Argyle Women came from behind to secure victory in their opening FAWNL Cup game, beating Marine Academy Plymouth 2-1 at Erme Valley on Wednesday.
MAP took an early lead against the run of play when Kayleigh Turner fired over Olivia Giles. However, Argyle battled back well and flipped the game on its head in the second period. Shana Dolbel levelled the game on 72 minutes before Khloe Reed won it in spectacular fashion just moments later.
Matt Green made one change to the side that lost against AFC Wimbledon on Sunday afternoon, Ciara Magee taking the place of captain Ellie M Bishop.
In the skipper’s absence, Aliyat Lambe donned the armband and led from the centre of a new-look back three. She was accompanied by Ellie J Bishop on the right and Kiesha Walker on the left.
Reed and Chloe Ingrouille operated as right and left wing-backs, centrally Sienna Gilbert and Magee held down the base of midfield.
Playing just ahead of them was Farrah Ambrose; she was tasked with linking play with the front two, Laura Curnock and Dolbel.
It was a fast start from Green’s side. Dolbel showed from the opening whistle just how tricky she was going to be for the MAP defence, constantly looking to receive the ball in behind.
Despite this, it would be MAP that took the lead on 12 minutes. Turner pounced on an error in midfield and lofted the ball over Giles to make it 1-0.
This could have really stung the Greens, who had not really put a foot wronguntil that point. But it did not; in fact, they rallied.
As the first half neared its conclusion, Argyle began to dominate. Magee and Gilbert really cemented themselves in the game and were keen to utilise energetic wing-backs Reed and Ingrouille to stretch the MAP defence.
Chances followed: Curnock came close after hard work from Ambrose down the right to deliver her the ball, then MAP had one of their own which was snuffed out brilliantly by Ingrouille in the box.
Half-time came and, despite being behind, Argyle will have known they had enough to win the game. It felt as though if they were to break the deadlock, the chances would keep coming, they just needed that one moment of quality to kickstart the comeback.
When, four minutes into the second period, the MAP keeper made an unbelievable fingertip save to deny Ambrose on the volley, you could be excused for starting to think it may not be Argyle’s day.
The moment did finally come. Dolbel scored the goal she had been threatening to score all game. The speedy forward was found in behind, putting her one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
With a fair deal of pressure on her shoulders, Dolbel fired confidently into the bottom-left corner to bring the Greens level.
It felt as though with that goal came a massive sense of relief; the Pilgrims then began to play with a new-found freedom.
Just four minutes later, they were ahead, with Reed the scorer. She received the ball on the right flank, cut in on her left foot and curled an effort from distance into the top-left corner, a goal worthy of winning any game.
Now Argyle were ahead, and deservingly so.
Dolbel came close to scoring Argyle’s third with just five minutes left to play, she skipped into the box and fired into the side netting.
After that, the team decided to try and hold on to what they had. MAP threatened late on, lumping ball after ball into the box but every one of which was dealt with by an Argyle player.
The full-time whistle came after what felt like an eternity of additional time, Green’s side had done it.
Speaking after the game, the Argyle Women Head Coach was beaming with pride. He said: “I’m super proud of the girls. Second half, I thought we dominated the ball and the game; got the two goals we fully deserved and came out 2-1 winners.
“I’m delighted for the girls. The amount of work they put in, I don’t think people realise. We talk about it all the time, they’re a young group, that first win is massive for them.
“They’ve shown real character today; the weekend’s defeat was hard for everyone to take. We looked a little bit nervous at the start of the game and went a goal behind.
“They regrouped and battled well, I thought they showed how they can play.”
When asked about the game-winning goal from Reed, Green discussed how he hopes this will be a real boost for the teenager.
He said: “As a 16-year-old, to score a goal like that is fantastic, that will give her massive confidence for the rest of the season.
“We’ve got to move on from that now though and build on it. Let’s go with that confidence to Fulham on the weekend.”
Argyle: 1 Olivia Giles, 4 Aliyat Lambe, 9 Laura Curnock, 14 Shana Dolbel, 15 Kiesha Walker, 16 Sienna Gilbert, 18 Farrah Ambrose, 20 Ciara Magee, 21 Chloe Ingrouille (17 Kennedy Garside, 81), 24 Ellie J Bishop, 25 Khloe Reed. Substitutes: 23 Phoebe Bettey, 26 Mia Burrows, 30 Lily Coaker.
Goals: Dolbel 72, Reed, 76