Report | Argyle Women 1-2 Wolves
Argyle Women fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat against a strong Wolves side in an end-to-end pre-season friendly at Home Park.
The Greens overcame a strong start from the visitors, taking a deserved lead through new-signing Layla Proctor from a corner on 23 minutes.
However, Wolves’ dominance at the start of the second half saw two goals that won them the game. Charlotte Greengrass headed home from a corner, and Amy Simms made no mistake from close range when an opportunity fell to her in the box.
Wolves started the better and came close to opening the scoring within the first minute, a fortunate deflection gave Simms the chance to take aim from within the six-yard box; her effort narrowly wide of the post.
Despite the visitors having the better of the opening five minutes, the Greens forged a chance of their own on the counter. Imy Crawford drove forward and fed Roisin Kivel, who came close to calling Wolves goalkeeper Mia Smith into action from range.
Argyle continued to grow into the game and had the chance to take the lead midway through the half. Anna Morphet’s loose pass back to the keeper gave Charlotte Whitmore a sight of goal, the forward flashed an effort across the goalmouth from an acute angle.
The Greens’ pressure paid dividends with the breakthrough coming in the 23rd minute from a corner. Kivel’s pinpoint delivery teed Proctor up to head home from within the six-yard box. Smith in the Wolves’ goal was left with no chance; she could only watch the ball crash into the back of the net.
Hourihan’s side really should have doubled their lead five minutes later when Whitmore looked certain to find the back of the net after she was played through on goal. However, Smith was on hand to get down low and make a strong save to keep the score one-nil.
Despite the possession being fairly equal between the two sides, it was the efficiency of the Greens in moving the ball between the lines that was proving to be the difference maker in the first-half, midfield duo Proctor and Crawford playing a critical role in making this happen.
There was a rare moment of intervention from Argyle stopper Hermione Cull when she denied Simms from range, ensuring her side kept their lead intact.
Greengrass, Amber Hughes, Jade Cross, and Simms all had chances well snubbed by the Argyle rear-guard within the final few minutes of the first 45, Wolves finishing the half the stronger of the two sides.
The second-half began as the first ended, with Wolves having chances to draw level. The best came when Greengrass dispossessed Proctor inside her own penalty area, and with the goal at her mercy, thundered a shot over the crossbar.
The eventual pressure from the visitors proved too much, and they levelled the game just before the hour mark. Ever-present threat Greengrass headed in a corner, very similarly to the one scored by Argyle in the first-half, to make it one-all.
The visitors capitalised on their momentum and found another goal shortly after. Substitute Louanne Worsey’s teasing ball down the line found Hughes, her cross bounced around the penalty area before eventually being thrashed into the top-corner by Simms, a move deserving of a goal.
The orchestrator of the visitors’ second goal, Worsey, had a chance of her own minutes later. Thankfully for the Greens, Cull was able to bat the shot behind for a corner, preventing Wolves from doubling their advantage.
Despite being under pressure for large parts of the second period, the Greens found an avenue for attack down the left through Whitmore, who kept the Wolves’ defence honest throughout the second half.
Argyle kept pushing for a leveller and thought it would come when, with five minutes to go, Whitmore flashed an effort over after a great pick-out from Ella Stephens on the right flank.
It wasn’t to be for Hourihan’s side, who just couldn’t find a way through the compact and resolute Wolves defence in the final minutes, not for a lack of trying.
The Greens are back in action next Sunday when they travel to the Midlands to face West Bromwich Albion in their fourth pre-season test.
