Report | Argyle 0-1 Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers inflicted defeat on Argyle at Home Park to end the Pilgrims’ four-game unbeaten run.
Rayan Kolli’s second-half goal was the difference between the teams, with the QPR substitute scoring not long after the hour mark, and Argyle unable to find a way to conjure up an equaliser.
Ryan Hardie was back in the Argyle starting line-up for the first time since New Year’s Day, ostensibly replacing Brendan Galloway, and facilitating an Argyle change of shape.
In front of Daniel Grimshaw, there lined up a back four of Bali Mumba, Julio Pleguezuelo, Victor Palsson and Tymoteusz Puchacz, with Adam Randell and Darko Gyabi in front of them. Rami Al Hajj and Morgan Whittaker were wider, and more advanced with Michael Baidoo playing high up, in support of Hardie.
Inside a minute, Hardie thought his was luck was in, as a QPR short goal-kick saw goalkeeper Paul Nardi dawdling, and the Scotsman nearly nicked the ball from him.
Argyle’s start was bright, with an Al Hajj flicked shot on target reaching the keeper’s hands, before the Pilgrims’ best move of the half saw Gyabi calmly receive a ball near the edge of the box and offload to Randell, who worked an opportunity for Mumba to fire in a low cross, which was cleared from in front of goal.
The longer the half elapsed, the more Rangers looked a threat, and they had two chances, the second bigger than the first, on 26 minutes. First, a Morgan Fox effort following a Grimshaw punch went wide for a corner, from which Ronnie Edwards latched onto a knockdown to flick centimetres wide of the goal.
Then, four minutes before the interval, Paul Smyth scythed through several players, running from deep and wide on the right to the edge of the area. As he was challenged, the ball fell to Michael Frey in space, who looked strong favourite to score. Grimshaw, though, made a stunning save from close range, meaning half-time arrived with the game goalless.
At the break, Miron Muslic made a change, bringing on Jordan Houghton in place of Gyabi in the middle of the park.
Moments after the restart, Grimshaw again denied Frey, in possibly even more unlikely fashion. Jimmy Dunne played a ball into the area, which was either a high-quality pass or, perhaps more likely, a shot which went straight to Frey’s feet. The Swiss had a shot from about six yards, but Grimshaw’s reactions were again incredible, and he repelled the ball.
Grimshaw made another excellent save on 65 minutes, but it was not enough to stop QPR taking the lead. Mumba miscontrolled a dropping ball which allowed Chair to pick up the loose ball and drive at goal. Grimshaw again stopped a shot superbly, but the ball rebounded to Kolli, not long on as a substitute, who fired into the bottom corner.
Argyle tried to react quickly with Callum Wright, also having recently come off the bench, curling not far over from 25 yards.
The Greens tried shaking things up, bringing on Mustapha Bundu, Ibrahim Cissoko and Matty Sorinola in the quest for an equaliser.
Bundu came close – or least, he came close to the ball in a good area – when Whittaker got to the bye-line and crossed to where Bundu was arriving, but Edwards’ defensive header was a very good one, and the ball went for a corner.
Bundu got close to a header from this, too, and Randell went down under pressure, but the referee waved any away penalty claims.
The Greens threw Palsson up front in the closing stages, and he agitated to win some headers and cause unrest in the Rangers’ backline, but spaces Argyle left in their desperation to score meant that the Hoops looked more likely to score the game’s second goal, with Sam Field going the closest.
In the end, there was no need for a second, as QPR dealt with everything Argyle could muster, and saw the game out.
Argyle: 31 Daniel Grimshaw, 2 Bali Mumba (29 Matty Sorinola, 80), 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 9 Ryan Hardie (15 Mustapha Bundu, 73), 10 Morgan Whittaker (7 Ibrahim Cissoko, 80), 17 Tymoteusz Puchacz, 18 Darko Gyabi (4 Jordan Houghton, half-time), 20 Adam Randell (capt), 28 Rami Al Hajj (11 Callum Wright, 60), 30 Michael Baidoo, 44 Victor Palsson. Substitutes: 33 Zak Baker (gk), 3 Nathanael Ogbeta, 34 Caleb Roberts, 35 Freddie Issaka.
Booked: Houghton 60
QPR: 1 Paul Nardi, 3 Jimmy Dunne, 8 Sam Field, 10 Ilias Chair (28 Alfie Lloyd, 86), 11 Paul Smyth (14 Koki Saito, 75), 12 Michael Frey (26 Rayan Kolli, 59), 15 Morgan Fox, 17 Ronnie Edwards, 21 Kieran Morgan (20 Harrison Ashby, 84), 22 Kenneth Paal, 40 Jonathan Varane (4 Jack Colback, 59). Substitutes: 13 Joe Walsh (gk), 6 Jake Clarke-Salter, 24 Niclas Madsen, 27 Daniel Bennie.
Goals: Kolli 65
Booked: Varane 1, Smyth 54, Edwards 64
Attendance: 16,988 (1,718 away)
Referee: Darren Bond
