SOBS V ARGYLE

Still baffled by the non-goal at Pride Park (something that must surely have repercussions regarding the fourth official's intervention) the Lads welcomed Arrigle to Wearside and made really heavy weather of getting just a point. For long periods, especially of the second half, the central midfield was dominated by those in green. It's a good job they're not very good, otherwise we'd have been properly beaten. An opportunity to close the gap in the top three missed, and a point was no more than we deserved. Plymouth only had two shots on target and they both went in, while we converted two of our five despite have two thirds of the possession.

Those hardy Devonians who travelled yesterday probably saw my greenhouse (aye, another one, and I thought gardening was supposed to be relaxing) fly past, and can't have been in optimistic mood. Burnley, who we decided last Friday don't score many, had popped in five before the break the other night, so the visiting defence was there to be got at. Add to that the favour done last night by 'Ull, and the omens were good - although those of us with lengthy (more than two year) Sunderland memories remember what "bottom of the league, playing badly" means when up against us. Not now, no thanks, especially with the defensive rock that is Brendan Galloway missing for the rest of the season. Ask yer big brother.

... and in came the team news:

Patterson

Hume O'Nien Mepham Cirkin

Neil (c), Samed

Roberts, Bellingham, Le Fee

Isidor

... and a bench of Moore, Hjelde, Mayenda, Jones, Rigg, Poveda, Ballard, Aouchiche, and Aleksic.

A couple of unexpected and interesting changes, and a reminder not to get too sentimental - look at the quality we can bring in. Samed deep or forward, and likewise for Bellingham? With the weather having blown itself out, the sun appeared and all seemed right with the Wearside world... which was manifested in git big queues, even at the North End.

As we faced south, Plymouth kicked off and our formation became apparent, with Samed deep, allowing Neil and Bellingham to move a few yards up the pitch. A nice move after only three minutes got us to edge of the box where we won a free kick, but that just ended with the visitors' default option of hoof it as far north as possible. To be fair to the visitors, they generally played to our patience to keep it away from their keeper, and to be fair to us, we refused to get panicky and just go for it...which actually might have been an idea. With Roberts and Le Fee keeping things wide, we took advantage by hitting a few over the top for Issy to chase, but he couldn't quite get there.

A low one in from the left was a foot behind Neil, meaning he couldn't get his foot around it and what looked like a nailed-on goal wasn't. He then picked up a loose one on the edge of the box and hit a swerver that the keeper tipped away for a corner. A sort of diving header, from Le Fee (I think) was saved, Patterson came for a cross and someone else cleared it, we won a few fewer free kicks than we should have, and there was a bit of shoving nonsense in the single added minute as we had a couple of corners.

That was it. Don't shoot, don't score.

No changes for the second half, as usual, but we started a bit more positively, getting down the right and almost setting up a chance, then it was down the left with Roberts and Enzo combining and the cross winning us a corner. When it eventually came back into the box, Cirkin was blocked as he shot, then the visitors went close with a header that flashed across and wide of Patto's right hand post. A Mepham header from a left side free kick by was saved but nobody was in like Flynn to put the loose ball away. Five minutes later we failed to prevent a cross then failed with a couple of attempts to clear and it was over the line - with Patto credited with the OG. Puzzling.

Disappointing, but it only took a couple of minutes to get level, with Issy reacting quickest to Hume's cross to pop it into the net. On came Mayenda for Samed, with Neil dropping back. Yet another wayward Mepham pass allowed Plymouth to break, and we got away with one as their shot hit the post and flew across the empty goal. Phew.

Yet another foul, yet another yellow and yet another free kick on our left on 71. It looked poor, but dropped nicely for Hume to control and whack Hume from near the spot. Whoop whoop!

After a bit of a shout for a penalty when Mayenda went down (never, apart from in the Prem) on came Rigg and Ballard for Cirkin and Roberts, with Luke going to left back. We desperately needed to win back the central midfield, but we didn't. Mepham hit another pass off target so on came the physio to look for something in his ear. A wasp?

Rigg was away down the right but rather than retaining possession he tried to find Mayenda but put it too close to the keeper. Issy made way for Hjelde, who basically defended by pushing up the left, but in the last minute a cross from our left was once again not defended and when it was headed on it dropped nicely to be walloped across Patto and in. Bugger.

There was still time, in the added size, for Mayenda to scuff his shot and for us to pile ineffectively forward.

Positives? We're still way ahead of fifth.

Negatives? Bellingham, for all of the ball he had, was ineffective for large periods - look, it happens. We didn't get nearly enough shots in either.

Man of the Match? Overall, Hume. A couple of trademark tackles, an assist, and a goal.

A bad day at the office.