Archived News from February 2003
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HARD-WORKING STAGS BEATEN
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Plymouth Argyle 3 Mansfield Town 1
Lawrence 2 (og), Phillips 68, Evans 84. Lawrence 11 Stags: Pilkington, Hassell, Gadsby, Day, Doane, Lawrence, Curtis, Disley, Corden, AWhite, Mendes. Subs: Williamson (for Disley, 57), Beardsley (for AWhite, 86), Mitchell (for Mendes, 86). Subs not used: JWhite, Baptiste. Attendance: 8,030 Referee: S.Tomlin, East Sussex. Match Statistics (Argyle/Stags): 16 Goal Attempts 11 10 On target 6 6 Off target 5 1 Woodwork 0 3 Corners 9 13 Fouls 16 3 Offside 3 Stags bookings: White (45), Corden (49), Curtis (71), Lawrence (87). ---------- report from CHAD website: Stags fail to break Home Park hoodoo TWO Argyle goals in the last 22 minutes denied Stags a share of the spoils in a 3-1 thriller at Plymouth this afternoon. TWO Argyle goals in the last 22 minutes denied Stags a share of the spoils in a 3-1 thriller at Plymouth this afternoon. Stags had not won at Home Park for 25 years and could not have made a worse start today when Liam Lawrence powered a header into his own net from David Worrell's cross with less than 90 seconds played. But Lawrence made amends on 11 minutes when he forced home Wayne Corden's cross at the far post to level. With both defences looking shaky, both sides had a wealth of chances and the exciting end-to-end game was patently there for the taking. Stags keeper Kevin Pilkington made excellent first half saves to thwart Ian Stonebridge and David Friio while Friio also sent a free header straight at him. For Stags Craig Disley had an overhead effort that dropped just wide and Lawrence forced Romain Larrieu to dive to his right to divert a first time shot. Plymouth had two great chances on the restart with Stonebridge hitting the far post and then putting his finish wide four minutes later after dancing past three half-hearted tackles. But Stags came just as close with Andy White clipping the crossbar on 55 minutes while five minutes later Stags new boy Junior Mendes missed a great chance to mark a lively debut with a goal. White crossed low and, when Argyle failed to clear, Mendes controlled, took his time, beat a defender and, with the goal at his mercy, saw his low finish deflect just wide off the heel of Graham Coughlan from close range. But Stonebridge produced the miss of the day on 67 minutes when he was put clear on goal and rounded Pilkington only to roll his finish wide of the empty net from seven yards! A real howler. But his agony was forgotten within a minute as Plymouth went back in front with a touch of good fortune. Rhys Day put Pilkington under pressure with a short backpass. The keeper raced out and his clearance hit the incoming Evans, the ball rolling kindly to the right into the path of Martin Phillips who had a simple task to hit the empty net. It was all over on 83 minutes as Mansfield were stung by Evans. The big striker won Hasney Aljofree's long throw from the left in the air and as the ball sat up nicely for him, he smashed a half volley past Pilkington on the turn. Pilkington's legs denied him a second a minute later while Friio volleyed wide from eight yards near the end to complete a hat-trick of misses for the Frenchman. ------------ report from footymad.net: Plymouth Argyle eased to a second successive victory to leave their game visitors still in trouble at the wrong end of the table. The Pilgrims were sent on their way by Liam Lawrence's own goal in the second minute and, although Lawrence equalised his own error nine minutes later, second-half strikes by substitute Martin Phillips and MIcky Evans took the home side to victory. It took Plymouth just 84 seconds to break the deadlock. Full-back David Worrell broke down the right and his cross was aimed for David Beresford, before Lawrence intercepted the ball, but only succeeded in heading past his own keeper. Lawrence made amends within ten minutes, popping up at the far post to fire home a left-wing cross from Wayne Corden which had evaded Argyle's defence and his strike partner Andy White. Plymouth midfielder David Friio missed two clear chances to put the Pilgrims ahead but goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington was equal to his header from Beresford's cross, and from his shot after a clever through ball from Evans. Just before the interval, it was Mansfield's turn to go close when man of the moment Lawrence brought a flying save out of Romain Larrieu. Both sides hit the crossbar in the opening stages of the second half, Ian Stonebridge for Plymouth following good work by Beresford and David Norris, White for Mansfield after a hopeful ball in from the left. Junior Mendes came close to marking his debut with a goal after a cross from the right by White, but was denied by Graham Coughlan's last-ditch challenge before Stonebridge screwed a shot wide after rounding Pilkington and having the goal at his mercy. Phillips was introduced from the bench for Beresford in the 62nd minute and took six minutes to make an impact, shooting home after Evans had charged down Pilkington's kick out. Evans sealed things with a superb strike in the 84th minute, taking Hasney Aljofree's throw with his chest and hitting a glorious volley on the turn which gave Pilkington no chance. ----------------- report from PA : Substitute Martin Phillips scored within six minutes of his introduction to put Plymouth on their way to a hard-fought 3-1 win over struggling Mansfield. Phillips had hardly touched the ball when good work by striker Michael Evans, who charged down a clearance by goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington, allowed him to slot the ball home into an unguarded net to put the home side 2-1 ahead on 68. Evans then made it 3-1 with a superb volley on the turn with the final whistle approaching and Paul Sturrock's side could have added another goal but midfielder David Friio missed the target in the dying seconds. Plymouth had taken the lead within minutes of the kick-off when David Worrell's cross from the right was headed into his own net home by Mansfield's Liam Lawrence. Lawrence made amends when he equalised from close range, getting on the end of Wayne Corden's cross, but the goal was to prove no more than a consolation. ------------- |
Latest | February 2003