Apologies for the late report-wife hogging the laptop trying to book next year's holiday, but as she is now engrossed in Strictly I have my chance.... A thoroughly entertaining game saw Argyle come away with a deserved 3 points at a blustery but unseasonably warm Home park, by the now familiar 1-0 scoreline. The manager kept faith with the 3-5-2 lineup and the same starting personnel who triumphed over Tranmere. Both teams tried, and largely succeeded, to play football on the deck with Argyle starting the brighter. Despite squandering two early chances, both of which should have been converted Alessandra put the greens ahead after 15 mins following a patient build up and some excellent linkup play between Mchugh (I think) and Blizzard who supplied a great cross. Argyle noticeable defended a little deeper but still created several chances including yet another chance for Alessandra who ended up being caught in two minds about whether to try and smash the ball past the keeper or place it in a corner. In the end, with only the keeper to beat he did neither and pretty much just passed it to the keeper. To be honest he should have had 4 by half time . Second half started brightly for Carlisle and the greens were clearly sitting too deep. Nevertheless Super Luke making his 200th appearance really didn't have a save to make. Reid was swapped for the previously berated(by me) Smalley and all of a sudden we picked up the pace and looked like scoring a 2nd to seal the win. The goal didn't come and inevitably Carlisle came into the match more, helped by a double sub at HT and their pacey fullback running down the right at pace and terrorizing the defence. Again no saves for Luke to make but a couple of last ditch blocks and saves off the line ensured yet another clean sheet. All in all a really good advert for L2 football- Carlisle will be fine this season if they keep playing in the way they did today, and real credit to their supporters who turned up in far greater numbers than expected-it really is a long old poke from there. Blizzard is my man of the match-completely transformed from the player of last season and he obviously enjoys playing in this system. Some excellent passing but also did his job in breaking up their play. Bobby Reid is a class act and should go far, one of the few players that makes everything look easy despite being a little off the mark from deadballs today. Reuben started well but got grumpy and frustrated and drifted out of the match. Finally, despite some 'robust' challenges the ref and his assistants did fairly well-not often I have been able to say that. 3 points, another clean sheet and up to 5th, plus the added attraction of entertainment and some good football. But the most enjoyable bit was seeing the players after the match-obvious team spirit and genuine joy at the result. Maybe, just maybe, this is the team to get us out of this league.
O' come now lyndhurst, a very good report but were we playing Carlisle or Tranmere? that wine must be strong tonight. Another clean sheet, another victory and up to 5th place, what's not to be happy about? onwards and upwards!! PS. sensible hasn't even attempted a match report, he must be totally sozzled, you 606ers do love a tipple!!
Hah, good spot Essex-brain obviously confused by my son informing me it was the same team as V Tranmere, all corrected. Time to retire to the bar-will probably see sensible in there drowning his sorrows after scoring the least points in the prediction league.
Just got here and logged on Essex but it was as quick as I could. (hic) Thought it was a hard earned three points today in a game which we should, or rather Allessandra should have, sewn up the points in the first half. He will not have a better chance of a hattrick all season than today. The fact it wasn't sewn up in the the first half made the second half a lot harder but probably a better spectacle. Wouldn't argue with lyndhursts first half report except that in the end I thought Allessandra was a bit fortunate with his goal. The build up involved most of the team it seemed and the passing etc was great to watch. In the end the ball was hit at goal by possibly Reid and hit him on the way and stopped. All he had to do was finish it into a fairly empty net from 6 yards. The finish sort of ruined the whole move for me as it would have been great if it had been a bit more fancy. Second half it was obvious that Keith Curl had stuck his toe cap up a few rear ends. Whatever it was he did the intent from Carlisle was a different game altogether. They really put the presure on and came at us. We defended for all we were worth and very successfully. The defence gave them few chances which is shown by lyndhurst's comment about Luke not having much to save. Then Sheridan made the substitutions and Smalley came on. We seemed to gather a bit more momentum from there on and were more in the game. I to have slagged Smalley off but have to say he was a different beast today than the last time I saw him. Did well. I thought the Ref and the lyndhurst side lino had a decent game today but that the Ref was a bit lenient to Carlisle. Their No.6 was on borrowed time and in my opinion committed enough to have walked considering the final final warnings he was given. Carlisle turned physical in the second half and there might have been a couple more in the book by the end. The lino did well for a change although he did get one or two wrong in the second half. Man of the match today for me was Reid but not the Rueben one. I agree with lyndhurst that he is class and boy would I love to be able to keep him. Can't see it somehow but it would be nice. The defence did well also and Allessandra should be given finishing lessons. Poor old Rueben today could have done with a minder as he was shackled by 3 almost ever time he touched the ball. If he had the chances that Allessandra had I think the game would have been over at half time.
