Oxford vs Argyle - Preview

The last time Argyle and Oxford met at the Kaasam Stadium was last season in which the Pilgrims lost 5-1. This was there heaviest defeat.  Most of the squad on that Tuesday evening last season were aging between 17 and 19. The greens were still in administration at that time with James Brent trying to finalise a deal to buy the club from being liquidated. Thanks to James Brent Plymouth still has a club. 

Durrell Berry and three of Carl Fletchers summer signings Jamie Lowry, Rhys Griffiths and Rene Gilmartin are all still side-lined through injuries whilst the rest of the squad are all fit for selection for tomorrow games against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.  The one to watch out for in the Oxford’s squad is Jake Forster-Caskey the stepson of Nicky Forster currently manager of Dover Athletic.  Forster-Caskey is on loan from championship side Brighton & Hove Albion. 

Meanwhile Carl Fletchers first signing of the season from Woking, Paris Cowan-Hall will be looking for a starting 11 place after his impressive displays on the pitch after coming on during the second half of the games. Also looking to break into the starting 11 is Northern Ireland Striker Warren Feeney. 

Fletcher’s team will also be looking to improve on the pitch after a very poor performance on Tuesday Evening. The players were lucky to come away from Dagenham & Redbridge with a point.    

Manager Carl Fletcher and captain Darren Purse will be looking to lead the team onto a valuable 3points.

I’m sure there will be a few hundred more among the green army, cheering on the lads from the North stand in Oxfordshire as Argyle have sold out there limit of 500 tickets.  Green Army!  

 

Argyle vs Aldershot - Match Report

 

With Argyle kicking off the Npower league 2 season at home to Aldershot Town it was a chance for the greens to get some points onto the board.  But unfortunately the Pilgrims suffered a 2-0 defeat to the Shots with the goals coming from Troy Brown and a penalty from Josh Payne. Regardless of Argyle having most of the possession they were unable to break the Aldershot defence.

Carl Fletcher decided to stick with the exact starting 11 that played in the 3-0 win over Portsmouth to start the league 2 fixture  Vs  Aldershot Town.  On the other hand Aldershot were forced to make many changes to their starting 11 due to injury’s to their players   A huge crowd turned up at Home Park expecting big things from the players.  The players emerged from the tunnel in the new look Home Kit sponsored by Bond Timber.  An unusual territory came when the Pilgrims were handed the chance to face the Devonport Enders in the first half rather than in the second half.  That meant the Shots were shooting towards the Barn Park End in front of their own fans. 

Argyle players Paul Wotton and Conor Hourihane kicked the ball for this first league game of the season.  In fairness to Aldershot their players were raring to go closing down the Pilgrims very quickly.  With not the greatest of starts from the Pilgrims they found themselves 1-0 down inside the first five minutes.  Onismor Bhasera   fouled his man just outside the penalty box and the Shots were awarded a free kick.  Anthony Tonkin placing the free kick perfecting onto Defender Troy Brown who guided the ball passed Jake Cole Argyle number 1 goalkeeper.  Like many times last season after the Pilgrims had conceded a goal they just dropped their heads but all fairness to the players they tried to get an equaliser down at the other end.  After the goal had gone in it took the Pilgrims a couple to minute to get back into the swing of the game and keeping the possession of the ball very well.  That nearly paid off when both Nick Chadwick and Andres Gurrieri coming close to finding the back of the net, but two good saves from their goalkeeper declined the Pilgrims from getting on the score sheet.  The next opportunity came from free kick specialist Paul Wotton.  Only the post denied the Paul Wotton from equalising after he celebrated his 35^TH Birthday on Friday. With Argyle having most of the possession it was time for Johnny Gorman, the scorer of the first goal against Portsmouth, to make a goal scoring opportunity for Nick Chadwick only for the defender to nick it off his foot.  Half time was some approaching with Argyle still in total control of the match.

