As our regulars must have been Christmas shopping, I will attempt to fill the void.
The ying yang of last week, when we turned one point into three, became the yang ying this week, when we succumbed to a 93rd minute goal more akin to a pin ball machine in the penalty area.
The team was unchanged but the Rotherham team included David Ball, who I remember for scoring a brilliant goal for Fleetwood against us at HP a few years ago, so I was worried he would be a threat.
Anyway the game was pretty even in the first half. Our defence was passing to each other á la Barcelona, which always worries me. Anyway we managed to not get caught in possession. Rotherham played around neatly to the edge of our area but then were restricted to long range shooting which die not trouble Mr. Roos.
In that first half Taylor was being marked by two large gentlemen, one of them, Ajayi would have not looked out of place in a basketball team. He was good though, no hoofing, he could play a bit. Taylor was trying his best to compete in the air but was having a bit more success when the ball came to him on the ground. Around him, Grant was fairly quiet, Jerky Jervis was having a mare (and a lazy mare at that), Fox and Toums were effective with providing any real forward threat, Bradley was playing well, Sawyer and Taylor-Sinclair looked competent in the main, Edwards was a worry as he plainly pulling a shirt a time or two at corners in front of the ref, and Carey was, well Carey, always a threat on the ball and a major disappointment when he anything wrong. He got booked which was a worry and it was a typical Carey booking, flying in and missed the ball. They also had two players booked in that first half.
The second half kicked off and, in no time flat their No 6, Wood, who had already been booked, clattered into Taylor and received his marching orders. So at 0 v 0 and them down to 10 men, we must be in for at least a point.
Well actually, Rotherham raised their game with ten men and pegged us back quite a lot in the middle period of the second half. Then, unsurprisingly, Adams recognised that Jerky was managing to do absolutely nothing right, or nothing at all, one of the two, and he was subbed. Ainsworth came on for him. Shortly afterwards Grant made way for Wylde. This was a bit of a shock to me, to have these two on at the same time. I assume he wanted to stretch Rotherham as far and wide as he could.
Then a corner from Ainsworth was neatly headed in at the near post by ex Miller, Taylor, who was roundly booed after that and indeed was booked for celebrating in front of their fans. Only 8 minutes to go - could we hang on ?
Well there seemed little threat until the third minute of stoppage time when Sawyer mistimed a jump or miscalculated the fact that there were two men behind him on a long crossfield ball. The resulting cross lead to a corner and the most infuriating, poor corner kick, bobbled around, was booted against a player, then again, then again and then it fell to someone who stuck through a crowd of players from a few yards out. So much for jingle bells .... Argyle win away !
Anyway, with clarity of thought, a draw was a fair result and, with the Gillingham bonus of last week, these things even themselves out (apparently). I would have taken the draw before the game, so it was a point won.
A word for the ref, he was not the best, but far from the worst I've seen. He got all the bookings right, apart from Taylor, which to be honest I didn't see as I was still jumping around celebrating.
So onwards and upwards - we need the win next week.
The ying yang of last week, when we turned one point into three, became the yang ying this week, when we succumbed to a 93rd minute goal more akin to a pin ball machine in the penalty area.
The team was unchanged but the Rotherham team included David Ball, who I remember for scoring a brilliant goal for Fleetwood against us at HP a few years ago, so I was worried he would be a threat.
Anyway the game was pretty even in the first half. Our defence was passing to each other á la Barcelona, which always worries me. Anyway we managed to not get caught in possession. Rotherham played around neatly to the edge of our area but then were restricted to long range shooting which die not trouble Mr. Roos.
In that first half Taylor was being marked by two large gentlemen, one of them, Ajayi would have not looked out of place in a basketball team. He was good though, no hoofing, he could play a bit. Taylor was trying his best to compete in the air but was having a bit more success when the ball came to him on the ground. Around him, Grant was fairly quiet, Jerky Jervis was having a mare (and a lazy mare at that), Fox and Toums were effective with providing any real forward threat, Bradley was playing well, Sawyer and Taylor-Sinclair looked competent in the main, Edwards was a worry as he plainly pulling a shirt a time or two at corners in front of the ref, and Carey was, well Carey, always a threat on the ball and a major disappointment when he anything wrong. He got booked which was a worry and it was a typical Carey booking, flying in and missed the ball. They also had two players booked in that first half.
The second half kicked off and, in no time flat their No 6, Wood, who had already been booked, clattered into Taylor and received his marching orders. So at 0 v 0 and them down to 10 men, we must be in for at least a point.
Well actually, Rotherham raised their game with ten men and pegged us back quite a lot in the middle period of the second half. Then, unsurprisingly, Adams recognised that Jerky was managing to do absolutely nothing right, or nothing at all, one of the two, and he was subbed. Ainsworth came on for him. Shortly afterwards Grant made way for Wylde. This was a bit of a shock to me, to have these two on at the same time. I assume he wanted to stretch Rotherham as far and wide as he could.
Then a corner from Ainsworth was neatly headed in at the near post by ex Miller, Taylor, who was roundly booed after that and indeed was booked for celebrating in front of their fans. Only 8 minutes to go - could we hang on ?
Well there seemed little threat until the third minute of stoppage time when Sawyer mistimed a jump or miscalculated the fact that there were two men behind him on a long crossfield ball. The resulting cross lead to a corner and the most infuriating, poor corner kick, bobbled around, was booted against a player, then again, then again and then it fell to someone who stuck through a crowd of players from a few yards out. So much for jingle bells .... Argyle win away !
Anyway, with clarity of thought, a draw was a fair result and, with the Gillingham bonus of last week, these things even themselves out (apparently). I would have taken the draw before the game, so it was a point won.
A word for the ref, he was not the best, but far from the worst I've seen. He got all the bookings right, apart from Taylor, which to be honest I didn't see as I was still jumping around celebrating.
So onwards and upwards - we need the win next week.
