Exeter City vs Plymouth ARGYLE - Match Report

Exeter City 1

Liam Sercombe 34'

 

Plymouth Argyle 1

Joe Lennox 72'

 

 

In a game in which Exeter dominated in large periods, Plymouth Argyle went home extremely happy after Joe Lennox’s wonder goal in front of the green army in the second half, to ensure a point after Liam Sercombe gave the home side the lead in the first half.

Carl Fletcher made one change to the side that was victorious over York City the week before.  Paris Cowan-Hall had not recovered from that dead leg he had sustained last Saturday so his replacement was winger Joe Lennox, the former Bristol City player.  Whilst for Exeter, manager Paul Tisdale made one change to his side that beat Rochdale last Saturday at Spotland Stadium.  Midfielder Scot Bennett replaced Jimmy Keohane returning from suspension.     

After all four coaches were escorted from opposite Exeter Racecourse to Exeter City’s Ground the away end was filling up quickly with over 1000 fans from Plymouth.  Both team emerged from the tunnel lead by their captain’s Darren Purse and Danny Coles.  The home side had won the toss of the coin and decided to kick the first ball of the first half shooting towards the green army situated in the St James Terrace.  This meet Argyle were attacking toward the Big Bank stand where the home fans were stood.  The Pilgrims started very positively passing the ball around and keeping possession away from the rivalries in Exeter City. Argyle had the first chance to grab a goal after Argentine winger was fouled just outside the penalty box by Danny Coles.  Midfielder Luke Young delivered an inviting cross toward Rhys Griffiths, his effect of a header was just wide of the post. From this point the City players got more and more impressive as the game went on, one, two touch passes from the Grecians. From this former Argyle striker Alan Gow played in veteran of the game Jamie Cureton.   No defender was in sight and it was looking Cureton could have given City the lead.  Darren Purse captain fantastic made an ever crucial challenge to prevent the player from scoring and to keep the scores goalless.   Another chance came Exeter’s way when they were awarded a free kick inches outside the penalty box.  Liam Sercombe delivered to insure a corner after the football stung the gloves of Number 20 Rene Gilmartin. The corner delivered was a nerve-racking moment for the players who could not clear their lines quickly enough. Fortunately it didn’t come to anything.   On the 34th minute of the first half Exeter City had leaded the line and taken the lead.  Liam Sercombe had scored from OANISMOR Bhasera losing the ball in his own half.  The Zimbabwe had got back into his left back position but could not stop Sercombe from scoring the only goal. Rene Gilmartin put out a hand but he could not stop the ball from going into the back of the net.    The last chance of the first half at St James Park came Argyle’s way.  Joe Lennox forced Artur Krysiak into a basic save.  After one additional minute referee Andy Woolmer blew the whistle for half. 

Carl Fletcher made one change at the start of the second half; Robbie Williams made his comeback from injury replacing Andres Gurrieri.  This substitution meant a reshuffle in the team, Robbie Williams moved to left back whilst Bhasera moved into midfield to take the place of Gurrieri.  Exeter were still having the fair share of the possession.  Robbie Williams had not even got to match fitness when he headed back to Gilmartin.  Cureton was lurking on his own and raced towards goal, an open goal opportunity was a gift, but cheers ran around the away area when Jamie curled the ball millimeters wide.  Argyle composed and got together a couple of passes and Mark Molesley drove forward and shot just wide of the post.  Whilst Argyle were trying to keep hold of the football striker Rhys Griffiths wasn’t having a great day, he wasn’t strong enough to hold the ball up. The thing he did do well was to flick the ball into open space but his teammates were not in those passes.  In the 66^th minute Carl Fletcher made two tactical and game changing substitutes.  Rhys Griffiths and Conor Hourihane made way for Warren Feeney and Nick Chadwick.  The formation was now a 4-4-2.  Minutes of Feeney coming into the frame he had nearly equalized for the Pilgrims.  A ball over the top of the players crowed in the penalty area enabled Feeney to sneak away. The goalkeeper had come out as well so it went out for an Argyle corner. On the 72^nd minute Argyle had equalized and the green army were going wild.  After keeping possession nicely and neatly and pressuring the defence at the same time Joe Lennox had curled in a beauty of a shot into the top corner, slicing the bar on its way in. After Blanchards block on Jamie Cureton, the French born received his first red card in his Argyle career, after he picked up his first yellow in the first half he was also running on luck.  He then received his second yellow, so the referee gave him his marching orders, he looked devastated whilst walking off the field with 8minutes remaining on the clock.  As Argyle went down to 10men Warren Feeney moved into defence to secure the point.   The referee blew his whistle after 5 additional minutes were played.  Argyle had forte out for a very vital point in the Devon Derby.              

Exeter City (4-5-1): 1 Artur Krysiak; 4 Scot Bennett , 5 Pat Baldwin, 6 Danny Coles (capt), 3 Craig Woodman; 2 Steve Tully, 7 Liam Sercombe, 10 Alan Gow (16 Kevin Amankwaah 78), 8 Matt Oakley (22 Jimmy Keohane 74), 19 John O'Flynn; 12 Jamie Cureton. Substitutes (not used): 23 Aaron Dawson, 24 Rhys Evans (gk), 31 Elliott Chamberlain, 35 Jamie Reid, 37 Jordan Moore-Taylor.

Booked: Cureton 90.

Argyle (4-5-1): 20 Rene Gilmartin; 17 Curtis Nelson, 5 Darren Purse (capt), 4 Maxime Blanchard, 14 Onismor Bhasera; 8 Luke Young, 6 Conor Hourihane (9 Nick Chadwick 66), 27 Andres Gurrieri (3 Robbie Williams half-time), 30 Mark Molesley, 19 Joe Lennox; 10 Rhys Griffiths (11 Warren Feeney 66). Substitutes (not used): 1 Jake Cole (gk), 2 Durrell Berry, 16 Jamie Lowry, 29 Tyler Harvey.

Sent off: Blanchard 88.

Booked: Blanchard 18, Williams 49.

Referee: Andy Woolmer.

Attendance: 6,447 (1,226 away).