Football League World
·16 September 2024
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·16 September 2024
The Pilgrims secured their first win of the season with an injury-time goal at Home Park
Plymouth Argyle registered their first Championship win of the Wayne Rooney era in the most dramatic of fashions at the weekend, as Joe Edwards’ last-gasp winner secured a 3-2 victory over Sunderland.
After two draws and two defeats before the international break, the Pilgrims got their first three-point haul at the fifth time of asking, as they got the better of the Black Cats, who were yet to drop a point before visiting Home Park.
Patrick Roberts’ penalty had got the Mackems off to the perfect start in Devon, before a Dan Ballard own goal and Ryan Hardie penalty turned things around in the second-half.
Romaine Mundle must have thought he had rescued a point for his side in the closing minutes, before Argyle captain Joe Edwards popped up with the winner in injury time to send the home crowd into ecstasy.
After once again scoring such a vital goal for the football club, Edwards took to social media to celebrate the win on Saturday, as he acknowledged the atmosphere at the Theatre of Greens as his side emerged victorious.
The former Walsall man said: “No better place when it’s like that,” accompanied by pictures of the joyous celebrations after he was quickest to the rebound, as Anthony Patterson spilled Kornel Szucs’ shot from range.
The majority of the Argyle squad that are on social media were quick to respond to the message, with Dutch winger Ibrahim Cissoko leading the way with just one word: “Legend”.
That sums up just what the majority of the fanbase think about Edwards at this moment in time, with the captain continuing to lead by example with his domineering performances from right back.
Having scored the goal to keep Argyle in the Championship last season - with his header the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory over Hull City on the final day of the campaign - the Sunderland striker is the latest to add to Edwards’ repertoire of special Home Park moments.
Cissoko, as well as teammates Michael Obafemi and Muhamed Tijani were quick to put praise on the 33-year-old, while Nathanael Ogbeta demanded that the match-winner is built a statue.
A number of familiar Argyle faces from the past also weighed in over the weekend, with Panutche Camara, Mickel Miller and Antoni Sarcevic all commenting, as well as former green Frank Nouble.
After coming back from the International break without a win to their name, the visit of the previously flawless league leaders will have done nothing to ease the fears for Argyle before Saturday’s clash.
Regis Le Bris’ side had conceded just one goal in their opening four matches of the season, and had looked imperious in their early performances which saw them top of the tree as the Championship season resumed.
That early form looked like being extended as Bali Mumba was adjudged to have fouled Chris Rigg for a penalty midway through the first half, as Roberts converted from the spot.
But Rooney’s halftime team talk did the trick for the Pilgrims, as they came out fighting in the second half, with Morgan Whittaker’s volley being tipped onto the bar by Patterson, only for the rebound to head into the net off of Ballard.
20 minutes later and the Greens were in front, with Ballard once again the guilty party, as he fouled Hardie in the box, with the Scot picking himself up to convert from 12 yards to turn the game around.
Mundle’s low drive looked to have earned a point for the visitors with just four minutes left on the clock, before Edwards was quickest to react to send the home crowd into raptures.
With tough tests against West Bromwich Albion and Luton Town to come, those three points were crucial for the Greens, with the skipper once again proving himself to be the man for the biggest occasions.