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#7 ARGYLE 2 Crystal Palace 0
- The Perfect Christmas Gift
- The Match: Crystal Palace (H)
THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT
Just as Greens fans in the stands were about to take their seats or put their programmes down, Palace keeper Julian Speroni had to pick the ball out of his net. 11 seconds in and Argyle frontman Nick Chadwick scored the fastest goal to have ever been witnessed at Home Park. Since arriving from Everton at the beginning of the year, 23-year old Chadwick has been bombarded with much critisism from the watching Plymouth faithful. After just one goal last season, Argyle's No.11 has often been the target of fans frustrated at the team's poor start to the campaign. This was typified during Paul Wotton's recent testimonial match, where one fan voiced his desire for Chadwick to make way for ageing Argyle legend Tommy Tynan - the Home Park favourite was amongst the substitutes for the game against Anderlecht. After the opening day victory at Reading, in which Chadwick sneaked an injury-time winner, the 2005/06 season perhaps seemed to be one of promise. However, 22 games and a change of manager later, Plymouth go into the Christmas period with a new year relegation fight facing them. Although results have been indifferent, fans will pleased with the side's progress under Tony Pulis. Recent performances have impressed and appear to have coincided with Chadwick's return to form. The Shropshire-born striker bagged goals in the win over QPR, a match in which we saw glimpses of a settled, battling side, and of course last week's creditable draw with Watford. Nicky now joins Paul Wotton and Akos Buzsaky as the club's joint top scorers with 4 goals each and the Pilgrim's prospects certainly look a lot brighter for the second half of the season. I applaude Pulis' faith in his players, as where ex-cheif Bobby Williamson often replaced strikers too eagerly. Chadwick has now had time to settle and let's hope he does live up to his £250,000 transfer fee and make some the more sceptical, over-critical Argyle fans eat their words.
- The Perfect Christmas Gift
- The Match: Crystal Palace (H)
THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT
Just as Greens fans in the stands were about to take their seats or put their programmes down, Palace keeper Julian Speroni had to pick the ball out of his net. 11 seconds in and Argyle frontman Nick Chadwick scored the fastest goal to have ever been witnessed at Home Park. Since arriving from Everton at the beginning of the year, 23-year old Chadwick has been bombarded with much critisism from the watching Plymouth faithful. After just one goal last season, Argyle's No.11 has often been the target of fans frustrated at the team's poor start to the campaign. This was typified during Paul Wotton's recent testimonial match, where one fan voiced his desire for Chadwick to make way for ageing Argyle legend Tommy Tynan - the Home Park favourite was amongst the substitutes for the game against Anderlecht. After the opening day victory at Reading, in which Chadwick sneaked an injury-time winner, the 2005/06 season perhaps seemed to be one of promise. However, 22 games and a change of manager later, Plymouth go into the Christmas period with a new year relegation fight facing them. Although results have been indifferent, fans will pleased with the side's progress under Tony Pulis. Recent performances have impressed and appear to have coincided with Chadwick's return to form. The Shropshire-born striker bagged goals in the win over QPR, a match in which we saw glimpses of a settled, battling side, and of course last week's creditable draw with Watford. Nicky now joins Paul Wotton and Akos Buzsaky as the club's joint top scorers with 4 goals each and the Pilgrim's prospects certainly look a lot brighter for the second half of the season. I applaude Pulis' faith in his players, as where ex-cheif Bobby Williamson often replaced strikers too eagerly. Chadwick has now had time to settle and let's hope he does live up to his £250,000 transfer fee and make some the more sceptical, over-critical Argyle fans eat their words.
Do YOU think that Nick Chadwick will be Argyle's top goalscorer this season?
THE MATCH: CRYSTAL PALACE (H)
Back to match itself, Plymouth needed to show real resilliance and determination to control the response of probably the most-feared strikeforce in the division. At one point, Iain Dowie threw four strikers at Plymouth in Jonathan Macken, Dougie Freedman and sought-after England International Andrew Johnson. Together with Joel McAnuff, who had earlier replaced Republic of Ireland Clinton Morrison, the Eagles frontline were a constant threat - Johnson coming the closest with a good strike just before half-time that cannon back off the post. Argyle's own, credited with an International cap for the Emerald Isle, Mickey Evans was sacrificed for an extra man in midfield as Pulis' side managed to contain Palace. That extra man was Akos Buzsaky, making his long-awaited return from injury. As the final whistle drew nearer, the ever-present David Norris broke away teeing up left-flanker Tony Capaldi, who cooly converted to seal the points. Full Match report here.
Back to match itself, Plymouth needed to show real resilliance and determination to control the response of probably the most-feared strikeforce in the division. At one point, Iain Dowie threw four strikers at Plymouth in Jonathan Macken, Dougie Freedman and sought-after England International Andrew Johnson. Together with Joel McAnuff, who had earlier replaced Republic of Ireland Clinton Morrison, the Eagles frontline were a constant threat - Johnson coming the closest with a good strike just before half-time that cannon back off the post. Argyle's own, credited with an International cap for the Emerald Isle, Mickey Evans was sacrificed for an extra man in midfield as Pulis' side managed to contain Palace. That extra man was Akos Buzsaky, making his long-awaited return from injury. As the final whistle drew nearer, the ever-present David Norris broke away teeing up left-flanker Tony Capaldi, who cooly converted to seal the points. Full Match report here.