Argyle watched their home game against Northampton Town disintegrate before their eyes in a second half that will be memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Tom Eaves, Elliott List and Jordan Willis all scored for the visitors after the break, with Argyle forward Lorent Tolaj getting sent off seven minutes after Eaves’ opener.
On top of the result, frustration abounded for Argyle, who played their part in a fairly entertaining first period, and will feel that Town defender Jordan Thorniley was fortunate not to be sent off in the opening half hour of the game.
However, the Greens imploded after Eaves’ goal, with the sending off of Tolaj leading to Northampton making their numerical advantage count.
Having won the previous weekend at Port Vale, Tom Cleverley opted to name the exact same squad, both in terms of the starting 11, and the bench. This meant Conor Hazard once again captaining the side, and playing behind a back four of Kornel Szucs, Alex Mitchell, Mathias Ross and Brendan Galloway.
Argyle once again went for a midfield four with Matty Sorinola on the right of it, Owen Dale on the left, and Malachi Boateng and Law McCabe in the centre. Bali Mumba’s role was to play in support of main front man, Lorent Tolaj.
It was Tolaj who had the game’s first chance. The Greens had had two throw-ins in advanced areas, the second of which led to a corner, which was smartly clipped to Sorinola, just inside the area. He did not really catch it, but the ball ended up bouncing into Tolaj’s path.
Tolaj’s header, however, went into the side-netting, eliciting a classic, fans-on-the-opposite-side-of-the-ground-cheering-because-they-think-it’s-gone-in, reaction. Followed, of course, by the away end mocking those mistaken celebrating, as is the natural order of things.
Then came a very unusual moment. The short version is: the referee awarded Northampton a penalty, then changed his mind and gave Argyle a free-kick. Here is what went down (other than a player from each side).
A Northampton corner was headed up in the air, and dropped to Bali Mumba, who attempted a volleyed clearance, but missed the ball. Terry Taylor snuck in front of him, both players went to the ground, and referee Stephen Parkinson pointed to the spot.
Argyle were not happy. Any Argyle fan with access to a replay certainly were not, as video footage from several angles confirmed what the eye had suggested; that the reason that Taylor went to ground is because he had dragged Mumba down by the shirt, and Mumba’s momentum took Taylor with him.
Fortunately, sensible heads prevailed. The referee was prompted to speak to his assistant on the Lyndhurst side of the ground, and the consultation led to Mr Parkinson changing his decision and giving Argyle a free-kick.
It also led perhaps the first-ever chant of ‘lino, lino’ from the Babcock Devonport End. The assistant would be less popular an hour or so later.
Mumba then had a glorious chance to give Argyle the lead. It came from his own awareness, latching on to a square ball that saw Northampton’s backline dithering, and Mumba found himself one-on-one with Town keeper Ross Fitzsimons. Mumba’s low shot was past the goalkeeper, but also – narrowly – past the post.
Next, more controversy. Tolaj was hauled down, when running into the right-hand channel, by Jordan Thorniley. A free-kick was given, but no card followed. This came at the consternation of the Greens, as Thorniley had already received a fifth-minute booking for sneakily kicking a ball into play as Argyle were about to take a throw-in. In one of those classic admissions of ‘getting away with one’, Northampton took Thorniley off about five minutes later.
This weird game continued on its weirdly merry way. Northampton had a free-kick in their own half – which hit the woodwork. The long, straight ball was missed by those attempting to flick on, but managed to bounce and hit the frame of the goal.
Argyle had a shout for a penalty of their own, but had this one been given, Mr Parkinson would have been even less popular in Northampton than he already was. Firstly, Tolaj probably handled the ball when setting off down the right. He eventually cut onto his left foot and crossed low, with Dale running on to it and going down, but a spot-kick would have seemed a harsh call. Argyle recycled the attack, and got a cross to Tolaj, who headed on target, but saw his effort saved.
Argyle were looking tidy enough in attack. A nice move saw Boateng reach the bye-line, and cross low to the near post, to Mumba. He teed up McCabe, who cleverly switched to Dale, who had his effort changed down.
