Plymouth Argyle 0 QPR 1 as Pilgrims impress on Romain's night Thursday, July 21, 2011Plymouth HeraldFollow ON A memorable night for Romain Larrieu, Argyle responded by putting in a spirited performance against Premier League newcomers Queens Park Rangers. Larrieu's testimonial match, in honour of more than 10 years of dedicated service to the Pilgrims, ended in a 1-0 defeat. ​ But, as was the case when Argyle lost 3-2 to Bristol City at Home Park last Friday, there was a lot for manager Peter Reid to be enthused about. Larrieu seemed set to keep a clean sheet until QPR broke the deadlock in the 86th minute. That was when Rangers' striker Heidar Helguson, a scourge of the Pilgrims in the past, headed home from a corner. Despite the disappointment of that late goal, Argyle offered encouraging signs for the fast approaching new Football League season. There is still a lot of work to be done before then in assembling a larger squad, but they played with real purpose against QPR. Larrieu made his first appearance of pre-season, behind a defence which included the returning Stephane Zubar. Jake Cole had been between the posts for the Pilgrims in their previous game, a 3-2 home defeat by Bristol City last Friday. Cole has since agreed a two-year contract with Argyle and will compete with Larrieu for a first team spot this season. Zubar played at right-back after committing his future to the club the previous day. He had been out of contract with the Pilgrims at the end of last term, but has now also accepted the offer of a two-year deal. Argyle's starting line-up featured one trialist – left-sided midfielder Andres Gurrieri. The 22-year-old, who holds dual Argentine and Italian citizenship, played for Sud America in Uruguay's second division last season. On-loan striker Tom Hitchcock led the Argyle attack with apprentice Jared Sims. QPR's former Pilgrims' boss Neil Warnock put out a strong side, as the west London club continued to prepare for their return to the Premier League. Their team included new recruits, striker Jay Bothroyd and midfielder Kieron Dyer. The French flag, the tricolore, had flown above the Devonport End all day, in tribute to Larrieu. Both teams formed a guard of honour as Larrieu walked out onto the pitch with his oldest son, Oscar. As they did so, La Marseillaise – the French national anthem, rang out over the PA system. Argyle made a positive start to the match, with some good attacking play from right-sided midfielder Luke Daley inside the first minute. He almost succeeded in picking out Hitchcock with a clipped cross into the penalty area, only for towering QPR centre-back Fitz Hall to cut it out – using all of his 6ft 4in height. There was a chance for Gurrieri in the 14th minute when he darted behind Hall to get on the end of a flick on. However, the QPR defender challenged Gurrieri as he was about to shoot and the ball went tamely wide of the left post. Larrieu was called into the action for the first time in the 17th minute when he made a comfortable save from Hall's header following a free-kick into the penalty area. Argyle continued to take the game to a sluggish QPR side, with Sims giving a good account of himself against Rangers' experienced centre-backs – Hall and Danny Gabbidon. Bothroyd did not last half-an-hour as he suffered an injury in an innocuous tackle and was replaced by Helguson. Gabbidon had to be sure of his header back to 'keeper Paddy Kenny, under pressure from Hitchcock, after Daley lobbed the ball over the top of the centre-back in the 32nd minute. Dyer fired wide for QPR from 20 yards, in what was a rare attack from the visitors, before Argyle captain Carl Fletcher sent a rising shot over the crossbar from a similar distance. Former QPR midfielder Simon Walton then saw his drive deflect off Shaun Derry and narrowly wide for a corner. That was to be the last action of the first half, with Argyle more than holding than own against QPR. QPR made four substitutions at the start of the second period, with Hall one of those to make way, but the Pilgrims were unchanged. Argyle continued to show promise as an attacking threat, with 17-year-old Sims almost getting on the end of one excellent low cross from Gurrieri in the 51st minute. QPR were now playing at a higher tempo, however, and started to apply some pressure for the first time in the match. Pilgrims' apprentice Jordan Copp was a 56th minute substitute for Walton. Gurrieri was impressing for Argyle with his workrate, while French centre-back Ladji Soukouna put in a solid display. He is very similar in many ways to former Pilgrims' defender Reda Johnson, who was sold to Sheffield Wednesday in January. Zubar volleyed wide at the far post in the 63rd minute, from one of a series of left-wing crosses from the tricky Gurrieri. Daley was substituted soon afterwards because of an injury, and Luke Young took over from him. QPR sent on man mountain centre-back Danny ****tu in the 68th minute and he almost scored with his first touch. Midfielder Alejandro Faurlin aimed a free-kick deep to ****tu, beyond the far post, and his sidefoot shot was superbly clawed away by Larrieu. It was a special save on a special night for the 34-year-old. Argyle left-back Robbie Williams then had a 20-yard free-kick saved by QPR's substitute 'keeper Radek Cerny as the game remained goal-less. Gurrieri was substituted in the 78th minute, with Jed Harper-Penman replacing. The loud applause from the Green Army suggested they had certainly been impressed by the Argyle trialist. Just when it appeared as though both sides had settled for a 0-0 draw, QPR struck. Helguson headed home at the far post in the 86th minute, from a corner taken by substitute Petter Vaagan Moen. That goal