Nearly a year ago, Argyle began 2025 with a draw against Bristol City, earned by a late goal from a set piece.
Plus ca change. At the end of that same year, the opposition were Wycombe Wanderers who, going into injury time on a frantic Home Park night, led 1-0 thanks to an early Dan Casey goal, and looked like seeing it out.
However, substitute Bim Pepple, a 17th minute replacement for the injured Owen Oseni, forced the ball over the line in stoppage time, giving Argyle a point to cling to.
The game was the 23rd of the season for Tom Cleverley’s Pilgrims, and Argyle have 26 points at the halfway stage, with eight wins and 13 defeats to their name. This was only their second draw of the season, the other being against Wigan Athletic in early October.
“It's significant because what we've not done enough this year is, when we've not had the complete performance, drawn,” Cleverley said to Argyle TV after the game. “We’ve normally lost those kind of games, so to get a draw [is positive].
“It's always good for the football club when you get a late equaliser, it shows good spirit, shows a never-say-die attitude. But, I think we've got a little bit of regret about our first-half performance.
“It’s my job now to understand why that was so flat, so ineffective. We prepare the team to be as effective as possible; high energy, high intensity. We’re going to have to play every three days for the next two games as well, so there can't be any sort of dusting the cobwebs off, or getting the stiffness out of your legs.
“I think there's a little bit of an anxiety. Teams sometimes do sit in here, and we've struggled to break that down, especially when conceding first.
“What I'm pleased about today is we've normally seen those games fizzle out into a 1-0 defeat. I thought we had a bit of a plan B today, which is something that we'll also try to get in the market.
“I thought Bim did well when he came on; had a good impact in the game. We certainly give it a right good go today, and I thought we were well worthy of a point.
“We've won eight league games this year, but what we've done is lost too many.
“I’m not happy. I don't think any of us are. We can sort of put a positive spin on it; 10 points in six games from December is play-off form, but you have to take it as a whole 23 games.
“We've had two real poor periods: the first four games, and then somewhere around October. Really poor, really inconsistent half of a season.
“Now I feel like we have the experience in the team when, when you've got Joe [Edwards] out there, you've got Rallsy (Joe Ralls) out there, you've got Pleggy (Julio Pleguezuelo) out there, you've got Brendan Galloway back, to be more consistent - and consistent in a good way.
“The target is to be more consistent, and unfortunately today we weren't. You saw the two sides of us today, encapsulated.”
