Report | Sheffield Wednesday 1 Argyle 0

Sheffield Wednesday 1
Gassama 60

Argyle 0

Argyle fell by a single goal at Hillsborough on Tuesday night, with Djeidi Gassama’s strike for Sheffield Wednesday on the hour the difference between the two teams.

It was a game of precious few chances. In the end Gassama, latching on to a right-wing cross from Ike Ogbo, pounced, and forced the ball over the line.

The Greens tried in vain after the goal to find an equaliser, having their best spell of the game towards the closing stages, but Wednesday fell back, protected their box, and saw the game out.

Head Coach Ian Foster made three changes to the starting line-up, bringing captain Joe Edwards, Ashley Phillips and Adam Forshaw into the 11, with Matty Sorinola, Julio Pleguezuelo and Jordan Houghton moving to the bench.

The play in the opening ten minutes was all played in Sheffield Wednesday’s half, with Morgan Whittaker making an earlier show of intent by beating several Owls defenders, who forced to gang up, and still could not stop the cross, but they did clear it.

Whittaker whistled one over the bar after being released by Randell, and Ryan Hardie was very close to getting on the end of a left-wing Mickel Miller cross following a smartly taken quick free-kick.

Wednesday, having seen out Argyle’s opening salvo, rallied, and got Ugbo into several decent attacking positions. Ugbo, with six goals in eight games since joining on loan in January from Troyes, showed his eagerness to add to the tally, flicking an Ian Poveda chance at goal, which Conor Hazard pushed away. From the corner, Ugbo got into another shooting position, but this time saw his shot blocked.

Poveda, playing on the right of Wednesday’s high front three, looked a danger, and he was involved in two big incidents as the 20-minute mark approached. First, he tried a precise pass towards Gassama, which was superbly cut out by Edwards, and then Poveda put the ball in the net, only to see the flag go up for offside.

The big screen in the ground had flashed 1-0, and 23,000 Owls fans were celebrating that (non) fact, but replays seem to indicate the validity of the call.

Argyle’s better moments seemed to come from when they were able to turn Wednesday, then press their defenders. Gyabi pinched one to earn a free-kick from which Phillips could not clean contact, then Gyabi again found some space, but his shot lacked power, and goalkeeper James Beadle gathered.

On the half hour, from a left-wing corner, there were strong claims for a penalty when Lewis Gibson looked to have been hauled to the ground, but the incident clearly happened on the blind side, as any claims for a spot-kick were waved away.

For the remainder of the half, Wednesday, coming into the game with four wins in five as they look to fight they way out of trouble, sensed a chance to lead into the break, but despite territorial advantage, created little, save for a Poveda shot which deflected wide off his own team-mate.

In the second half, a similar pattern materialised. Wednesday with most of the ball, trying to penetrate, and Argyle looking to pick pockets and counter. This was epitomised by a characteristic Edwards charge, having won the ball in his own half through sheer bloody-mindedness, but on releasing Whittaker, Wednesday recovered, and the chance was gone.

Just after the hour mark came the game’s key moment. Argyle had chances to clear their lines, then midfielder Adam Forshaw slipped at a crucial moment, allowing Ugbo to get down the right flank. A low cross found Gassama, and despite Hazard’s best efforts, the ball found the corner of the net.

Whittaker got one on target from range before Foster turned to his bench, introducing Jordan Houghton and Mustapha Bundu.

Both made an impact, particularly on the inside-left channel, with support from Miller and Brendan Galloway, and these four seemed to carve out some promising beginnings of opportunity that never truly materialise.

As the half progressed, so Wednesday fell deeper, and Argyle sensed chances to equalise, but the home defence was firm, and organised, seeing the game to its conclusion.

Argyle’s week on the road continues this Saturday at Blackburn, as the final ten games of the season commence.

Argyle: 21 Conor Hazard, 8 Joe Edwards (capt) (2 Bali Mumba 78'), 9 Ryan Hardie, 10 Morgan Whittaker, 14 Mickel Miller, 17 Lewis Gibson, 18 Darko Gyabi (15 Mustapha Bundu 70'), 20 Adam Randell, 22 Brendan Galloway, 26 Ashley Phillips, 27 Adam Forshaw (4 Jordan Houghton 70'). Substitutes: 1 Michael Cooper (gk), 3 Lino Sousa, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 16 Alfie Devine, 23 Ben Waine, 29 Matty Sorinola.

Booked: Forshaw 45, Randell 58.

Sheffield Wednesday: 26 James Beadle (gk), 4 Will Vaulks, 6 Dominic Iorfa (Bambo Diaby 76'), 10 Barry Bannan (capt) (44 Momo Diaby 45'), 12 Ike Ugbo (42 Bailey Cadamarteri 68'), 14 Pol Valentín (2 Liam Palmer 87'), 17 Di'Shon Bernard, 18 Marvin Johnson, 20 Michael Ihiekwe, 36 Ian Poveda (45 Anthony Musaba 76'), 41 Djeidi Gassama. Substitutes: 1 Cameron Dawson (gk), 7 Mallik Wilks, 23 Akin Famewo, 24 Michael Smith.

Attendance: 23,037.

Referee: Stephen Martin.