proved to be decisive in the end, but it did not take the gloss off a memorable night for Larrieu. MATCH STATS PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (4-4-2) Romain Larrieu; Stephane Zubar, Curtis Nelson, Ladji Williams, Robbie Williams; Luke Daley (Luke Daley 65 mins), Simon Walton (Jordan Copp 56 mins), Carl Fletcher, Andres Gurrieri (Jed Harper-Penman 78 mins); Tom Hitchcock, Jared Sims. Substitutes (not used): Jake Cole (gk), Jamie Richards, Jordan Pearce. QUEENS PARK RANGERS (4-4-2) Paddy Kenny (Radek Cerny 68 mins); Bradley Orr (Peter Ramage 68 mins), Fitz Hall (Bruno Perone h/t), Danny Gabbidon (Danny ****tu 68 mins), Clint Hill (Matthew Connolly h/t); Tommy Smith (Patrick Agyemang h/t), Shaun Derry (Petter Vaagan Moen h/t), Alejandro Faurlin, Hogan Ephraim; Kieron Dyer (Danny Webber 68 mins), Jay Bothroyd (Heidar Helguson 29 mins). REFEREE: Mark Halsey (Lancashire) ATTENDANCE: 5,021 GOALS – Argyle: None; QPR: Helguson 86 mins
PLYMOUTH 0, QPR 1 Posted on: Thu 21 Jul 2011 Heidar Helguson's 90th-minute strike clinched a 1-0 win for QPR against Plymouth Argyle at Home Park. A close encounter for the duration of the 90 minutes, both sides did have chances to win this testimonial held for long-serving Pilgrims custodian Romain Larrieu, but it was ultimately Rangers who claimed the narrowest of wins. Article continues Advertisement Petter Vaagan Moen's corner fell perfectly for Helguson from close-range and the Icelandic front-man made no mistake thereafter, nodding a downward header to the ground before the ball bounced into the back of the net. Meanwhile, Jay Bothroyd was taken off on the half-hour mark after a seemingly harmless challenge, and Rangers boss Neil Warnock will be hoping that the extent of that injury isn't too serious. Warnock handed new signings Bothroyd and Kieron Dyer places in the starting XI, whilst Paddy Kenny also returned for Rangers. Kenny was in goal for the R's, with Bradley Orr, Fitz Hall, trialist Danny Gabbidon and Clint Hill making up the Hoops' rearguard. Shaun Derry and skipper on the night Faurlin were in defensive midfield, behind attacking trio Tommy Smith, Dyer and Hogan Ephraim. Striker Bothroyd led the QPR attack. Frenchman Larrieu entered the field of play prior to kick-off to a guard of honour from both sets of players, as well as a warm welcome from the Plymouth and travelling R's supporters. There was little to choose between the two sides in opening 10 minutes in terms of clear-cut opportunities, though Argyle - the their credit - looked to push as many bodies forward as possible with every attack. Rangers had the first attempt at goal. Dyer was hauled to the ground 30 yards from goal, before Bothroyd lashed the resultant free-kick over the bar. Just a few minutes later, play switched to the other end. A ball from deep put Andres Gurreiri though on goal for the home side, but Hall tracked back to come to Rangers' rescue, with his sliding intervention ricocheting off the Plymouth man for a goal kick. The R's were soon back on the attack. Orr's free-kick on halfway found Hall in the box, who rose highest to force a smart stop from Larrieu, with the keeper diving to his right to collect the ball. Bothroyd was replaced by Helguson just past the half-hour mark, after a seemingly innocuous challenge. A mishap from subject of the evening Larrieu almost gifted Rangers the lead. The Argyle keeper's short pass out of the box was too heavy for Curtis Nelson to control and, when Derry eventually won possession and squared for Dyer on 18 yards, his snap-shot curled just over the crossbar. Plymouth nearly caught the R's on the break on the stroke of half-time. A free-flowing move ended with the ball falling to former Hoops midfielder Simon Walton on the edge of the box, whose low effort was deflected wide of the target. Rangers made four changes at the break, with a trialist, Matt Connolly, Vaagan Moen and Patrick Agyemang on for Hall, Hill, Derry and Smith respectively. The second period started in similar vein to the first, with little to choose between the two sides. Plymouth had opening chance of the half, with Gurreiri breaking free down the left, before his teasing cross only just evaded the onrushing Tom Hitchcock. Just past the hour mark, Argyle were again on the attack. Carl Fletcher's perfectly-weighted pass found Gurreiri on the left and, when his cross fizzed into the near post, Orr slid across to knock the ball out to safety. Soon after, Gurreiri was again involved. He latched on to Robbie Williams' pass down the left-hand side before his cross fell to Stephane Zubar 16-yards out, whose bullet half volley went just over the bar. The R's made four further changes with just under 20 minutes to play - and almost took the lead from one of them. Danny ****tu was introduced at the expense of namesake Gabbidon and, when Faurlin's in-swinging free-kick from the right was met by the Nigerian international at the back post, his stabbed effort forced a fantastic reaction save from Larrieu, who pushed the ball wide before Argyle cleared the danger. But Rangers weren't to be denied and snatched victory late on. The R's won a corner on the right and, after Vaagan Moen's corner fell perfectly on to the head of Helguson, he made no mistake with his effort to clinch the win. Plymouth Argyle: Larrieu, Zubar, Williams, Fletcher, Soukouna, Nelson, Daley (Young 69), Walton (Copp 61), Hitchcock, Sims, Gurreiri (Harper-Penman 82). Subs not used: Cole, Richards, Pearce. QPR: Kenny (Cerny 72), Orr (Ramage 72), Hill (Connolly 46), Derry (Vaagan Moen 46), Hall (Trialist 46), Gabbidon (****tu 72), Ephraim, Dyer (Webber 72), Bothroyd (Helguson 31), Smith (Agyemang 46), Faurlin. Goals: Helguson (90) Attendance: 5021
