27-10-2024, 14:34
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 3 Issaka, Gray, Whittaker Preston North End 3 Greenwood, Frokjaer, Potts
Argyle: 31 Dan Grimshaw, 2 Bali Mumba, 6 Kornel Szucs, 8 Joe Edwards (capt) (50, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo), 10 Morgan Whittaker, 14 Michael Obafemi (72, 9 Ryan Hardie), 20 Adam Randell, 27 Adam Forshaw (58, 19 Andre Gray), 28 Rami Al Hajj (58, 18 Darko Gyabi), 35 Freddie Issaka (72, 15 Mustapha Bundu), 44 Victor Palsson. Substitutes: 25 Marko Marosi (gk), 3 Nathanael Ogbeta, 4 Jordan Houghton, 11 Callum Wright.
Goals: Issaka 58, Gray 82, Whittaker 90+2
Preston: 1 Freddie Woodman, 4 Ben Whiteman (capt), 6 Liam Lindsay, 8 Ali McCann, 9 Emil Riis Jakobsen, 10 Mads Frokjaer-Jensen (63, 25 Duane Holmes), 11 Robbie Brady (30, 44 Brad Potts), 14 Jordan Storey, 16 Andrew Hughes, 20 Sam Greenwood, 29 Kaine Kesler-Hayden (72, 22 Stefan Thordarson). Substitutes: 13 David Cornell (gk), 5 Jack Whatmough, 17 Layton Stewart, 18 Ryan Ledson, 23 Jeppe Okkels, 33 Kian Best.
Goals: Greenwood 16, Frokjaer-Jensen 45+3, Potts 48
Booked: Kesler-Hayden 41, Greenwood 46, Ledson 60
Referee: Andy Davies
Attendance: 16,443
![[Image: IMG-3904.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/x1N0Rrx/IMG-3904.jpg)
Probably the high point of the afternoon, just after half time three up, game over, job done, well not exactly, the phrase it went tits up big time from here although it could have been worse.
4 am alarm, coach left at 6pm on the 640 mile round trip from front door to front, stop at Strensham, early morning stroll, take usual picture of the Malvern Hills majestic in the last October sunshine with the base covered in low lying mist no doubt near the Severn. Arrived nearly three hours before the kick off, unlike last season it was pouring down, so a yomp around the park before the game.
Octoberfest talking place people wandering around in Lederhousen, alcoholically challenged whilst looking like Germans could be the way forward.
On to the game Mads back in the starting line, Potts returning from injury on the bench.
The home side clearly the better side in the opening period Issaka a handful gave KKH a hard time, we weren't helped by our ability to give the ball away on a regular basis, Lindsay producing a superb tackle to stop a promising Argyle attack, then probably against the run of play we score, KKH down the right his shot is saved by the ex Lasher between the sticks, rebounds bounces out towards penalty spot, Green wood shoots deflected GOAL.
Different game from then home side started to get on the backs of the Argyle players and we started to play with freedom, the home side not helped by the playing out from the back as we put the squeeze on that.On the stroke of half time Riis great work in deep midfield found his Danish colleague and Mads did the rest 2 up.
Three minutes after the break it's three Potts an early substitute for Brady out muscles defender chips Grimshaw and that's that.
Argyle pull one back after Woodman pushed a free kick out, first to pounce was Issaka as the defender marking him forgot to do so,
from then on to give them credit they went for it, but we should have scored two more, Riis dragged wide when well place and Grimshaw made a good save with his legs to deny Riis again.
Twenty minutes to go the pivotal moment in my view KKH off injured, Holmes to right back and Thor on in midfield.
Looked unbalanced after this and when Thor missed a tackle Argyle were away again, ball in from the left, two home players unmarked Andre Gray did the rest.
Hanging on was an understatement and into injury time and Whittaker duly fired home the equaliser after hapless defending by Potts. Could have lost Woodman denied Gray with a really deent save.
Can't actually describe it as a classic the game highlighted both sides inability to defend.
Home at midnight no hold ups either way another one to put down to experience.
HECKY
Paul Heckingbottom felt his side had “given two points away” in the 3-3 draw against Plymouth Argyle.
Preston North End were on their way to a brilliant away win at Home Park, thanks to goals from Sam Greenwood, Mads Frøkjær, and Brad Potts.
The visitors from Lancashire were the team well on top, even after Freddie Issaka’s 55th-minute strike, but late goals from Andre Gray and Morgan Whittaker sent PNE back up north with a single point.
