CHAMPIONSHIP Plymouth Argyle 2 Coventry City 2
- Details
- Last Updated on Thursday, 15 February 2024 13:29
- Published on Wednesday, 14 February 2024 22:45
- Written by ROSS REID at Home Park
Kitching got the final near-post flick to Victor Torp’s free kick from the left in the sixth and final minute of stoppage time.
Top scorer Morgan Whittaker scored his 17th Championship goal of the season to fire Argyle 1-0 up against high-flying City at rain-soaked and misty Home Park on 55 minutes.
Whittaker was unmarked as he ran on to meet Adam Randell’s cross from the left with a cool, first-time left-foot finish from close range.
City levelled through striker Ellis Simms on 65 minutes, running on to a superb, defence splitting pass from Torp to beat home keeper Conor Hazard at the second attempt.
Northern Ireland keeper Hazard saved Simms’ first strike but on an increasingly slippery surface could not hold on to the ball and the City striker followed-up to chest the ball in.
The Sky Blues’ lead was short-lived as Argyle substitute wing back Mikel Miller cut in from the left and let fly on 68 minutes.
The ball deflected off City defender Bobby Thomas, wrong-footing diving keeper Bradley Collins.
It seemed as though that would be enough to seal a home win, until Kitching broke Argyle hearts with the last kick of the game.
Whittaker looked to put Plymouth ahead in the opening five minutes.
He beat two players down the right before sending a pacey fourth minute cross across the face of Collins’ goalmouth that should have been converted.
A minute later Collins produced a diving save at the foot of his post as Whittaker cut in from the right and let fly with a low goal-bound shot, which initially looked to have wrong-footed the City keeper.
At the other end, Hazard had to be alert to save a speculative 10th minute Godden strike, which skimmed towards goal from 20 yards.
Hazard had to go full stretch to tip Milan van Ewijk’s angled drive around the post in the 23rd minute.
The Argyle keeper was again called into action a minute later as Victor Torp tried his luck from 25 yards as Coventry continued to press.
In a rare Argyle counter, Alfie Devine first-timed wide from wing back Lino Sousa’s 34th minute cross from the left.
Godden missed a golden opportunity on 35 minutes heading wide past the far post from close range, with only Hazard to beat, from Jake Bidwell’s pinpoint cross from the left.
Argyle striker Ryan Hardie beat two defenders but not Collins as he broke into the box and let fly on the run in the 36th minute.
Whittaker skimmed the outside of the net in the 44th minute with a 20 yard left-foot strike on the run after going solo.
Coventry started the second half as they finished the first, in the ascendancy with Godden forcing a save from Hazard, using his feet to keep out an angled drive, and Kasey Palmer skimming a 25-yard shot just wide in the 50th minute.
Argyle hit back with Whittaker taking his season’s total goal tally to 18 to ignite the contest.
SWSN Star Adam Randell
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