Reserves Report: Argyle 2 Torquay 0

Argyle 2
Wotton 32
Lowry 63

Torquay United 0

AN Argyle XI cruised to a 2-0 victory over Torquay United in a fiery friendly at Home Park.

Paul Wotton got the Pilgrims started, smashing home a penalty just after the half-hour before Jamie Lowry made sure in the second-half.

The victory could, and possibly should, have been more comprehensive with the Pilgrims in control from start to finish.

Whilst not in the dugout, Argyle manager John Sheridan was at Home Park to watch some eye-catching performances from his fringe players.

But of greater concern will be the fitness of Tyler Harvey, who limped out of the game in the first-half.

In fact, the game was less than 15 minutes old when the youngster left the pitch on crutches after coming off worse from a somewhat robust tackle from Kirtys MacKenzie.

Andres Gurierri then had a couple of chances to score, most notably when his free-kick was deflected away before Paul Wotton put the Pilgrims into the lead with a trademark penalty after substitute Isaac Vassell had been floored by MacDonald.

Gurierri seemed to be the man in form for the Pilgrims and will have been disappointed to see his header from Lowry’s in-swinging cross loop over the bar

Just seconds later, it was the Argentinean who turned provider, cutting back an effort for Jared Sims to side-foot goalwards. It was a good effort; one that Gulls ‘keeper Martin Rice could only parry out to the feet of Vassell, who skewed his first time shot wide.

Torquay, meanwhile, found chances at a premium; Lloyd Macklin’s wayward free-kick on the verge of half-time their only opportunity of the half.

The onslaught continued after the break when Matt Lecointe, with seemingly nothing on, crashed a 40 yard drive against Rice’s crossbar with the ‘keeper beaten all ends up.

Eventually, after a prolonged assault on the Torquay goal, Argyle doubled their lead when Lowry played a neat one-two with Gurierri, skipped into the penalty area and lifted an effort over the ‘keeper.

A recovering defender did will to claw out the Cornishman’s lob, but could only direct it back into Jamie’s path to give him the simplest of headers for a two goal lead.

Argyle were now cruising and could have perhaps made it three had Gurrieri’s effort not rebounded back off the foot of the post.

But the game was starting to take a tasty turn as first Macklin went into the book for a nasty-looking challenge on substitute River Allen, before MacKenzie followed suit with an equally agricultural challenge on Lecointe.

That was not the last of the handbags, though, and two minutes later, a confrontation between several players in the Torquay goalmouth, delayed play by several minutes but remarkably, went without punishment.

In the end, a comfortable afternoon's work for the home side.

Argyle (4-4-2): 1 Ollie Chenoweth; 2 Colin Watson, 5 Max Blanchard, 6 Jamie Richards; 3 Ben Purrington; 7 Andres Gurierri (16 Josh Hutchinson 80), 4 Paul Wotton (capt) (14 River Allen 70), 8 Jared Sims, 11 Jamie Lowry; 9 Tyler Harvey (12 Isaac Vassell 11), 10 Matt Lecointe. Substitutes (not used): GK Christian Walton, 15 Nathan Summers.

Torquay United (4-5-1): 13 Martin Rice; 12 Daniel Leadbitter (2 Robert Nardiello h-t), 6 Kirtys MacKenzie, 16 Angus MacDonald, 21 Thomas Cruise; 18 Craig Easton, 14 Lloyd Macklin, 22 Kyle Baker (15 David Sullivan 64), 17 Saul Halpin, 7 Niall Thompson; 23 Ashley Yeoman (19 Jack May 69). Substitutes (not used): 1 Conor Thompson, 4 Scott Beattie.

Booked: Macklin 78, MacKenzie 79.

Referee: David Goard.