Second half came round very quickly with the Shots  first out after the first half with the Pilgrims making them wait a few more minutes until they reappeared from the tunnel.  Aldershot kicked of the second half with the Pilgrims shooting towards the Barn Park End.  I expect most fans were still thinking it was the first half as the Pilgrims don’t usually shoot towards the Devonport until the second half.  Soon after the restart Argyle created there next shot on goal.  Conor Hourihane volleyed the ball only for a Shots defender to deflect it to safety.  Minutes after the Away team were awarded a penalty after Bhasera and Blanchard had fouled Michael Rankine.  It was Josh Payne to step up to take the penalty.  He had scored with Jake Cole going the wrong way.  Off he trotted to celebrate with his teammates. 2-0 to the Aldershot. Luke Young was introduced into the game just after the 60^th minute marking replacing Johnny Gorman.  The greens started to play some very neat football passing between each other and creating some chances but Aldershot stood tall and defended well.  The next two substitutions that Carl Fletcher would make would be to replace Andres Gurrieri with new recruit Paris Cowan-Hall with 20minutes still to play in the game.  A straight change for the Pilgrims with Cowan-Hall playing right midfield.  Also Warren Feeney replaced Matty LeCointe who had put in a very promising display with Nick Chadwick.  It was nearly a super sub for Argyle as they nearly pulled a goal back from Feeno who headed Curtis Nelson cross. Warren Feeney was involved in the play once again to set up Chaddy but his shot was well saved by the goalkeeper.

 Aldershot had won 2-0 at Home Park. They travel back up the M4 with all three points in the bag.  Keep the faith the results will come.  GREEN ARMY.

Next Home Game: Northampton Saturday 1^st September 3pm kick-off

Next Away Game: Dagenham & Redbridge Tuesday 21^st August 7:45pm kick-off

Argyle vs Aldershot - Match Preview

Weeks and months have passed by since Argyles last competitive game against Cheltenham Town. Argyle now welcomes Aldershot Town to Home Park for the first game of the 2012-13 season.  A lot of changes have been made to Home Park including the season tickets, dugouts and goal-nets, the family area, The Argyle Arms, and of course a splash of paint around the changing rooms. Not forgetting the new additions to the squad made by gaffer Carl Fletcher.  With 10 spaces separating Argyle and Aldershot last season with the greens fighting for relegations in 21^st place and with the Shots playing for a promotion spot in 10^th place.

The start of last season the greens headed north to Shrewsbury still fighting off liquidation.  The Pilgrims travelled back south with a draw thanks to now manager Carl Fletcher scoring a stunner in added time of the 90.  From that day on the squad faced 10 consecutive defeats. The squad travelled up on Friday 16^th September for their league encounter against Southend at Roots Hall on Saturday 17^th 2011.  The pilgrims lost 2-0 on that day. The Sunday after that defeat former Director Peter Ridsdale acted quickly to sack Peter Reid.  He took no time to appoint current manager Carl Fletcher.  The first win of the season came at Home to Macclesfield which was also a fans reunited day.  I expect most Pilgrims would never look back at those days before that match.  We now look forward to what’s coming up in the next few hours, days and weeks.  

Durrell Berry and new signings Rhys Griffiths and Jamie Lowry will all have to sit out this match against the Shots due to knee, calf and ankle ligament damage. Paris Cowan Hall will be looking to break into the starting 11 after his goal against former club Portsmouth, who we beat 3-0 with Johnny Gorman and Nick Chadwick also scoring goals to help us reach the second round of the Capital One Cup.  New loan signing Johnny Gorman will be looking to keep his space in the squad after impressing on his debut against Portsmouth in which he scored a cracking goal.  New Captain Darren Purse will be looking to use all of his experience to help the greens be right up the league table pushing for promotion rather than relegation.  Also with experience players in Paul Wotton and Nick Chadwick, they are vastly experienced players who can help the young players progress, and fight for a place in the starting 11 come 3pm every Saturday and 7:45pm on Tuesday.   

We are Plymouth Argyle and in Carl Fletcher we trust.  Come along to Home Park and sing your hearts  out to cheer on the lads to 3 valuable points.  Let’s get off to a fantastic start. Green Army

Argyle vs Portsmouth - Match Report

Tuesday 14^th August had finally arrived when the Pilgrims stepped onto the field for their first competitive game of the new season.  Rain poured onto the Home Park playing field, seemingly not the weather that was hoped in the middle of August.  More like the beginning of the winter season!!!  The team sheets were in with the starting line-up  for the Pilgrims  as followed: Goalkeeper- Jake Cole, Defenders, Curtis Nelson, Darren Purse, Maxime Blanchard, Onismor Bhasera, the midfield players - Johnny Gorman, Conor Hourihane, Paul Wooton and Andres Gurrieri with Nick Chadwick and Matty LeCoite playing upfront.  Portsmouth themselves fielding a youth squad with only two recognised players, that have played league football before. I expect most of the green army were expecting summer signing Rhys Griffiths from Port Talbot to make his debut.  But unfortunately he was kept out of the starting 11 because of a thigh injury picked up in Monday’s training session. 

