Report | Stoke City 3 Argyle 0
Stoke City 3
Hoever 43
Manhoef 45+3
Burger 90+3
Argyle 0
Argyle’s reunion with Steven Schumacher ended in favour of the former Pilgrims manager, as Stoke City ran out 3-0 winners.
Two goals on the stroke of half-time, from Ki-Jana Hoever and Million Manhoef, turned the game massively in favour of the hosts, and the Greens weren’t able to recover.
Gloss was added to the Stoke win with a late third from Wouter Burger.
Argyle made just one change from the memorable 1-0 victory over Leicester City eight days ago, with captain Joe Edwards replacing the injured Mickel Miller. The Potters drew 1-1 at Sheffield Wednesday in their last outing, a result that saw them slip to a point behind the Greens before kick-off.
Mustapha Bundu, the match-winner against Leicester, was first to threaten in the Potteries, dancing past a couple of home defenders before a floated cross that was eventually cleared. Former Pilgrim Luke Cundle took up the baton for Stoke, slipping a pass to Tyrese Campbell, who was unable to trouble Mike Cooper from a tight angle.
Cundle followed up with a shot over the bar before Dan Scarr was forced to make a brave block. The game stopped on nine minutes, as an injury to Adam Forshaw forced him out of the action, Jordan Houghton his replacement.
It was then over to his midfield comrade, Adam Randell, who pinched the ball and fed Morgan Whittaker for a decent strike saved by Daniel Iversen. Argyle maintained the pressure with successive corners and a curling free-kick from Whittaker that whistled inches wide.
Stoke responded with their best effort so far, Hoever thundering the ball against the bar from a tight angle. Cooper then had to intercept a dangerous low cross from Campbell, as the Potters enjoyed a bright spell.
In a demonstration of the tension inside the Bet365 Stadium, an unseemly melee ten minutes before the break resulted in four bookings, two for each side, but Stoke regathered their composure to open the scoring, Josh Laurent providing the pass for Hoever to steer a low finish beyond Cooper.
The Pilgrims suffered an immediate second setback, as Manhoef found room on the edge of the penalty area to rifle an emphatic strike into the net, leaving Argyle with a growing mountain to climb after the break.
Lewis Gibson and Alfie Devine replaced Edwards and Julio Pleguezuelo at half-time but Stoke were the side looking to continue the pattern from the final few minutes of the first period, Campbell breaking into the box and forcing a superb last-gasp challenge from Brendan Galloway.
Campbell then headed wide and Manhoef fired over, as Argyle struggled to find their own attacking impetus. Randell tried to change the pattern with a deflected strike wide of the Stoke post but there was still not enough stress for Iversen.
Stoke introduced another former Pilgrim, Niall Ennis, who prodded the ball wide with a cheeky effort before Argyle freshened up the ranks with Callum Wright replacing Bundu.
A fizzing cross from Whittaker required solid handling by Iversen but, in truth, Argyle were unable to pose a prolonged threat. Ben Waine replaced Ryan Hardie for the final ten minutes but Stoke sealed their win through substitute Burger in the dying seconds.
Stoke City: 1 Daniel Iversen; 3 Enda Stevens, 10 Tyrese Campbell (14 Niall Ennis 64), 15 Jordan Thompson, 16 Ben Wilmot, 17 Ki-Jana Hoever, 22 Bae Junho, 23 Luke McNally, 25 Luke Cundle (6 Wouter Burger 73), 28 Josh Laurent (capt), 42 Million Manhoef (27 Mehdi Léris 81). Substitutes (not used): 13 Jack Bonham (gk), 5 Michael Rose, 7 André Vidigal, 8 Lewis Baker, 20 Sead Hakšabanović, 35 Nathan Lowe.
Booked: Wilmot 26, Campbell 36, Hoever 36
Argyle: 1 Michael Cooper; 2 Bali Mumba, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo (17 Lewis Gibson H-T), 6 Dan Scarr, 8 Joe Edwards (capt) (16 Alfie Devine H-T), 9 Ryan Hardie (23 Ben Waine 81), 10 Morgan Whittaker, 15 Mustapha Bundu (11 Callum Wright 71), 20 Adam Randell, 22 Brendan Galloway, 27 Adam Forshaw (4 Jordan Houghton 9). Substitutes (not used): 21 Conor Hazard (gk), 3 Lino Sousa, 26 Ashley Phillips, 35 Freddie Issaka.
Booked: Cooper 36, Mumba 36, Scarr 61, Devine 69
Referee: Robert Madley
Attendance: 24,674 (2,587 Argyle)
