Gallagher Brace Stings Hornets

Plymouth Argyle beat fellow relegation strugglers Watford, 2-1 at Home Park in cold and blustery conditions. Paul Gallagher scored two, with Tommy Smith replying for the visitors.

Argyle dominated the first half and as well as scoring a Gallagher penalty, Ashley Barnes had two efforts that hit the crossbar. Barnes tormented the Watford defence in the first period and won several free kicks.

Watford put the pressure on Argyle in the second half and scored through a mix up between Cathcart and Seip. Argyle’s winner, through Gallagher, came after a superb tactical change by Paul Sturrock switching his attacking players.

Less than 10000 brave souls attended the game, the Argyle staff will perhaps be disappointed that the £15 offer wasn’t taken up by more fans. But it is likely that the weather and Sky’s Premiership games put many off. The pitch looked in better condition than many feared and didn’t have as big an impact as the game against Sheffield United.

Argyle lined up with almost the same eleven that started against Wolves, but Judge replaced Clark who dropped to the bench.

Two minutes into the game Watford attacked down their right and Hoyte crossed well to the far post. Priskin half volleyed a shot which was headed from under his own bar by Barker for a corner.

In the third minute Barnes broke, after a clever turn, and was rugby tackled by Williamson, which earnt the centre back a deserved booking. A minute later, Hoyte attacked again down the right and crossed to Priskin who miskicked tamely and Larrieu saved easily.

Minutes later Barker took a long throw into Watford’s 18 yard box, and Barnes superbly won the header against a Watford defender, and flicked the ball to the far post. Mackie controlled the ball and tried to engineer a shot into the middle of the box, but his attempt was well blocked by the Watford defence.

The game became a midfield battle after the initial attacks. The game featured Watford gaining lots of yards at throw ins, Duguid overhitting several passes and Barnes battling at the Watford defence.

On 20 minutes Larrieu took a long goal kick. The Watford defence left the ball, but Gallagher followed the ball and almost made a connection, in the 18 yard box, but Watford keeper, Loach beat him to the ball.

On 25 minutes Argyle cleared the ball and Gallagher took control, in the middle, and passed to Judge on the wing. Judge played the ball inside to Fletcher, who hit a superb 40 yard ball to Mackie on the opposite wing. Mackie ran at the full back and laid the ball to Barnes who was on the edge of the 18 yard box. Barnes turned well and hit a magnificent rising shot, which beat Loach, but unfortunately hit the crossbar and bounced away from goal.

3 minutes later Barnes won another free kick in the Watford half. The ball was played in by Gallagher, Barnes rose and headed the ball and again the cross bar foiled his attempt.

On 30 minutes, both teams put in a number of crunching tackles, after Barnes was fouled, but the ref gave nothing. In the build up to an Argyle attack, Mike Williamson scythed Gallagher from behind. The ref allowed play to continue until their was a stoppage. Williamson and Watford captain, Doyley, were then lectured by the ref. Williamson should have been awarded a second yellow, but the ref bottled the decision. Williamson noticeably dropped away from play for the remainder of the half.

On 34 minutes Argyle attacked down the left. Judge surged into the area and appeared to be losing control of the ball. Watford full back, Hoyte, took out the diminuative winger on the edge of the box and the ref awarded a penalty. Gallagher stepped up confidently and sent a powerful drive straight down the middle of the goal into the roof of the net.

After Argyle had finished clebrating, the fourth official beckoned the ref to the touchline and Watford coach, Malky MacKay, was sent to the stands.

After the goal, Argyle appeared to drop back and Watford applied more pressure on the Greens, but did not forge a meaningful attack.

Watford made a change at the beginning of the second half, substituting Hoskin for top scorer, Tommy Smith. Smith appeared to be playing in behind Priskin. The second began as the first ended with Watford applying a lot of pressure.

In the 55th minute Fletcher fouled Lee Williamson 25 yards from goal, in a similar position to which the midfielder scored a free kick last season. Luckily this time, Williamson’s shot just cleared the bar. A minute later, Watford attacked down the left, after a good Smith break. Smith’s cross found Priskin at the far post, but his weak shot was well saved by Larrieu.

Soon after, Mackie won a free kick against Doyley to the side of the 18 yard box. Gallagher’s curling cross was headed away by Hoyte at the far post, who was almost on his own goal line.

Argyle’s negativity then brought the inevitable. Watford played a meaningless ball down the left, which Cathcart cleared, but was fouled by Priskin (again the ref gave nothing). Watford attacked again and played a floating ball. The ball hit Cathcart who thought Seip would clear, but the Dutchman failed to make contact. The ball fell invitingly to Tommy Smith who had a clear run at goal. He beat Larrieu and tapped into the empty net at the near post. 1-1 and Watford were looking the more dangerous, how would Argyle respond?

Thankfully the goal brought life into Argyle’s play. On 66 minutes Mackie controlled a Larrieu goal kick. He turned and ran across the Watford box, and played a through ball to Judge. Judge hit a shot which was deflected for a corner. From the corner, Watford cleared and attacked, with Smith beating Gray with a good dummy. Smith crossed well into the box, but Cathcart cleared for a corner. From the corner, a Watford player had a free header at the far post, but headed over the cross bar, when scoring looked easier.

On 72 minutes Sturrock made a tactical change. Mackie replaced Gallagher in attack, Judge moved to the right midfield position and Gallagher moved to the left. Within seconds Argyle regained the lead. Larrieu kicked long and Judge won the ball on the right. He crossed, and after a great step over by Mackie, found Gallagher in space on the left hand side of the box. Gallagher hit a shot into the far corner of the net, scoring his 11th of the season. The Green army were in raptures. Watford immediately substituted Cauna for Harley. The remainder of the match passed without too much incident. Clark replaced Judge, and one time Argyle nemesis, Rasiak replaced Cowie. To counter the Watford height advantage, Sturrock brought on Fallon for Gallagher for the last 5 minutes.

In injury time, Smith tried to con the ref with a dive in the box, but apart from that Argyle stood firm.

The Greens have now won 7 points out of 9 and have moved from 20th up to 17th. Unfortunately, Argyle’s run of form has coincided with that of the teams around them. Forest, Southampton, Norwich and Doncaster all won, so there is still pressure on Argyle to win ‘pointage’ against Reading. If the teams beloew Argyle win their games in hand, Argyle can drop to 19th.