REPORT | ARGYLE 2 IPSWICH TOWN 1
Argyle 2
Mumba 69
Whittaker 75
Ipswich Town 1
Ladapo 39
Argyle inflicted a first defeat of the season on Sky Bet League One leaders Ipswich Town and, in doing so, leapfrogged the Sunday lunchtime visitors at the top of the table.
Freddie Ladapo graced his Home Park return with a scruffy opener six minutes before half-time but the Pilgrims fought back with a brace of wonder strikes from Bali Mumba and Morgan Whittaker to bag three joyful points from a pulsating match.
Argyle manager Steven Schumacher recalled James Wilson, Danny Mayor, Niall Ennis and Adam Randell, with Macaulay Gillesphey, Ryan Hardie and Jordan Houghton on the bench. Finn Azaz was on international duty and Brendan Galloway suspended.
Mike Cooper plucked a gentle Luke Woolfenden volley out of the sky for the first shot on target, swiftly followed a lovely move involving Mumba and Whittaker but Danny Mayor’s cross was cleared by the Town defence.
Kayden Jackson surged down the right for a driven low cross that failed to pick out an Ipswich forward before a corner found former Pilgrim Ladapo for a header directed straight into the arms of Cooper.
Matt Butcher replied with a break from midfield, halted by alert goalkeeping from another of the Argyle alumni, Christian Walton. Ladapo then sprung the offside trap for a driven shot saved by the body of an advancing Cooper.
The lively start continued with Adam Randell working room for an angled shot that almost shaved the far post, followed by a swerving effort from Whittaker beaten away by the fists of Walton.
Randell was then in recovery mode after two hefty, and late, challenges from Marcus Harness and Sam Morsy, both of which led to yellow cards. Argyle broke from the scuffling with a sweeping pass by Whittaker to Mumba, who was unable to steer his shot past the imposing frame of Walton.
The frenetic pace was terrific viewing in front of the Sky cameras, Morsy next to have a pop with a stabbed effort from 16 yards and Cooper was equal to the challenge.
Ipswich snatched the lead on 39 minutes, Ladapo latching on to a ricochet in midfield for a shot from the left channel that deflected off the leg of Dan Scarr and looped over Cooper for a very fortunate opener.
A fine covering tackle from Mumba on Jackson ensured the deficit remained manageable at the break and an outstanding block from Nigel Lonwijk on a Janoi Donacien strike immediately after the restart continued that trend.
A beautiful incisive pass from Mayor then picked out Whittaker for a delightful spin and shot that scuttled inches wide, as the Green Army noise rose a few notches after a robust challenge floored Niall Ennis.
Ipswich broke down the right in reply, Jackson and Morsy feeding the ball into the path of Harness for a shot dragged into the side-netting. Argyle turned to the bench on the hour, Sam Cosgrove and Houghton replacing Mayor and Butcher.
Dan Scarr interrupted a clever move from Town with a near-post clearance before substitute Tyreese John-Jules wriggled into a space for deflected effort palmed wide by Cooper.
The action returned to the opposite end for a quality equaliser from Mumba, picking up on a headed clearance, jinking his way across the edge of the box and arrowing a fabulous finish past the diving Walton and into the corner of the net.
The Greens were now in rampant mood, Ennis bustling through two tackles before threading a pass wide to Whittaker, who cut inside for a low strike superbly tipped wide by Walton at full stretch.
If Argyle’s leveller was something special, the second from Whittaker was just as good, as he won the ball from a harried Town defence, exchanged passes with Joe Edwards, and lashed a terrific strike into the top corner.
The standard and temp of the game was an amazing advert for League One football and a credit to both sides, as teenager Will Jenkins Davies entered the fray to replace Ennis for the final 10 minutes.
A searing drive from Jackson grazed the side-netting for Ipswich and there was an unbelievable final twist, Walton coming up for a corner and rising highest for a header expertly tipped on to the bar by Cooper to ensure three magical points for the Greens.
Argyle: 1 Mike Cooper, 5 James Wilson, 6 Dan Scarr, 21 Nigel Lonwijk (3 Macaulay Gillesphey 90); 17 Bali Mumba, 20 Adam Randell, 7 Matt Butcher (4 Jordan Houghton 61), 8 Joe Edwards (capt); 19 Morgan Whittaker (15 Conor Grant 90), 11 Niall Ennis (44 Will Jenkins Davies 83), 10 Danny Mayor (16 Sam Cosgrove 61). Substitutes: 25 Callum Burton (gk), 9 Ryan Hardie.
Booked:
Ipswich: 1 Christian Walton, 3 Leif Davis (29 Kyle Edwards 80), 4 George Edmundson, 5 Sam Morsy (capt), 6 Luke Woolfenden, 8 Lee Evans, 9 Freddie Ladapo (24 Kane Vincent-Young 59), 10 Conor Chaplin (18 Gassan Ahadme 80), 11 Marcus Harness (14 Tyreese John-Jules 59), 19 Kayden Jackson, 44 Janoi Donacien. Substitutes: 31 Vaclav Hladky, 2 Richard Keogh, 12 Dominic Ball.
Booked: Harness 20, Morsy 22, Edmundson 66, Evans 71
Attendance: 15,480 (1,081 away)
Referee: Scott Oldham