Plymouth Argyle vs Port Vale - Match Report

It was a game of two half for everyone concerned with Argyle with Left back Robbie Williams giving the Pilgrims a deservedly  one goal lead going into half time. There was one change from the squad after the goal-less draw away at Torquay, last Saturday, with Onismor Bhasera coming back into the squad after international duty to take the place of Joe Lennox, who dropped down to the bench.  From Port Vales point of view they were unchanged for the 7^th game in a row.   Both teams were looking to continue on their unbeaten runs.  But its wasn’t to be for the men in green.  Argyle were continuing to play Carl Fletchers favoured formation in the first half’s of the games  with the pilgrims going into the game against Port Vale  in a 4-5-1 formation.

The first half was approaching when both sets of players arrived from the tunnel with the Valiants appearing in an unusual pink away kit.  It was them to get the game underway when Argyle pressed the players down extremely well and began to take total control of the first half.  Carl Fletcher has got the players to play the ball on the turf.  It wasn’t until the 20minutes when Argyle took the lead through top scorer Robbie Williams.  The dominance play was awarded with the goal after a Conor Hourihane corner that was cleared it only meant one thing when Williams was on the ball from 25yards out. It was to kick it goal wards.  It went in and up jumped the 6thousand plus fans to celebrate.  Minutes later Port Vale nearly had an equaliser when Jennison Myrie-Williams went inchs close after coming in from the left wing and curling it into the far left hand corner.  Argyle were still in the lead thanks to a Jake Coles superb save from that shot.  Alex MacDonald was causing all sorts of problems for Port Vale when he came inches close to extending Argyles lead. He crossed an inflowing ball into the penalty box when it swerved into the direction of the goal.  Chris Neal made the save and it was another corner for the pilgrims.  It wasn’t that long after until Argyle had another chance for a player to get on the score sheet.  This time near half time one of Paul Wotton’s free kicks was fired into the penalty box, captain Darren Purse came so close to getting on that in swinging ball and finding the back of the green and white nets.  In added time to the first half Argyle saw their first yellow card when midfielder Luke Young went into the tackle a bit dangerously causing him to take out Port Vales Clayton MacDonald just below the Home Wooden dugout.  Argyle went into the break with a greatly deserved 1 goal lead.  A comical point from the first half was Plymouth-born Paul Wotton.  He tried finding Alex MacDonald but instead he found the away dugout, all the subs, staff and medical staff all ducked with the ball smashing against the inside of the  wooden dugout,  with the number 15 turning away smirking.  Nicky Adams wasn’t that too impressed!!!

The players emerged from their half time break with both teams keeping the same 11 that started the first.  It was Argyles turn to get the game underway with the Pilgrims starting very slowly whilst Port Vale must have had a telling off the way they played through the Pilgrims with confidence with free flowing football. It didn’t take that long at all until the Valiants tested goalkeeper Jake Cole who was in-between the posts in front of the Barn Park End where the away fans were kept.  He made a superb save from Tom Pope.  From that moment on they were pushing the pilgrims back where they were holding a high line.  The Pilgrims soon made a substitution with Matt Lecointe replacing Paul Wotton in the 54^th minute who had pick up an injury.    Argyle were passing the ball around comfortably when Port Vale hit the Pilgrims on the break.  Unfortunately from the home teams view Luke Young conceded a penalty by fouling Ashley Vincent.  Jennison Myrie-Williams stepped up and side footed the ball straight through the middle.  Port Vale had equalized.  From that point on the Valiants were in total control off the game.  The equalizer was a real downer for Argyle who had played some of the best football in ages.  The pilgrims went straight up the Devonport End and tried to respond through loan signing Alex MacDonald.  Chris Neal had the shot well covered.  Not long after the visitors taken the lead to make it 2-1.  The move came about after Myrie-Williams slide it back for Ashley Vincent to slide it into the back of the net.  That goal made Fletcher into replacing Luke Young with Guy Madjo who is on loan from Aldershot.  In no time at all Port Vale’s Williamson had made it 3-1.  The pilgrims were still pressing for that goal.  It nearly did come after the Valiants cleared the ball of the line in the closing stages of the goal.  The Visitors had won the game.  That’s what a goal can do, change games.

What a real blow for Argyle who were in total control of game before the Staffordshire based club turned it around from coming behind to win the game 3-1

Argyle (4-5-1): 1 Jake Cole; 2 Durrell Berry, 5 Darren Purse (capt), 4 Maxime Blanchard, 3 Robbie Williams; 32 Alex MacDonald, 6 Conor Hourihane, 15 Paul Wotton (Matt Lecointe 54), 8 Luke Young (18 Guy Madjo 76), 14 Onismor Bhasera; 11 Warren Feeney. Substitutes (not used): 13 Ollie Chenoweth (gk), 17 Curtis Nelson, 19 Joe Lennox, 21, 27 Andres Gurrieri, 28 Johnny Gorman.

Booked: Young 45, Bhasera 64, Berry 77.

Port Vale (4-4-2): 1 Chris Neal, 24 Richard Duffy, 5 John McCombe, 14 Clayton MacDonald, 7 Doug Loft (capt); 9 Jennison Myrie-Williams, 18 Sam Morsy, 15 Chris Shuker (23 Ryan Burge 62), 10 Ashley Vincent (3 Robert Taylor xx); 8 Louis Dodds (19 Ben Williamson 62), 11 Tom Pope. Substitutes (not used): 2 Adam Yates, 6 Gareth Owen, 12 Sam Johnson (gk), 22 Ryan Lloyd.

Booked: Dodds 4, Vincent 73, Loft 87.

Referee: Darren Sheldrake

Attendance: 6,080 (203 away)