Argyle Community Trust STILL smarting from last week’s defeat against Charlton Athletic, Argyle Ladies put in a far better performance against League leaders Brighton & Hove Albio, but ultimately the result was the same; another home defeat, that sees the Greens hovering just one place above the relegation places.
Missing the likes of Jessie Jones, Kayley Lane, Emily Mousley and Ezme Wells, Argyle lacked a cutting edge up-front and from the first whistle, against a well organised Brighton side, it was backs-to-the-wall for Argyle.
Despite the visitors dominating possession, Argyle’s defence did well to withstand the early onslaught, but fell behind when Brighton’s Deanna Cooper waltzed through a static home midfield and her shot took a wicked deflection past a wrong-footed Michaela Phillips.
Five minutes later, Brighton increased their lead when Charlotte Gurr spotted that Argyle had no-one on the far post and curled a free-kick over Phillips from the acutest of angles. The Pilgrims spent the remainder of the half on the back foot and Phillips made a couple of fine saves to keep the score at 0-2 going into the break.
Brighton continued in the ascendancy in the second half and added a third goal in the 53rd minute when the ball ricocheted kindly into the path of Charlotte Gurr, who slotted the ball home from close range. Gurr completed her hat-trick with Brighton’s fourth goal in the 59th minute when she was on hand to steer home Danielle Rowe’s low cross after Lucy Olde had been dispossessed on the edge of the penalty area.
Argyle continued to defend doggedly to keep the score down to four and had a couple of chances late in the game, but Mollie Taylor saw both efforts well saved by Brighton ‘keeper Faye Baker.
At the final whistle, a philosophical Argyle manager Kevin Taylor was quick to reflect that Brighton were by far the best team Argyle had faced this season, and that despite the score-line, his defence had battled extremely well throughout.
He said: “The manner of the goals conceded was again disappointing but highlighted the ruthlessness of the opposition strikers at this level, with every mistake being punished.
“In truth, both Brighton and Charlton will, no doubt, be contesting the title come the end of the season and it’s not against these teams that we can really judge how our own season will pan out, but next week we face a trip to Queens Park Rangers, who are currently bottom of the League and that’s where we must be looking at picking up some points.”
