Bristol Rovers 2-1 Plymouth Argyle
Pre-season fixture, The Memorial Stadium, Tuesday 30 July 2024
Two first-half goals were the difference as Bristol Rovers secured a 2-1 pre-season win over Sky Bet Championship side Plymouth Argyle.
Promise Omochere netted his second goal in as many games early on at The Memorial Stadium, tucking in after Luke Thomas’ initial effort was saved.
Jack Hunt doubled the lead on 32 minutes with a calm, poked finish from eight yards out from Luke McCormick’s deep cross into a dangerous area.
Goalkeeper Josh Griffiths was forced into a number of top saves to deny Wayne Rooney’s outfit, but could not keep out Ryan Hardie’s strike six minutes from time to ensure a thrilling conclusion to the pre-season outing.
Played in sweltering, late July conditions, Rovers set up in a 3-4-21 and started the match back on home soil quickly, putting the Sky Bet Championship side under pressure.
It only took nine minutes for Rovers to make the early efforts count, taking advantage of a gift from Argyle goalkeeper Michael Cooper. The shot-stopper’s loose pass was intercepted by Thomas who shot at goal. The goalkeeper kept the effort out but only tipped it as far as Omochere, who turned in his second goal in as many pre-season outings.
Argyle swarmed forward in search of an immediate response, with Josh Griffiths forced into a big save to deny Morgan Whittaker’s header, before Ibrahim Cissoko hit the woodwork with a fantastic strike from distance.
The hosts did not look perturbed, though, and found a second on 32 minutes. A superb cross from deep by McCormick was met by the on-running Hunt, who beat his defender to poke in a low finish on the volley.
Griffiths was called into action again as Argyle thought they had the chance to pull a goal back. Muhamed Tijani ran through one-on-one and tried a lobbed finish, only for the shot-stopper to palm the effort away.
A quiet start to the second half was interrupted on 60 minutes when McCormick tried his luck with a shot from outside the area. The attempt was wide of the mark.
Matt Taylor made six changes to his side moments later before Griffiths was called into action again with a string of good saves. First, the shot-stopper denied Callum Wright from distance before doing excellently to keep out Hardie's creative flick.
The Plymouth No9 would not be denied on 84 minutes though, tucking in at the second attempt after Griffiths again superbly kept out the first attempt.
The halved deficit ensured an exciting, if nervy conclusion to the fixture but Rovers hold on for an impressive pre-season victory.
Bristol Rovers: Griffiths, Connolly (Moore 60), Taylor (Wilson 60), Forbes (Mola 60), Hunt (Senior 60), Lindsay (Conteh 60), Shaw (Ward 78), Trialist (Bilongo 75), McCormick (Hutchinson 78), Thomas, Omochere (Sinclair 60)
Subs not used: Hall,
Goalscorers: Omochere 9, Hunt 32,
Plymouth Argyle: Cooper, Ogbeta, Houghton, Scarr, Cissoko, Whittaker, Bundu, Galloway, Tinjani, Forshaw, Palsson
Subs: Hazard, Mumba, Pleguezuelo, Hardie, Wright, Gibson, Earley, Soringola, Jenkins-Davies, Issaka
Goalscorer: Hardie 84,
Attendance: 3266 (1,100 away)
