Argyle Women picked up a third consecutive 2-0 win on Sunday afternoon, with a victory over Lewes at Home Park.
Tamara Wilcock’s first-half hooked finish and Layla Proctor’s header in the final minutes of the game handed the Greens an important three points, as Watford and AFC Bournemouth picked up victories of their own.
Marie Hourihan’s side still hold second place, a point behind Watford and a point ahead of AFC Bournemouth, but games in hand still leave Argyle waiting and watching compared to their promotion rivals.
Just one change was made for the Greens from their winning trip to AFC Wimbledon a fortnight prior, with Olivia Francis coming into the side for Una Lue. This meant an unchanged backline, with Hermione Cull commanding the defensive four of Phoebe Hampson, Arabella Suttie, Katie Wilson and Roisin Kivel.
Ellie Noble and Layla Proctor sat just in front, as Phoebie Poole leading the line with support from Francis and Tianna Teisar on the flanks and Tamara Wilcock in the number 10 position.
An energetic start from the Greens saw plenty of early opportunities. An early corner gave Wilcock the chance to head towards goal, but her attempt ended up running wide of the far post.
Noble was the next to test Lewes goalkeeper Emily Moore, this time through a shot from outside the box, though the effort lacked the power needed to really cause any issues.
Argyle’s dominant start was soon stumped by the visiting side, however. Cull was brought into early action and made a tidy save from a Chelsea Ferguson close-range effort, following a quick counter from the Rooks.
Just a minute later, Francis was back in the action with the Green Army roaring her on. Suttie’s long-ball over the top of the Lewes defence picked out the Welsh winger, returning from international duty, and gave her the chance to deliver into the area. The cross deflected towards goal and needed a palm from Moore to push the ball out of play.
The game slowed down, with few real chances falling to either side over the next 20 minutes, but then Argyle found the breakthrough thanks to Wilcock. A delivery across the box was spilled by Moore, and picked up on the right flank by Francis. The winger managed to pick out Wilcock with a first-time pass back into the area, which was followed by a confident flick over her head, with her first touch, and into the back of the net.
After the celebrations had died down, Lewes turned to their bench, replacing Moore in the visitors’ goal with Eva-Jean Young. Moore, the Lewes number one, was possibly carrying an injury through the opening 30 minutes.
The final few chances of the half came in additional time. First, Noble struck towards goal from a free-kick won by Teisar on the left of the 18-yard box, but watched it be saved easily by Young. Cull was then called into action once again, having to save a Leah Lane close-range effort, which she did comfortably, before the half-time whistle was blown.
The first chance of the second half fell to Argyle, through Kivel. A forward run into the box from Teisar set up the Greens’ captain to strike towards goal, but the shot ended up curling away from goal over the bar.
Just two minutes later, everyone within Home Park thought a second had been scored, but the crossbar said otherwise. Superb team play down the left flank presented Hampson a chance to volley first-time in the area, and the sweet connection saw the ball rocket towards goal, but sadly struck the bar and bounced back into play.
Poole turned the second attempt on target, but lacked the power needed to test the Lewes defence and Young in between the sticks.
Over the next 25 minutes, substitutions dominated the proceedings. Una Lue and Ella Stephens replaced Francis and Wilcock, whilst the visitors made two of their own.
Ferguson tested Cull with a low-driven shot from outside the box in the 85th minute, but it was saved easily and was followed by Paris Dalton and Caitlin Smith being brought into the action for Poole and Suttie.
Three minutes before the full-time whistle, Proctor added a second for the Greens. The midfielder peeled away from her marker to head home a pinpoint delivery from Stephens at the back post, sealing three points and another victory in PL2.
Argyle: 1 Hermione Cull, 3 Phoebe Hampson, 6 Layla Proctor, 9 Phoebie Poole (17 Paris Dalton, 88), 11 Roisin Kivel (capt), 14 Katie Wilson, 15 Tamara Wilcock (16 Ella Stephens, 77), 19 Ellie Noble, 23 Olivia Francis (2 Una Lue, 68), 24 Tianna Teisar, 26 Arabella Suttie (18 Caitlin Smith, 88). Substitutes: 33 Ella Stowell (GK), 5 Giota Papaioannou, 7 Charlotte Whitmore.
Goals: Wilcock 31, Proctor 90+3.
Yellow cards: Suttie 73, Dalton 90+6.
Lewes: 1 Emily Moore (33 Eva-Jean Young, 31), 3 Maddie Brant ©, 4 Sydney Schreimaier, 5 Layla Banaras, 9 Chelsea Ferguson, 11 Ruby Seaby (7 Kayla Ginger, 82), 13 Rebekah Trewhitt (15 Dani Rowe, 60), 14 Paula Howells. 23 Ylenia Priest. 24 Lois Edwards, 77 Leah Lane. Substitutes: 21 Katie Gilligan.
Yellow cards: Trewhitt 43, Schreimaier 45.
Attendance: 979.
Referee: Daniel Forrester.
