Argyle put up good display at league leaders

Okehampton Argyle First Team Match Report

South West Peninsula League Division One East

Sat 28th August

Newquay 6  Okehampton Argyle 3

 

This was always going to be a tough game for Argyle against league leaders Newquay but they won the admiration of their hosts for the quality of their attacking play and contributed fully to a very entertaining game of football.

 

Argyle got off to a poor start after only three minutes when Ed Squire attempted to pass the ball across his own goal area and Newquay’s Paul Robertson nipped in to score.  Okehampton  immediately hit back and on 5 minutes, Ben Waters went close when put through by Matt Sanders.  Influential Argyle midfielder Ben Ferguson had to leave the field with an injury after 20 minutes and was replaced by sixteen year old Luke Alden who had another fine game.  Then on 25 minutes, Ed Squire went on a strong surging run at the Newquay defence only to be brought down on the edge of the box.  Up stepped Matt Sanders to fire home a tremendous direct free kick to tie the match.  Six minutes later, a long ball from Dan Johnstone released Frankie Nomah-Koneh who skilfully flicked the ball over Newquay keeper Luke Payne’s head to give Okehampton the lead.  In what was turning out to be an exciting end to end feast of attacking football, Newquay were level within a minute when Luke Weldhen fired home a great shot from the left edge of Argyle’s penalty area.  On 36 minutes, the goalfest continued when Newquay’s Luke Rigby scored with a speculative shot from thirty yards, but Argyle were desperately unlucky not to be level by halftime as Frankie Nomah-Koneh hit the Newquay bar after being played in by Matt Sanders. 

 

Okehampton continued to match Newquay blow for blow as the second half commenced and the tremendous combination play of Ben Waters and Frankie Nomah-Koneh up front caused continual problems for the home defence.  The match was lost in a ten minute spell midway through the half.  On 60 minutes, a James Williams slide tackle on a home forward in the Argyle box saw the ball roll back onto the Okehampton captain’s arm and the referee awarded a penalty.  This was duly dispatched by Newquay’s Jake Hartigan although Argyle keeper Chris Dearing got within inches of it.  Three minutes later, a through ball from deep eluded the Okes’ defence and Robertson scored his second of the game for Newquay.  Then on 69 minutes, Chris Dearing was only able to parry a ball in from deep into the path of Newquay’s Shaun Middleton who finished from close range.  Many teams would have folded after a spell like this, but Argyle got their heads up and came back at Newquay, and seven minutes from time, Luke Alden played a lovely ball forward to Nomah-Koneh, who beat his defender before firing home a superb shot from the edge of the box.

 

There were a lot of positives in this match for Okehampton although they will be disappointed with the end result.  The game was a great advert for attacking football, well controlled by referee Mr. A. Howes.

 

Next Saturday’s fixtures-all kick-o*** 3pm:

South West Peninsula League: Oke Argyle 1sts v Callington Town home

Devon & Exeter Div 4: 2nds v Sidbury Utd 2nds away

Devon & Exeter Div 8: 3rds v Tedburn 2nds away