Five-star Plymouth Argyle continued their pre-season campaign with a stunning win against Cheltenham Town on Saturday afternoon.
Cheltenham Town welcomed Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle to Whaddon Road in the Town’s fourth pre-season game.
The Robins, donning their new home kit, handed three new trialists chances to impress manager Micheal Flynn, one of which was former Forest Green Rovers captain Dom Bernard looking to earn himself a contract back in the EFL.
The Championship side started a strong 11, with players such as Premier League rumoured Michael Cooper, Rangers target Morgan Whittaker and captain and fan-favourite Joe Edwards starting for the visitors.
The game started end-to-end with both Argyle and Cheltenham having possession in the final third. The visitors had the first shot on target with Whittaker’s freekick, as he attempted to slot it low past keeper Owen Evans, who was equal to the attempt.
New signing Ryan Haynes came close for the Robins from a corner, with a curled effort just wide of the target. Moments later, Leeds United loanee Darko Gyabi tried his luck from range, but his low-driven effort provided no challenge for the hosts. Argyle grew quickly into the game with a quick counter-attack, with defender Tom Bradbury racing in to make a crucial block to deny the Greens their opener.
Cheltenham found the opener on the 20th-minute mark when striker Liam Dulson got on the end of Haynes’ cross to poke it home. The hosts enjoyed their spell of possession, and Matty Taylor came close to a second soon after but was denied by the boot of goalkeeper Cooper.
Argyle were close to a comical equaliser when Mustapha Bundu’s effort took a nasty deflection of Harrison Sonha. The Greens did get their equaliser, however, when Ibrahim Cissoko connected perfectly with a cross from winger Whittaker and headed his effort passed the helpless Evans. They then doubled their lead in quick succession with a fantastic long-range strike, this time from Whittaker. Once again, the Cheltenham shotstopper was helpless to the attempt.
Returning fan-favourite for Cheltenham Harry Pell then looked to equalise for the Robins with a headed effort, but his effort looped over the top of the Greens’ goal.
Evans then denied Cissoko from getting a second of the afternoon with a brilliant close-range save, but it wasn’t long before the Rooney’s team had a two-goal deficit. Muhamed Tijani capitalised on a defensive mistake, as the ball cannoned off Tijani’s leg, making it 3-1 just before half-time.
Half time: Cheltenham Town 1-3 Plymouth Argyle
The start of the first half saw a flurry of changes for Cheltenham, with new loanee signing Lewis Payne, Aidan Keena, Liam Kinsella and two trialists entering the field for the Town.
Micheal Flynn’s side came close to halving the deficit, with record signing Keena’s headed effort going just left of the post. Tijani then bagged his brace, twisting his way through the defence and capping his run-off with a superbly-taken finish.
Argyle then made a full 11 change, with the likes of Callum Wright and Bali Mumba entering the fray for the visitors. The hosts made three more substitutions in the meantime, with Jordan Thomas, Joe Day and Ethon Archer all entering the field of play.
Ryan Hardie opened his pre-season account, finishing his rebounded effort into the back of substitute keeper Day’s net, and the Argyle came close to a sixth, but Day was equal to ex-Robin Wright’s effort.
With 10 left on the clock, Cheltenham youth prospects Cameron Walters and Freddie Willcox came off the bench for cameo appearances.
Full time: Cheltenham Town 1-5 Plymouth Argyle
