Catman

Goals at either end of an impressive first half from Clint Hill and James Scowcroft did the damage and although Jermaine Easter set up a tense finale by pulling one back, the Eagles were able to hold on at Selhurst Park.

Little over a year ago, Neil Warnock and Paul Sturrock were Steel City rivals as managers of Sheffield United and Wednesday respectively.

But on Saturday they came face-to-face with new clubs, both of whom have enjoyed recent surges of form in the Championship.

Warnock's Palace entered the match unbeaten in their past nine league outings, while Argyle made Watford lose their place at the top of the table last week with a last-gasp victory at Vicarage Road.

The Eagles had not lost any of their previous four games at Selhurst Park and they set out looking to keep that record intact.

Ben Watson tested Argyle goalkeeper Romain Larrieu with a seventh-minute free-kick, which was superbly tipped around the post by the Frenchman.

The breakthrough was not far way, however, and it came just a minute later. Mark Hudson stood up a perfect ball from the right edge of the box which found Hill at the back post, who headed home emphatically from close range.

Argyle struggled to find their feet early in the match and offered little in terms of attacking threat.

They found themselves fortunate to stay just a goal down in the 20th minute, when Watson mishit a gilt-edge opportunity six yards from goal and sent his effort ballooning over the crossbar.

Scowcroft was next to try his luck just past the half-hour mark, but Larrieu was on hand to divert his stinging right-foot drive over the bar.

The visitors had Larrieu to thank for keeping them in the game, and he came to rescue again six minutes before the break with another great parry from Tom Soares close-range effort.

But he could do little to stop them going two-down moments before the half-time whistle.

Watson supplied the ball from the left channel and Scowcroft needed just the deftest of touches to send the ball past Larrieu and into the back of the net.

Argyle were a rejuvenated side in the early stages of the second half and they wasted no time in clawing their way back into the game.

Frenchman Nadjim Abdou sent a searching cross to back post and although Easter was at full-stretch he was able to get the connection which diverted the ball past Julian Speroni, and claim his first away goal for Argyle.

Warnock introduced Sean Scannell and David Martin around the hour-mark in an attempt to kill the game off, but it was Clinton Morrison who tested Larrieu with an effort from the edge of box.

At the other end Easter was looking lively and perhaps should have done better with a curling shot that was safely caught by Speroni.

The latter stages closed out in a scrappy manner, with Palace keen to defend their advantage.

It was Palace who came closest to grabbing the game's fourth goal in the dying moments when Danny Butterfield slammed in a long-range piledriver, but Larrieu managed to hold on.

 

Catman

Plymouth v QPR
The 21-year-old striker's left-footed strike from close range converted Peter Halmosi's corner and sent Rangers back into the Championship relegation zone.

Plymouth dominated throughout but Gareth Ainsworth converted Martin Rowlands' clinical pass in from the left to give the visitors a half-time advantage at Home Park.

But the home side finally got the reward their first-half dominance deserved with a leveller three minutes into the second half when Ebanks-Blake converted from the penalty spot after referee Steve Bratt had penalised Rowlands for handball.

And the 21-year-old finally made Argyle's dominance tell with his 10th of the season to send Plymouth to seventh place in the table, while Rangers fell to 22nd.

Akos Buzsaky began the match against his parent club after his double lifted the west Londoners off the foot of the Championship in last Saturday's 2-1 win over Colchester.

The 25-year-old Hungarian midfielder will join Rangers in a £500,000 deal next month; the transfer is anticipated to be the first of many after the investment of Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal.

Mittal's input combined with the wealth of Formula One moguls Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore means manager Luigi De Canio is expected to be given substantial funds.

Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock made three changes with midfielder Nalis returning to the starting line-up, but on-loan Manchester United youngster Lee Martin was only fit enough for a place on the bench following a hamstring injury. Ebanks-Blake and defender Paul Connolly also started.

French midfielder Nalis had the first opportunity with the game less than two minutes old but could not find the target from six yards after latching onto Halmosi's corner.

Midfielder Norris, who has been linked with a big-money move away from Devon, shot wide and Ebanks-Blake's acrobatic effort was later off target before Rangers took the lead.

Norris shot straight at Lee Camp before Nalis forced the visiting goalkeeper to parry the ball away as Argyle tried to find an equaliser.

Zesh Rehman shot over for Rangers before Ebanks-Blake again shot wide.

Krisztian Timar headed wide before Camp saved comfortably from Ebanks-Blake to keep Rangers on course for a third away win of the season.

The hosts levelled with the first attack of the second half when Rowlands was adjudged to have handled in the box and Ebanks-Blake converted coolly from the penalty spot.

