Western Morning News (Saturday)
Wanderers dent Argyle’s promotion push
WYCOMBE Wanderers dealt a blow to Plymouth Argyle’s automatic promotion prospects by beating them 2-0 at Adams Park.
Good Friday did not live up to its title for Steven Schumacher’s Pilgrims as they suffered only a second defeat in their last 10 games.
Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe closed to within a couple of points of Argyle in the table after two clinically-taken first half goals from Garath McCleary.
Pilgrims’ boss Steven Schumacer had wanted his side to match the physical element of Wanderers and pass the ball to the best of their ability but they were able to do neither in the opening period.
Wycombe had the game where they wanted it, and although there was some improvement from Argyle in the second half they never looked like staging a fightback.
They ended the game with just two shots on target and the defeat puts extra emphasis on Easter Monday clash against Sunderland at a sold out Home Park.
Argyle were without captain Joe Edwards because of an ankle injury which he picked up near the end of the 0-0 draw away to Burton Albion, Steven Sessegnon coming in at right wing-back.
There were two other changes for the Pilgrims, with Conor Grant taking over from Ryan Law at left wing-back and Luke Jephcott up front with Jordon Garrick in place of Niall Ennis.
Argyle were without 19-goal top scorer Ryan Hardie for a third successive match due to a thigh injury.
The Green Army snapped up all of the available 1,800 tickets and were part of a near full house of 8,000 at a sunny Adams Park.
There was an early sign of things to come from Wycombe as left-back Joe Jacobson aimed a long ball towards striker Sam Vokes and he won his header against Dan Scarr. The Wales international nodded the ball down but it was just too far in front of Daryl Horgan and it was a goal kick to Argyle.
Garrick had the visitors’ first chance in the ninth minute when he got in behind Wycombe defender Chris Forino and cut inside but his low shot was not struck cleanly and it was an easy save for David Stcokdale.
Mike Cooper made a low stop from Brandon Hanlan’s low angled strike and, moments later, Horgan fired the ball over the bar after Wycombe had stayed on the attack.
The Pilgrims would have been desperate not to concede an early goal against Wycombe but the home side did take the lead in the 14th minute. Wanderers caught Argyle on the counter attack and McCleary unleashed a fierce rising shot past Cooper and high into the net.
Garrick had another opportunity for the Pilgrims in the 22nd minute but sent a side foot shot wide of Stockdale’s near post after a low cut-back from Sessegnon.
Argyle had a good amount of possession but they fell further behind just after the half hour mark as McCleary came up with another clinical finish. Hanlan made an excellent break down the left and put a low pinpoint cross in behind Macaulay Gillesphey for McCleary to drill the ball low past Cooper.
Grant had a decent chance to half the deficit in the 41st minute but his strike from 20 yards out took a deflection off Wycombe defender Ryan Tafazolli and went out for a corner.
There was a double substitution from the Pilgrims for the second period as Ryan Broom and Ennis replaced Mayor and Garrick
respectively.
Broom and Ennis looked to inject some more energy into Argyle’s attacking play as they tried to find a way back into the game.
One ball into the Wycombe box from Sessegnon tried to pick out Jephcott but Stockdale got to the ball first and safely held onto it.
Argyle played with a better tempo and more directness when they went forward but Wycombe stayed strong defensively and continued to battle for every ball.
Jacobson curled a 25-yard free-kick over Cooper’s bar after he had been blocked by Pilgrims’ midfielder Jordan Houghton as the game passed the hour mark.
Grant then had to be alert to turn a low cross behind for a corner as Wycombe tried to pick out McCleary beyond the far post.
By now, Argyle’s early second half burst of energy had faded and the home side were back in control of proceedings.
Adam Randell was the visitors’ third and final substitute in the 74th minute as he took over in the midfield holding role from Houghton.
Argyle had optimistic shouts for handball in the Wycombe penalty area after Jephcott had a cross blocked by Forino, before a low cross from the Wales under-21 international striker was well caught by Stockdale as he dived forward.
Hanlan sent a shot into the side netting for Wycombe after bursting into the Argyle penalty area and the same player then blazed wide from a great scoring position in the 87th minute.
The Pilgrims had run out of attacking ideas and it was all too easy for Stockdale to keep a clean sheet as Wycombe clinched an important win for themselves.
Argyle must now try to regroup and find a way of getting back to their best when they host Sunderland at a sold-out Home Park on Monday.