CHAMPIONSHIP Plymouth Argyle 3 Blackburn Rovers 0
- Details
- Created on Saturday, 02 September 2023 19:39
- Last Updated on Sunday, 03 September 2023 09:59
- Published on Saturday, 02 September 2023 19:39
- Written by ROSS REID at Home Park
Promoted Argyle’s top scorer took his tally to four goals in five Championship games in the 77th minute when keeper Aynsley Pears failed to hold Callum Wright’s shot and Hardie swept home from close range.
On 80 minutes Hardie was instrumental in Argyle’s third goal winning an aerial ball as Pears headed out Argyle keeper Conor Hazard’s downfield clearance. The ball fell to on-loan Wolves attacking midfielder Luke Cundle, on as a second half sub, and he deftly, superbly lobbed the ball over Pears and in.
The game turned on its head in the 27th minute when Finn Azaz’s deflected shot from outside the penalty area wrong-footed Pears.
Midfielder Azaz, on loan from Aston Villa, latched on to a pass by playmaker Morgan Whittaker 20 yards out and his first-timer spun off Adam Wharton and past helpless Pears.
Rovers will rue missed opportunities after dominating until that point.
Ryan Hedges had the best opportunity to open the scoring for Rovers on six minutes after latching on to an incisive pass from Devon-born striker Sam Gallagher.
Hedges was one on one with Hazard but side footed wide of the Argyle keeper and the goal from 12 yards.
In a rare counter attack Argyle striker Hardie fired over from range after being teed up by midfielder Adam Randell on 11 minutes.
A minute later Gallagher – who hails from Crediton in mid-Devon - looked set to score with a thumping header from a Hedges cross but Hazard acrobatically turned the ball over his bar.
Argyle finally got a foothold in the match on 22 minutes with another effective break.
Whittaker put Hardie away down the right and his far post cross was brilliantly headed downwards and goalwards by incoming winger Bali Mumba. Pears was equal to the effort at the foot of the post, just managing to turn the ball around for a corner.
Azaz’s goal gave Argyle confidence and Pears had to again turn the ball around his post in the 34th minute following a mazy run and shot by Whittaker down the right and along the bye line.
Impressive livewire Rovers forward Sammie Szmodics caught hold of a loose ball 20 yards out and brought a smart save from Hazard.
Again Argyle countered with Whittaker’s deft strike again turned around his post by diving Pears at full stretch.
Randell’s measured curling shot in the 54th minute went just over andsignaled Argyle intent before skipper Joe Edwards went close with a similar effort on the hour, ahead of a spate of substitutions.
Rovers continued to search for a leveller with Hayden Carter coming the closest to scoring as his deflected shot spun up on to the top of the bar in the 70th minute.
Seven minutes later Argyle surged ahead...
SWSN Star Ryan Hardie
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