1) First team for Argyle (or what passes for one). Chadwick up front. Nelson and Blanchard the centre-backs. Bhas at left-back. Gurry on the left-side and Macca partnering Chadders. Moseley and Hourihane in centre midfield.
2) Oxford started the brighter and forced Gilmartin to smother an attack which was then cleared by PCH. Minutes later and Moseley danced through a couple of challenges and got a shot away but it was easily saved by the Oxford 'keeper. Moseley again on 10 looked through but was brought down cynically on the edge of the box. Five minutes later and Berry was put in by Hourihane only for him to see his shot pushed onto the inside of the post and bounce clear.
3) Good period of pressure followed with Moseley pulled down wide on the left. MacDonald with a superb free-kick into the top right corner. Straight from the kick-off Berry was booked for a foul - the free-kick shot through everyone to Gilmartin. Oxford's turn to have a lot of possession, a mistake by Maxime and then a foul by him created more pressure. Argyle cleared but Chadwick couldn't hold the ball up and it took a sliding challenge from Blanchard to rescue it.
4) MacDonald and Chadwick combined to put PCH in but the Oxford 'keeper was quick off his line. Berry ballooned a shot over from a training ground move corner. Chances at the other end especially at the end of the first-half. PCH got into good positions but too often dwelt too long or produced a poor cross. Good movement from the Oxford forwards, exactly what was missing from ours. Blanchard and Bhasera wayward with their passing and giving the ball away too easily. Ball bouncing off Chadwick. Moseley the star, far too good for this level. Argyle just about deserved to be ahead at half-time.
5) Second-half started with Bhasera in a heap from an aerial challenge. Argyle quickly on the attack with MacDonald on the break. He set up Moseley but his drive was well wide. Couple of minutes later and PCH also put a shot wide, then MacDonald, forced a save after following up his own long-throw. Oxford made 2 changes in an attempt to change the game. Argyle had a purple patch and should have increased their lead. Hourihane made a tremendous block and was limping afterwards.
6) Seemingly on top and in little danger Oxford threw a cross into the Argyle box. Gilmartin chose to punch when he could have caught and the Oxford forward headed home easily. Argyle won a corner, the ball fell to Moseley who fired high and wide. Oxford almost scored again, failing to find the target when it was easier to score. Chadwick needed replacing, the ball wasn't sticking but Fletcher persisted. Gilmartin almost beaten at his near post as Argyle went into headless chicken mode.
7) Griffiths replaced Chadders and suddenly Argyle sparked into life. Hourihane had a goal-bound shot blocked then PCH and MacDonald also had chances. Griffiths was booked for an arm to the face. Moseley set PCH free and his cross found Gurrieri unmarked but his header was well wide. With 10 remaining Argyle used Lowry to replace a tiring Moseley but I must admit I'd have left it another few minutes. Then disaster Berry was sent-off for a second yellow. MacDonald went to right-back.
8 ) Oxford could now pass the ball about at ease. Argyle dropped back and it seemed like a matter of time before they would get the winner. Again Argyle wasted possession. Argyle's last throw of the dice - Harvey on for PCH with seconds of normal time remaining and the Demport whistling for full-time. Penalties - always a lottery. Gurrieri had the 'keeper wrong footed but hit the bar. Lowry's was well saved. Gilmartin got close to 2 but close was about it. Blanchard's was never convincing.
9) Ref had a fairly quiet first 45. A couple of bookings in the first-half both looked a bit harsh. Fist-half the Lyndhurst linesman seemed to be looking at the ref before making his mind up. In the second he missed a foul on Macca and gave Griffiths a card for a foul that few others saw. He later booked Hourihane for what must have been dissent. Berry's first booking was harsh his second was worse!
10) A very low crowd but hardly surprising for the time of year, temperature, competition and opposition. Oxford did well to bring the few they brought given the early kick-off. Moseley the man-of-the-match. This was an average performance with many faults. Macca's goal the high-light. Don't know how much of a first-team Oxford put out but the Argyle performance was less than convincing - the problems still wingers who can't cross and forwards who lose possession too easily.
