Pilgrims’ wait for away win continues at Posh
PETERBOROUGH UNITED..............1 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE.......................0
PLYMOUTH Argyle’s wait for a first League One away win of the season continues after their 1-0 defeat at Peterborough United.
The Pilgrims have picked up just two points from six matches on the road at the start of 2020/21.
That poor record is spoiling all the good work they have done at Home Park, where they are unbeaten in seven games.
Peterborough were the better side throughout, especially with the inventiveness and attacking threat of Siriki Dembele.
But the home side only came up with one goal, scored by striker Jonson Clarke-Harris shortly before half-time.
For their part, Argyle could only test Peterborough ‘ keeper Christy Pym a couple of times and he made easy saves as the visitors’ attacking play lacked any punch.
Pilgrims’ boss Ryan Lowe made five changes to his starting line-up from the heavy 5-1 defeat at Fleetwood on Saturday.
One of them was former Peterborough player George Cooper, who came into the side at left wing-back.
Also getting call-ups were defender Scott Wootton, midfielder Tyrese Fornah and strike pair Ryan Hardie and Luke Jephcott.
The quintet of Will Aimson, Panutche Camara, Byron Moore, Frank Nouble and Dom Telford were the ones to make way, with all of them named among the substitutes.
Peterborough had Clarke-Harris as their lone striker with the lively Siriki Dembele and Sammie Szmodics behind him in a 3-4-2-1 formation.
Dembele set up Szmodics for an early chance but his angled shot few harmlessly over the crossbar.
Argyle had a rare attack in the 26th minute when Hardie broke dowen the left after a pass from Cooper.
Jephcott made a good run inside the Peterborough penalty area but
Hardie’s cross was too high for him to get on the end of.
Peterborough’s Reece Brown fired narrowly wide from 25 yards while Wootton and Jerome Opoku were booked within minutes of each other for fouls on Dembele.
There was an excellent chance for Peterborough to open the scoring in the 37th minute as Dembele twisted one way and turned the other inside the penalty area.
However, having done the hard part, Dembele dragged his shot wide of Cooper’s left post.
Argyle’s reprieve did not last long, though, as Peterborough took the lead through Clarke-Harris in the 41st minute.
Dembele picked out Clarke-Harris with a clever pass and the striker sent a low shot across Cooper into the far corner of the net.
Lowe opted not to use any of his substitutes at half-time with Argyle continuing in their 3-1-4-2 formaLowe made another two substitution as the second period got under tions in the 71st minute, with Joe way. Edwards and Conor Grant replaced
There was still not much coming by Moore and Ben reeves respectivefrom Argyle, apart from the occaly. sional break by Hardie. Jephcott had a first-time shot
The home side almost went 2-0 up saved by Pym as Argyle started to get in the 61st minute when left winginto some more promising positions back Dan Butler saw his powerful around the Peterborough box, often strike hit the outside of Cooper’s left through Danny Mayor. post. However, Dembele continued to
Pym, the former Exeter City ‘keepbe a constant threat and sent one er, made a comfortable save from shot narrowly wide in the 76th minGeorgeute.Cooper’scurlingshotbefore
Lowe made his first substitution. That came moments after Cooper Frank Nouble was sent on to play up made a vital point-blank save from front alongside Jephcott in the 65th Clarke-Harris, who was injured in minute, with Hardie the one to make getting away the shot and had to be way. replaced by former Bristol City strik
Clarke-Harris wasted a great er Mo Eisa. opportunity to put Peterborough 2-0 Telford was sent on for Jephcott in up soon afterwards. He was picked the 82nd minute but despite pushing out by an inviting cross from Jack forward with increased urgency Taylor and tried to hit it first time but there was no way back for the Pilmade a complete mess of it. grims.