Things are on something of a high after the drubbing of Morecambe so we're all hoping we can consolidate that with another win today. One of the many things I liked about Tuesday's performance was the way we pressed them back all the time and stopped them playing out from the back. I'm not aware of any further injuries so hopefully we can start with the same side and they're bound to be full of beans. I saw a few other fans moaning and saying it was only Morecambe but scoring five goals against any side is a great shot in the arm. After leading the pack not so long ago Plymouth have gone on a bad run with a draw and three defeats in their last four league matches and if we have another bright start with an early goal, I think we'll get another win. I'm back in the homelands and will be at the game, in the Lower West Stand. Match prediction: 2-0 to us.
I got the team-news while I was having a slurp in Fitzie’s and there seemed to be no changes from Tuesday. I got into my seat about ten minutes before kick-off and the crowd was looking a decent size with a good few hundred Plymouth fans too. The team got a great reception when they emerged. It was drizzling so I expected a few slips here and there.
We started brightly again and won the first corner in the third minute. The kick was taken short and low and when it came to Neil he slammed it home to put us in the lead. We didn’t let up our high-pressing game and created another good chance almost straightaway. Our fans were in a raucous, happy mood. Scarr was down injured for a couple of minutes but we picked up where we’d left off, attacking down both wings and battling for every ball. Plymouth managed a couple of attacks but their finishing was poor, thankfully. We went 2-0 up in the thirteenth minute with a beautiful goal. Pritchard started it with one of his typical tenacious runs and when he fed Dajaku down the right, the latter put in a low cross that was cheekily back-heeled in by Broadhead. The lad next to me said that the last back-heeled goal he remembered by us was scored by Martin Smith. The crowd was in ecstasy and as we kept at it another 5-0 didn’t seem impossible. We’d also had several mildish penalty shouts but the ref wasn’t having any of it. Edwards was yellow-carded for a foul on Dajaku after he’d nutmegged him giving us a free-kick near the right-angle of their box that Flanagan headed narrowly over. Plymouth were resorting to fouls as they struggled to cope with our pace down both flanks and more yellows looked inevitable. It was looking like number three when Pritchard intercepted a sloppy roll out by their goalie Cooper and crossed but the ensuing shot, by Broadhead I think, was blocked. Plymouth had a few attacks just after the half-hour mark but they never threatened Hoffmann and Wright in particular was looking very solid. Every time we went forward there was a buzz of anticipation as we definitely looked like we had another goal at least in us. Edwards, who was a right workiticket, tried to steal a mile on a throw in and earned the comment, “You, yer idiot!” from a bloke in front of me. Two minutes of stoppage-time were announced and Plymouth were awarded a free-kick at the left angle of our box. The Plymouth fans woke up at last but we cleared the danger and the half ended with us still 2-0 ahead. There was a lot of well-deserved applause as the teams left the field.
Lee Howie came on to do the half-time draw. His autobiography is very entertaining.
Elsewhere Rotherham were drawing 1-1 and Wycombe were losing 0-1, both at home, so that was all to the good for us. ‘Mighty Real’ by Sylvester was playing over the p.a. and I was in the mood for dancing.
As we kicked off again Embleton had replaced Gooch. Plymouth won their first corner almost straightaway but Broadhead cleared it. Hoffmann was forced into his first real save of the game just afterwards and Plymouth had started with some vim. Hoffmann dived low near his right post to block another effort and we urgently needed to counter. We did so, winning a corner in the fifty-first minute from which Embleton fired over. We won another shortly afterwards as our fans roared us on and things were looking a lot better. The ref, Scott Oldham, was giving us nothing and had made himself very unpopular with both our fans and LJ, who received a yellow for complaining. A loud chant of, “You’re not fit to referee!” was most appropriate. “Get yer fuckin’ eyes open!” chimed the lad to my right. Still, the hour-mark passed and we remained 2-0 ahead. Next thing Plymouth won two corners on the trot and from the second Scarr headed into the net from close range to make it 2-1. We promptly won two corners in a row ourselves but couldn’t make them count. Plymouth had edged this half so far and it was going to be a battle (and probably messy). Broadhead made a great run down the left and hit a strong shot on target but it was palmed away. Twenty minutes to go and there was tension in the air but five minutes later a curling Dajaku shot went narrowly wide to revive our spirits. Just after that Pritchard went off to great applause and was replaced by O’Brien. He had hardly got warmed up when he was booked and we conceded a free-kick in a dangerous position. We survived and there were eight minutes to go. The crowd was announced - 28,997. There was a big melee in their box as we waited for a throw to be taken which resulted in Houghton being yellow-carded. It was thrill a minute stuff as full time approached and then five minutes of stoppage-time were announced. How people can go home at such moments is beyond me. Our fans were in tremendous voice in the dying moments and there was a great roar as that whistle final went and we’d won.
This became much more of an even contest in the second period as Plymouth pushed us back and maybe Gooch’s absence had affected our balance but we gave as good as we got and won a precious three points in a vital match. Wycombe and Wigan both dropped points and we’re now in third spot with just goal difference keeping us out of a promotion slot.