Barry Hayles headed wide from Halmosi's cross before substitute Dexter Blackstock headed straight at Argyle goalkeeper Romain Larrieu from Ainsworth's corner.

Mikele Leigertwood shot over from 20 yards before Ebanks-Blake's late winner left De Canio to ponder making wholesale reinforcements at Loftus Road when the transfer window opens in seven days.

QPR midfielder Leigertwood was sent off after the final whistle for showing dissent.

 

Catman

Plymouth V Stoke
City took the lead through Richard Cresswell with just eight minutes on the clock but, after Ryan Shawcross was penalised for handball in the dying stages of the first half, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake produced the equaliser at the second attempt after Russell Hoult had saved his penalty kick.

Shawcross then gave City the lead again 12 minutes into the second half, but Krisztian Timar equalised.

Hoult - making his league debut for Stoke - was sent off late on but the home side could not fashion a winner.

The free-scoring Potters went into the game on the back of an eight-game unbeaten run, and it took only eight minutes for them to open the scoring.

Rory Delap's long throw-in caused problems in the home defence and Cresswell steered the ball home from six yards.

Hoult had earlier been called into the action to deal with a dangerous cross by Peter Halmosi, who then tried his luck from close range only for the goalkeeper to again snuff out the threat.

David Norris tried to restore parity after 25 minutes but could only fire wide from the edge of the penalty area while, a minute later, the same player forced a save from Hoult from 12 yards.

Ebanks-Blake had a shot from 12 yards well blocked by Shawcross, before City went close to making it 2-0 against the run of play.

Ricardo Fuller had barely had a kick until this point, but the striker rounded Romain Larrieu before striking the post with his resulting left-footed effort.

Then, as half-time approached, Ebanks-Blake produced a spectacular overhead kick that Hoult did well to keep hold of.

However, Plymouth did find the equaliser their pressure deserved after 43 minutes, although there was an element of luck about it.

Shawcross was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area and, although Hoult did fantastically well to parry Ebanks-Blake's spot kick, the former Manchester United junior followed up and found the net with his second attempt from six yards.

Stoke started the second half with a bang and, after Liam Lawrence had forced a good save from Larrieu, they went in front again.

After conceding the equalising penalty, Shawcross went from zero to hero by heading in Lawrence's right-wing cross from close range with 54 minutes gone.

However, back came Argyle, and they levelled for the second time midway through the second half when Halmosi sent over a corner from the right and Timar headed into the net from six yards.

There was more drama to come when, with nine minutes remaining, Ebanks-Blake went clean through and was brought down by Hoult, at the expense of a red card.

Substitute goalkeeper Steve Simonsen, who had previously made 108 succcessive league appearances, came on for Jon Parkin, and was relieved to see Halmosi clear the crossbar with the resulting free-kick.

Ebanks-Blake then had a late chance to win it, but his overhead kick was parried to safety by Simonsen.

 

Catman

Plymouth V Cardiff
The Wales midfielder enhanced his burgeoning reputation as his first-half strike was enough to clinch all three points by sealing three Championship points for the Bluebirds.

Cardiff's festive form has eased the pressure on boss Dave Jones and brought a sense of renewed optimism to Ninian Park following a miserable start to the campaign that saw them hovering just above the relegation zone last month.

Jones kept faith with the same starting XI that came from behind to beat Preston 2-1 at the weekend as former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink continued his partnership with Paul Parry in attack.

Meanwhile, Argyle were flying high in sixth prior to kick-off but would have to cope with the loss of striker Barry Hayles who agreed to follow former boss Ian Holloway to Leicester on Monday.

Both teams were hesitant to commit themselves too early and while Argyle strikers Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Jermaine Easter posed a constant threat, it was the home side that broke the deadlock in the 30th minute.

Former Pilgrims full-back Tony Capaldi pounced on a poor clearance before drilling in a shot from the edge of the area which goalkeeper Romain Larrieu could only parry into the path of 20-year-old midfielder Ledley, who gratefully tapped home from close range.

It was the Wales international's second goal in as many games and his exhilarating performances on the Cardiff wing have caught the eye of several Premier League clubs.

But a determined Argyle side were almost on level terms when David Norris' shot from distance deflected off Roger Johnson and on to the post with goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel beaten.

The visitors increased the pressure before the interval but shots from Peter Halmosi and Krisztian Timar were cleanly dealt with by the Bluebirds defence.

After the break, former Wycombe forward Easter capitalised on hesitancy in the Cardiff defence to latch on to a bouncing ball before smashing a goal-bound effort which was tipped round the post by Schmeichel.