Both teams emerged from the tunnel with Argyle strolling out with a new look captain.  In this Darren Purse had been given the captain armband with former skipper Simon Walton moving up north because of family issues to persue his career in professional football.  Argyle started the first half very quickly and professionally after kicking off the first half.  Inside the first two minutes the greens were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty box.  Both Paul Wotton and new boy Johnny Gorman were over the ball, but it was Gorman to fire in the free kick.  Non-league goalkeeper and Pompey’s captain for the evening Simon Eastwood failed to catch the greasy ball which resulted in Pompey conceding the first of many corners of the game.  Soon after Matty LeCointe nearly made it 1-0, from good build up play by the midfield players the ball made its way through to LeCointe who turned and fired towards the goal.  A great save by Simon Eastwood to keep the score 0-0 and to turn it away from a corner.   The young men from Portsmouth had their first shot on target just inside the half hour mark.  This came from Harris who left Bhasera struggling to fire the shot across Jake Cole’s goal. Argyle had another corner when Blanchard nicked it off Purses head  who had the potential  of powering it into the back of the net.  The greens were pushing to break the Portsmouth defence.  The breakthrough came on the 45^th minutes from a stunning pass from veteran midfield Paul Wotton to Johnny Gorman, who was free to run at the defenders, and fire the ball pass the goalkeeper to make it 1-0 to the greens. Was it a pass or a strike on the goal??  Moments after that stunning goal the forth official held up for the board to announce there was two minutes added time.  All Argyle didn’t want was to concede straight after scoring the first.  So they kept it solid until the half time whistle was blown.  The Pilgrims went into the break 1 nil to the good.

Portsmouth were the first ones to appear after half time whilst the Pilgrims were making the opposites wait a bit longer. There was a second half substitution for Argyle with Andres Gurrieri coming off for Joe Lennox a straight swap.  Portsmouth re-started the second half with them shooting towards the Barn Park End in front of their fans.  The Pilgrims started the opposite of the first half.  It took a long time for the Pilgrims to get back into the game. Whilst Pompey came out of the blocks very quickly passing the ball comfortably between themselves.   In no time at all Argyle were slowly but surely passing the ball quickly and smoothly.  Striker Nick Chadwick missed a complete sitter when Midfielder Conor Hourihane passed the ball through to perfection, all Chadders had to do was chip it over the goalkeeper.  Somehow Chadwick chipped the ball marginally wide of the right hand post in front of the Devonport Enders. With chants ringing around Home Park ‘Chadders for England’. I think every single fan thought it had made its way into the back of the green and white net. Soon after that Fletcher made another substitution with goal scorer Johnny Gorman making way for Luke Young.  Portsmouth were still pressuring the greens defence forcing Jake Cole to make some saves.  Portsmouth had a great chance of equalising through Webster but the ball went narrowly wide of the post. Final sub for Argyle came when Paris Cowan Hall replaced Matty Lecointe.  Minutes later he had made it 2-0 in the 85^th minute.  Maxime Blachard had headed the ball onto Paris who then placed it passed the goalkeeper.  Exactly two minutes later Chadwick had made up for his earlier mistake by getting onto Lennox cross to put it into the back of the net.  Off he went to celebrate with the fans and his team mates. 

All credit has to go to Portsmouth and their 750 travelling fans.  All the best!!  We know what it feels like.

FANS RE-UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED!! GREEN ARMY

See you all on Saturday for the game against Aldershot at Home Park, kick-off 3pm.

Argyle vs Pompey - Preview

I hope you greens have all had a great summer and looking forward to getting back into the football season, after the pilgrims secured their football league status last season.  This season Argyle will begin the campaign with a Capital One Cup game against Dockyard rivals Portsmouth.  The reason for starting a new a season with a cup game was so the games wouldn’t clash with the Olympics that were held in London.  This fixture will be a fans re-united game in which fans from different clubs from across the country come down in support of Pompey, who are in administration for the second time in as many years.  Pompey who will make the trip down to Plymouth without any professional players would have to fulfil a starting 11 of youth, a non-league goalkeeper and their first team coach, who will come out of retirement to participate in the evening fixture being played at Home Park.

The pilgrims come into the game with five new recruits added to the squad.  They include goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin, strikers Rhys Griffiths and Johnny Gorman and midfield pairing Paris Cowan-Hall and Andres Gurreri.  All of these players will be looking to impress the gaffer Carl Fletcher to be on the team sheet against Portsmouth.

With former skipper Simon Walton moving to Hartlepool for family reasons, Fletcher to no time to appoint vastly experienced centre back Darren Purse to lead the team on the second round of the Capital One Cup.

Fans re-united will never die!!! GREEN ARMY.