Report | Argyle Women 0-3 Exeter City
Argyle Women lost their first Devon Derby of the season, falling 3-0 to Exeter City at Home Park.
City scored twice in the first half, with Sophie Gillies’ effort and Sarah Stacey’s penalty putting the Grecians in pole position on half-time.
Argyle were vastly improved after the break, going close on numerous occasions to narrowing the deficit, but could not register a goal. At the very end, seconds after coming on a substitute, Emily Toogood headed in from a corner to put the result beyond any lingering doubt.
Argyle had the first decent chance of the game, as Georgia Wilson looked to emulate her two goals at the Kawasaki Barn Park End in a recent game against London Bees, but this time her effort from 20 yards sailed just over the bar.
Shortly afterwards, City took the lead, with Gillies running onto a ball inside the area. She still had plenty to do but smashed into the roof of the net from a narrow angle.
Exeter, buoyed by the goal, spent the next 15 minutes or so on top, without notably creating many chances. That changed, however, when former Pilgrim Amber Pollock was fouled in the area, trying to latch onto a loose ball, and a penalty was given. Sarah Stacey stepped up, drove home the spot-kick, and City had a cushion.
Argyle’s best hope looked to be when they could get Charlotte Whitmore running in behind, and from one such occasion, the Argyle forward was able to tee up Wilson, who this time hit the target from distance, only to find the gloves of Abbi Bond.
Exeter went in 2-0 up at half-time, but Argyle came out strongly in the second half. Ellie Sara was introduced only five minutes after the restart, and the Greens looked more effervescent, getting into better forward positions and pinning City into their own half.
Katie Dickson had two chances for Argyle, one from seemingly nowhere, when she took aim from range and was not far wide. Then, she got a toe to a partially cleared ball, and the effort went just over.
It was one-way traffic, but Argyle found it tough to carve out clear-cut chances, instead having possession around the area and several corners.
Perhaps the best opportunity came when the lively Ella Stephens whipped in an excellent delivery to find Sara, whose deft header beat the goalkeeper but found the roof of the net.
Moments later, Whitmore turned in midfield and released Roxy Thomas, only just on as a substitute, racing down the left. Her low ball across the centre was centimetres too far in front on the oncoming Sara, and the chance was lost.
City brought on defender Toogood in the final minutes, and her first act was to come forward for a corner, and head home to truly seal the game for the visitors.
Argyle: 1 Lily Felgate, 2 Katie Dickson (3 Roxy Thomas, 81), 5 Giota Papaioannou (capt) (17 Lulu Jarvis, 68), 6 Taya Pomfret, 7 Charlotte Whitmore, 8 Imy Crawford, 10 Georgia Wilson, 15 Georgie Knott (9 Ellie Sara, 51), 16 Ella Stephens, 24 Ava Kuyken (20 Fern Orchard, 81), 26 Caitlin Smith. Substitutes: 56 Comfort Erhabor (gk), 4 Amii Kearley, 18 Katie Grigg.
Booked: Papaioannou 63, Stephens 69
Exeter: 1 Abbi Bond, 2 Bow Jackson (capt), 4 Jaydee Seaman, 6 Jess Sandland, 7 Phoebe Baker (3 Emily Toogood, 89), 8 Beth Ireland, 10 Sarah Stacey (11 Lemoni Gouldstone, 90), 15 Ishbel Zuurmond (16 Zoe Watkins, 65), 19 Mollie Taylor (14 Georgie-Marie Barbour-Gresham, 79), 21 Sophie Gillies (12 Courtney Jones, 90), 23 Amber Pollock. Substitutes: 22 Olivia Giles (gk), 17 Zoe Cunningham.
Goals: Gillies 15, Storey pen 31, Toogood 90.
Booked: Pollock 43
Attendance: 1,927 (136 away)
