Plymouth Argyle 2 Carlisle 0: Match report

MUCH has, rightly, been made of Argyle’s new signings this season, and especially those that came in through the January transfer-window, but it was two of the old guard who reignited the Pilgrims’ Sky Bet League Two promotion push against rivals close in the table but distant in every other way.

First-half goals from Graham Carey, his 11th of the season, and Jake Jervis, who reached double-figures for the campaign, brought to an end a run of four games without a win and strengthened Argyle’s position tucked right in behind leaders Doncaster Rovers.

They were, in some way, hallmark goals from the two of manager Derek Adams’ first signings on arriving at Home Park in the summer of 2015: Carey picked a midfield pocket before striding on to score midway through the half; Jervis slammed in a penalty in time added on.

Argyle manager Derek Adams, who had never before suffered five successive winless games in his Home Park reign, had welcomed back David Fox to the Pilgrims' starting line-up following an ankle injury that ruled him out of Tuesday's 1-0 home defeat by Notts County.

Although Argyle returned to the 4-2-3-1 shape from the 4-1-4-1 that they have employed recently, Antoni Sarcevic was Fox’s central defensive midfielder, with Yann Songo'o making way and thus being deprived of a 100% league starting record.

The other change was in the attacking part of the midfield, to which Jervis - was recalled on the right side, displacing Craig Tanner. All but one of Jervis's nine goals this season prior to the game had come at Home Park.

The visitors, who had stayed in the Westcountry following a 1-0 defeat at Cheltenham Town in midweek, also showed two changes. Captain Danny Grainger returned to the defence after injury, instead of Macualey Gillesphey, and was joined in the back four by Tom Miller, who replaced George Waring.

After bright start by Argyle which saw their visitors struggle to deal with a succession of well-delivered corners, Carlisle twice headed the ball past Luke McCormick into the net inside the first 15 minutes. Both came under the raised flag of the assistant referee, though, with the second effort, from Reggie Lamb, much closer to legality than Jamie Proctor’s first.

The Pilgrims responded down their left-hand side, with Gary Sawyer making the most of an ocean of space to stand a cross up that Ryan Taylor headed against the crossbar, with goalkeeper Mark Gillespie beaten for pace.

There was much more fizz and purpose about the Pilgrims than there had been the previous Tuesday – perversely, against opponents who had a lot more about them – and their sharpness reaped rewards after 20 minutes.

As Carlisle tried to play out from the back, Carey turned terrier, snapping at the heels of Luke Joyce and nicking the ball off him 35 yards from goal. He offloaded to Taylor, who waited on, and weighted, the return pass so deliciously that the finish was the easiest part of the entire move.

The Carey Song was still echoing around a packed Home Park when the Irishman went close to doubling up, curling a free-kick up and over the Carlisle defensive wall and obliging Gillespie to make an excellent save.

United hooked the hapless and obviously unhappy Joyce in favour of Jamie Devitt, who had obviously been given a roving brief, and his ability to pop up, Johnny Hore style, here, there and everywhere, needed watching.

So, too, did plenty of Pilgrims, who seem to relish the big-match occasions more than they do the scraps against sides at the wrong end of League Two.

Read the full report at: http://www.pafc.co.uk/fixtures-results/match-report/index.aspx?matchid=3...