1) No Cole was the first big surprise. Bhasera for Hemmings not so much so after the latter's performance at Hereford. Half expected Wotton or Walton to make way for Hourihane or Tsoumou or Fletcher for Chadders. Strange little incident 15 before kick-off when Nancekivell called everyone training together - chat lasted less than a minute and afterwards the body language was less than good! Walton and Fletch S particularly looked unimpressed.
2) Argyle started positively. An early Wotton free-kick going for a corner which was then headed wide by Blanchard. MacDonald did well down the right and his lob (cross?) beat everyone and dropped into the far corner from a narrow angle.
3) Usual confusion at the back. Waton gave Bhasera a terrible ball then Bhasera gave the ball away. It took a dive by Wotton in front of the shot to block it. Later a series of free-kicks and corners were unconvincingly cleared. After scoring Argyle seemed to lose composure, Walton and Wotton again not really working as a pair.
4) Aldershot's first shot on target followed Bhasera being caught in posession and a lobbed free-kick. Fantastic save to his left by Larrieu. Argyle survived but no clearances were sticking and Argyle seemed to need someone to put their foot on the ball and pick a pass or the front-two to hold the ball-up.
5) MacDonald tried to reprise his AFC Wimbledon goal kick-off but ran into trouble. Wotton won a free-kick which Williams put into the side netting. Then at the other end Larrieu gave a short goal-kick to Williams who dithered and got caught. Larrieu made the save. Argyle went too deep and the same ball retention issues of the first-half surfaced.
6) Aldershot began to press. One free-kick was wasted when Walton cleared then a firm challenge by Purse was harshly punished. Luckily Aldershot couldn't finish Larrieu's weak parry. In the midst of the free-kicks Tsoumou replaced Chadders. Tsomou had similar problems but his pace looked more dangerous until he slowed up late on due to injury.
7) Larrieu fumbled a through ball and then tried to recover and almost brought the forward down. The ref didn't give it and Purse tidied up. Second-half littered with needless free-kicks - Aldershot twice had the ball in the net but were both called off-side. Then they hit the post.
8 ) Argyle finally given a free-kick, floated in by Wotton, cleared but returned by Berry - Bhasera off-side. Argyle far too deep defending and balls cleared had no outlet. A long period of pressure ended tamely (thankfully). Aldershot were soon back on it and Hourihane replaced MacDonald at an Aldershot corner. Bit like the Alamo at the end.
9) Steve Fletcher replaced Feeney who had yet another good game. MacDonald and Purse had good games but it was Blanchard (again) who stood out for me. Larrieu - cracking saves poor kicks and the usual howler or 2. Midfield has to change.
10) Referee very inconsistent. Booked an Aldershot player for pulling Feeney back then Williams for a dangerous challenge. In the second Feeney was booked for a late challenge but I thought the ref missed a foul on Feeney just before that. He later booked Wotton for persistent fouling. Gave a free-kick against Bhasera when a penalty for him would have been a more understandable decision. Bhasera incensed, hurried into a challenge and correctly booked.
11) Estimates of the crowd over 10,000 were shown to be well wide of the mark. The Aldhershot fans tried hard to make their numbers look fewer by spreading out across the Barn Park but to be fair they were among the noisiest at Home Park this season. Argyle crowd patchy in noise. Very loud at the end. Vital 3 points.
2) Argyle started positively. An early Wotton free-kick going for a corner which was then headed wide by Blanchard. MacDonald did well down the right and his lob (cross?) beat everyone and dropped into the far corner from a narrow angle.
3) Usual confusion at the back. Waton gave Bhasera a terrible ball then Bhasera gave the ball away. It took a dive by Wotton in front of the shot to block it. Later a series of free-kicks and corners were unconvincingly cleared. After scoring Argyle seemed to lose composure, Walton and Wotton again not really working as a pair.
4) Aldershot's first shot on target followed Bhasera being caught in posession and a lobbed free-kick. Fantastic save to his left by Larrieu. Argyle survived but no clearances were sticking and Argyle seemed to need someone to put their foot on the ball and pick a pass or the front-two to hold the ball-up.
5) MacDonald tried to reprise his AFC Wimbledon goal kick-off but ran into trouble. Wotton won a free-kick which Williams put into the side netting. Then at the other end Larrieu gave a short goal-kick to Williams who dithered and got caught. Larrieu made the save. Argyle went too deep and the same ball retention issues of the first-half surfaced.
6) Aldershot began to press. One free-kick was wasted when Walton cleared then a firm challenge by Purse was harshly punished. Luckily Aldershot couldn't finish Larrieu's weak parry. In the midst of the free-kicks Tsoumou replaced Chadders. Tsomou had similar problems but his pace looked more dangerous until he slowed up late on due to injury.
7) Larrieu fumbled a through ball and then tried to recover and almost brought the forward down. The ref didn't give it and Purse tidied up. Second-half littered with needless free-kicks - Aldershot twice had the ball in the net but were both called off-side. Then they hit the post.
8 ) Argyle finally given a free-kick, floated in by Wotton, cleared but returned by Berry - Bhasera off-side. Argyle far too deep defending and balls cleared had no outlet. A long period of pressure ended tamely (thankfully). Aldershot were soon back on it and Hourihane replaced MacDonald at an Aldershot corner. Bit like the Alamo at the end.
9) Steve Fletcher replaced Feeney who had yet another good game. MacDonald and Purse had good games but it was Blanchard (again) who stood out for me. Larrieu - cracking saves poor kicks and the usual howler or 2. Midfield has to change.
10) Referee very inconsistent. Booked an Aldershot player for pulling Feeney back then Williams for a dangerous challenge. In the second Feeney was booked for a late challenge but I thought the ref missed a foul on Feeney just before that. He later booked Wotton for persistent fouling. Gave a free-kick against Bhasera when a penalty for him would have been a more understandable decision. Bhasera incensed, hurried into a challenge and correctly booked.
11) Estimates of the crowd over 10,000 were shown to be well wide of the mark. The Aldhershot fans tried hard to make their numbers look fewer by spreading out across the Barn Park but to be fair they were among the noisiest at Home Park this season. Argyle crowd patchy in noise. Very loud at the end. Vital 3 points.
if only we could learn to score 2 goals!
