Plymouth 1 Gillingham 2: Match report

ARGYLE were frustratingly on the wrong end of a late goal-burst in their Capital One Cup first-round tie at Home Park on Tuesday night.

The Derek Adams’ era continued impressively for the first 85 minutes of the new gaffer’s competitive home bow, with substitute Craig Tanner having given them a deserved lead from a spectacular 78th-minute penalty-area volley.

However, late goals from Sky Bet League 1 Gills midfielders Bradley Dack and Jake Hessenthaler inflicted a first defeat on the fresh managerial regime.

Adams had elected to go into the game with the same starting 11 and seven substitutes that had begun his reign with a 2-0 Sky Bet League 2 victory away to AFC Wimbledon. In these early days, when we are still learning about the new gaffer’s personality, preferences and peccadilloes, we can maybe chalk up loyalty and fairness against his name.

Gillingham, early leaders of League 1 after dismissing Sheffield United 4-0 at the Priestfield on opening day, tweaked their line-up a little, promoting Jake Hessenthaler and Jermaine McGlashan from the bench.

Their blunting of the Blades had owed much to Ryan Jackson’s long throw-in and Dack’s set-piece delivery, and Argyle had an early taste of both, with Pilgrims’ goalkeeper Luke McCormick purposely dominating his domain to mark his territory.

It soon became evident that Jake Jervis was a passenger and Argyle’s leading scorer in their goal-heavy pre-season limped out of the action after 11 minutes, indicating a groin problem, and was replaced by young Royal anner.

The latest addition to the Adams’ football family was immediately to the fore, picking out Gregg Wylde, who took a touch too much before shooting against Stuart Nelson’s body.

He was involved again in a move that saw Graham Carey cushion a header on to Carl McHugh’s normally trusty left peg, but the Irishman snatched at the opportunity.

Gillingham’s first sight of McCormick’s goal came from Luke Norris’s on-target but non-tricky free-kick before Tanner was at it again, teasing his way to the bye-line before sending over a cross that was nipped off the head of Wylde.