Hecky said: “We were totally dominant and we’ve given two points away there.
“We know why. I’ve spoken to the players about why. I don’t just want to focus on that. When we watch the game back, I want to be really clear on why we were so dominant.
“We’ve come to a place where no one gets results, or they haven’t been for a long time, and we’ve come to a group of fans that are buoyant here and quietened them down. We’ve gone 3-0 up and it could have been a lot more.
“It’s our fault. We’ve made errors and they’ve capitalised towards the end in a game where I never felt uncomfortable at all.”
It was a scoreline you just couldn’t see coming once North End had gone 3-0 up, at a time where they seemingly had full control.
The aggressive press was working wonders and a lot of PNE’s chances were coming courtesy of nicking the ball high up.
Hecky said: “We passed the ball really well and controlled the game with the ball. All the first half was played in their half.
“Without the ball we were aggressive. The centre backs and their deep midfielder were probably their players who have had the most touches. We‘d take it from them and create opportunities that way as well.
“With and without the ball we were really good. We started the second half in the same fashion. It’s just a matter of when we were going to get another one – a fourth one or a fifth one.
“We didn’t and then we switch off with a rebound from a free-kick, which is always a poor goal to concede. We were still on top in terms of thinking we were going to get the next goal again.
“We don’t, and then we miss a tackle on the touchline, they cross in our box and it’s 3-2, and you’re thinking, ‘Where’s this come from?’
“Then one or two moments we didn’t do well. Credit to them, they kept going, but they should never have had those opportunities.”
Hecky’s side were backed by just short of 600 supporters in Devon, as the North End faithful made the long journey down, and a number of them had to endure 11-hour journeys on Friday due to issues on the roads.
The manager appreciated their support, saying: “To bring that many fans down here is incredible so we should have been sending them home with three points.
“I know they’ll appreciate the performance and everything that went well and the effort of the players, but they’ll also be as frustrated as I am that we allowed a team that we’d got dead and buried back into a game out of nowhere.
“Even at 3-1 we never felt any concern at all. If anyone was going to score another goal it was us, but sometimes it can kick you in the teeth this game and today was one of them moments.”
WAYNE
Wayne Rooney was a man with mixed emotions on Saturday, following the conclusion of Argyle’s astounding encounter with Preston North End.
When the visitors scored their third goal, just after half-time, through substitute Brad Potts, it felt like the game was completely beyond Argyle, with Potts’ goal augmenting first-half strikes from Sam Greenwood and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen.
A glimmer of hope came from a Freddie Issaka goal on the 18-year-old’s first start for Argyle, but even then another 25 minutes went by before Andre Gray’s first Pilgrims goal really allowed the Green Army to believe the comeback could be on.
When Morgan Whittaker scored in stoppage time – a fourth consecutive home game in which the Greens have scored after the fourth official’s board has gone up – it sent Home Park into delirium, but the Head Coach’s reaction was more mitigated.
“It was difficult to believe after an hour, being 3-0 down. I was very concerned. Some of the defending was nowhere near good enough.
“I'm angry today. I'm very angry today with that performance because we're better than that, and that's not us.
“Great, we come back, we kept fighting, we showed a spirit, but that performance is not us, and I'm very disappointed.”
“I just felt we were in a bit of a daze really. We weren't getting to the ball; stray passes were getting them one v one. The goals we conceded were very easy goals to concede.
“I can't accept that performance. I’m delighted, obviously, that we got something out of the game, and we kept fighting. It's great when you come back and you do get something from being three goals down but, performance wise, that's nowhere near good enough.”
Issaka and Gray are at different ends of their career – aged 18 and 33 respectively – but both made telling impacts, each scoring their first Argyle goals.
Issaka started the game on the left side of Argyle’s attack, and he followed up a saved Adam Randell free-kick to prod home in front of the Babcock Devonport End. Gray, on as a second-half substitute, made a noticeable impact, not just with his neat headed goal from a superb Bali Mumba cross, but for his intelligent, effective build-up work.
“TJ [Muhamed Tijani] is obviously injured, but with Ryan [Hardie], Andre and Michael [Obafemi], we've got three different types of strikers, really. When Andre came on, he used his body, he used his experience and was a nuisance. He put himself in the right areas like he did for his goal.
“I thought he did really well when he come on and took his goal really well. I was pleased for him.
“It was a great day [for Freddie], a special moment for him, obviously, to get his first start and to score. I think it's a good learning game for him as well. I was delighted for him, because he's been in-and-out with injuries, and he's come on the pitch [at times]. I felt it was the right game for him to start and, in the end, it worked out, getting a goal, so I'm really pleased for him.”
