Barnsley spoiled the party for Tom Cleverley as the new Argyle Head Coach suffered defeat in his first game as Pilgrims boss.
Things looked to be off to the perfect start – Caleb Watts had the ball in the net inside five minutes, but it was ruled out for a foul in the build-up. Soon after, a Brendan Wiredu own-goal led to Barnsley’s opener, and Adam Phillips scored on the half-hour to make it two.
Watts scored a legitimate goal soon after the break, but although Barnsley lost defender Jack Shepherd for two cautions, they held out, and scored through Davis Keillor-Dunn in the final stages.
Argyle’s line-up featured five debutants, with another three of the summer’s signings waiting for their opportunity, from the bench.
In goal, Luca Ashby-Hammond made his league bow, although the back four in front of him featured a quartet of players retained from the previous season. In a back four, Brendan Galloway played at left-back, Matty Sorinola on the right, with Kornel Szucs alongside captain Victor Palsson in the centre.
Wiredu made his debut in the centre of midfield, accompanied by Malachi Boateng who, although a signing back in January, was only making his second league start for the Pilgrims.
Bali Mumba started the game on the left wing, and the rest of the team were all making debuts, with Xavier Amaechi on the right of Watts, who was playing as a front man, with Bradley Ibrahim just behind him.
Watts’ role would be considered, in the modern game, a false nine. After just under five minutes, Argyle had a false start.
It looked for all the world like they had taken the lead. Amaechi’s surge down the right was followed by a clipped finish by Watts, and Home Park erupted. Belatedly, the noise abated as it became clear a free-kick had been given for Watts hauling back Marc Roberts in the build-up to the goal.
The disappointment at not being a goal up was soon compounded by the Greens going one down. A Barnsley free-kick from the left was really well delivered, but there were no Tykes attackers on the end of it. However, Galloway missed his header, and Wiredu’s instinctive flick of his right foot diverted the ball past the unfortunate Ashby-Hammond.
Watts was Argyle’s biggest and most frequent threat, and he tested Murphy Cooper in the Barnsley goal with a cut in from the left and a 20-yard shot which Cooper did well to shovel wide.
However, it was Barnsley who found the game’s second goal. It was untidy from an Argyle perspective. Wiredu’s attempted clearance went up in the air, and Palsson tried clearing at the second attempt. Culpable as Argyle were, the finish from Phillips was exceptional. He caught the falling ball sweetly and fizzed home.
The game had been tetchy throughout, and this amped up as the interval approached. After Watts had drawn another save from Cooper, this time a tip-over on a looping effort, a few minutes later Cooper exited his area to clear the ball and, although he achieved this, he left a dent on Watts in the process. Nothing was given, although Tom Cleverley was booked for his protestations.
Then, as the half came to its conclusion, three more players found their names taken. Wiredu and Shepherd had an odd, slow-motion tussle on the floor, and when team-mates on both sides reacted, a little pull-apart occurred. Wiredu and Shepherd were shown yellow cards, as was Ibrahim for his involvement.
Cleverley would have desired a half-time reaction from his team, and he got one, as Argyle came out of the traps and scored through Watts within five minutes of the restart.
A short set-piece was knocked in by Amaechi, headed back by Galloway and then on by Palsson, falling to Watts who hooked home, getting the goal he deserved.
Argyle kept up their pressure, in search of an equaliser, with a Watts effort saved by Cooper, although the Argyle forward/midfielder/all wrapped up in one was offside.
Shepherd saw red a little after the hour mark, handballing on the edge of the penalty area, giving away a free-kick and drawing his second caution of the game.
This saw Barnsley, naturally, retreat and try to hold on. Amaechi sent a free-kick wide, half-time sub Jamie Paterson saw a dangerous low pass cut out, and a series of corners and long-throws caused a bit of chaos, but nothing to seriously test Barnsley.
In the end, it was the visitors who scored a match-clinching third goal. A long ball forward was headed by Szucs into the back of Mumba, falling kindly for Keillor-Dunn, who made no mistake in scoring the clinching goal.
Argyle: 21 Luca Ashby-Hammond, 4 Brendan Wiredu, 6 Kornel Szucs, 10 Xavier Amaechi, 11 Bali Mumba, 17 Caleb Watts, 19 Malachi Boateng, 22 Brendan Galloway, 23 Bradley Ibrahim, 29 Matty Sorinola, 44 Victor Palsson (capt). Substitutes: 13 Zak Baker (gk), 7 Jamie Paterson, 8 Joe Edwards, 14 Ayman Benarous, 18 Owen Oseni, 25 Freddie Issaka, 39 Tegan Finn.
Goals: Watts 50
Booked: Wiredu 45, Ibrahim 45
Barnsley: 1 Murphy Cooper, 4 Marc Roberts (30 Jonathan Bland, , 5 Jack Shepherd, 6 Mael de Gevigney, 7 Caylan Vickers, 8 Adam Phillips, 10 David McGoldrick, 32 Josh Earl, 40 Davis Keillor-Dunn, 45 Vimal Voganathan, 48 Luca Connell. Substitutes: 51 Kieren Flavell (gk), 3 Jonathan Russell, 19 Reyes Cleary, 22 Patrick Kelly, 29 Connor Barratt, 33 Robson Woodcock.
Goals: Wiredu og 13, Phillips 30, Keillor-Dunn 86
Sent off: Shepherd 65
Booked: McGoldrick 35, Shepherd 45, Bland 49, Russell 70
Attendance: 16,483 (888 away)
Referee: Declan Bourne
