Argyle made it back-to-back 1-0 wins with a single-goal victory over Rotherham United at Home Park.
Joe Ralls’ goal, late in the first half, was the difference, with Argyle having to dig deep to see the game out, under heavy Rotherham pressure in the second half.
But the Greens survived, winning for only the third time at home this season, bringing great joy to the Green Army.
Argyle retained the core, and the shape, of the team that won 1-0 at Wycombe Wanderers in midweek. Once again, Conor Hazard played behind a back four of Joe Edwards, Julio Pleguezuelo, Alex Mitchell and Brendan Galloway; in midfield, Ralls returned in the centre, replacing Brendan Wiredu, to play alongside Malachi Boateng, with Owen Dale to their right, and Matty Sorinola to the left; up front, Owen Oseni continued as the main striker, with Bali Mumba replacing Jamie Paterson as his support.
The game started slowly; glacially, even. Neither team had meaningful possession or chances in the opening quarter-hour. In the 15th minute, Rotherham defender Tom Holmes headed well off target from a corner, when in a decent position, but it was really the only thing either side produced to interest their respective parts of the – understandably – quiet crowd.
Argyle had some flickers of attacks that threatened to perk up the Green Army. One extended piece of possession saw them build down the right, only for the avenue to turn swiftly into a cul-de-sac, so the Greens tried the alternative route of the left flank, but Sorinola’s cross drifted out of play.
Joe Powell had a shot for the visitors which deflected wide, leading to one of a number of corners that the Millers had in the first half, none of which directly troubled Argyle.
Argyle’s best moments were coming from breaking from deep and trying to work the flanks. From one such moment, Dale got in a good position on the right from a superb Ralls pass, but the cross was fired in high and in front of the arriving Oseni, and the chance was again lost.
And then Argyle got it right. Sometimes it is a case of Ralls or nothing.
It was a really nice move. Mumba picked the ball up in a rare bit of space, just inside Rotherham’s half, and was able to turn and drive. Behind and alongside galloped several Green shirts, eager to join in.
Most prominent among them was Dale, haring down the right wing. A quick glance up, then a really smart cutback later, and the ball was in the path of Ralls, arriving with timing, and showing desire to get into the area. His finish was first-time, and precise. Argyle led.
This was late in the first half but, with sudden belief, the Pilgrims pushed on, sensing a second. From a Boateng burst, Argyle broke lines, getting the ball to Oseni, whose shot was well hit, but unfortunately hit his own team-mate, Mumba, who was in an offside position.
To be fair to Rotherham, between the goal and the above chance, the lively Powell cut inside and whistled a shot not far off target, and it was the visitors who started the second half the brighter.
Jordan Hugill had a chance, crossed to him from the left, which ended up over the bar, thanks to close Mitchell attention. Actually, it is worth assuming, in basically any defensive action from here on in, that if someone blocked it, headed it, put pressure, put a body on the line, it was Alex Mitchell.
Ar’jany Martha had the next opportunity, getting into a good area on the right, but inexplicably cut inside onto his left, when a drive with the right looked on. Seeing the inside route blocked off, he went back onto his right again, and then demonstrated why he did not want to shoot with it in the first place, finding nothing but stand with his shot.
Hugill went over again, and Rotherham continued to have the majority of the territory as the second period wore on. Occasionally, Argyle relieved the tension and got up the other end, but the legs trying to break forward looked tired, and soon enough the ball was coming back at them.
Substitute Josh Ayres thought he had a brilliant chance to equalise when a ball fell to him about five yards out. His point-blank effort was partially saved by Hazard, and then brilliantly clawed off the line by the big Ulsterman. The flag was up – Ayres was offside and it would not have counted – but Hazard, not to know that, did a superb job.
Holmes thought he had levelled when he guided a header beyond Hazard, who had tried to push away a corner, but Mitchell – of course – headed away from on the line.
Ayres then got beyond all to head into the side-netting, on the outside, with Argyle getting deeper than the big tank with the turtle in it in the Aquarium.
Late subs to put fresh legs on included the introductions of Kornel Szucs, Mathias Ross and Brendan Wiredu. Argyle finished the game with a flat back five, with Wiredu in front of them, meaning basically all six players who can play at centre-back were all on the pitch.
The most impressive bit of the Argyle performance was the conclusion of the game. Argyle’s game management was strong: clearances had meaning, canny throw-ins were picked up, and players, particularly Owen Oseni, did a great job of keeping the ball as near to 100 yards from Hazard’s goal as they could.
The final whistle was sweet relief, but this meant that, twice in a week, Argyle had got their heads down and fought for a victory, even if the game had not started perfectly for them.
Ralls well that ends well.
Argyle: 1 Conor Hazard, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 8 Joe Edwards (capt, 6 Kornel Szucs 68), 11 Bali Mumba (4 Brendan Wiredu, 87) , 15 Alex Mitchell, 18 Owen Oseni, 19 Malachi Boateng, 22 Brendan Galloway, 29 Matty Sorinola (14 Ayman Benarous, 78), 32 Joe Ralls, 35 Owen Dale (2 Mathias Ross, 87). Substitutes: 21 Luca Ashby-Hammond (gk), 7 Jamie Paterson, 10 Xavier Amaechi.
Goals: Ralls 41
Booked: Pleguezuelo 55, Edwards 66, Ralls 66
Rotherham: 1 Cameron Dawson, 2 Joe Rafferty (capt, 41 Josh Ayres 62), 7 Joe Powell, 8 Kian Spence (5 Sean Raggett, 90), 9 Jordan Hugill, 11 Ar’Jany Martha (23 Jack Holmes, 90) 12 Tom Holmes, 15 Jamal Baptiste, 16 Dru Yearwood (14 Marvin Kaleta, half-time), 22 Denzel Hall, 44 Dan Gore. Substitutes: 13 Ted Cadd (gk), 4 Liam Kelly, 26 Hamish Douglas.
Booked: Spence 18, Gore 74
Attendance: 14,318 (335 away)
Referee: David Rock
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