Much appreciated gents, one report I read elsewhere said we should've had a penalty in the first few minutes, yay or nay?
I can't remember one either Essex so not sure if I might have been reaching for my nutty bar at the time. There was a bit of strong arm stuff from Carlisle at one point mainly against Nelson at a corner but that was in the second half.
What are you men like, yes you are right Essex there was a handball in the box which was clearly seen by Guy Branston in the commentary box but the ref didn't give us a penalty, although to be fair the players didn't seem to be up in arms about it .... Lyndy and Sensible must have been looking elsewhere when that happened .... wasn't the Argyle Angels was it
I get embarrassed these days at young ladies waving their pompoms anywhere near in my direction thank you Mrs Jools. Guy Branston has a very square shaped head and can only see left or right and not forwards so I have to doubt he saw anything. He is lego man or at least a model for one. I on the other hand have very good eyesight. I know for sure that a bloke in green passed the ball to a bloke in green who in turn passed it to a bloke in green x another 25 of those before a bloke in green put it in the net.
Good Commentary by Gordon Sparks as usual but Guy Branston just wouldn't shut up..boy does he talk...Sparksy couldn't get a word in.. Good game though.. Thanks for your report lyndhurst & Sensible..
Great to have a watertight defence at present......but we mustn't depend on that alone to win games......okay it certainly helps.........but the old cliche....'goals win games' is always the best way to defend in my opinion. Have we the coaching ability to make goals a part of our every week performance.....I'm not sure......isn't this the reason that Banton became popular the first time around....the ability to score from literally nothing....a natural ability....worth millions of £'s if you've got it......what a shame that in Bantons case it solely depends on confidence only.....okay confidence is the answer to a lot of things I know......but a player who can score goals when not playing well is a gem indeed.
Banton is a luxury player in my book. If you play him you never quite know what you are going to get and often, all too often, it isn't getting what you wanted. I wonder at the blokes application to his trade. He clearly has got the talent inside him somewhere but he keeps it hidden more than he shows it. He did improve a bit with his mucking in and tracking back but he seemed to lose interest in doing the rest of it as well. If ever he decides he wants to try doing all of the bits that make a footballer then I've no doubt he would do well. The answer is in his head somewhere. The thing is plymborn we are scoring goals. Not many at a time it's true but we have scored in most games. The secret to winning is quite to the contrary of your argument. Don't conceed and you don't lose. We are keeping clean sheets and in combination with scoring one a game we are picking up 3 points a time. Do that for the rest of the season and we go up as champions. I would love to see them win by a hat full of goals every game playing football that made everyone happy all of the time. Simply it isn't going to happen and if it takes this to get out of this league then I'll take it. Reluctantly but will take it nonetheless.
Hiya all....just come back from Malta and very nice it was too! Another 3pts in the bag but missing sitters for a while now and hopefully this will change if this new addition gets a chance to prove himself. I agree not 1-0 not so attractive but it's 3pts and a way to get out of this league as Sensible said. Just be great to get a nice win at Wimbledon on Tues. mmmm 3-1 and get the home gates boosted again....seems cash flow is still a concern. COYG.
I know what you mean about cash flow bedoboy, anyone lend me a fiver? Didn't mention the gate numbers before which from the naked eye in the ground looked to be about the same. 6500 or so the beeb said. I reckon that is a couple hundred up on last time so a slow climb maybe. If we continue to stay in contention and look like a possible for automatic then I think they will climb a bit more and then more again as the season goes on. I imagine that we didn't budget for such high numbers originally and extras will be POTD so cash flow will ease if it's tight. If we can get to 7000 and keep the numbers then that's an extra 800 on what we had before which is around £12k a match minimum.
