REPORT | PETERBOROUGH UNITED 0 ARGYLE 4
Peterborough United 0
Argyle 4
Hardie 23, 33
Jephcott 66
Camara 84
Argyle produced an immaculate display to book their place in the second round of the Carabao Cup, overpowering Championship side Peterborough United on their home turf with a wonderful 4-0 success.
Ryan Hardie was virtually unplayable in the first period, sauntering away with two clinical goals, and his strike partner Luke Jephcott added a predatory third midway through the second half before Panutche Camara added the gloss to a perfect evening.
Argyle boss Ryan Lowe made just one change from the weekend trip to Rotherham, introducing Brendan Galloway for Macaulay Gillesphey, and a young Pilgrim bench included apprentices Rhys Shirley and Finely Craske.
Peterborough suffered a 3-0 defeat at Luton on their Championship return but it was the Posh with a first meaningful effort, curled wide of the far post by Jorge Grant.
The Pilgrims offered their opening threat with a ball down the right channel and Hardie forced his way past Frankie Kent for a scuffed shot under pressure that didn’t trouble goalkeeper David Cornell.
Argyle then constructed a neat move with Jephcott feeding a pass to Camara for a low drive that did provoke a little more strenuous work for Cornell. Moments later, Peterborough forward Ricky Jade-Jones limped off for Idris Kanu.
In a generally quiet start to the game, Argyle were looking defensively compact but a moment of magic in the attacking third provided a first goal of the season for Hardie, rifling a left-foot drive into the bottom corner from 20 yards following an incisive Danny Mayor pass.
It was a lovely assist, even better finish, and Argyle were back on the front foot five minutes later, as Mayor jinked past his man for a terrific curling effort, well saved by Cornell, and his block from the Hardie rebound was even more impressive.
Hardie was proving a major thorn to the hosts, as another low drive forced Cornell into more good work before a delicious Conor Grant cross was glanced inches beyond the far post by Jephcott.
Argyle were all over the hosts and Hardie, in particular, was causing mayhem, with a surge through the middle prompting more home panic.
Posh problems turned to dismay on 33 minutes, when a stand-up cross by Grant, after good play from Mayor, was headed back across goal by Jephcott for the irrepressible Hardie to lash a half-volley past a stranded Cornell.
A seemingly perfect Pilgrim evening took a sour turn when Mayor was forced off through injury, replaced by Ryan Law, with Grant shifting inside from the left to a midfield role.
Hardie restored Argyle momentum with yet another shot on target that needed a smart save from Cornell, matched by Cooper with a good block with his feet at the start of the second period.
The Greens returned to their previous level of control with a Jephcott effort saved by the over-worked Cornell and two further changes from the Posh reflected the increasing level of concern for the hosts.
While the second-half pattern was one of calm assurance from the Pilgrims, Hardie continued to be a menace for the home defence, and his persistence won a corner that sealed the victory.
Dan Scarr rose highest from the deep cross and nodded the ball back into a danger area that is Jephcott’s bread and butter, ramming the ball home from a position that instinctive strikers seem to find with, well, instinct.
A bursting run from Grant presented the next chance for the excellent Camara, who steered the ball over the bar, and when the Posh did find a shot on goal, James Wilson was in the right place to make a block with his chest.
Adam Randell for Jordan Houghton was the next Pilgrim change on 78 minutes and he was soon congratulating Camara for a superb game-ending finish after a cut-back by Jephcott.
Hashtag happy.
Peterborough United: 13 David Cornell; 2 Ronnie Edwards, 6 Frankie Kent, 11 Jorge Grant (capt), 12 Josh Knight, 15 Kwame Poku (23 Joseph Ward 59), 16 Harrison Burrows, 17 Ricky Jade-Jones (19 Idris Kanu 18), 21 Joseph Tomlinson, 22 Ethan Hamilton (27 Kyle Barker 59), 26 Joel Randall. Substitutes (not used): 1 Christy Pym (gk), 3 Dan Butler, 30 Charlie O'Connell, 32 Emmanuel Fernandez.
Booked:
Argyle: 1 Mike Cooper; 5 James Wilson, 6 Dan Scarr, 22 Brendan Galloway; 8 Joe Edwards (capt), 28 Panutche Camara, 4 Jordan Houghton (20 Adam Randell 78), 10 Danny Mayor (27 Ryan Law 42), 15 Conor Grant; 31 Luke Jephcott (42 Rhys Shirley 85), 9. Ryan Hardie. Substitutes (not used): 25 Callum Burton (gk), 3 Macaulay Gillesphey, 36 Finley Craske 41 Ollie Tomlinson.
Booked: Galloway 61
Attendance:
Referee: Ben Toner