Report | Argyle Women 5 London Bees 1
Argyle 5
Whitmore 42, Sara 45+2, 65, Pomfret 60, Dandridge 81
London Bees 1
Potter 76
Argyle Women fired in five goals to beat London Bees in the FA Women’s National League on Sunday at Coach Road.
Bees started the faster of the sides, but two goals late in the first half, by Charlotte Whitmore and Ellie Sara, put Argyle in front at the break. Sara got her second following a Taya Pomfret goal on the hour mark, and by the time Bees got one back, the Greens had sealed the game. Rebecca Dandridge added a fifth goal late on for good measure.
Argyle's return to Coach Road began slowly for the Greens, as London Bees asserted themselves as the more dominant side in the early stages of the half. Although having the majority of the ball, the visitors struggled to break down the Argyle defence, although they did rattle the post in the 24th minute.
The Pilgrims gradually grew into the game, following Bees major chance, and took control of the game, whilst continuing to nullify threats in front of goal. As the first half approached its end, Argyle seized their opportunity to take the lead through Whitmore’s run forward that allowed her time to sidestep the keeper and slot the ball in the back of the net.
Argyle's celebrations were not over just yet as the Greens extended their lead before the interval.It came from Sara’s right foot, after an excellent delivery from Katie Dickson towards the near post in added time.
Argyle continued to stay on top of the Bees as the second half began and had an an early chance to make it three, but Jemma Rose’s finish at the far post was ruled offside by the referee’s assistant.
With Argyle on the front foot, though, the third was a matter of time in coming. It was midfielder Pomfret who secured Argyle's third of the match after a superbly threaded through ball from Dickson found Pomfret's run at the far post, where she thumped the ball low and hard into the back of the net.
Five minutes later, Sara secured her brace after a well won ball from Dandridge allowed the Greens to pounce on the counter. Dandridge’s pass found the feet of Sara who skipped past her marker and placed the ball past the onrushing Bees keeper.
London Bees denied Argyle a clean sheet when, after a well-weighted ball behind the Argyle defence, Kayla Potter surged into the area. Lucy Hack and Jasmine Read attempted to clear the danger but Potter squeezed the ball past both players, and into the net.
Unperturbed, Argyle continued to charge forward with purpose and managed to sting The Bees once more. A long ball forward from Hack found the run of Dandridge who stabbed a venomous shot goalwards from the edge of the area, beating the rooted keeper before the referee blew for full-time.
Argyle now look to continue their form into their match against Ilminster Town Ladies, at Torpoint Athletic's The Mill ground, in the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday, 12 November. This takes place one week before Argyle Women's return to Home Park, to meet Cardiff City, on Sunday, 19 November.
Argyle: 1 Jasmine Read, 2 Katie Dickson, 4 Jemma Rose, 5 Panagiota Papaioannou, 6 Lucy Hack, 7 Charlotte Whitmore (19 Erin O’Shea), 8 Imy Crawford (15 Georgie Knott), 9 Ellie Sara, 10 Rebecca Dandridge, 14 Tamsin Medd-Gill (13 Grace Smith), 18 Taya Pomfret.