Boss Jones then withdrew Hasselbaink in favour of bringing on the fresh legs of Steven MacLean as he attempted to invigorate the Cardiff attack.

And MacLean almost made an instant impact after the dangerous Ledley slid a through-ball to the feet of the former Scunthorpe striker but he could not take it around goalkeeper Larrieu who successfully smothered MacLean's effort.

A frantic final five minutes included chances for both sides as Parry had his effort cleared off the line by retreating Pilgrims defender Paul Connolly while Argyle applied some strong late pressure as they went in search of a late equaliser.

But it was the Bluebirds who almost scored again to double their lead when they hit the visitors on the counter attack with just one minute remaining but a neat move involving MacLean and Ledley resulted in the goalscorer firing narrowly wide.

The Pilgrims refused to give up and the home side had keeper Schmeichel to thank once again as he pulled off another fantastic save to his right as loan signing Lukasz Jutkiewicz's overhead kick looked to be heading in with the last kick of the game.

 

dirtydefender11

Iv read this it is first class your a great reporter

 

Catman

A report is done for each side so yes you will see the report twice and thank you for the complement.:lol2:

 

dirtydefender11

Your welcome!!

 

Catman

FA Cup 3rd round Plymouth V Hull
Halmosi was at the heart of everything for the home side and his two first-half free-kicks caused turmoil in the Tigers defence as Nadjim Abdou gave the Pilgrims the lead before another tantalising set-piece from the Hungarian midfielder made it 2-0 at half-time at Home Park.

Second-half substitute Windass struck twice either side of a Sylvan Ebanks-Blake goal in a frantic 10 minutes to give the determined visitors hope, but it was not to be as the Pilgrims progressed to the fourth round.

It was the home team who started the brightest as thunderous shots from Ebanks-Blake and Halmosi forced Boaz Myhill to make two great saves at full stretch within the first 20 minutes.

The Pilgrims continued to press and did not have to wait long before their dominance was converted into goals.

After Tigers defender Sam Collins had hauled down Ebanks-Blake on the right, Halmosi's free-kick was met by French midfielder Abdou, who slotted home from the centre of the penalty area in the 23rd minute.

Just three minutes later the home side had doubled their lead when Halmosi's set-piece delivery again caused havoc as the visitors' defence failed to cope with his 35-yard free-kick and the ball evaded everyone before creeping into the net.

But Hull finally found their feet a minute before the interval when Stuart Elliott's shot was blocked before falling to Nick Barmby who fired in a ferocious effort which goalkeeper Luke McCormick saved brilliantly.

Tigers boss Brown sent on fans' favourites Windass and Richard Garcia after the break and the change had an immediate effect as the visitors' confidence seemed to improve dramatically.

And they were soon back in the match as the seemingly ageless Windass struck in the 51st minute to give the visitors hope.

The 38-year-old defied his years to latch onto Barmby's knock-down before exquisitely lobbing the advancing goalkeeper to make it 2-1.

All of a sudden the game came to life and both sides had their chances in a furious period of football.

Garcia almost levelled for the Tigers with a fantastic header three minutes after Windass' strike but it was the Pilgrims who found the back of the net as Ebanks-Blake scored his 13th goal of the season.

Halmosi was pivotal again as he went on a mazy run before laying the ball unselfishly to the former Manchester United man who made no mistake with his curling effort from the edge of the box to make it 3-1 in the 58th minute.

But just as Plymouth began to breathe easily once again, Windass was on hand in the 60th minute to set up a grandstand finish to a pulsating FA Cup tie.

Referee Paul Taylor awarded a free-kick to Hull after defender Marcel Seip was adjudged to have fouled £1million man Caleb Folan and Windass stepped up to curl the 25-yard free-kick past a sprawling McCormick to reduce the deficit to just one goal again.

Manager Paul Sturrock refused to let his side sit on their one-goal lead and urged them forward.

His tactics would have paid dividends but Hull keeper Myhill pulled off a string of fine saves to deny Luke Summerfield and then Halmosi as the home side sealed their progression through to the next round.

 

Catman

Plymouth V Burnley
Burnley finally ended their Turf Moor hoodoo as Robbie Blake came off the bench to earn them a 1-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle on Saturday. Blake broke the deadlock in the 65th minute with a sweetly-struck volley less than 10 minutes after coming on to give the Clarets a welcome three points.

Burnley had failed to win in their last nine games at home, a run stretching back to their 2-1 win over Norwich in October.

It was also their first win in six, home and away, and boosts their hopes of pushing back towards the play-off places.

Argyle were without 11-goal top scorer Sylvan Ebanks-Blake following his midweek move to Wolves and it showed as the play-off hopefuls seldom threatened after Brian Jensen saved Lilian Nalis' second-minute header.

