DEMANDING LOWE LAUDS MIGHTY ANT
PLYMOUTH boss Ryan Lowe challenged matchwinner Antoni Sarcevic to hit double figures as his side knocked Forest Green Rovers off their league-leaders perch.
Grabbing his fourth goal of the season, Sarcevic pounced in the first half to send Rovers tumbling to their first home loss since August as the in-form Pilgrims made it back-to-back 1-0 wins.
Lowe lauded Sarcevic, saying: “He will get ten goals and probably more. I said to him before the game if he shoots, he scores.
“He gives us desire and a commitment to put bodies on the line – he’s a talent and a real pleasure to work with.”
Lowe felt the flow of the game was hindered from start to finish in a match that had been billed as one for the purists.
He added: “I don’t want to get into trouble by saying what I want to say because the fluidity of the game was irrelevant and I think Mark Cooper was disappointed that they couldn’t play a lot of football.
“Me and Mark were on the side asking for the game to just flow because it was two good teams who want to play the right way, but it wasn’t to be. I was just pleased with the three points.”
In a high-octane first half, it was Plymouth who threatened first – Joel Grant failing to get enough purchase on a teasing Byron Moore cross after Sarcevic conjured the opportunity. Rovers boast a miserly defence, conceding just ten goals in 16 games, but they were breached in the 24th minute, and it was Sarcevic who opened Rovers up.
The Plymouth playmaker punished some sloppy defending from a short corner to slalom across the box and arrow a deflected strike beyond the flailing Joe Wollacott.
Rovers looked for parity and almost found it deep into first-half stoppage-time. The scrambling Alex Palmer got a finger on an arrowed Joseph Mills cross which dropped over the crossbar.
Plymouth remained resolute after the break, as Rovers knocked on the door. Carl Winchester found the head of Matty Stevens, which fell to Jack Aitchison, but the midfielder watched his powerful drive fly over.
Six minutes of added time saw Plymouth hold on with Rovers going close through Ebou Adams and Liam Shephard, with substitute Matt Mills laying a strong claim for a penalty. Meanwhile, Forest Green head coach Mark Cooper felt referee Sam Purkiss was the wrong choice for the game. He said: “I found out on Tuesday who the referee was and I had real concerns as it’s his first year in the league and he has a record for booking lots of players. “I didn’t feel we deserved to lose, but didn’t have the quality in the final third and we should have had a few penalties. The one at the end is a stonewall one, a punch in the head.”
FOREST GREEN ROVERS: Wollacott 6, J Mills 6 (McGinley 46, 6), Rawson 6, Kitching 6, Bernard 6 (M Mills, 85), Adams 6, Winchester 6, Shephard 6, Aitchison 6, Collins 6, Stevens 6. Subs not used: Morton, Dawson, Godwin-Malife, Thomas, Taylor.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: Palmer 8, Wootton 7, Canavan 7, Sawyer 7, Josh Grant 6, Edwards 6, Sarcevic 9, Mayor 6, McFadzean 6 (Riley 46, 6 (Telford 69, 6), Joel Grant 6 (Taylor 84, 6), B Moore 6. Subs not used: M Cooper, Randell, G Cooper, Rudden.