possession seemed to be equally spread, but individual errors and a lack of creativity in the final third was preventing Argyle from making any in roads into the U's defence. Another chance came, this time it was Berry who found space inside the eighteen yard box. Again given too much time, he took the invitation to shoot and Hartley again made an impressive block. With the fans beginning to grumble and the obvious lack of final ball, the Green Army were being reduced to long range strikes. Gary Sawyer saw another one of them fly high and wide, when he struck from just outside the eighteen yard box with his left foot. This effort probably summing up an Argyle side devoid of both ideas, confidence and perhaps with the absence of Carey, creative ability. Cambridge were soon to be on the attack and Wiliamson found himself with space and time in the Green Army's eighteen yard box yet again. From the right hand side he fired a cross come shot across the box and it was Ledson who missed the open goal tap in by the slightest of margins. With a real sense of dejavu from the performance at Dagenham and Redbridge two weeks previously, it seemed lessons were yet to be learnt and when Robinson blew for half time, there was relief from the Argyle fans that we weren't further behind.

During he half time break, there was wondering over whether Derek Adams would make any changes. But with so many injuries it would have to be for an untested youngster, or Dean Smalley who has only recently come back from a lengthy lay off with injury. There were no changes however, so perhaps a stirring half time team talk would bring a different side out. Alas it was not to be and it was the U's who came out on the front foot, probably even more so than in the first half! An early effort from McHugh, who incidentally had been the player in green who had performed well!, flew high and wide over Beasant's goal. Shortly after Ryan Brunt had a long range effort easily blocked, and with United dominating possession and defending impeccably it seemed the side from Cambridgeshire were toying with their Devonshire counterparts. With the Green Army pushing forward, yet to no avail, it left inevitable gaps for Cambridge to exploit. Conor Newton ploughed forward with the ball at his feet and with Curtis Nelson backing off, let fly with a swerving effort from twenty yards with his right foot. Walton did well to parry the shot to his right. However a weak challenge from the mistake prone Mellor meant that Ryan Donaldson picked the ball up. He played it back into the path of Newton who in turn laid it off to Ledson for a first time shot that was well blocked by Oscar Threlkeld before looping safely back into Waton's grasp. The performance was for me the most laboured of the season, and with no changes forthcoming, it became apparent that Adams evidently lacked faith in the youth players, as if they couldn't get game time in this match, then I struggle to see when they will get it! Just as it seemed that the game would flow to a potential two or three goal win for the impressive U's, the Green Army started a mini resurgence of sorts. Firstly a smart through ball found Tanner in on goal on the left hand side. He cleverly dinked it over the oncoming Beasant and into the net, only for the linesman to correctly flag him offside. A short while later and a ball from Tanner into the box seemed to scrappily bounce around before falling to Nelson. He controlled the ball well before turning and swinging a left footed shot towards goal from about ten yards. The ball looked destined for the top corner with Beasant well beaten bit flew agonisingly over. Maybe Argyle's chance had come and gone, but only two minutes later an unlikely equaliser came. Jake Jervis was played in down the right by Gregg Wylde, who continued his run into the box. Jervis then sent an inviting right wing cross into the box and it was the diminutive Wylde who rose highest to head superbly across Beasant and into the bottom right hand corner! 1-1 and cue 'Wylde' (excuse the puns!) celebrations amongst the fans. Would this fortunate equaliser now spur the Green Army on to a possible winner with seventeen minutes still remaining. Sadly again, the answer was no and if anything it seemed to galvanise Cambridge further. Only three minutes later and Newton had the ball on the edge of the Argyle area. He laid it back to Ledson who hit a stunning right footed drive that Walton superbly tipped over the crossbar. From the resulting corner a U's goal so very nearly came. Donaldson whipped the ball in swinging with his right foot. Leon Legge jumped highest and headed the ball down into a congested penalty area causing a melee that eventually looped up, and from just three yards out Mark Roberts somehow hooked the ball just over the bar, when he really should have scored! With the Green Army support breathing a sigh of relief it seemed that Argyle would, much like at Dagenham, getting an equaliser and point that was little deserved. Cambridge weren't finished however and after a free Roberts header flew over, the winning goal would prove to be an early Christmas gift! Largely untroubled keeper Beasant sent a hopeful goal kick forward. The ball was allowed to bounce and as Hartley came into control the ball unchallenged, he appeared to stand on the ball and fall over. This let in the evergreen Berry through on goal, and as he closed in, he fired a curling early side footed effort past Walton and into the right hand corner of the net. 2-1 to the U's and no more than they deserved. here was four minutes left for the Green Army to salvage something but in truth the closing stages were very comfortable for Cambridge and no doubt Derry will be mightily pleased with an impressive display. Referee Robinson blew for full time and Argyle's sour patch still ever continues!

