Report | Torquay United 1-2 Argyle Women
Argyle Women completed a second win in a week, as they beat Torquay United at Coach Road, Newton Abbot, although the narrow margin of victory perhaps did not reflect the strong performance.
First-half goals from Erin O’Shea and Charlotte Whitmore, either side of an equaliser from former Pilgrim Tiana Campbell, did the trick for an Argyle side that visibly demonstrated their division seniority without truly making that count on the scoresheet.
Two days after a 6-0 home win against Yeovil Town, Ryan Perks sent out his side in a 4-4-2 system. Notably, all of the starting back four were under 18 years of age – not that it showed. Jess Geach, Taya Pomfret, Amii Kearley and Roxy Thomas all showed maturity beyond their years in the defensive line.
New signing Ella Stephens – playing against her previous team – started on the right side of midfield and moved into right back in the second period. Imy Crawford, Georgie Knott and a trialist completed the midfield, with Erin O’Shea and Charlotte Whitmore up front.
After a stop-start beginning to the game, each team had similar chances at their respective ends just seconds apart, prior to the 10-minute mark.
Argyle’s trialist goalkeeper was off her line swiftly to stop Torquay forward Kate McKane getting on the end of a cute throughball by Tracey Cross, and as the Greens counter-attacked, Gulls goalie Emma Ayres pulled off a similar trick to deny O’Shea.
Five minutes later, though, the Ireland youth international did open the scoring. It was O’Shea who best anticipated a well struck diagonal ball from Thomas, and she drove low into the corner to put Argyle in front.
The lead only lasted four minutes, as Torquay reacted well, and equalised through Campbell, who jinked past a couple of defenders and struck well into the corner.
On 25 minutes, Argyle won a penalty. Torquay had failed to clear their lines, and O’Shea kept the ball alive well, before feeding Whitmore. Turning sharply, Whitmore was felled, and a spot-kick was given. O’Shea stepped up, sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, but put the effort wide.
Penalty miss aside, O’Shea was causing no end of problems for the Torquay defence. One particular drive to the byline, followed by a cross, just fell short of Argyle’s outfield starting Trialist, but was knocked behind for a corner.
This sparked a sequence where the Pilgrims had five corners, almost consecutively. From the fourth, a flick-on led to a double ricochet, and the ball dribbled just wide having struck Taya Pomfret. From the fifth, Pomfret rose highest, but headed off target.
Argyle were well on top now, but still looking for the goal to put them in front. Whitmore teed up O’Shea for an on-target effort which was pouched. Shortly afterwards, it took the goalkeeper and several defenders to crowd her out as she tried to dribble around bodies in the box.
Two minutes before half-time, Argyle got the goal they deserved. Whitmore broke the offside trap and drove towards goal. Her first shot was parried away, but from the rebound she was patient, and buried at the second attempt.
After a quiet start to the second half, the game burst into life again just after the hour mark, with half-time substitute Ellie Sara having two quick chances. The first she dragged wide from just inside the area, the second was well saved by Ayres in the Torquay goal.
Although perhaps not as dominant as in the first half, Argyle kept up their search for a third goal. Crawford stung the palms of Ayres with an effort from the area’s edge, before Trialist B pirouetted to the line to cut back to Sara, who struck just over.
There was time for Kelsey Blight, who looked composed in midfield in the second half having come on at the interval, to beat a player then shoot wide, before the final whistle blew.
Argyle are next in action on Sunday, at Manadon Sports Hub, against Aberystwyth Town of the Adran Premier.
Argyle: Trialist A; Jess Geach (Grace Perrins half-time), Taya Pomfret, Amii Kearley, Roxy Thomas (Emily Elliott 62); Ella Stephens, Georgie Knott (Kelsey Blight), Imy Crawford (capt), Trialist B; Charlotte Whitmore (Trialist C), Erin O’Shea (Ellie Sara, half-time).
