Argyle 2 Rotherham 1: Match report

George Dawson
Authored by George Dawson
Posted: Sunday, April 29, 2018 - 08:20

STOP me if you have heard it. Graham Carey, last minute, penalty at the Devonport end.

You have heard it? Ok, you know the end then.

Carey's penalty, in stoppage time, won a game that Argyle trailed at half-time, but Joel Grant's second goal in sucessive games brought them level, and Carey's late winner sealed a precious win.

Elsewhere, Scunthorpe and Charlton both won, meaning Argyle are not quite in the top six, but two more wins and Argyle will have their dream.

Rarely will there be visitors to Home Park will so little riding on a game. Rotherham, with two games to go, know their fate. They will finish fourth, whatever others do, and whether they win their last two games, or lose them both. But would such splendid isolationism bring a relaxed, free-flowing side, or a group with their eyes on play-offs, prioritising not getting injured?

Either way, all Argyle could do was play their game, and with the same 11 that started in a 1-1 draw at Rochdale on Tuesday night. The Pilgrims started the game in a similar vein to how they began that clash, with vigour and some pleasing-on-the-eye moves involving their front three.

Joel Grant had a shot deflected wide when cutting inside, not long after Carey found Lameir as the second part of a sumptious one-two, with the Portuguese slamming a shot into the hands of Marek Rodak.

In between times, Rodak was swift to push over a superbly struck David Fox volley that it been five yards lateral, would have brought the house down.

Rotherham were not entirely quiet, with David Ball knocking in from short range, but soon curtailing celebrations when he saw the assistant referee's flag up.

The Pilgrims were broadly on top; a sweeping move that saw Jamie Ness beat a man and drag a right-footed shot wide epitomised their play, but it was Rotherham who broke the deadlock.

Argyle had a long spell in possession, moving from side to side, along the back four and into the midfield, but eventually Zak Vyner was a little too casual trying to flick a ball round the corner to Fox, and Rotherham broke away.

Ball was able to burst, then feed Towell, who firmly placed the ball past Remi Matthews.

The Millers, buoyed by the goal, kept up the pressure, with Ball then Ryan Williams having chances that Matthews found easy, but still had to deal with.

For Argyle's part, Grant's on-target header from an Oscar Threlkeld cross gave Rodak something to do, it may have been harder had it been from closer-range.

Carey was struggling to get into the game, but right on half-time he had his best moment. Collecting the ball on the touchline, he burst through two players, ran across the 18-yard line, and struck for goal. Such was Argyle's - and Carey's - luck, he slammed the ball straight into Antoni Sarcevic, making a decoy run.

Read the full match report here