Report | Argyle 3-1 Coventry City
For another week, the fight goes on.
Admittedly, the scores from elsewhere tempered the joy at Argyle’s third home win in a row, but Miron Muslic’s Greens can only do what they can do, and they thoroughly deserved their 3-1 win over promotion-chasing Coventry City.
With just over five minutes of the first half remaining, the game was goalless. When the whistle blew, Argyle were 2-1 up. Mustapha Bundu had lashed the Pilgrims in front and Ryan Hardie doubled the lead, before Haji Wright returned fire.
Coventry started brightly after the break, but it was Argyle who scored the game’s next, and final, goal, with Bundu’s persistence paying off as he forced the ball over the line.
The drawback on the day’s action was that Argyle were not the only relegation-threatened side to pick up a result. Four of the bottom five won, with only Cardiff City, who drew 1-1, slipping up.
When the teamsheets appeared, the Argyle line-up contained Muhamed Tijani in it from the start for the first time since the season’s opening day. Nikola Katic also returned, having missed a couple of weeks. An injured Jordan Houghton, an ill Michael Obafemi and a suspended Joe Edwards missed out on the squad.
Katic returned to the centre of a back three, with Victor Palsson and Julio Pleguezuelo either side, in front of Conor Hazard in goal. Bali Mumba played at right wing-back, with Kornel Szucs on the opposite flank.
In midfield, Darko Gyabi played with Adam Randell, while Tijani played as the central striker, with Bundu and Hardie for company.
In a similar manner to the last home game, against Sheffield United, Argyle did not see much of the ball in the early stages, with Coventry bossing possession, but the Greens looked reasonably comfortable for the most part.
On a dozen minutes, a City corner caused a little consternation, as Jake Bidwell got free at the far post. He did not quite meet the ball on the run, and actually may have put off Joel Latibeaudiere in doing so.
Argyle played themselves into the game, steadily. Gyabi did really well to land on a loose ball and send it wide to Bundu, all in one action. Bundu cut inside and took the shot early, narrowly missing the far post.
Argyle were finding increasing joy on that flank. Next, Mumba made a strong run from deep, exchanged with Bundu and continued into the area. He cut onto his right foot, and looked to clip over the goalkeeper, but just hit it a little too high.
On 40 minutes, directly from a right-wing corner, Argyle got the opener. Randell’s initial cross was headed partially clear, but Gyabi kept it alive, and returned the ball to the taker. Randell took the ball on the run and beat his man. He was off balance as he cut back to Bundu, who had smartly peeled off to find space in the area.
His finish was even smarter; a well-caught right-foot drive just inside the near post, and beyond the dive of Collins. One-nil – and a second was shortly to follow.
This time, it came as a result of a Coventry set-piece. Milan van Ewijk’s long throw was as if launched from a cannon, right into the danger area, but Argyle cleared, long and high, to where van Ewijk was retreating, now just inside his half.
Bundu bullied him out of it – fairly – and set off up the field at pace. Two defenders raced to stay with him, but just as they pulled ahead, Hardie arrived, with Bundu stroking into his path, and Argyle’s number nine continued his hot streak with a low drive that went under Collins and in.
However, the surge of momentum that Argyle seemed to have gathered heading into the break was quelled a little with a goal for the visitors just before the break. A corner was headed on target by Ellis Simms; Hazard saved, but Wright followed in and finished.
Coventry began the half well, trying to find another, perhaps aware that Argyle’s confidence could be shaky. Wright and Bidwell both got into good positions but could not get shots away, as the Sky Blues pushed hard.
And then Argyle scored again.
Mustapha Bundu’s name rather lends itself to an obvious piece of wordplay, but lexophiles might find themselves frustrated at the fact that the man known as Moose tends to score really good goals, and not little fiddly ones.
Anyway, word-lovers and Argyle fans unite – because Bundu bundled in the third.
Argyle launched in a throw, which Coventry ejected. Gyabi headed back in, Coventry back out, before Palsson met one with a run-up. His nod turned the emerging defence, but Bundu had snuck in, unguarded and onside.
At first, all he could do was nudge a bouncing ball goalwards, and Collins saved, but the ball moved vertically, and Bundu met it in the air first, heading home from all of 0.7 of a yard out. It was a precious as a 30-yard bullet.
Naturally, Coventry were going to fire back, and should have narrowed the gap again when Wright headed directly at Hazard from about seven yards out. He was totally free; a header either side and it was 3-2, and game very much on.
Argyle were now getting gaps, though, and produced a couple of really nice moves to put pressure on in order to get a clinching fourth.
Bundu was blocked from his hat-trick with one of them, before a lovely Randell through-ball sent Hardie away, his shot being saved by Collins, who read the attempt’s flight.
Argyle: 21 Conor Hazard, 2 Bali Mumba, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 6 Kornel Szucs, 9 Ryan Hardie (35 Freddie Issaka, 86), 15 Mustapha Bundu (30 Michael Baidoo, 90+2), 18 Darko Gyabi (19 Malachi Boateng, 90+1), 20 Adam Randell (capt), 25 Nikola Katic, 26 Muhamed Tijani (11 Callum Wright, 79), 44 Victor Palsson. Substitutes: 31 Daniel Grimshaw (gk), 3 Nathanael Ogbeta, 17 Tymoteusz Puchacz, 28 Rami Al Hajj, 34 Caleb Roberts.
Goals: Bundu 40, Hardie 43
Booked: Bundu 27
Coventry City: 40 Brad Collins, 5 Jack Rudoni, 6 Matt Grimes, 7 Tatsuhiro Sakamoto (14 Ben Sheaf, 75), 8 Jamie Allen (capt, 12 Jamie Paterson, 61)), 9 Ellis Simms (23 Brandon Thomas-Asante, 75), 11 Haji Wright, 15 Liam Kitching, 21 Jake Bidwell (3 Jay Dasilva, 61), 22 Joel Latibeaudiere, 27 Milan van Ewijk. Substitutes: 13 Ben Wilson (gk), 2 Luis Binks, 28 Josh Eccles, 32 Jack Burroughs, 39 Isaac Moore.
Goals: Wright 45
Booked: Latibeaudiere 84
Attendance: 16,974 (1,738 away)
Referee: Andy Davies
