Throgmorton Cup
Plymstock Utd 4
Okehampton Argyle 5
THIS was a great result for Argyle in the first round of the Peninsula League Cup.
They were the better side throughout and built up a healthy lead, but almost threw it away in the last five minutes with some sloppy defending. This result now sees Aryle drawn away to premier division side Dartmouth in the second round.
Argyle had to reshuffle their defence with Sam Brooks injured and Alex Wren unavailable. Dan Johnston came in at right back and James Williams reverted to the central defender role, with Rob Clarke replacing him in midfield.
Argyle started off at a tremendous pace and pushed Plymstock back. Ed Squire, playing almost as a traditional right winger, made several penetrating runs down the right as Plymstock struggled to cope with his pace and strength. On eight minutes, one of these runs led to an Argyle corner on the right and Ben Ferguson's shot struck a Plymstock defender on the hand. The resulting penalty was fired home into the corner of the net by Ferguson.
Argyle went off the boil for a spell and on 26 minutes allowed Plymstock to equalise through Sam Ingram, but then came back at the home side to regain the lead ten minutes before half-time through a brilliant individual goal from Frankie Nomah-Koneh. Just five minutes later, the home side levelled when a fierce point blank shot was pushed away by Argyle keeper Harry Geering, only for Plymstock's Aaron Hulme to crash home the follow up.
Argyle came out after the break and begun to dominate the game. Injured Ed Squire was replaced by Luke Alden, who slotted in well on the right side of midfield. Three minutes in, Plymstock's Ben Fisher handled as the home side attempted to clear Alden's right wing corner, and up stepped Ben Ferguson to fire home confidently from the spot once again.
Argyle continued to pressurise the home defence but had to wait until the 74th minute before Nomah-Koneh used his blistering pace to intercept a backpass, round keeper James Gill, and fire home from a narrow angle. He was then substituted by Corey Burns to avoid aggravating a hamstring, but Okehampton continued to trouble the home defence.
On 81 minutes, they extended their lead with a route one goal. Harry Geering's long kick was chased by Ben Waters who outpaced the Plymstock defence to fire home from the edge of the box. The game should now have been all over but Argyle allowed Plymstock to pull two goals back in the last three minutes through Josh Hocken and Phil Daniel.
This was a fine attacking performance by the whole Argyle to a great away win that sees Argyle progressing to the second round for the first time in four years.