Waine reacts to goal in Cheltenham triumph

Ben Waine scored his seventh Argyle goal on Wednesday – his fifth in cup competitions.  

The New Zealander, who spent time in the summer playing for his country in the OFC Men’s Nations Cup, as well as in the Paris Olympic Games, got Argyle’s opener in a 3-0 win over Cheltenham Town in the Carabao Cup, with Ryan Hardie and Mustapha Bundu also on the scoresheet.  

Last season, Argyle scored four goals in the Carabao Cup, of which Waine scored three. It seems to be a goalscoring habit which has followed him. “I do like scoring in the cup,” he said. “It was the same back home in New Zealand as well.” 

This goal, in isolation, was a facile affair. Waine tapped in from very close range, following in on an Adam Randell free-kick which had been pushed against the crossbar, and was falling near the goal-line.  

To Waine’s credit, though, not only did he win the race to be in the right position when the ball dropped, but he won the free-kick in the first place.   

Waine played the game in a role that was ostensibly on the left side of midfield, with Callum Wright and Freddie Issaka also playing in support of Ryan Hardie up front.  

“That's probably a little bit more of an unnatural position playing in that kind of role,” said Ben. “I was getting coached a little bit through it.  

“I always like to be on the move, and it feels wrong to just stand still, but I’m learning to actually stand still in those pockets and the ball will eventually come to me. It's a bit different, but I'm enjoying learning it.  

“The gaffer gave us the freedom. - Me, Cal, Ry and Freddie - just to switch around, but making sure we all filled those individual positions at some stage.  

“There's a lot of work that goes into it. It’s a little bit tougher because I haven't really been here in pre-season, but it's easy when you play with people like Ry, Cal and Freddy because there's always communication. If someone comes short, then the other one goes in behind and vice versa. 

“I think you'd say it's pretty much a free goal but, at the same time, a striker could follow up that chance a hundred times and the one time you don't do it, it happens. That's just about consistency following up; it's good habits, so not as simple as you would say, I guess. 

“It's always nice to score early on. I didn't appear at the weekend, so this was my opening game for the season. It's always nice to get off the mark in the first game.” 

Argyle’s win over Cheltenham followed a 4-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday three days earlier, in the league, and demonstrated good character and attitude, according to Waine.  

“Nobody liked where we were at, at the weekend,” he said, “but it was all about the reaction and that was a big thing the gaffer talked about. Doing the basics first, winning, fighting for first balls, second balls, being composed on the ball, winning your tackles - and we did that. 

“We were a little bit sloppy in the first half, I get that, but I think, especially the start of the second half, we were doing really well.  

“I think [winning a game] is massive and it will only build into the weekend - hopefully we can get another one.”