Argyle Women lost 4-1 to Cheltenham Town in a chaotic FA Women’s National League encounter on Sunday afternoon.
Charlotte Salisbury-Williams opened the scoring for hosts, with Laura Curnock equalisingfrom the spot for Argyle. Emily Owen restored the Robins’ lead with a controversial penalty on the stroke of half-time and then converted another early in the second half before Chloe Snook made it 4-1.
Matt Green made two changes to the Argyle side that faced Real Bedford at Home Park, with Ciara Magee and Brooklyn Brothers replacing Sienna Gilbert, who was ill, and Cadi Rodgers, who was away on international duty.
Ali Lambe, Ellie M Bishop and Kiesha Walker started in the back three in front of Liv Giles, while Khloe Reed and Kennedy Garside took up the wing-back positions. Farrah Ambrose, Magee and Brothers formed the midfield three behind Shana Dolbel and Curnock up top.
Argyle started fast and had the big first chance of the game when Ambrose crossed into Dolbel, whose header hit the crossbar. Curnock then forced Cheltenham keeper Chloe Jones into a good save on the rebound.
But it was the Robins who took the lead in the 15th minute when Salisbury-Williams’ long-range effort looped into the back of Giles’ net.
Shortly after the opener, Argyle were temporarily a player down as Magee was victim of a reckless challenge that left Cheltenham fortunate to keep all of their starting 11 on the pitch. However, the referee saw nothing wrong with the tackle and awarded the hosts a throw-in. Magee tried to continue but was forced off in the 39th minute, being replaced by Chloe Ingrouille.
Curnock then levelled from the spot with her first goal of the season after the Pilgrims were awarded a penalty for a push in the box.
In the final minute of the opening 45, chaos ensued.
Mowbray signalled for a free-kick for Bishop’s tackle on Snook just outside the 18-yard box. The referee eventually went over to his assistant and changed his mind, awarding a penalty instead.
Cheltenham captain Owen made no mistake from the spot to give her side a 2-1 lead going into half-time.
Six minutes after the break, the hosts were awarded another penalty and, yet again, Owen found the back of the net.
Lambe had a chance to pull one back for Argyle when Dolbel’s free kick found the defender in space, but her half-volley was saved by Jones.
Snook then made it 4-1 to the Robins, finding the back of the net following a counter-attacking move led by Leonie Joyce.
Head Coach Green was frustrated with moments in the game but made clear that he could notfault his player’s effort levels.
He said: “Like always, the girls gave 110% for the shirt, the staff and for each other. I have got no complaints about the level of intensity that they played at whatsoever.
”There are some factors in football that you just can’t legislate for. It was a tough afternoon, and not just for us because we lost the game. I think there were things in that game – for both sets of players – that I would question.
“I think there were a few key decisions that haven’t gone our way and that’s not really helped our cause. But you have got to play what you come up against on the pitch.
”This afternoon was tough to take because of what we wanted to get out the game. We wanted to win to put pressure on teams around us and we didn’t achieve that. But we have to regroup and go again, and we will come out ready for Bournemouth.”
Argyle return to Home Park this Sunday to face AFC Bournemouth at 2pm. Tickets are still available and can be purchased here.
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Cheltenham: 20 Chloe Jones, 3 Charlotte Salisbury-Williams (12 Kaitlyn Hicks-Kenward, 61), 5 Courtney Jones (6 Casi Evans, 56), 7 Amelia Curtis (22 Keira O’Keefe, 76), 8 Ruby Day, 9 Leonie Joyce (23 Georgia Galley, 70), 10 Libby Bell (21 Evelyn Murphy, 61), 14 Lilly Wellesley-Davies, 15 Emily Owen (capt), 16 Alexandra Hall, 18 Chloe Snook. Substitutes: 24 Darcy Fortner (GK), 2 Shurima Vine.
Goals: Salisbury-Williams 15, Owen 44, 51, Snook 60.
Booked: Jones 38, Evans 58, Curtis 74, Wellesley-Davies 76.
Argyle: 1 Liv Giles, 4 Ali Lambe, 5 Ellie M Bishop (capt), 9 Laura Curnock, 14 Shana Dolbel, 15 Kiesha Walker, 17 Kennedy Garside, 18 Farrah Ambrose, 19 Brooklyn Brothers, 20 Ciara Magee (21 Chloe Ingrouille, 39), 25 Khloe Reed (23 Phoebe Bettey, 83). Substitutes: 22 Saskia Worrall (GK), 24 Ellie J Bishop.
Goals: Curnock 39.
Booked: Ambrose 28, Walker 45+3, Lambe 51, Ingrouille 75.
Referee: Kyle Mowbray
Attendance: 150