Despite a battling performance, Argyle Women lost 4-0 at Home Park against Portsmouth on Sunday afternoon.
Goals from Arabella Suttie, Kerry Beattie and a Zoe Barrett double were enough to see the visitors emerge victorious in the FA Women’s National League clash.
Head Coach Matt Green named an unchanged side from the team that lost at Bridgwater United last weekend in the FAWNL Cup.
There was a fresh face on the bench though, as Brooklyn Brothers featured in a match-day squad for the first time this season.
The team was Olivia Giles in goal, with a back five ahead of her containing Aliyat Lambe, Ellie M Bishop and Kiesha Walker in the centre of defence, with Khloe Reed and Chloe Ingrouille as wing-backs.
Farrah Ambrose started slightly deeper than usual, in the centre of midfield alongside Sienna Gilbert. Shana Dolbel flanked to the right and Kennedy Garside to the left leaving Laura Curnock to lead the line.
It was a bright start to the game for Argyle; they looked compact and organised defensively and threatened Portsmouth with the pace of wide-midfielders Garside and Dolbel.
The latter registered the game’s first effort on target, forcing a comfortable save from former Pilgrim Hermione Cull.
Following this, a brave save from Giles kept the visitors out after a scramble in the six-yard box.
The Portsmouth pressure began to build as the game neared the 20-minute mark. Beattie, who was proving a handful, smashed the crossbar from the edge of the box.
Pompey found the breakthrough and it was another familiar name, Suttie. Her shot from distance took a significant deflection before looping over Giles in goal, making it 1-0.
Just minutes later it was two, Beattie side-footed the ball beyond Giles, into the bottom-right corner from close range.
The visitors controlled the majority of the possession in the first period, but Greens’ side fought well and kept them honest on the break.
Beattie should have made it three when she received the ball from Barratt inside the box. Her shot, however, was well over the bar.
Skipper Bishop made a critical sliding block to deny Beattie the chance to finish into an empty net after Barratt’s cut-back took Giles out the game.
Throughout the afternoon Argyle goalkeeper Giles was did well, making a number of impressive saves to keep her side in the game.
With just ten minutes left to play, Barratt sealed the result after she latched onto Esta Roberts’ through ball and slotted into the back of the net.
Barratt added her second of the game in the final minute, volleying beyond Giles from inside the six-yard box.
Speaking after the game, Argyle Head Coach Green spoke of his pride in his team after giving their all against one of the league’s strongest sides.
He said: “I’m super proud of the group today, every player put their body on the line, everyone gave 110%. We ask for determination and desire to win the ball, and I think every single player did that for the 90 minutes.
“I’ve got to say the support was fantastic again from everyone. I think the supporters will have seen some good patterns of play and a good shape.
“We talk about getting small wins in each game, and there was definitely lots of positives to take from today.”
Argyle: 1 Liv Giles, 4 Aliyat Lambe, 5 Ellie.M Bishop (capt), 9 Laura Curnock, 14 Shana Dolbel, 15 Kiesha Walker (20 Ciara Magee, HT), 16 Sienna Gilbert, 17 Kennedy Garside (19 Brooklyn Brothers, 58), 18 Farrah Ambrose, 21 Chloe Ingrouille, 25 Khloe Reed. Substitutes: 22 Saskia Worrall (GK), 23 Phoebe Bettey, 26 Mia Burrows, 30 Lily Coaker.
Portsmouth: 1 Hermione Cull, 2 Jazz Bull (capt), 8 Ava Rowbotham, 9 Kerry Beattie, 10 Jemima Dahou, 12 Sofia Mallon, 17 Amelia Hazard (28 Esta Roberts, 78), 18 Freya Jones (7 Georgie Freeland, 60), 19 Zoe Barratt, 20 Alisha Ware (16 Summer Hughes, 60), 26 Arabella Suttie. Substitutes: 30 Ella Pettit (GK), 4 Annie Wilding.
Goals: Suttie 32, Beattie 35, Barratt 79, 90+1