Argyle v Sheffield United - Flashback

FEBRUARY 2010 was not the best month for David Stockdale.

The promising goalkeeper was on loan at Argyle from Premier League side Fulham and had shown plenty of signs as to why he was looked upon as a future England ‘keeper.

It was a frustrating February for Argyle, who conceded the first goal in six consecutive matches and found themselves having to play catch-up each time.

A goal conceded at Home Park against Leicester City was not necessarily Stockdale’s fault, but might have proved embarrassing nonetheless.

Foxes defender Jack Hobbs hit a long ball for striker Martyn Waghorn to latch on to, but Kari Arnason was first to the ball and it seemed an easy pass back to Stockdale in the Argyle goal. Stockdale moved forward to receive the ball, but Arnason did not look up and see him, and made a firm back-pass which went past the ‘keeper into the empty goal.

Craig Noone saved Arnason’s blushes when he equalised seven minutes later, but the match ended 1-1.

A week later, against Sheffield United – the last time we played them, in fact - Argyle were losing 3 - 0 at half time, but a second half recovery looked likely when Yannick Bolasie scored in the 50th minute and Joe Mason made it 3 - 2 six minutes later.

Argyle's good fortune ran out in the 82nd minute after Stockdale in the Argyle goal dived on a shot from Richard Cresswell. Stockdale got up, bounced the ball once, and threw the ball down for him to boot upfield.

However, he did not realise that Cresswell was still behind him.

Cresswell sprinted forward, took the ball and rolled it into the empty net.

The dejected Stockdale did make two more saves, one from Cresswell another from Mark Yeates, and Jamie Mackie kept the dream alive when he got Argyle’s third goal on 87 minutes swivelling on a Joe Mason pass and struck a low shot into the corner of the net, but sadly that was the end of any comeback. 

After this match, the Blades moved up to 7th place and Argyle were next to bottom.