Plymouth Argyle 1-0 Rotherham United: FLW reports as Pilgrims edge past Millers | OneFootball

FLW reports on League One action from Home Park as Plymouth Argyle hosted Rotherham United.

Plymouth Argyle ran out narrow 1-0 winners over Rotherham United, with Joe Ralls' first goal for the club the difference between the two sides.

Plymouth were the stronger of the two teams in the first half, and were rewarded on the stroke of half-time when Ralls turned home Owen Dale's cross, for what was his first goal for his new club.

Rotherham came out swinging in the second half, going close on multiple occasions, and even having a Tom Holmes header cleared off the line, but the Greens held firm, picking up back-to-back wins and clean sheets.

Plymouth Argyle 1-0 Rotherham United

It took ten minutes for the first shot of the match to be taken, but it wasn't much threat to opening the scoreline. Matty Sorinola had a drive from distance after some neat midfield play that sailed well wide.

Tom Holmes then came close from a corner for the Millers less than five minutes later. The defender rose the highest to meet Daniel Gore's corner, which he nodded over the bar from close range.

Not a lot else happened in the first half, with most of the action happening in the middle of the park. The closest either side went was when Rotherham almost deflected an Argyle corner into their own net.

On the stroke of half-time though, the breakthrough would come for the home team, and it was well deserved. Bali Mumba played in Dale down the right flank, who's low cross was turned home by the onrushing Ralls for his first goal in Green and White.

Ralls' strike proved to be the difference at the break after Joe Powell provided a late scare for Tom Cleverley's team. Their lead remained intact heading into the break, which was well deserved.

Matt Hamshaw opted to change shape ahead of the second half, bringing on full-back Marvin Kaleta in place of Dru Yearwood, as Rotherham looked to grab control of the game.

The Millers came out swinging in the opening exchanges of the second 45, and had two big chances inside the first six minutes to get back on terms.

Jordan Hugill headed over an inch-perfect Powell cross from mere yards out, before Ar'jany Martha blasted a shot high and wide of Conor Hazard's goal, having found space on the right flank.

Rotherham's relentless pressure continued, with Hazard having to make a smart save to deny Powell from a tight angle, whilst Alex Mitchell threw his body in front of just about anything to preserve his side's lead.

With less than ten minutes remaining, the visitors were inches away from levelling the score after Hazard parried a corner onto the head of Holmes, who headed towards what was an empty net, until Mitchell appeared on the line to hook it clear.

Argyle held firm, and almost added a second in stoppage time when Owen Oseni was denied one-on-one, but most importantly, they saw out the victory to secure back-to-back wins and clean sheets.

Plymouth Argyle player ratings

C. Hazard - 6

J. Edwards - 5 (K. Szucs 68'(6)

J. Pleguezuelo - 8

A. Mitchell - 9

B. Galloway - 7

M. Sorinola - 6 (A. Benarous 78'(6))

M. Boateng - 7

J. Ralls - 8

O. Dale - 8 (M. Ross 87'(6))

B. Mumba - 6 (B. Wiredu 87'(6))

O. Oseni -

Unused substitutes: L. Ashby-Hammond, J. Paterson, X. Amaechi

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Rotherham United player ratings

C. Dawson - 6

J. Rafferty - 6 (J. Ayres 62'(6))

T. Holmes - 6

J. Baptiste - 6

D. Hall - 6

J. Powell - 7

D. Yearwood - 5 (M. Kaleta 46'(6))

K. Spence - 6 (S. Raggett 93'(6))

D. Gore - 6

A. Martha - 6 (J. Holmes 96'(N/A))

J. Hugill - 6

Unused substitutes: T. Cann, L. Kelly, H. Douglas

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Match attendance

There were 14,318 fans present at Home Park on Saturday, including 335 making the long trip down from Rotherham.

Tom Cleverley reacts as Plymouth Argyle secure long-awaited home victory

Speaking to the press after the match, a pleased Plymouth boss Cleverley said: Yeah, not the greatest game of football.

"I think we took a decision about six weeks ago to make sure that we're all on the same page on how we're going to be successful, and that decision will be substance over style for the coming weeks with the group that we've got and the players at our disposal.

"I think the substance of the style is important, so I think that's for one-nil wins in our last six, and the guys are doing all the fundamentals and basics to a really high level. Now it's not the prettiest on the eye at times, but they really are fighting for one another, fighting for the shirt, putting their bodies on the line.

"I think to be honest, yeah, today we did do enough to win the game. They made us work really hard and I thought they were good in the 2nd half.

"But last week, I thought, and the week before that, we definitely deserved to take in a halftime lead, so maybe it's balanced itself out a little bit."

Matt Hamshaw reacts as Rotherham United suffer back-to-back defeats

Speaking to the press following his side's narrow defeat at the hands of Plymouth, Rotherham boss Hamshaw said: "I don't think it was a tough afternoon.

"I thought there was one team in it and one team got all three points and one who didn't, and we've come on wrong under it.

"They've obviously delayed the game at home. But look, it's on us, we've got to have more quality final third. The chairman has given me a bit of green light to go and try and get some strikers in January, and that's what we're looking to do.

"I think you saw today, one team was going for it, one team, were just hanging on, and we've come out at the wrong end of a result that I feel, and I'm an honest guy, that if you're a neutral at game, you think how on earth had Plymouth won that game?"