Argyle won for the third away game in succession, as they beat Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 in a performance underscored by heart, endeavour, and graft.
The nominal difference between the two sides on the night was a goal just after the hour mark by Owen Oseni, who defied defenders and goalkeeper to push past them all, and – off balance – get the ball into the empty net.
The starkest difference, though, was between the Argyle of this night, and the Argyle of 38 days prior, when the Greens were wretched in defeat at Wycombe in the Emirates FA Cup.
On that occasion, a 2-0 win for the Chairboys, Tom Cleverley’s side looked weak, forlorn and lacking in all the categories any team would require to even be competitive in a football match.
This time round, they demonstrated the opposite, putting bodies on the line, showing excellent organisational skill, discipline and - perhaps most importantly - heart.
This is by no means an exercise in gaslighting anyone into believing this was a sumptuous attacking performance, in which Wycombe were blown from their forest-edged Buckinghamshire park by marauding Pilgrims.
It was, really, a game of precious few chances, but the reason Wycombe had so few was because of the steadfast lines of Argyle players preventing the hosts from playing as they wished, as they have done so frequently at home this season. Wycombe lost their first two home games of the season, and the team in quarters had not been beaten at their HQ since.
Heading into the game, Cleverley restored Brendan Wiredu to the midfield berth in which he had excelled the previous week against Leyton Orient; Wiredu replaced Joe Ralls, who had not passed muster for Adams Park action. Another Brendan – Galloway, of that ilk – also came into the team, with Bali Mumba moving to the bench.
Galloway lined up at left-back, with Joe Edwards his counterpart on the right, and Julio Pleguezuelo and Alex Mitchell between, as well as Conor Hazard in goal behind.
Wiredu’s midfield partner was Malachi Boateng, and they were flanked in a four-man midfield by Matty Sorinola (left) and Owen Dale (right). Jamie Paterson played centrally, in support of Oseni, though the middle.
In truth, this was a little closer to a 4-5-1 than a 4-4-2, which has been seen in recent weeks, but perhaps through necessity, especially early on, as Wycombe utterly dominated possession through the opening quarter of the game.
They had one big chance - a smart ball from the back got Sam Bell in behind, and he got to a ball near the edge of the box before the outrushing Hazard. Bell’s contact was, importantly, first - but it was also too heavy, and the ball floated into the stand, not troubling the goal.
This then became a theme. Wycombe got into a few decent crossing positions, had a few corners and free-kicks, but Argyle dealt with all that came their way. Wanderers’ best other chance was probably from a cutback to Cauley Woodrow, whose shot was blocked by his own team-mate, Fred Onyedinma, with his…well, let’s just say he might not speak highly of his team-mate tonight, but he’ll speak highly of everything else.
After soaking pressure up for the best part of half an hour, Argyle started to sally forth a little, and produced a nice move down the left which ended in an Oseni shot being well saved. In actuality, the flag had gone up for offside, but it was Argyle’s best move of the game to that point.
And then the Greens bettered it four minutes later, instigated by a terrific drive forward by Boateng, who took out two opposition players with one spin, and then another with a jink as he approached the area. A pass and a set later, and Dale was striking from the area’s edge, forcing a good save from home goalkeeper Will Norris.
Wycombe started well after the break, exerting pressure but again not looking truly threatening. Argyle began to inch back into it, and from one attack got three crosses in from the right, only to see all repelled by a Wycombe backline who were superior in physical size, and number.
The Greens in pink needed to try an alternative method – and the direct, central, low approach worked the oracle.
Wiredu’s lofted pass through two defenders asked a lot of Oseni, but through sheer force of will he did enough to get beyond his markers, and then beyond Norris, who sprawled to gather. The ball went past him, and Oseni, off-balance and looking at a rapidly narrowing angle, slid the ball into the unguarded net.
Cue delirium in the away end. Fittingly, where Oseni had ended up after his vital, final touch was about as close as he could get to 522 seemingly liquid bodies in the away end, and they celebrated like fans of a side who have not been given enough to cheer in the last few months, which is precisely what they are.
Suddenly, though, with this goal, it meant Argyle led for the third away game running, and perhaps the situational experience of seeing out a win at Port Vale, and keeping a clean sheet, then nabbing a late winner at Leyton Orient, ramped up some Pilgrims confidence, in a good way.
We shall save the blow-by-blow account of the final 30 minutes or so of the game, but suffice to say it mainly involved Wycombe with the ball, seeking to breach Argyle, and largely failing. Jack Grimmer had an effort deflected wide, and the same player hit a low cross which perhaps one of Woodrow or Onyedinma should have tucked away, but it was a victory for the side who kept their shape and their nerve.
And their faith.
Argyle: 1 Conor Hazard, 4 Brendan Wiredu, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo (6 Kornel Szucs, 76), 7 Jamie Paterson (11 Bali Mumba, 63), 8 Joe Edwards (capt), 15 Alex Mitchell, 18 Owen Oseni, 19 Malachi Boateng, 22 Brendan Galloway (10 Xavier Amaechi, 83), 29 Matty Sorinola (2 Mathias Ross, 76) 35 Owen Dale. Substitutes: 21 Luca Ashby-Hammond (gk), 20 Law McCabe, 39 Tegan Finn.
Goals: Oseni 61
Booked: Dale 30, Boateng 34, Sorinola 56, Oseni 63, Galloway 80, Szucs 90
Wycombe: 50 Will Norris, 2 Jack Grimmer (capt), 3 Dan Harvie, 9 Bradley Fink, 10 Luke Leahy, 11 Sam Bell, 12 Cauley Woodrow, 21 Jamie Mullins, 26 Connor Taylor, 44 Fred Onyedinma, 45 Anders Hagelskjaer. Substitutes: 1 Mikki van Sas (gk), 7 Armando Junior Quitirna, 8 Caolan Boyd-Munce, 17 Dan Casey, 23 Niall Huggins, 42 Magnus Westergaard, 51 Alex Lowry.
Referee: Peter Wright
Attendance: 4,664 (522 away)
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