REPORT | ARGYLE 1 SWANSEA CITY 3
Argyle 1
Cundle 18
Swansea City 3
Yates 56
Cooper 68
Key 90
Argyle suffered their second successive home defeat in a frustrating week, as Swansea turned the game around with a clinical second-half display.
The Greens were on the right course when Luke Cundle almost broke the net on 18 minutes and Argyle had plenty more to offer in a positive first period.
Momentum shifted full circle on 56 minutes, Jerry Yates levelling from close range, and substitute Ollie Cooper gave Swansea the lead with a rasper from distance. It was game over when Josh Key added a third in the final minute.
Argyle manager Steven Schumacher made four changes from the midweek loss to Millwall, with Macaulay Gillepshey, Matt Butcher, Joe Edwards and Cundle replacing Mickel Miller, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Adam Randell and Finn Azaz.
Bathed in autumn Home Park sunshine, the Green Army gave a collective ooh inside five minutes, as a deep corner picked out the late run of Edwards, who beat goalkeeper Carl Rushworth with his header but credit to Liam Cullen for a desperate clearance off the line.
The Swans opened their attacking account with a deft backheel from Yates, comfortably saved by Conor Hazard. After picking up three successive wins, the visitors looked understandably confident, and a delightful move culminated in an inviting cross from Josh Tymon but Gillesphey was in the right place to clear.
After a quiet period in the game, Argyle took control with a lovely pass from Morgan Whittaker sending Edwards down the wing. The skipper fed Ryan Hardie and his cutback found a way to Cundle, who rifled an emphatic finish beyond the stranded Rushworth.
The Greens settled back into a steady rhythm and a defensive shape that was frustrating for the Swans, although they did find a gap just before the half-hour, creating room for Cullen to strike low to the corner but Hazard used his full wingspan for a superb tip around the post.
The response was immediate from Argyle, Hardie forcing a top save from Rushworth before his rebound was blocked by Harry Darling. Back to the Swans, and the lively Yates found room for a shot but Dan Scarr judged his block to perfection.
The second half opened with a great chance for Argyle. Whittaker and Hardie combined nicely, and the number nine had a pop on goal but Rushworth saved well. However, in general, it was the Swans looking brighter after the restart.
The Greens did have their moments, Bali Mumba breaking quickly for another shot blocked by the Swansea defence but the visitors were level moments later. Charlie Patino clipped a cross to the far post, Cullen kept the ball alive and Yates forced it over the line.
Argyle came back with a corner that caused mayhem. Gillesphey recycled the ball back into the danger area and Rushworth somehow denied Mumba with yet another top save.
The Greens made a couple of changes, Azaz and Miller replacing Cundle and Mumba, but it was a Swansea substitute who made the next big impact, Cooper picking up the ball in midfield, striding forward and lashing a tremendous strike into the bottom corner.
A lovely cross from Miller just needed a final touch, as Argyle sought a way back into the game, and Hardie was next to have a dig, but comfortable for Rushworth. Kesler-Hayden and Mustapha Bundu came on for Butcher and Pleguzuelo in the next roll of the dice.
Argyle remained patient in their approach, working the ball cleverly out to Bundu for a fizzing cross that just evaded the onrushing forwards, as Ben Waine replaced Hardie in the final change.
After Hazard gobbled up a Darling header from a corner, Miller delivered a cross for Edwards at the other end, but the nod was just too high. Sadly for Argyle, the game was up from the next attack, Key sealing a frustrating defeat at Home Park.
Argyle: 21 Conor Hazard, 2 Bali Mumba (14 Mickel Miller 66), 3 Macaulay Gillepshey, 4 Jordan Houghton, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo (15 Mustapha Bundu 76), 6 Dan Scarr, 7 Matt Butcher (29 Kaine Kesler-Hayden 76), 8 Joe Edwards (capt), 9 Ryan Hardie (23 Ben Waine 83), 10 Morgan Whittaker, 28 Luke Cundle (18 Finn Azaz 66). Substitutes (not used): 25 Callum Burton, 16 Lewis Warrington, 20 Adam Randell.
Booked: Whittaker 55, Kesler-Hayden 79
Swansea City: 22 Carl Rushworth, 2 Josh Key, 6 Harry Darling, 8 Matt Grimes (capt), 9 Jerry Yates (28 Liam Walsh 86), 10 Jamal Lowe (30 Harrison Ashby 90+1), 12 Jamie Paterson (19 Mykola Kukharevych 90+1), 14 Josh Tymon, 18 Charlie Patino (4 Jay Fulton 67), 20 Liam Cullen (21 Ollie Cooper 67), 33 Bashir Humphreys. Substitutes (not used): 1 Andy Fisher (gk), 21 Nathan Tjoe-a-On, 26 Kyle Naughton, 45 Cameron Congreve.
Booked:
Referee: Lewis Smith
Attendance: 16,463 (1,614 away)