Argyle recorded their first victory of the season with a single-goal win over Blackpool at Home Park.
They struck early in the second half with a stylish goal from Malachi Boateng, and although there were some understandably nervy moments for a side not used to being in a winning position, they saw the game out to gain a deserved victory.
Lorent Tolaj, signed on Friday, was included in the Argyle side from the start, to make his debut. The trio behind him was unchanged, as Caleb Watts, flanked by Xavier Amaechi and Bali Mumba, lined up. Bradley Ibrahim came into the team to play with Boateng in the centre of midfield, and the back four, in front of Luca Ashby-Hammond, comprised of Ayman Benarous, Brendan Galloway, Alex Mitchell and Kornel Szucs.
It was very nearly the perfect start. There was scarcely two minutes on the clock when Argyle had their first corner, earned after a Szucs shot was deflected wide. Amaechi took it, Tolaj flicked on, and Mitchell met it at the far post to turn in back across the face of goal, but Blackpool scrambled away.
The game was only ten minutes old when Argyle spurned a golden opportunity. Tolaj was involved in holding the ball up in the initial stages of the move, before Ibrahim slid a lovely ball into Mumba’s path. Bailey Peacock-Farrell saved Mumba’s shot, and the following-up Tolaj fired wide.
Blackpool nearly punished the Pilgrims’ profligacy. A free-kick from the left was well delivered, and Michael Ihiekwe’s glancing header was saved by Ashby-Hammond on the line.
Argyle continued to probe, and a neat move that ended in Mumba having another shot blocked showed promise, but it was the visitors who then missed a great chance to lead. A neat move down the Seasiders’ left pulled Argyle apart, and Dale Taylor was left alone in the centre. He, however, dragged his effort wide.
Just after the half-hour mark, Blackpool played a stroke from a left-wing corner, flooding the box but leaving Albie Morgan free on the edge of the area. Afforded time, he brought the ball down and struck powerfully, drawing an excellent save by Ashby-Hammond.
It was a very familiar first half. Argyle had started brightly, put pressure on in the opening stages, had the first two or three chances of the game – and then steadily yielded territory as the period wore on.
The worry was that the second half would then slip away as they have done thus far this season. Three minutes after the restart, Boateng, almost single-handedly, rejected that notion.
The midfielder has arguably been Argyle’s best player so far this season, and it felt appropriate that he scored the goal that put the Greens into the lead for the first time in any game this season.
It was a cracking effort, too, which came in three parts. Firstly, the grit. Argyle had a throw-in on the left, which got them to the edge of the penalty area, but Boateng had to contest a 50-50 challenge, which he won, advancing with the ball.
Next, the guile. The ball was on his left foot, and he would have probably been excused had he just put his laces through it. However, Boateng chopped inside, beating his man, and getting into space.
Finally, the precision. Boateng opened up his body, and curled powerfully but accurately into the corner of the net. It was a beauty.
On the hour, Matty Sorinola came on for his 50th appearance in green and white, before Argyle switched their Brendans on 70 minutes – Wiredu on, Galloway off – and after a period of uncertainty where Blackpool threatened following Argyle’s goal, the Pilgrims redoubled their efforts to double their lead.
They nearly got it when Mumba set off on a familiar run, performing a tight pirouette, then shooting from the edge of the box. Peacock-Farrell saved that comfortably enough, but he only pushed it to Amaechi, who fired over when hitting the target would have meant a goal.
At the other end, Malcolm Ebiowei, with his first involvement after coming on, showed his intent by cutting inside and shooting, with Mitchell in a good position to deter with his header.
It led to a corner, which Ashby-Hammond caught and quickly bowled out to a bursting Mumba. Two passes later, and Tolaj sent a diving header wide, with Boateng almost being an inadvertent recipient.
Argyle saw out eight minutes of stoppage time in relative comfort, and recorded the win we have all been longing to see.
Argyle: 21 Luca Ashby-Hammond, 6 Kornel Szucs, 9 Lorent Tolaj, 10 Xavier Amaechi (27 Bim Pepple, 85), 11 Bali Mumba, 14 Ayman Benarous (29 Matty Sorinola, 62), 15 Alex Mitchell, 17 Caleb Watts, 19 Malachi Boateng, 22 Brendan Galloway (capt, 4 Brendan Wiredu, 70)), 23 Bradley Ibrahim. Substitutes: 13 Zak Baker (gk), 8 Joe Edwards, 38 Joe Hatch, 39 Tegan Finn.
Goals: Boateng 49
Booked: Ibrahim 77
Blackpool: 1 Bailey Peacock-Farrell, 4 Olly Casey, 6 Jordan Brown (30 Danny Imray, 68), 7 Lee Evans (29 Emil Hansson, 68), 8 Albie Morgan, 10 George Honeyman 9capt, 14 Tom Bloxham, 15 Hayden Coulson (17 Malcolm Ebiowei, 76), 18 Dale Taylor, 20 Michael Ihiekwe, 22 CJ Hamilton. Substitutes: 25 Franco Ravizzoli (gk), 2 Andy Lyons, 26 Zac Ashworth, 41 Terry Bondo.
Booked: Evans 62, Coulson 63, Taylor 90
Attendance: 15,322 (441 away)
Referee: David Rock
