REPORT | FLEETWOOD TOWN 2 ARGYLE 1
Fleetwood Town 2
Batty 28
Garner 88
Argyle 1
Hardie pen 23
Argyle suffered late heartbreak and a first defeat of the season after substitute Joe Garner notched a winner for Fleetwood two minutes from time.
A Ryan Hardie penalty had given the Greens a lead midway through the first period but Dan Batty equalised within five minutes, and a draw seemed the right result until Garner intervened.
Argyle manager Steven Schumacher stuck with the same starting line-up from the opening day win over Barnsley, with Jordan Houghton returning from suspension to take a place on the bench.
Fleetwood went down to a 2-1 defeat at Port Vale last weekend and they created the first chance on a sunny afternoon, Ellis Harrison slightly scuffing his shot into the arms of Mike Cooper following a low cross from Shaun Rooney.
Argyle found some passing fluency in response, Adam Randell and Matt Butcher pulling the strings in midfield but the Fleetwood threat remained, with James Wilson in the right place to block a shot on the turn from Batty.
The Greens broke the shackles with a delightful move involving Danny Mayor and Finn Azaz. The ball came to Bali Mumba and he enticed the challenge from Toto Nsiala, who took the bait to trip the youngster on loan from Norwich for a clear penalty.
Hardie took responsibility from the spot and calmly stroked the ball down the middle, with home custodian Jay Lynch diving to his left.
The goal briefly boosted Argyle and deflated the hosts, Hardie peeling into the right channel for a shot blocked by Danny Andrew. The subsequent corner prompted mild panic in the Fleetwood defence but Randell was unable to unleash a clean strike on the loose ball.
The Cod Army then recovered with a lovely pass into the right-edge of the box from Rooney and Batty rifled a confident finish beyond Cooper and inside the far post.
Argyle recovered some control with a slick move down the left and a stabbed cross to the near-post from Mayor found Butcher but he was unable to seriously trouble Lynch.
The half ended with a low cross from Mumba but Joe Edwards just lost his footing at the wrong time. There were no balance issues for Azaz immediately after the restart, rifling a long-ranger that was held by Lynch.
After a first period of considerable leniency from the referee, Mr Lewis rather harshly dished out three bookings to Argyle in the space of five minutes, while Andrew curled an ambitious free-kick narrowly wide.
Mumba picked up the impetus for Argyle and his rising drive was briefly dropped by Lynch, but he pounced on the loose ball before Hardie could react. Argyle were turning the screw and a sumptuous cross from Azaz just eluded the runs of Hardie and Mayor.
It was a final contribution from Azaz, replaced by Morgan Whittaker, but Argyle soon survived an almighty scare. Rooney fizzed over a cross from the right and Edwards, on the stretch, volleyed against his own post. It was a risky intervention but prevented a certain goal with Callum Morton lurking behind the Argyle skipper.
Referee Lewis waved away strong claims for a second Pilgrim penalty, Mumba again forcing a scruffy challenge from the Fleetwood defence. Mumba was then replaced by Houghton for the closing stages.
Mayor took up the attacking responsibility from the left, drifting inside for a rasping drive that flicked off Nsiala before just clearing the crossbar. Niall Ennis was next introduced for Hardie, while Fleetwood also made three substitutions.
Two of the new men, Cian Hayes and Garner won the game for Fleetwood. Hayes weaved his way through the Argyle defence and unleashed a shot that was saved by Cooper but Garner netted the rebound.
Macaulay Gillesphey steered a header inches over, even Cooper came forward for a corner and went close, as Argyle threw everything at their hosts but there was no way through.
Fleetwood: 13 Jay Lynch; 3 Danny Andrew, 4 Brendan Wiredu (47 Kyle White 74), 8 Josh Vela (c), 9 Ellis Harrison (14 Joe Garner 80), 10 Callum Morton (21 Cian Hayes 80), 11 Paddy Lane, 22 Toto Nsiala, 24 Dan Batty (19 Ged Garner 90), 26 Shaun Rooney (28 Carl Johnson 80), 32 Josh Earl. Substitutes: 25 Alex Cairns (gk), 18 Harrison Holgate.
Booked:
Argyle: 1 Mike Cooper; 5 James Wilson, 6 Dan Scarr, 3 Macaulay Gillesphey; 8 Joe Edwards (c), 20 Adam Randell, 7 Matt Butcher, 17 Bali Mumba (4 Jordan Houghton 74); 18 Finn Azaz (19 Morgan Whittaker 64), 9 Ryan Hardie (11 Niall Ennis 80), 10 Danny Mayor. Substitutes: 25 Callum Burton (gk), 21 Nigel Lonwijk, 22 Brendan Galloway, 31 Luke Jephcott.
Booked: Gillesphey 51, Butcher 53, Mumba 56, Scarr 62
Attendance:
Referee: Robert Lewis