The Lads nipped down to Plymouth (the longest journey in the league, in case you’ve not been paying attention) and, despite our previously brilliant start to the campaign, once again proved the old adage “if you’ve not won in yonks and are playing rubbish, play Sunderland next.” A 2-3 loss ended our perfect start, and while we may still be top of the league, it was a bit of a wake-up call to the players – although you couldn’t really fault them for their effort and general organisation.
A late return from holiday, specifically planned because of the international break but failing to consider the possibility of a trip to Plymouth, meant that I was knackered and without enough time to get to the match. Which is a lie, as I was googling train times while at the airport. Nothing doing, especially without a digital ticket. Anyway, after eventually being talked through the complications of getting a live stream by our Gaz from his multi-screen attic, I was “in” although I had to suffer more freezes than a Tow Law winter and cleared more cookies than a Mag looting Greggs. More faff than going to Plymouth, that’s for sure. Ha’way lucky socks, do your stuff.....
Patterson
Hume O’Nien Ballard Cirkin
Neil ©
Bellingham Rigg
Roberts Mayenda Mundle
...and a bench of Browne, Moore, Rusyn, Watson, Hjelde, Mepham, Aleksic, Isidor, and Ogunsuyi
With the visiting fans behind us, Neil kicked off – perhaps a tad lucky to be reinstated at the expense of Browne – and we shaped up exactly as expected, getting straight into the home side and looking by far the more positive of the two teams. There was no kick and rush, however, and we got the ball to Mundle at every opportunity, and he raced willingly down that big shadow on our left wing. Reward for our patience came after I’d rebooted for what seemed like the twentieth time when we played in Rigg, and when he drove into the box he was tripped by a combination of two defenders. Up stepped Roberts to send the keeper to his right as the ball was planted firmly to his left –a cracking penner and a deserved lead. I assume our fans were going mad, but I was struggling to get the sound on, even after twenty minutes. Technophobe.
We continued with our calm game, producing some nice passing moves, but the second wouldn’t come, even when we were awarded a free in Clarke territory. As he was warming the bench at Brighton, up stepped Roberts, only to have his effort touched onto the bar by the keeper. Good save. Mayenda saw a curling shot from just inside the box deflected off a defender’s hip for a corner, then the home side managed to get into their stride a bit and forced a bit of pressure but without really troubling Patto by firing over the bar. We still had the run of the shadows, with Mundle giving their right back a hard time, and he got into the box to beat the keeper but have his shot cleared off the line. I assume there was some added time, but my dodgy stream meant I missed how much.
Ahead and deservedly so, but a second would have been nice and not unfair on the home side.
No changes for the second half, and Argyle continued their upturn in form, forcing a great low save from Patto early in play. Ten minutes in, however, they were level when the pesky Whittaker blasted a shot from their right off the bottom of the bar, and the ball flew down to hit Ballard and go in. Bugger – conceded two all season, and we scored both of them. Still, plenty of time to get back ahead, although we’d need to revert to our earlier dominance to do that. Mundle tried down the left, and there was a spot of nonsense as he fell on his tackler, who took exception and their was a bit of a kerfuffle before the two were booked. It didn’t look like we would assert ourselves again, as they sliced one wide of Patto’s right hand post then had another shot saved before Le Bris swapped Browne in for Rigg in an effort to settle us down, However, two minute after that seemingly sensible change, Ballard was judged to have fouled Hardie – looked like a foul to me - and their man picked himself up to send Patto the wrong way on 73. At this point the sound made a rare but thankfully brief return, only to be some daftie near the camera singing “Newcastle, Newcastle.” Knob – there’s always one.
Browne’s influence grew eventually, and we were close to getting joy thanks to Roberts and Mundle constantly running at the home defence in their vastly different styles. Mayenda, after another impressive shift leading the line and just having driven in from the right to see his shot tipped into the side netting, was replaced by Isidor for the last ten and he showed commendable energy. However, it was the persistence of Mundle who got us back level when he picked up the ball after his initial shot was blocked and drove it low from a narrow angle on the left and into the far corner through a veritable forest of legs. Gerrinnn!! Only four to go, and a point’s a point.
Oh no it isn’t. Roberts danced into the box from the right then fell as he swung his boot and missed, Mundle then crossed to the back post, where Isidor headed down and it bounced wide and seven added minutes were announced. Could we win it? Szucs, who’d been so offended by Mundle landing on him earlier, hit a shot that Patto could only push away and Edwards was quickest to it whack it in. Halfway through the seven. Damn and blast. We could manage nothing in the way of another equaliser in the further four that were played, and that was it.
A bit unlucky? You could say that, but we really needed to take a couple more chances and defensively – well, another unfortunate afternoon for Big Dan...and another four yellows for us. We’ll take it on the chin and take it out on the Boro next weekend.
Man of the Match? Both wings were our most dangerous areas, but Mundle the Bundle of energy pips Paddy because he scored and looked likely to do it again.
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