REPORT | LEEDS UNITED 1 ARGYLE 1
Leeds United 1
Anthony 31
Argyle 1
Randell 73
A tremendous second-half display from Argyle ensured a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup remains a possibility, as they earned a Home Park replay from a breathless cup tie at Leeds United.
The home side were excellent in the first period and deserved the lead given to them by Jaidon Anthony but, crucially, the Pilgrims stayed in the game.
After the break, it was a completely different encounter, as Argyle grew in belief and swept forward in search of a leveller. Adam Randell delivered the draw and a replay at the Theatre of Greens with a fine finish on 73 minutes.
Argyle Head Coach Ian Foster made four changes from the win over Cardiff last week. Darko Gyabi, Adam Forshaw and Alfie Devine were all unavailable, and defender Dan Scarr the other man to miss out. Randell, Caleb Roberts, Callum Wright and Lewis Gibson came into the side.
Leeds, on a winning streak of five straight games, defeated Argyle 2-1 in November but the Greens were first to ask a question, Mickel Miller fizzing a cross that bounced into Morgan Whittaker and looped over Illan Meslier’s crossbar.
A tricky run and cutback from Geroginio Rutter was the Leeds riposte, Ashley Phillips in the right place to hack clear. Rutter got free again down the right moments later, Gibson taking up clearance responsibilities.
The lively Rutter continued the pressure with a shot against the post and when the rebound fell to Wilfried Gnonto, Argyle ‘keeper Conor Hazard raced off his line and flung up an arm to palm the follow-up effort on to the bar.
Hazard used his feet for the next save, blocking an angled drive from Joel Piroe, with the Pilgrims struggling to break the shackles, although the Argyle defensive shape and discipline limited Leeds for the next ten minutes.
As the clock ticked past the half-hour, the deadlock was broken by Anthony, chopping in brilliantly from the left and curling a super finish into the far corner. No arguments, an excellent goal from the home side.
Despite falling behind, teenager Roberts was enjoying an impressive afternoon in the engine room, breaking up play against a side packed with Premier League experience.
Argyle battled through to half-time with the deficit still at a manageable one goal but the second-half challenge was to cause problems for an under-worked Leeds defence.
An outstanding tackle from Brendan Galloway thwarted the first foray by Gnonto after the interval before a super pass down the left from Callum Wright released Whittaker for a cross that bounced its way to Randell, who dropped his shoulder for a shot deflected wide.
Foster turned to the bench with the introduction of Matt Butcher and Mustapha Bundu for Roberts and Wright before a brave block by Miller repelled the next Leeds attack.
Argyle’s best chance arrived just past the hour, Ryan Hardie latching on to a looped pass and with Meslier racing off his line, the two-goal hero from last week hooked it over the goalkeeper and was only denied an equaliser by a goal-line clearance from the retreating Sam Byram.
The Greens were committing more men forward and Leeds looking stretched, as Miller clipped a cross that just eluded the onrushing attackers. Three successive Argyle corners underlined the change in momentum, as Leeds resorted to hacking the ball clear.
The hosts responded with a Gnonto shot stabbed wide under pressure from Butcher but Argyle remained the side in the ascendancy, and deservedly drew level with a super goal.
Bundu surged down the left after a fine pass from Butcher and the ball into the path of Randell was perfect, as he took a touch with his right and slid a calm left-foot finish past the advancing Meslier.
Argyle sought to build on the positive vibes with the introduction of debutant Matthew Sorinola for the excellent Miller, as the Pilgrims continued flying forward and stretching the home defence, much to the delight of another packed away end from the magnificent Green Army.
Anthony reminded Argyle of the home danger with a curling effort thumped away by Hazard. The next save from the towering Northern Ireland international was a stunner, producing a brilliant reaction block from a corner to deny substitute Patrick Bamford.
The Hazard heroics continued with a superb tip on to the bar from a curling effort by Ilia Gruev, just before the fresh legs of Julio Pleguezuelo replaced Phillips. Anthony then crossed for Piroe to volley inches over.
An engrossing cup tie entered the final few minutes with both sides desperate for a winner, Bundu heading over from a Randell corner with Meslier out of position. At the other end, Bamford prodded wide from close range after what appeared to be a shove on Hazard.
Leeds won two late corners but the Greens did their job defensively to confirm a replay at Home Park.
Leeds United: 1 Illan Meslier (gk), 4 Ethan Ampadu, 6 Liam Cooper (capt), 7 Joel Piroe, 12 Jaidon Anthony, 14 Joe Rodon, 17 Jamie Shackleton (9 Patrick Bamford 82), 24 Georginio Rutter (49 Mateo Joseph 89), 25 Sam Byram (3 Junior Firpo 82), 29 Wilfried Gnonto (27 Ian Poveda 74), 44 Ilia Gruev. Substitutes (not used): 13 Kris Klaesson (gk), 55 Harry Christy (gk), 5 Charlie Cresswell, 8 Glen Kamara, 30 Joe Gelhardt.
Booked: Anthony 31
Argyle: 21 Conor Hazard; 2 Bali Mumba, 9 Ryan Hardie, 10 Morgan Whittaker (capt), 11 Callum Wright (15 Mustapha Bundu 56), 14 Mickel Miller (29 Matthew Sorinola 77), 17 Lewis Gibson, 20 Adam Randell, 22 Brendan Galloway, 26 Ashley Phillips (5 Julio Pleguezuelo 85), 34 Caleb Roberts (7 Matt Butcher 56). Substitutes (not used): 25 Callum Burton (gk), 6 Dan Scarr, 8 Joe Edwards, 23 Ben Waine, 35 Freddie Issaka
Booked:
Referee: Lewis Smith
Attendance: 35,237