Argyle Ladies 0 Coventry 4

Argyle Ladies 0 Coventry 4

Argyle Ladies suffered their third home loss in their league campaign this season, after beating defeated 4-0 at the hands of Coventry United LFC. Argyle went into the game on the back of their first win in the league this season, but ladies manager, Kevin Taylor, wasn’t quite expecting the frustrating afternoon that lied ahead.

The two sides started the game well, with the opening stages being a battle in midfield, with Argyle and Coventry trying to find an opening to exploit. 

Coventry almost took the lead with Annabel Johnson firing her shot from 30 yards out, beating the keeper, but not the crossbar - a warning of things to come. 

The away side did eventually take the lead, through Danni Selmes. Selmes got on the end of a whipped cross into the box, controlling the ball with her chest before firing home in the top corner from the edge of the six-yard box.

Argyle almost drew level, with Mollie Taylor taking advantage of a poor goal kick from the Coventry 'keeper, but Taylor’s effort skimmed across the goal line before being swept away. 

United responded to this Argyle effort, with a run of chances, keeping the Argyle 'keeper Michaela Phillips very busy. 

Coventry did get their second of the game as half-time approached, as Selmes was played through on goal, and the United striker simply dinked the ball over a grounded Phillips. This doubled Selmes' - and Coventry's - goal tally for the afternoon. 

Right at the end of the first half, Argyle almost pulled one back from a strike from Ezme Wells on the wing, forcing the Coventry United keeper to make a diving save.

It was the worst possible start for Argyle after the break, as the Pilgrims found themselves three down, following what looked like a training ground routine from the away side. It ended up with Ashleigh Neville crossing the ball into Helen Dermody, who nodded home Coventry’s third at the far post. 

Coventry got their fourth shortly after their third, and goal of the game went to Maz Gauntlett. Directly from a free kick 30-yards out, Gauntlett rocketed her shot over the wall and into the top right corner. 

The afternoon became frustrating for Argyle, and tempers did boil over, with the Pilgrims seeing their second red card in as many matches. Kayley Lane’s afternoon was ended 10 minutes early following an altercation with Jade Brook, and with the home side being down to 10 players, the unlikely comeback looked impossible. 

It was not a birthday present the Argyle manager would have wanted, and this loss meant that Argyle were just one point outside the relegation zone, with the worst goal difference in the league.