Argyle 2-1 QPR

Plymouth Argyle cruised to an easy 2-1 win against a poor Queens Park Rangers side.

Not really and if truth be told there wasn’t much difference between one team aiming for a play-off place and another team battling against relegation, proof that the Championship is much of a muchness.

A very late goal from Argyle striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake sealed the points for the Pilgrims, the double-barrelled one swooped in the last nano-second of the last second of injury time to deny the Loftus Road boys a deserved point.

The game that we call football can be an unrewarding occupation, as proved when Argyle have previously played well but leave the stadium with zero points. Today was the opposite.

Argyle boss Paul Sturrock included midfielder Lilian Nalis in the starting line-up, the pony-tailed French playmaker had missed the Watford game because of suspension and was then overlooked for the defeat against Crystal Palace last Saturday.

Right-back Paul Connolly and striker Ebanks-Blake were also thrown a first-team jersey with Dan Gosling and Jermaine Easter on splinter duty in the dug-out.

A large, expectant crowd were looking forward to a good blow-out after the Christmas festivities but enough talk of brussel sprouts, let’s concentrate on the game.

The first-half was dour, with both sides struggling to put two passes together, but it was QPR who finally did put a string of passes together when midfielder Akos Buzsaky, the former Argyle player, sent Martin Rowlands away on the left, helped by a mis-kick from Connolly.
Rowlands sent a cross along the goal-line that confused the hell out of Argyle keeper Romain Larrieu and there was Gareth Ainsworth at the far post to slot in to make it 1-0 to the Hoops.

A surging run from midfielder David Norris was Argyle’s initial reply but his shot didn’t match his run and sailed wide.
Argyle forced a series of corners just before half-time but the flag kicks amounted to nothing so Buzsaky and his hooped buddies went into the break a goal to the good.

Argyles raised their game at the start of the second half and finally showed more urgency in their play and were grateful for a clear handball decision when Rowlands handled a Peter Halmosi shot. Referee Steve Bratt took a while to think about it but pointed to the spot, allowing Ebanks-Blake to convert the spot-kick.

Sturrock raised the stakes by bringing on Lee Martin and Jermaine Easter taking off the defence minded Nadjim Abdou and skipper Barry Hayles but the changes did little to raise an Argyle team who now seemed content with a point.
A flurry of yellow cards interrupted the flow of the game, as it became a stop-start affair.

With the seconds ticking away Argyle won a corner and Halmosi picked out a leaping Marcel Seip who headed against the bar but Ebanks-Blake was on hand to thump home the rebound and grab all 3 points for the Pilgrims.

The win moved Argyle up to sixth place and back among the promotion chasing pack while QPR dropped back in the relegation zone.


Argyle: Larrieu, Connolly, Timar, Seip, Hodges, Norris, Abdou (Martin 74), Nalis, Halmosi, Hayles (Easter 73), Ebanks-Blake.
Subs Not Used: Fallon, Sawyer, Gosling.

Booked: Ebanks-Blake, Nalis, Easter.

Goals: Ebanks-Blake 50 pen, 90.

QPR: Camp, Malcolm, Walton, Rehman, Barker, Rowlands (Nygaard 68), Leigertwood, Bolder, Buzsaky (Blackstock 78), Vine, Ainsworth.
Subs Not Used: Cole, Moore, Kanyuka.

Booked: Buzsaky, Rowlands, Ainsworth, Walton, Bolder, Nygaard, Leigertwood.

Goals: Ainsworth 20.

Ref: Steve Bratt (W Midlands).