On Tuesday evening Plymouth Argyle beat AFC Wimbledon 1 – 2 away at Kingsmeadow to move back upto 21st in the league only to be defeated 1 – 0 away at Don Valley Stadium by Rotherham United this afternoon to drop back to where they were before Tuesday’s game, 23rd place!
I’ll start with the positive; the Pilgrims win over AFC Wimbledon. Plymouth couldn’t have gotten off to a better start; Onismor Bhasera heading the Pilgrims into the lead from Durrell Berry’s long ball from the half way line just 11 seconds into the game. Argyle held onto that lead until just before the half time whistle, Jack Midson heading between the Argyle keeper and the post.
Nick Chadwick got the second half off to a flyer, netting from 18 yards from Bhasera’s chip forward four minutes into the half to put the Pilgrims ahead again. Luke Young came close to extending the lead but was denied by the crossbar, Paul Wotton saw his free kick blocked by Seb Brown and Chadwick forced a great reaction save from the Rotherham keeper in the 90th minute. But it was a nervy final few minutes as the players remembered the last gasp goal that denied Argyle three points a week previous against Macclesfield, no such disappointment in this game!
Now moving onto the no so good; Argyle were defeated by a single goal; and what makes it worse is that goal came from the penalty spot. Lewis Grabban fired past Argyle keeper Jake Cole in the 70th minute after Darren Purse fouled Gareth Evans. To be honest, Plymouth were the second best team but I’m disappointed because of the way a point went begging, if it was a goal in open play, I’d be less disappointed. Oh well, onwards and upwards, no point in dwelling on the result!
One thing is for sure, the battle for league survival is going to be immense; any two of the bottom seven teams could be facing the drop this season, I just hope that Plymouth aren’t one of them, whether Plymouth are just above the bottom two or mid table, being outside of the bottom two is the only important thing this season after a tumultuous last year, then build on that in 2012/13!
A quick word on Liverpool; what the hell is going on? the Reds won the Carling Cup but have lost their last three Premier League games including today’s defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. The only goal of the game came in bizarre circumstances; Fraizer Campbell’s shot rebounded off the post, then off Liverpool keeper, Pepe Reina’s head before falling to Nicklas Bendtner to sidefoot in, to move Sunderland within three points of the Reds. Despite the bizarre manner of the goal, Liverpool simply weren’t good enough, there are only 11 games remaining for Liverpool to get their act together in their drive for fourth place and Champions League football!