Richard Luscombe PLYMOUTH Argyle SC team lost 5-4 in a thriller against Crawley in the Education League this week. A brilliant first-half display gave us a deserved 1-0 lead through Marley Gibson strike but, just before the break, we conceded from a quickly taken free kick.
An awful start to the second period saw us concede three quick goals to go 4-1 down. A change in formation gave us a more attacking edge and a penalty from Callum Doyle made it 4-2. As the restart was being taken, the Crawley goalkeeper said something to the referee and was sent off for dissent but, frustratingly, we conceded again to make it 5-2.
The players went for it and created many chances. Louie Thompson scored a free kick to make it 5-3 with 10 minutes to go and Jack Langford scored in the 90th minute to make it 5-4, but we couldn’t get the equaliser.
The other Home Park side also slipped to defeat against a very powerful Birmingham City outfit. We took a 1-0 on seven minutes after good work from Jack Reid in providing the cross for Jamie Roberts to neatly volley home.
Birmingham gradually got back into the game and equalised on the half-hour, quickly adding another just before half-time. The second half lacked the same verve and we conceded two more goals to lose 4-1.
We now move on to a fantastic showdown between the two Argyle teams based at Home Park next weekend in a game that will be played on the Harpers Park training ground.
Plymouth Argyle Cornwall had yet another home fixture against free-scoring Crystal Palace. It was perfect conditions for both sets of players to play with a high tempo. Argyle had a good early chance but Palace then scored on the counter.
It was quickly obvious why Palace have scored so many goals this season our defensive resilience frustrated the visitors, and we started to get on top, with the lads a little unlucky not to level before half-time.
The second half was very similar, with more chances were being created form Argyle but we were lacking that little bit of quality in the final third. Argyle had a flurry of attacks in the final 10 minutes but couldn’t find the equalizer – something that the players deserved at the very least. There were, however, some excellent individual disaplays with Dylan Plenty as the stand-out performer at the heart of Argyle’s defence.
Again, loads of positives to take from the game and as a group of players they know they are so close to their first win which will hopefully kick start a winning run.
Argyle have conceded the same amount of goals as the team that are top of the league – so continued work in training in the final third will hopefully get the team their first win of the season.
For more information on the Football Education programme based at Home Park, please contact lee.britchford@pafc.co.uk or for Cornwall please contact mike.foley@pafc.co.uk
