CHAMPIONSHIP Plymouth Argyle 6 Norwich City 2
- Details
- Created on Saturday, 23 September 2023 20:44
- Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 September 2023 09:31
- Published on Saturday, 23 September 2023 20:44
- Written by ROSS REID at Home Park
Plymouth Argyle attacking midfielder Morgan Whittaker scored his first Championship hat-trick as the greens stormed to a 6-2 home win over Norwich City at Home Park.
Argyle swept into a 4-0 half time lead crowned by two superb goals in first half stoppage time.
Whittaker got the ball rolling in the 15th minute, latching on to an incisive through ball from Adam Randell on the edge of the box.
Whittaker beat his marker and swept the ball home past keeper Angus Gunn from close range.
Central defender Dan Scarr profited with Argyle’s second goal on 35 minutes, firing home as City failed to clear a dangerous Finn Azaz cross from the right.
Scarr’s fellow defender Lewis Gibson met the ball with a thumping shot that crashed off the face of the City bar. Scarr was first to react, with a close range strike which gave Gunn no chance.
Argyle doubled their lead in five minutes of first half stoppage time, with top scorer Ryan Hardie providing both assists.
First the Scottish striker teed up Whittaker on the edge of the box and the Argyle attacker made no mistake with a measured finish from 20 yards in the third minute of first half stoppage time.
Two minutes later Hardie again proved provider with Azaz benefitting, finishing off a mazy twisting and turning run into the penalty area with another sweet strike, curling the ball around the diving Gunn.
Whittaker could have completed his hat-trick in the opening minutes of the second half as Argyle countered but after being teed up by the unselfish Azaz, the two-goal forward’s shot was saved by Gunn’s outstretched leg.
Hazard made a superb save on 58 minutes getting down well to keep out Adam Idah’s first time shot from a cross from the right to maintain a clean sheet.
It proved crucial as a minute later Argyle swept up the other end of the pitch and made it 5-0.
With City committed, Hardie collected the ball midway in the opposition half, beat two defenders and then set Azaz on his way down the left.
His ball into the on-running Whittaker enabled the summer £1m import from Swansea to complete his first Argyle hat-trick with a side foot finish past Gunn.
City gained late consolation when Sara put Idah in on goal and he finished clinically in the 72nd minute.
Idah doubled his tally from the spot in the 78th minute after Argyle’s former Norwich player Bali Mumba fouled substitute Onel Hernandez.
But Azaz and Argyle weren’t finished.
The playmaker’s cross-field ball set Mustapha Bundu away and he, in turn, put fellow sub Luke Cundle in on goal for a close range finish.
SWSN Star Finn Azaz
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