With Argyle's winning run ended by an in form Northampton Town side, it was important that the Green Army focussed on getting back on the horse, and back to winning ways. Next up it was the turn of Stevenage to visit Home Park. In the reverse fixture this season, Teddy Sheringham's Boro' managed to achieve a 2-1 victory in a rather scrappy encounter for both sides. It was hoped that today would be a better memory for the Argyle faithful. Stevenage brought a similar squad to the one the Green Army faced earlier in the season, with standout players being Dean Parrett, Charlie Lee and Michael Tonge. For Argyle, after tinkering with the starting formation against the Cobblers on Tuesday, it was back to the tried and tested 4-2-3-1 tactic, with Craig Tanner and Gregg Wylde reintroduced, and Reuben Reid leading the front line. Hopefully going back to the successful formula would reap the rewards for the home side today!
Referee James Linington blew his whistle and the match got underway. Argyle started brilliantly, pressing with purpose. Almost immediately, good work from Wylde on the left forced Ronnie Henry to concede a corner. Up stepped Jake Jervis and his in swinging right footed delivery from the left was met by a header from Carl McHugh at the near post. Stevenage keeper Chris Day got a hand to it, but the effort proved too powerful and ended up in the net. 1-0 to the Green Army and their second fastest goal of the season. With a great start in the bag, could Argyle push on. Unfortunately another corner, this time from Boro', got them back into the match. Tom Conlon stepped up from the left corner flag and sent a left footed out swinger to the edge of the box. Jamie McCombe reacted first and his touch to the far post found Lee unmarked, who tapped easily into the gaping net. 1-1 and only six minutes played! This may have turned the tide into Stevenage's favour, but the Green Army responded well and it wasn't long before Jervis cut inside of Connor Ogilvie before firing just wide of Day's far post. The constant pressure paid off, and just eleven minutes after Boro's equaliser, Argyle regained the lead. Great play down the right by Kelvin Mellor found Jervis and his superb cross, was met by a bullet header from Wylde that flew into the top right hand corner for 2-1! The Green Army had sent the fans into raptures, and this in turn caught the team on fire. The ball was almost permanently in the Stevenage half, and a half clearance from Fraser Franks rolled towards Mellor form 25 yards. He hit a first time fierce right footed drive that whizzed just past the post. More great play, this time from Wylde, saw him dink past Henry before hitting a curling effort towards the far corner. With Day well beaten, the ball narrowly arched wide! Reid was then in on the act picking up a long Peter Hartley ball, and when McCombe backed off, he shaped a right footed effort around him, that Day did expertly well to tip round the far post. With Argyle piling on the pressure it was nearly a comical moment which provided the third goal. A Wylde cross from the left was met by an attempted Franks clearance. He however smashed the ball into how colleague Henry and Day looked on agonisingly as the ball beat him but crashed off the crossbar and out for a corner. The Green Army were to have their moment however, and when McHugh found Tanner inside the box on the left the goal finally came. As Tanner received the ball, he showed great feet to evade two defenders before hitting a sublime effort across the sprawling Day and into the top right hand corner. 3-1 and no more than Argyle deserved. With five minutes remaining of the first half, there was still time for even mor chances. Jervis had another right footed effort well saved by Day, before two close efforts from Tanner. the first whistling past the post and the second again well saved by Day. To the travelling Boro' fans relief, Linington blew the whistle and it was half time!
With such an exhilarating first half, with four goals and three for the Green Army, the fans were on good voice. Unfortunate finishing and Day heroics had prevented the game from being out of sight. Would Argyle live to regret these missed chance or could they keep dominating? The second half began, and probably as expected, Stevenage came out with a lot more purpose. As with the first half, an early goal set the tone. This time it was Stevenage who halved the comeback job with a well taken goal. Parrett found some space on the right before sending in a bouncing right footed cross. the defence looked jittery and poor marking from Mellor allowed Lee in front of him, who in turn bundled the ball over the line to make it 3-2. The Stevenage resurgence continued and Luke McCormick did well to save Aaron O'Connor's right footed effort. This was soon followed by a solid right foot shot from Parrett that flew over the bar. The Green Army weathered the storm however, and were soon back on the front foot. Speculative long range efforts from Jervis and McHugh, went over the bar and were well saved respectively. Reid then found space on the right hand side of the box, but his drilled effort towards the near post was well saved by Day with his feet. the match then seemed to slow unsurprisingly, after such a frenetic pace. Oskar Threlkeld came on in place of the again impressive Tanner, before Ryan Brunt replaced the equally impressive Reid. Threlkeld nearly marked his cameo with a goal, but again Day was up to the challenge, saving well. It was actually the Green Army who finished the stronger, with Brunt and Wylde both having chances to give the score a more reflective reading of the dominant display, but it was not to be. The referee blew the full time whistle and Argyle had a richly deserved three points!
After the sombre mood following the defeat to Northampton on Tuesday, it was great to see such an emphatic performance. For me it was probably the best performance in attacking terms this season. In this tried and tested system, Tanner and Reid seem to flourish. Add to that the solid form that Wylde has seemed to hit, alongside the solidity that either Josh Simpson, McHugh or Threlkeld bring and good things seem to beckon. On top of that there is positive news that Graham Carey could make his long awaited return to the match day squad for next Saturday's trip to Bristol Rovers. The only flaw for today's performance was in defensive terms. Early season this had been a key factor in the Green Army's promotion assault. I still believe that Hartley and Curtis Nelson are two of the division's stand out defenders however, and add to that the new loan signing of Jordon Forster from Hibernian, I think today may have just been an off day. Next week will be a real acid test with Rovers in fine form. Coming off the back of an impressive win at in form Oxford United, it was with both trepidation and excitement that I view the next Argyle away day!
Best Player - Gregg Wylde
Attendance - 9546
Next Game - 23/01/2016 Bristol Rovers (a) (League 2)
As always each match is featured with our Match Day fan feature, which is a short Q and A about Argyle related fodder and something that I hope to do for every match day. If you would like to be featured please feel free to contact me at
danstone84@hotmail.com or alternatively get in touch through social media. Either on Twitter @danstone84 or on 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 and visit the site and support it's writers. It's a great site with a broad range of opinions and views.
Today's fan is 24 year old Chris Colverson from Plymouth
How long have you been an Argyle fan for? '11 years'
What's your earliest PAFC memory? 'We played Charlton Athletic in a friendly at Home Park'
Favourite ever Argyle match and why? 'Shrewsbury away in League 1 as it was my first ever away day! We were in such a bad way and Fletch scored such a meaningful goal to beat the Shrews, who were top of the league at the time'
Best all time Argyle player? 'Mickey Evans. 'Trigger', what a legend!'
Best current Argyle player? 'Craig Tanner'
General feeling around Derek Adams' performance so far? 'He has been such a refreshing appointment. He has instilled belief in the players, fans and club again!'
Season Prediction? '3rd as our rivals seem more consistent in my opinion'
Prediction for our next match away to Bristol Rovers? 'We are both in good form and both doing well in the league at the moment. I will go for a 2-1 Argyle win'
No comments:
Post a Comment