Argyle Women continued their hunt for promotion from the FAWNL Southern Premier Division with a comfortable 2-0 victory against AFC Wimbledon.
Ellie Noble and Tamara Wilcock were on the scoresheet for the Greens at the sunny Cherry Red Records Stadium, with a strong defensive showing resulting in another clean sheet as well.
This meant that maximum points were gained this week in league play, with both games for Argyle ending 2-0, following the Devon Derby against Exeter City at Home Park during the week, played in front of a record attendance.
Head Coach Marie Hourihan made just one change to her starting XI from Wednesday, with Tianna Teisar replacing Olivia Francis.
Hermione Cull commanded her back four of Phoebe Hampson, Arabella Suttie, Katie Wilson and captain Roisin Kivel, with Ellie Noble and Layla Proctor sitting in front. Teisar, Phoebie Poole and Tamara Wilcock were the attacking line behind Una Lue, playing as Argyle’s centre-forward.
The match started in a rather chaotic fashion. Argyle would hold possession, push forward and look to create a chance in front of goal, narrowly miss, and then it was Wimbledon’s turn.
The yo-yo-like counter-attacking play opened the game up quickly, but it was still Hourihan’s side that had the better of the chances through the opening stages of the match.
Poole had multiple opportunities in quick succession to put the Greens ahead, but her header and strike at goal could not find the back of the net and break the deadlock. Wilcock and Noble tried their luck next, but again it was not enough to really test Rose Kite and the Wimbledon defence.
After the half-hour mark, however, Argyle kicked into gear and found the opener they were hunting for. Quick forward passing and a tidy lay-off from Poole to Noble allowed the midfielder to fire a long-range effort at goal, and indeed it was a good one.
The left-footed shot, from outside the area, curled away from the diving Kite, off the post and into the back of the net.
Argyle headed into the break with the lead, which very quickly doubled after the restart.
In a similar fashion to Noble, Wilcock unleashed a long-range curling strike out of the reach of the diving Kite, which put the Devon side in pole position.
The first change of the game sparked a run of all substitutions being used for Argyle over a 20-minute spell, but Hourihan’s side still created chances in and around the Wimbledon area, which required saves.
Francis, Paris Dalton, Caitlin Smith, Giota Papaioannou and Ella Stephens all made their cameos, but it was the latter that it might have meant the most to. With her appearance from the bench, Stephens reached the 50-game mark for Argyle – a testament to her hard work and ability as a young footballer, still only 18.
In the final stages of the game, Argyle had corner after corner – five consecutively, to be exact – but the full-time whistle quickly followed, handing victory and three points to those in green.
Smiles were in full force after the game, following a successful week, and now allows Argyle to have some much-deserved rest, with the next game not until 8 March, at home to Lewes.
Argyle: 1 Hermione Cull, 2 Una Lue, 3 Phoebe Hampson (16 Ella Stephens, 77), 6 Layla Proctor (17 Paris Dalton, 71), 9 Phoebie Poole, 11 Roisin Kivel (capt), 14 Katie Wilson (18 Caitlin Smith, 71), 15 Tamara Wilcock (23 Olivia Francis, 61), 19 Ellie Noble, 24 Tianna Teisar, 26 Arabella Suttie (5 Giota Papaioannou, 84). Substitutes: 21 Eilish Brogan (gk), 33 Ella Stowell (gk).
Goals: Noble 36, Wilcock 51.
AFC Wimbledon: 1 Rose Kite, 2 Rosie Russell, 4 Hattie Sherlock, 9 Ashlee Hincks (capt) (8 Leanne Bell, 71), 11 Alisha Buckingham, 12 Iola Cotter, 14 Taylor Bell (25 Madeline Hotston, 63), 16 Emily Donovan, 20 Hannah Billingham, 23 Kaylee Buckingham, 24 Mollie Peachey. Substitutes: 17 Aliyat Lambe, 39 Willow Scarles.
Yellow cards: Bell 30, Billingham 62.