Whilst this game was on paper a fairly close encounter, in reality it was far from it. Argyle looked devoid of ideas and it was alarming to see how the lack of recent confidence so apparently affected the player's ability to perform the simplest tasks. The whole match was strewn with individual errors, and it was perhaps ironic that the otherwise fairly impressive Hartley made the mistake to give Cambridge their richly deserved late winner. What started as a little bad run is now becoming worryingly more consistent. This is now two very abject performances on the bounce. I feel the Dagenham and Redbridge performance was slightly glossed over due to Brunt's late winner. As a club the Green Army are fortunate that it is a tight division and no teams are pulling away, especially considering that Argyle have now taken only two points from their last four matches. What is for sure is that most supporters would have taken this league position at this stage of the campaign in pre season. Double that up with the passionate flair up between Adams and Derry and it is obvious to see that our recent form is riling the manager. Wit three matches left until the transfer window and a busy Christmas period of three matches (two being away!) in seven days and we all have to hope that the injury list becomes smaller and that we potentially invest in some player recruitment in the January transfer window. I'm off to Hartlepool next Saturday with many other passionate Argyle fans and we can all only pray that the corner is turned up in the North East next Saturday!







Best Player - Carl McHugh

Attendance - 7246

Next Game - 19/12/2015 Hartlepool United (a) (League 2)








As always each match report is featured with our Match Day fan feature, which is a short Q and A about Argyle related fodder and something which I hope to do for every match day. If you would to be featured please feel free to email me at danstone84@hotmail.com or alternatively get in touch through social media. Either on Twitter @danstone84 or one of the Facebook forums tagging me in Dan Stone. My match reports also feature on www.argyle.life where I am part of a team of writers. Please come along and visit and support the site and it's writers. It's a great site with a broad range of opinions and views.

Today's fan is 58 year old Tony Bullock-Formosa from Melbourne, Australia

How long have you been an Argyle fan for? 'For about 50 years!'

What's your earliest PAFC memory? 'My father made me a wooden rattle. I think I was about 7 or 8. We were in front of the Mayflower stand, standing by the fence so we could see! I held my rattle over the fence constantly twirling it and driving everyone around me crazy, because I was so loud!'

Favourite ever Argyle match and why? 'I was going to say the Santos game because of the huge crowd, but probably for a performance, it has to be the 6-0 Boxing Day win over Torquay United'

Best all time Argyle player? 'Hard to split Paul Mariner and Billy Rafferty, because they played so well off each other'

Best current Argyle player? 'I haven't seen Graham Carey play, but he sounds excellent! Who I have seen (last season) it would have to be Curtis Nelson. I still cant believe he is so young!'

General feeling around Derek Adams' performance so far? 'He's a great appointment! Comes across as a very focussed, capable man with a winning attitude. Long may it last at Argyle!'

Season Prediction? 'Bit scared to answer this one...but hope we stay in the Top 3! I think Derek Adams has the right stuff!'

Prediction for our next match away to Hartlepool United? 'Eek I fear another defeat, injuries are a real problem! Hopefully we can bring in a couple of replacements in the January transfer window'

No comments:

Post a Comment