Argyle: 31 Dan Grimshaw, 2 Bali Mumba, 6 Kornel Szucs, 8 Joe Edwards (capt) (50, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo), 10 Morgan Whittaker, 14 Michael Obafemi (72, 9 Ryan Hardie), 20 Adam Randell, 27 Adam Forshaw (58, 19 Andre Gray), 28 Rami Al Hajj (58, 18 Darko Gyabi), 35 Freddie Issaka (72, 15 Mustapha Bundu), 44 Victor Palsson. Substitutes: 25 Marko Marosi (gk), 3 Nathanael Ogbeta, 4 Jordan Houghton, 11 Callum Wright.
Goals: Issaka 58, Gray 82, Whittaker 90+2
Preston: 1 Freddie Woodman, 4 Ben Whiteman (capt), 6 Liam Lindsay, 8 Ali McCann, 9 Emil Riis Jakobsen, 10 Mads Frokjaer-Jensen (63, 25 Duane Holmes), 11 Robbie Brady (30, 44 Brad Potts), 14 Jordan Storey, 16 Andrew Hughes, 20 Sam Greenwood, 29 Kaine Kesler-Hayden (72, 22 Stefan Thordarson). Substitutes: 13 David Cornell (gk), 5 Jack Whatmough, 17 Layton Stewart, 18 Ryan Ledson, 23 Jeppe Okkels, 33 Kian Best.
Goals: Greenwood 16, Frokjaer-Jensen 45+3, Potts 48
Booked: Kesler-Hayden 41, Greenwood 46, Ledson 60
Referee: Andy Davies
Attendance: 16,443
Probably the high point of the afternoon, just after half time three up, game over, job done, well not exactly, the phrase it went tits up big time from here although it could have been worse.
4 am alarm, coach left at 6pm on the 640 mile round trip from front door to front, stop at Strensham, early morning stroll, take usual picture of the Malvern Hills majestic in the last October sunshine with the base covered in low lying mist no doubt near the Severn. Arrived nearly three hours before the kick off, unlike last season it was pouring down, so a yomp around the park before the game.
Octoberfest talking place people wandering around in Lederhousen, alcoholically challenged whilst looking like Germans could be the way forward.
On to the game Mads back in the starting line, Potts returning from injury on the bench.
The home side clearly the better side in the opening period Issaka a handful gave KKH a hard time, we weren't helped by our ability to give the ball away on a regular basis, Lindsay producing a superb tackle to stop a promising Argyle attack, then probably against the run of play we score, KKH down the right his shot is saved by the ex Lasher between the sticks, rebounds bounces out towards penalty spot, Green wood shoots deflected GOAL.
Different game from then home side started to get on the backs of the Argyle players and we started to play with freedom, the home side not helped by the playing out from the back as we put the squeeze on that.On the stroke of half time Riis great work in deep midfield found his Danish colleague and Mads did the rest 2 up.
Three minutes after the break it's three Potts an early substitute for Brady out muscles defender chips Grimshaw and that's that.
Argyle pull one back after Woodman pushed a free kick out, first to pounce was Issaka as the defender marking him forgot to do so,
from then on to give them credit they went for it, but we should have scored two more, Riis dragged wide when well place and Grimshaw made a good save with his legs to deny Riis again.
Twenty minutes to go the pivotal moment in my view KKH off injured, Holmes to right back and Thor on in midfield.
Looked unbalanced after this and when Thor missed a tackle Argyle were away again, ball in from the left, two home players unmarked Andre Gray did the rest.
Hanging on was an understatement and into injury time and Whittaker duly fired home the equaliser after hapless defending by Potts. Could have lost Woodman denied Gray with a really deent save.
Can't actually describe it as a classic the game highlighted both sides inability to defend.
Home at midnight no hold ups either way another one to put down to experience.
HECKY
Paul Heckingbottom felt his side had “given two points away” in the 3-3 draw against Plymouth Argyle.
Preston North End were on their way to a brilliant away win at Home Park, thanks to goals from Sam Greenwood, Mads Frøkjær, and Brad Potts.
The visitors from Lancashire were the team well on top, even after Freddie Issaka’s 55th-minute strike, but late goals from Andre Gray and Morgan Whittaker sent PNE back up north with a single point.
Hecky said: “We were totally dominant and we’ve given two points away there.
“We know why. I’ve spoken to the players about why. I don’t just want to focus on that. When we watch the game back, I want to be really clear on why we were so dominant.
