CITY 1 PLYMOUTH ARGLE 0
A large crowd was at the Walkers for this match. Many of us could still vividly remember Gallagher missing the sitter in the West Brom match and were still wondering what might have been. Some new faces around us thought the result would be a foregone conclusion. However, this was the type of match in the past where City have struggled and often lost and we were quite apprehensive. We did not expect many goals and so it proved to be.
Brown was rightly made captain in place of Oakley who was out. Brown has been outstanding all season so far and usually orders the team about like a captain, even when Oakley is on the pitch, so it was a good call by Pearson. Interestingly Pearson brought in Kermorgant behind Fryatt and Waghorn but N’Guessan was left on the bench.
We seemed a bit disjointed at first, especially in midfield as we got used to a new formation, and Argyle was allowed too much possession in our half. They did not do too much with the ball but they looked well organised.
Gradually City started to pass better and Fryatt nearly scored from a Gallagher through ball. Gallagher flitted in and out of the match as he tends to do but looked good on the ball. Wellens had two good shots well saved and Argyle started to look a bit rocky in defence. They even nearly had an own goal from a sublime cross from Gallagher. The rain started to come down and passes started to break down….
Meanwhile Kermorgant regularly won headers and was very mobile, shooting twice from distance. More importantly, even when he lost the ball he did not sit on the ground and moan to the referee, which sadly has become a Steve Howard characteristic all too often this season.
The half ended frustratingly with Brown going close with a header. We had played quite well but the final pass was often too intricate and the move would break down. Crosses from the wings were a rarity and, although Robbie Nielsen tirelessly ran up the wings, his crossing and passing were still poor.
The second half continued much the same and gradually Argyle started to funnel back to protect their 0-0 draw which clearly they had come for. Every injury was used as a way to waste some more time. This turned out to be their undoing.
Fryatt and Waghorn became less effective as the service and crosses started to dry up. Twenty minutes were left and Pearson decided to shake thing up as Argyle seemed to have a stranglehold over us even though we were clearly the better side.
N’Guessan came on for Kermorgant who left the field to a good round of applause. Almost immediately he had a header just over and a good right foot shot saved.
Argyle only threatened on the break as we threw men forward. For one awful moment it seemed that they had “won” a penalty but as we held our breath their no. 8 Mackie was booked for diving.
We started to press Argyle back with sheer pressure. Howard came on for Waghorn but won less in the air than Kermorgant and looked even slower than usual. Our crosses were still poor quality but right at the end Adams was brought on for Fryatt. We continued to press forward with Berner and Nielsen doing their best to be wingers but there was not too much shape to it.
The fourth official signalled four minutes injury time, mostly due to Argyle’s time wasting. Some so-called fans behind us left. I will never understand how anyone can leave early when you support City. So many matches in the past have been won, and usually thrown away, in the last minute!
Adams took two good corners and from the last one N’Guessan’s shot was kicked off the line only straight to King who promptly rammed it back into the goal. Cue complete delirium and a deserved but hard fought victory.
Everyone left the ground with smiles as City rose to the giddy heights of third in the league. The tactics worked, but only just this time, as City won it at the death and the benefits of a strong subs bench in the end made the difference.
Can City keep it up? This is better than I dared hope for this season. If we keep free of injuries and suspensions and perhaps a few signings in the transfer window, then at least we have a fighting chance of being in the play offs. Its going to be great second half to the season…..
City: Weale; Neilson, Hobbs, Brown, Berner, Kermorgant, Wellens, A King, Gallagher, Fryatt, Waghorn. Subs: Logan, McGivern, Morrison, Howard (76 for Waghorn), Adams (84 for Fryatt),N'Guessan (72 for Kermorgant),Campbell.
Booked: Brown
Plymouth: Larrieu; Sawyer, Lowry, Patterson, Duguid, Arnason, Judge, Folly, Mackie, Gow, Fletcher. Subs: Letheren, Johnson (88 for Duguid), Fallon (80 for Gow), Clark (60 for Patterson), Sheridan, Barnes, Noone.
Booked: Sawyer, Mackie.
Referee: D McDermid. Attendance: 27,174.