Burnley winger Wade Elliott then volleyed over from the edge of the box as the hosts took control and their patient play almost paid off in the 17th minute.

Central midfielder Jon Harley picked out Elliott on the right but his first-time centre flashed across the face of goal beyond striker Andy Gray.

Joey Gudjonsson fired narrowly wide from 25 yards after some sharp passing on the Burnley left and the Icelandic midfielder was unable to direct Elliott's right-wing cross goalwards on the half-hour mark.

Gudjonsson then found Elliott on the right but Steve Jones, handed his first league start of the season following Kyle Lafferty's red card against Arsenal last week, could only head his cross wide.

Jones sent another header wide following Gudjonsson's surging run down the right, which typified a dismal first half.

The home crowd voiced their frustration at the break but then got right behind their team and were almost rewarded with the opening goal five minutes after the restart.

Right-back Graham Alexander played in Gray behind the Argyle defence, although Luke McCormick was out quickly to parry a weak shot from the former Sunderland striker.

Burnley boss Owen Coyle replaced Jones with Blake in a bid to revive his attack and moments later, Blake found space in the Plymouth box to fire beyond the far post.

But it was Blake who finally made the breakthrough for Burnley midway through the half, deftly turning the ball home from 12 yards from Elliott's pull-back.

Blake almost hit a superb second in the 72nd minute, with his 30-yard strike heading for the top corner until McCormick pulled off a fine save to turn the ball wide, and McCormick denied Alexander from the resulting corner.

Blake continued to cause Plymouth problems and his driven cross in the 83rd minute was just too long for strike partner Gray.

But Blake's sixth goal of the season proved to be enough as Argyle still failed to push men forward in the closing stages.

 

Catman

Plymouth V Southampton
Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis turned in a man-of-the-match display to hold Plymouth Argyle to a 1-1 draw at Home Park on Saturday. Davis was in majestic form to deny Pilgrims boss Paul Sturrock a Championship victory over his former employees.

Sturrock was unceremoniously dismissed after just 13 games in charge of Saints in 2004, but his old club showed no sentimentality as they took the lead through Bradley Wright-Phillips after 12 minutes.

Rory Fallon's 49th-minute volley levelled the score for the home side but it was Davis who stole the show in a second half full of chances for Sturrock's side.

The Argyle boss threw new signing Steven MacLean straight into the Pilgrims' starting line-up despite only completing his move from Cardiff on Friday, while there was also a place for returning midfielder David Norris.

The Pilgrims have been in unpredictable form since Sturrock took over from Ian Holloway at the end of November and went into the game having won two, lost two and drawn one of their last five games.

Southampton were on the back of a two-game winning streak having beaten Scunthorpe last week and dumping Leicester out of the FA Cup the week before that.

Saints boss George Burley, who was granted permission to speak to the Scottish Football Association about the vacant Scotland manager's position this week, found no place in his squad for loan signing Stephen O'Halloran.

It was the home side who started the brightest and influential midfielder Norris carved out a chance for them to take the lead within four minutes.

Norris' delicate cross was met with an athletic header from Fallon but his effort missed the target.

That served as a wake-up call for Saints and Burley's side began to find their feet to snatch the lead through former Manchester City forward Wright-Phillips in the 12th minute.

Swedish full-back Alexander Ostlund capitalised on a loose ball before threading through a well-timed pass for Wright-Phillips, who raced clear of the defence before keeping his composure to chip goalkeeper Luke McCormick.

But the visitors were not allowed to sit on their lead as Sturrock's side pushed forward in an attempt to get one back before half-time.

And Saints had keeper Davis to thank for maintaining their lead as he pulled off fantastic saves from Lilian Nalis, Luke Summerfield and Peter Halmosi.

The home side could have been forgiven for starting the second half downhearted after all their goal-mouth pressure counted for little at the end of the first period, but whatever Sturrock said to his men during the break seemed to have the desired effect.

The Pilgrims came out all guns blazing and soon had their reward with an equaliser four minutes after the re-start.

Hungary midfielder Halmosi was the creator as his pull-back from the left was met by Fallon who volleyed home from a central position to deservedly level the scores.

The game became cagey after Fallon's strike and neither side seemed willing to seize the initiative and push for the lead but it was Argyle who were now enjoying the lion's share of possession.

Half-chances for Halmosi and debutant MacLean were the nearest anyone came to finding the net again before more goalkeeping heroics from Davis kept the scores level.

Despite picking up a point, Argyle slip to 11th in the table and are four points off the play-off places, while Saints are two points back in 13th.