“We’ve come to a place where no one gets results, or they haven’t been for a long time, and we’ve come to a group of fans that are buoyant here and quietened them down. We’ve gone 3-0 up and it could have been a lot more.
“It’s our fault. We’ve made errors and they’ve capitalised towards the end in a game where I never felt uncomfortable at all.”
It was a scoreline you just couldn’t see coming once North End had gone 3-0 up, at a time where they seemingly had full control.
The aggressive press was working wonders and a lot of PNE’s chances were coming courtesy of nicking the ball high up.
Hecky said: “We passed the ball really well and controlled the game with the ball. All the first half was played in their half.
“Without the ball we were aggressive. The centre backs and their deep midfielder were probably their players who have had the most touches. We‘d take it from them and create opportunities that way as well.
“With and without the ball we were really good. We started the second half in the same fashion. It’s just a matter of when we were going to get another one – a fourth one or a fifth one.
“We didn’t and then we switch off with a rebound from a free-kick, which is always a poor goal to concede. We were still on top in terms of thinking we were going to get the next goal again.
“We don’t, and then we miss a tackle on the touchline, they cross in our box and it’s 3-2, and you’re thinking, ‘Where’s this come from?’
“Then one or two moments we didn’t do well. Credit to them, they kept going, but they should never have had those opportunities.”
Hecky’s side were backed by just short of 600 supporters in Devon, as the North End faithful made the long journey down, and a number of them had to endure 11-hour journeys on Friday due to issues on the roads.
The manager appreciated their support, saying: “To bring that many fans down here is incredible so we should have been sending them home with three points.
“I know they’ll appreciate the performance and everything that went well and the effort of the players, but they’ll also be as frustrated as I am that we allowed a team that we’d got dead and buried back into a game out of nowhere.
“Even at 3-1 we never felt any concern at all. If anyone was going to score another goal it was us, but sometimes it can kick you in the teeth this game and today was one of them moments.”
WAYNE
Wayne Rooney was a man with mixed emotions on Saturday, following the conclusion of Argyle’s astounding encounter with Preston North End.
When the visitors scored their third goal, just after half-time, through substitute Brad Potts, it felt like the game was completely beyond Argyle, with Potts’ goal augmenting first-half strikes from Sam Greenwood and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen.
A glimmer of hope came from a Freddie Issaka goal on the 18-year-old’s first start for Argyle, but even then another 25 minutes went by before Andre Gray’s first Pilgrims goal really allowed the Green Army to believe the comeback could be on.
When Morgan Whittaker scored in stoppage time – a fourth consecutive home game in which the Greens have scored after the fourth official’s board has gone up – it sent Home Park into delirium, but the Head Coach’s reaction was more mitigated.
“It was difficult to believe after an hour, being 3-0 down. I was very concerned. Some of the defending was nowhere near good enough.
“I'm angry today. I'm very angry today with that performance because we're better than that, and that's not us.
“Great, we come back, we kept fighting, we showed a spirit, but that performance is not us, and I'm very disappointed.”
“I just felt we were in a bit of a daze really. We weren't getting to the ball; stray passes were getting them one v one. The goals we conceded were very easy goals to concede.
“I can't accept that performance. I’m delighted, obviously, that we got something out of the game, and we kept fighting. It's great when you come back and you do get something from being three goals down but, performance wise, that's nowhere near good enough.”
Issaka and Gray are at different ends of their career – aged 18 and 33 respectively – but both made telling impacts, each scoring their first Argyle goals.
Issaka started the game on the left side of Argyle’s attack, and he followed up a saved Adam Randell free-kick to prod home in front of the Babcock Devonport End. Gray, on as a second-half substitute, made a noticeable impact, not just with his neat headed goal from a superb Bali Mumba cross, but for his intelligent, effective build-up work.
“TJ [Muhamed Tijani] is obviously injured, but with Ryan [Hardie], Andre and Michael [Obafemi], we've got three different types of strikers, really. When Andre came on, he used his body, he used his experience and was a nuisance. He put himself in the right areas like he did for his goal.
“I thought he did really well when he come on and took his goal really well. I was pleased for him.
“It was a great day [for Freddie], a special moment for him, obviously, to get his first start and to score. I think it's a good learning game for him as well. I was delighted for him, because he's been in-and-out with injuries, and he's come on the pitch [at times]. I felt it was the right game for him to start and, in the end, it worked out, getting a goal, so I'm really pleased for him.”
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?