Argyle 4 Stevenage 2: Match report

ARGYLE continued their march towards Sky Bet League Two promotion with victory over Stevenage in a six-goal thriller, all four Pilgrims' goals from different scorers.

Jordan Slew, Jake Jervis, Arnold Garita and David Goodwillie all made the scoresheet as Argyle overcame a resilient Stevenage side.

Boro proved difficult to beat, and it was not until the final moments that Argyle managed to seal the victory, which means they remain second in League Two and can now look to Wednesday night, when they face Liverpool in an FA Cup third-round replay.

Despite an exciting midweek clash against Liverpool on the horizon, Derek Adams made just the one change from the 11 that started at Anfield to earn that replay, swapping right-back Gary Miller, who picked up an ankle injury at Anfield for Connor Smith, with Oscar Threlkeld moving from central midfield to right-back to fill the vacancy.

The visitors came into the game on the back of a win at bottom-placed Newport, although they had lost their three matches preceding that, albeit against teams in the top ten. Luke Wilkinson replaced Jack King at centre-back for the visitors and Rowan Liburd came in for Tyler Walker.

The visitors took the lead after just a few minutes. Argyle's defence that had stood so strong against Liverpool six days earlier was undone by the first attack of the game. A lofted Steven Schumacher free-kick from the right landed at the head of an unchallenged Wilkinson at the back post and he headed across the goal for Matt Godden to flick the ball into the bottom right corner.

Stevenage pressed further. Ben Kennedy, on the right of midfield, who had won the free-kick for the goal, cut inside again, but this time his effort was tame and did little to trouble Luke McCormick in the Argyle goal and caught the the shot with ease.

The Pilgrims played out from defence and some good hold-up play by Garita allowed Argyle's on-loan striker to lay the ball off to Graham Carey, who exchanged passes with Jordan Slew, leading to a Carey effort. Argyle's number 10 fizzed a left-footed shot that flew towards the bottom right corner, but Jamie Jones made a good fingertip save to steer the effort wide.

Argyle started to grow into the game. A combination of perseverance and raw pace allowed Jake Jervis some space down the right, and he managed to chip a cross in just before he hit the byline. The lofted cross was met by Slew, who had managed to jostle past his defender and win the header, but his effort flew over the crossbar.

The Pilgrims were in control now. Every pass, every tackle, and every loose ball seemingly would land at the feet of an Argyle player. The Greens were dominant. The visitors were deep. Just after the half-hour mark, a David Fox corner from the right was cut back to Jervis who volleyed across the melee of bodies in the box, and the ball was prodded home by Slew, despite some last-ditch attempts to clear on the line from the visitors.

Stevenage, who had seen their early lead cancelled out by the Pilgrims, ventured down the left and lofted a cross to the far right post that Ben Purrington headed high into the air, and towards the Argyle goal. Fortunately, McCormick was there to save Purrington's blushes, but had one of his own first as he flapped at the ball before recovering to claim it safely.

The Pilgrims had worked hard for their equaliser and the second goal came soon after. Slew controlled on the left, and passed Boro's full-back Ronnie Henry but saw his cross blocked. Fortunately, the loose ball bounced up to Smith, who poked it across the Boro box and it was met by Jervis, who volleyed home.

Boro attacked down the left again and a lofted cross was headed down by Liburd and turned goalwards by Godden. McCormick was to the rescue for the Pilgrims though, and did enough to block the shot and allow Yann Songo'o to clear.

There was no-one to the rescue for the Pilgrims moments later, though. A soft tackle by Carey gave away a free-kick and the visitors found their way back into the game the same way they had taken the lead. A Schumacher free-kick from 25 yards out was rifled towards the right of the Argyle goal. Unfortunately for McCormick, the ball bounced right in front of him, and the Argyle 'keeper could only offer a flailing glove that did nothing to stop Schumacher's strike.