Plymouth bounce back to beat Hartlepool 2-0

IT was father’s day at Home Park as Marvin Morgan fired Argyle back to winning ways.

The tall Pilgrim, who became a first-time dad in almost farcical circumstances on Tuesday, marked the moment with his first goal of the season, in only his third start, as John Sheridan’s men ended a run of two successive defeats.

His 14th-minute strike promised much more to come from an Argyle side that, for most of the first half, looked to be hitting their best.

However, injuries to key players Reuben Reid and Peter Hartley seemed to take the wind from their sales and it was not until much later that they put the three points to bed when substitute Nathan Thomas coolly converted a breakaway goal.

Argyle manager John Sheridan had made five changes to the Argyle starting line-up following the previous Tuesday’s 1-0 home defeat by Wycombe Wanderers.

Back into a side brimming with attacking intent came forwards Lewi Alessandra, after illness, and Morgan, after fatherhood, replacing the injured Jason Banton and Deane Smalley; Ben Purrington was called up for his first start of the season in place of Carl McHugh as Sheridan varied his back five for the first time since the season’s first whistle; and Lee Cox and Dominc Blizzard were given the nod over Ollie Norburn and Tyler Harvey in essentially a three-man midfield.

Hartlepool were without striker Charlie Wyke, who was concussed in their 5-1 midweek defeat at Northampton and, under the new regulations, was obliged to give way to the more familiar, but hitherto less effective Marlon Harewood.

Morgan showed no signs that his midweek Due Date style escapades between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Britain’s Ocean City had sapped his stamina as he teed up Reid for a shot that was beaten out by goalkeeper Scott Flinders, with a defender blocking Reid’s immediate riposte from the rebound.

Blizzard, who opened his account in a so far injury-hit season with the winner at Luton a fortnight earlier, then drew a save from Flinders with a rising shot that was always going away from the Pools’ custodian.

It is fair to say that Argyle have often failed to turn superiority into goals this season, but Reid and Morgan ensured that accusation could not be made this time by combining for the opener.

Cox had a hand in the build-up on the left-hand side of Barn Park penalty area as the ball eventually found Reid to for the final pre-goal pass to Morgan, back to goal, who span and fired the ball home low across Flinders. Cue the familiar bay-rocking celebrations.

Morgan’s exuberance, which is at top end of the Happy-O-Meter even at the worst of times, was evident for all to share, not least of all when he left Jordan Richards in his wake as he galloped down the left flank and topped that run with a pass that was a smidgen away from playing in Reid for number two.

With Alessandra also buzzing around purposefully, there was danger everywhere for the disarrayed Hartlepool defence but Morgan continued to be the man of the moment, again picking out Reid, this time with a clipped cross that the Pilgrims’ leading scorer headed just wide.

The half ended with Reid off the pitch, receiving treatment for a hip injury. Maybe it was the concern of being without their leading scorer, but the Pilgrims lost concentration in the final minute of the half and it needed a fine save from Luke McCormick to deny Jonathan Franks from levelling matters.