2) Oxford started the brighter and forced Gilmartin to smother an attack which was then cleared by PCH. Minutes later and Moseley danced through a couple of challenges and got a shot away but it was easily saved by the Oxford 'keeper. Moseley again on 10 looked through but was brought down cynically on the edge of the box. Five minutes later and Berry was put in by Hourihane only for him to see his shot pushed onto the inside of the post and bounce clear.
3) Good period of pressure followed with Moseley pulled down wide on the left. MacDonald with a superb free-kick into the top right corner. Straight from the kick-off Berry was booked for a foul - the free-kick shot through everyone to Gilmartin. Oxford's turn to have a lot of possession, a mistake by Maxime and then a foul by him created more pressure. Argyle cleared but Chadwick couldn't hold the ball up and it took a sliding challenge from Blanchard to rescue it.
4) MacDonald and Chadwick combined to put PCH in but the Oxford 'keeper was quick off his line. Berry ballooned a shot over from a training ground move corner. Chances at the other end especially at the end of the first-half. PCH got into good positions but too often dwelt too long or produced a poor cross. Good movement from the Oxford forwards, exactly what was missing from ours. Blanchard and Bhasera wayward with their passing and giving the ball away too easily. Ball bouncing off Chadwick. Moseley the star, far too good for this level. Argyle just about deserved to be ahead at half-time.
5) Second-half started with Bhasera in a heap from an aerial challenge. Argyle quickly on the attack with MacDonald on the break. He set up Moseley but his drive was well wide. Couple of minutes later and PCH also put a shot wide, then MacDonald, forced a save after following up his own long-throw. Oxford made 2 changes in an attempt to change the game. Argyle had a purple patch and should have increased their lead. Hourihane made a tremendous block and was limping afterwards.
6) Seemingly on top and in little danger Oxford threw a cross into the Argyle box. Gilmartin chose to punch when he could have caught and the Oxford forward headed home easily. Argyle won a corner, the ball fell to Moseley who fired high and wide. Oxford almost scored again, failing to find the target when it was easier to score. Chadwick needed replacing, the ball wasn't sticking but Fletcher persisted. Gilmartin almost beaten at his near post as Argyle went into headless chicken mode.
7) Griffiths replaced Chadders and suddenly Argyle sparked into life. Hourihane had a goal-bound shot blocked then PCH and MacDonald also had chances. Griffiths was booked for an arm to the face. Moseley set PCH free and his cross found Gurrieri unmarked but his header was well wide. With 10 remaining Argyle used Lowry to replace a tiring Moseley but I must admit I'd have left it another few minutes. Then disaster Berry was sent-off for a second yellow. MacDonald went to right-back.
8 ) Oxford could now pass the ball about at ease. Argyle dropped back and it seemed like a matter of time before they would get the winner. Again Argyle wasted possession. Argyle's last throw of the dice - Harvey on for PCH with seconds of normal time remaining and the Demport whistling for full-time. Penalties - always a lottery. Gurrieri had the 'keeper wrong footed but hit the bar. Lowry's was well saved. Gilmartin got close to 2 but close was about it. Blanchard's was never convincing.
9) Ref had a fairly quiet first 45. A couple of bookings in the first-half both looked a bit harsh. Fist-half the Lyndhurst linesman seemed to be looking at the ref before making his mind up. In the second he missed a foul on Macca and gave Griffiths a card for a foul that few others saw. He later booked Hourihane for what must have been dissent. Berry's first booking was harsh his second was worse!
10) A very low crowd but hardly surprising for the time of year, temperature, competition and opposition. Oxford did well to bring the few they brought given the early kick-off. Moseley the man-of-the-match. This was an average performance with many faults. Macca's goal the high-light. Don't know how much of a first-team Oxford put out but the Argyle performance was less than convincing - the problems still wingers who can't cross and forwards who lose possession too easily.
