New Look Argyle Still Unbeaten

Argyle 0 - 0 Dagenham & Redbridge

Attn: 6,234

Cole 7, Berry 7, Charles 7, Branston 8, Bhasera 7, Cowan-Hall 6, Young 5, Hourihane 5, Banton 7 (Gurrieri 6), Murray 5 (Lecointe 6), Reid 6 (Harvey 6).

Subs not used: Chenoweth, Blanchard, Wotton, Lowry.

New Argyle manager John Sheridan remains unbeaten after three games but the lack of goals still remains a problem.

Sheridan has signed three new strikers but like predecessor Carl Fletcher the ball still rarely hits the back of the net.
On the plus side the Argyle defence has become much more solid under Sheridan with just one goal conceded in the last three games.

Centre-back Curtis Nelson missed this game through injury and new striker Gozie Ugwu is still waiting to make his debut after suffering an ankle injury soon after arriving from Reading.
New winger Jason Banton made his debut on the left which allowed Onismor Bhasera to move to left-back and Anthony Charles to shuffle across to partner Guy Branston at centre-back.

Dagenham and Redbridge (Dag & Red) started the better team and forced several corners. Sheridan stated earlier in the week that Argyle give away far too many corners so it was disappointing that Dag & Red were able to have so many in this game.

A Dag & Red free kick should have seen the double-barrelled team take the lead but somehow Luke Howell headed wide when it looked easier to score.

Argyle finally managed to get into the game after 15 minutes with Paris Cowan-Hall and Banton looking dangerous on the flanks.
Cowan-Hall set-up up Reuben Reid with a low cross and with the keeper out of position the Green Army were already cheering the goal but amazingly upon amazingly Reid managed to miss an open goal from just three yards out.
What a miss!

Banton caused problems on the left and looked to be Argyle's best chance of a goal.
A cross from Reid found Murray but his close-range shot rebounded off the cross bar.
The ball just would not go in!

For the second half Argyle struggled to play at a high tempo and put Dag & Red under pressure, however, the Greens still carved out some good chances with Conor Hourihane having a shot saved by Chris Lewington while Reid had a header cleared off the line.

Dag & Red offered little going forward but Branston and his fellow defenders still had to be alert.

Banton then picked up and injury and any momentum that Argyle had was now gone.
The game drifted along to its conclusion, it was disappointing that the attacking players showed no urgency to win the game.

We'll discover at the end of the season if five points from three consecutive home games is enough.

We didn't play particularly well, however, we carved out enough good chances to win the game.


The defence now looks very solid with Branston leading the way; Charles was comfortable as his partner while Durrell Berry and Bhasera offered support going forward.
It's in midfield and up front where the team is lacking, a midfield general is still required, this game needed a leader to take it by the scruff of the neck and drive the team forward.

Both strikers looked good in patches but the team needed more from Reid and Murray.

A clean sheet and a point, however, wins are needed now.

Man of the match: Branston.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.