Plymouth Argyle 1 - 0 Rochdale

A softly awarded penalty kick midway through the first half gave Plymouth all three points in a game of the proverbial two halves. Josh Lillis was adjudged to have brought down striker Marvin Morgan; former Dale striker Ruben Reid smashed home the spot kick. Rochdale rallied in the second half but rarely troubled McCormick in the Plymouth goal.

Keith Hill was forced into one change and opted for another with George Donnelly on paternity leave after his partner gave birth earlier this week. Matt Done came in to replace Donnelly. Former Manchester City youngster Jav Vidal was given his debut, preferred at right back to Joe Rafferty.

Plymouth came into the game with just one win under their belts this season and yet to win on home soil and started the game on the front foot.

Lillis was called into action inside 30 seconds when Morgan’s bullet header was brilliantly tipped over by the Dale stopper.

Morgan was a thorn in the Dale side all game and perhaps should have done better when well placed but fired over the bar early on.

Morgan was at the heart of most things Plymouth tried to do and was involved in the controversial penalty decision just past the midway point of the first half. Poor Dale defensive work led to Lancashire slicing the ball into the path of the big striker and as he bore down on goal, Lillis came out to narrow the angle. Realising he wouldn’t get there ahead of the striker, Lillis pulled out of the challenge but Morgan went down and referee Malone pointed straight to the spot. Reid stepped up to drill the ball beyond Lillis’ outstretched hand.

Dale never really looked an attacking threat in the first half - Lund and Tutte firing over was the closest they came to scoring.

Lillis pulled off a fine save to deny Morgan once again; getting down low to push his header away.

Lillis was beaten five minutes before the interval but the cross bar came to his rescue.

Deep into stoppage time, on loan defender Jack O’Connell earnt his wage with two superb tackles, firstly to deny Boco and then Morgan.

Dale rallied somewhat in the second half but couldn’t breach McCormick's goal.

Hogan went close with a couple of headers and second half substitute Bastien Hery looked a real live wire but shot weakly at McCormick after making space for himself.

Despite throwing everything at Plymouth, the closest Rochdale came was when former defender Neal Trotman sliced a clearance that almost beat the Plymouth keeper.

Commenting after the game, Keith Hill said: “We conceded a very soft penalty.

"We’ve been working on our strategies all week and when you go one nil down to what will be a very good home side, it’s very difficult.

"I thought the first half was relatively even – we had opportunities, they had opportunities, but it was too open for my liking.

"We had to dominate the ball like we did in the second half in the first half and that was our strategy, but we kept giving away the simple pass and the clinical must complete pass, and that caused our defenders a lot of problems because Plymouth counter attack well at home.”

Attendance: 6978

Rochdale: Lillis, Vidal, Lancashire (c), O’Connell , Rose, Henderson, Tutte (Hery 69), Lund, Vincenti, Hogan, Done (Bunney 53)
Subs: (not used) Thomson, Rafferty, Bennett, Eastham, Gray

Plymouth: McCormick, Berry, Branston, Hourihane (c), Alessandra, Boco (Blackman 81), Reid (Gurrieri 73), Morgan, Blizzard (Young 86), Trotman, Nelson
Subs: (Not used)Cole, Blanchard, Harvey Richards

Referee: Mr B Malone
Assistant Referees: Mr S Finch & Mr A Tranter
Fourth Official: Mr C Powell