This led to a throw, which was returned to Szucs to cross. However, Northampton broke, with former Pilgrim Tyrese Fornah haring down the right. His cross was cut out by Mumba, and picked up by Ross, who played a smart ball to Dale over the top and down the left. Dale cut inside and shot not far over, ending a breathless passage of play.
Half-time arrived with the game goalless, but there were no lack of talking points in the concourses over pasties and pints. Ten minutes into a nervy second period, Northampton hit the post. An Argyle move had been started by Galloway, who got forward down the left, but it broke down, the Cobblers countered, and Argyle had not plugged where Galloway had vacated. Ethan Wheatley, the eye-catching on-loan Manchester United forward, swiftly drifted inside, and smashed a shot off the upright. A warning.
And then the goal came. Jack Perkins crossed from deep to pick out Eaves, who steered a very clever, looping header over Hazard, and into the net.
Argyle sent on Joe Ralls and Jamie Paterson, for McCabe and Dale, with Mumba shifting to the left flank, and Paterson playing just off Tolaj. Temporarily.
Tolaj was dismissed in the 64th minute, for an off-the-ball incident, spotted by the assistant referee, who seemed to indicate that Tolaj had flailed an arm towards his opponent, some 30 yards from where Argyle were trying to build an attack.
Tolaj exited the pitch near the corner of the Lyndhurst and Devonport stands, and began his lonely walk to the dressing rooms. The referee was obliged to wait until Tolaj has made his exit before restarting play. Theatrically, Tolaj took out his frustrations on a stationary pitchside ball, and leathered it into Central Park. The red card for violent conduct will earn Tolaj a three-man ban, starting from next Saturday’s home game against Bradford City. If a dim view is taken of his additional ball-booting, that could be increased.
Being increased here, was Northampton’s lead. List, along with Jordan Willis, had been introduced as a 75th-minute substitute. In the 76th minute, he scored, with his first touch, and had there been any previous doubt, the game was now put beyond it.
Willis added to Argyle’s misery by powering in an 80th-minute header, and the fourth official added to it by indicating six additional minutes of play when the 90 had elapsed.
And therein, you have your metaphor for the game. From chants for an official when he rightly helped overturn a penalty call in Argyle’s favour, to jeers when the remaining Green Army knew they had to sit through six more minutes of the game.
Argyle: 1 Conor Hazard (capt), 2 Mathias Ross, 6 Kornél Szucs, 9 Lorent Tolaj, 11 Bali Mumba, 15 Alex Mitchell, 19 Malachi Boateng, 20 Law McCabe (32 Joe Ralls, 62), 22 Brendan Galloway (14 Ayman Benarous, 69), 29 Matty Sorinola (18 Owen Oseni, 69), 35 Owen Dale (7 Jamie Paterson, 62). Substitutes: 21 Luca Ashby-Hammond (gk), 4 Brendan Wiredu, 8 Joe Edwards.
Sent off: Tolaj 64
Booked: Ross 45
Northampton: 34 Ross Fitzsimons, 2 Jack Burroughs, 3 Conor McCarthy (6 Jordan Willis, 75), 4 Dean Campbell, 9 Tom Eaves (11 Kamarai Swyer, 84), 14 Tyrese Fornah (10 Elliott List, 75), 15 Jordan Thorniley (35 Max Dyche, 35), 18 Michael Forbes, 19 Ethan Wheatley, 21 Jack Perkins (12 Nesta Guinness-Walker, 84), 23 Terry Taylor (capt). Substitutes: 1 Lee Burge (gk), 22 Kyle Edwards.
Goals: Eaves 58, List 76, Willis 80
Booked: Thorniley 5, Wheatley 45, McCarthy 53, Taylor 69, Forbes 90
Attendance: 15,419 (618 away)
Referee: Stephen Parkinson
—
Want to become a digital sponsor of Argyle this season? Contact commercial@pafc.co.uk for more information.