Argyle 0

Hashtag United 5
Baigent 20, Turner 28, 48, Balfour 78, Nicholls 87. 

Argyle lost 5-0 to a confident Hashtag United side at Home Park, although the scoreline is a little harsh on the Greens, who were made to pay from a series of set-pieces. 

Sophie Baigent and Holly Turner both headed in corners in the first period, with Turner adding another headed goal shortly after the break. 

To this point, the difference between the sides was pretty much only the goals, with Hashtag’s clinical finishing giving them the numerical advantage. As Argyle tired, though, and defeat was inevitable, United made them pay with two goals from substitutes. The fourth goals was a pearler from Kallie Balfour, the last a facile finish for Macey Nicholls. 

Head Coach Ryan Perks elected to stick with the same starting line-up that began the 5-1 win at Milton Keynes Dons the previous week, meaning that the Greens once again played with a back four of Ella Stephens, Taya Pomfret, Giota Papaioannou and Katie Dickson in front of goalkeeper Lily Felgate. 

In midfield, Georgie Knott and Imy Crawford sat the deepest, with Lulu Jarvis, Ava Kuyken and Georgia Wilson playing in support of centre-forward Charlotte Whitmore. 

Argyle had two chances in the opening three minutes, both coming from a similar line of attack, from crafted balls forward over the top. 

The first saw Whitmore race clear of the defence, forcing a good save from Hashtag goalkeeper Frankie Angel, before Wilson made a similar break, but had her shot smothered. 

This was clearly the Greens’ best line of attack, and on multiple occasions, usually from the aforementioned duo, caused problems for the Tags heading towards their own goal. 

To the 20-minute mark, the visitors had probably shaded the territory and possession, with their only real chance coming from a header by Baigent, which she nodded wide when in space. 

Then came an extraordinary sequence of events as Argyle goalkeeper Lily Felgate palmed on a cross, where Turner was waiting, but blasted a shot against the post from within two yards of the goal. Even the rebound looked a certain goal, but Sammy Rowland shanked wide with the net gaping. 

A couple of minutes later, though, Hashtag did take the lead, and it was from another corner that found Baigent. She timed her run nicely, and powerfully headed into the net. 

United’s second goal, six minutes later, was almost a carbon copy. Another corner was swung in from the left, to a similar position near the far post, only this time it was Turner heading home. 

The first goal had settled Hashtag, and the second had amplified this, as they were now playing with visibly more confidence in their game. They had a chance to add a third when Freda Ayisi flicked over from just inside the six-yard area, and saw the game to half-time with only the occasional alarm when Argyle looked to break. 

Another set-piece – this time a left-wing free-kick – resulted in United’s third, with Turner again steering home a smart header. 

Argyle reacted to this by taking off full-back Dickson in favour of Ellie Sara, to join Whitmore up front. Sara was quickly involved in a neat move down the right-hand side, involving several Argyle players, and concluding with a Kuyken shot over the bar. 

Hashtag did get a fourth – and what a goal it was. This time Argyle looked to have dealt with a corner adequately, only for it to fall to Balfour, who lashed in an unstoppable effort which is unlikely to better at any level of Home Park fixture this season. They then completed the scoreline with a late tap-in by substitute Macey Nicholls. 

Argyle Women’s next fixture is back at Home Park, on Sunday, 15 September, as the Greens meet London Bees in the FA Women’s National League Cup. 

Argyle: 1 Lily Felgate, 2 Katie Dickson, 5 Giota Papaioannou (capt) (4 Amii Kearley, 80), 6 Taya Pomfret, 7 Charlotte Whitmore, 8 Imy Crawford (14 Kelsey Blight, 77), 10 Georgia Wilson, 15 Georgie Knott (20 Fern Orchard, 71), 16 Ella Stephens, 17 Lulu Jarvis (19 Erin O'Shea, 80), 24 Ava Kuyken. Substitutes: 13 Grace Smith, 18 Katie Grigg. 

Booked: Pomfret 47, Stephens 86. 

Hashtag United: 1 Frankie Angel, 4 Sophie Baigent, 5 Grace Gillard, 6 Courtney Lumley, 7 Georgia Griffin, 9 Holly Turner, 11 Sammy Rowland (15 Louise Davis, 81), 16 Gemma Baker (20 Frankie Finlayson, 81), 18 Malika Apindia (14 Kallie Balfour, 69), 19 Kayleigh Stead (22 Wiktoria Fronc, 69), 99 Freda Ayisi (8 Macey Nicholls, 58). 

Booked: 

Attendance: 585.