Sunderland welcomed Argyle after the longest journey in the division and came from behind to claim all three points. Despite their manager's protestations that the Leeds game didn't tire them, they ran out off puff late on and it could have been more than three to us.
Tuesday's FA cup replay could hardly have gone better for us, with extra time and all that entails. Both of Argyle's former Lads, Bali Mumbai (hurrah!) and Bren Galloway (hmmf) ran their legs off - Hell, the latter even scored - and, whatever their gaffer says, would have been feeling the effects. I asked as much of a Plymouth fan in the Isis, as well as the usual "what time did you set off?".."half twelve. I live in Darlington."
As foggy as a Seaburn autumn in Bishop, we set off wondering if Roberts and Naz would start - and he did, but we were hard pressed to work out who would play where...
Patterson
Hume Ballard O'Nien (c) Hjelde
Neil Ekwah
Roberts Ba Clarke
Rusyn
..and a bench of Bishuuurrrp, Seelt, Pembele, Bellingham, Hemir, Burstow, Aouchiche, Rigg, and Mundle.
I presume Argyle won the toss, as they chose to kick south and we got to kick off in the fog. Roberts was on the right with Ba central behind Naz as we set up in a sort of 4-2-4 formation. Ba hit what looked like a decent one to Clarke, but Jack had gone a tad early and was offside, but when we repeated the move we won a corner with three minutes gone. There was a round of applause in four minutes to show support for our gaffer's young niece, sadly a cancer sufferer. A completely accidental high foot from Ba earned him a completely unwarranted yellow with only nine minutes gone then Plymouth looked well offside but Patto saved it anyway.
A very deliberate foul on Roberts brought a free but not the yellow it deserved, but we hit it straight at the keeper. Another foul, another yellow, but this one we hit off the top of the wall for a corner. We set Ba away down the right, but when he cut it inside to Ekwah there was another foul - this time by our man. Just after the half hour there was another yellow as Ba was fouled near the left corner of their box, but Clarke hit it straight into the visiting fans. Ba was fouled again - another yellow -but Clarke hit it into the away fans. Well, almost. Naz won a corner on 35 as we lifted our game a notch and won another corner on the other side - they cleared it and their man was a foot inside their half to break away, look to have lost it, then scored.
Bugger - and they were a yard from making it two soon after with a hit from half way. Clarke was then pulled and kicked for another Argyle yellow but Ekwah's shot hit a head in the wall for a corner. A single added minute brought us no reward, so it was advantage Plymouth at the break after what was a pretty dull first 45.
After Sir Bob did the halftime draw there were no changes, but came out looking livelier and Naz had the first run if the half. A Roberts jink took him into the box to win a corner on in the right, but it was cleared. Another free on the edge, as we screamed for a penalty for the second foul, was played short to Ekwah and his shot evaded their draught excluder and the rest of the wall to trundle in. Deflection? Don't know, don't care - level, and deservedly so.
Forty to go, and it was there to be won. A nice little run by Neil carried him to the left corner of the box to feed Clarke but the shot hit a green leg and went for a corner. Just as we were commenting that he wasn't having his best afternoon, but could always produce a bit of magic, he cut inside and hit a belter across the keeper and in just before the hour. Relief!
A minute later, Neil shot wide and the atmosphere lifted even more. On 64 Ba and Ekwah made way for Rigg and Bellingham and two minutes later the latter drifted inside to place an absolute beauty across and into the same corner as Clarke's. Game over, as the Devonian heads went down. More fouls on Clarke followed before Mundle replaced Roberts. Mumba was subbed to a generous round of applause but didn't look best pleased and then we had a minute's applause for the landlord of the Colliery Tavern.
Rusyn made way for Aouchiche (all the vowels) then the ref dithered over who to give the throw to (it was us) but gave them a corner! Six added minutes were given..and we won.
Man of the Match? O'Nien was deceptively in control at the back, Clarke had his moments and Naz led the line well, but for me it was Neil for his second half performance.
