Goals Swing Games
ARGYLE manager Derek Adams bemoaned the Pilgrims’ second-half performance, which ultimately turned three points into none at Gillingham on Good Friday.
The Greens went in at half-time a goal up, courtesy of Freddie Ladapo, and looking comfortable, before two goals in three minutes, and a last-minute third, saw Argyle leave Kent with nothing.
“We obviously started the game very well, we were the better team in the first-half,” said Derek. “We get a goal, with a good press on the ball, win it back and we were able to get the clinical finish from Freddie, which he’s done throughout the season.
“They got their goals because they put the cross into the box and he’s got in-between the left-back and right-back, and gets his goal. The second goal, it’s a free header in the 18-yard-box and one of our players doesn’t pick him up. The third goal is a bad back-pass by one of our players that allows him to get in.”
It’s a recurrent theme for the Pilgrims, who have enjoyed dominant spells in all of their last five Sky Bet League One fixtures, without winning any of them, which now leaves them just two points clear of the relegation places.
“We need wins,” said Derek. “We were in a winning position at half-time [at Gillingham], and in complete control of the match and two quick goals have swung it very quickly. That’s hugely disappointing for us.
“At half-time we had a very good lead and we didn’t see Gillingham causing us too much trouble.”
Gillingham opted to bring off their top-scoring centre-forward Tom Eaves at half-time, as a result of the Pilgrims’ defensive dominance. His replacement, Elliott List, assisted the Gills’ opener, which proved the catalyst for the hosts’ revival.
“They didn’t do too much differently, but they got the impetus because they got the goals,” said Derek. “They were punting the ball long to Eaves, and we dealt well with that.
“I didn’t think they caused us too much trouble after that, but they’ve scored three goals through bad defending from us. We don’t do well at the corner kick and we give away one at the end to make it 3-1.”