Sport

Bristol City 4-0 Plymouth Argyle: Wayne Rooney’s struggling side thrashed again

Admin 4 days ago

4 1 minute read

The pressure mounted on Wayne Rooney as his Plymouth team capitulated in the second half in a 4-0 Championship match against Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

The home side finally applied relentless pressure in the 57th minute when Scott Twine got a telling tap on Cam Pring's right foot to beat Dan Grimshaw from close range.

Anis Mehmeti's brace put the match beyond doubt before Sinclair Armstrong added a late fourth, turning previously supportive Argyle fans against their team, who have now conceded 27 goals in 10 away Championship games this season.

City made an enforced change from the side that were beaten 1-0 at Watford in midweek, with Scott Twine replacing the injured Marcus McGuane in midfield, while Rooney made six changes to the Plymouth team that were beaten 6-1 humiliated by Norwich.

The Argyle boss had called for a solid start but that was hardly the case as several early City attacks caused panic. Zak Vyner shot wide from twenty yards and Jason Knight headed wide from a corner when he should have hit the target.

Nahki Wells missed another chance wide of the far post after a Pring cross before Vyner came close again from distance. But City were unable to convert early pressure into goals and Argyle's confidence gradually grew.

Grimshaw saved well from Mehmeti's overrun drive and made two more blocks from the same move with the offside flag already raised. City's first-half frustration increased when Wells fired home in stoppage time only to be denied by another offside decision.

Ryan Hardie's low shot in the 48th minute, comfortably saved by Max O'Leary, drew sarcastic cheers from the Plymouth fans behind the goal. Normal service soon resumed as Grimshaw had to keep out a Luke McNally header from a corner and then two Mehmeti shots.

It looked like City had to score when Twine ran unmarked onto a Wells pass and shot wide after 53 minutes, with Grimshaw having to beat. Moments later the busy Argyle keeper was back in action, beating a more powerful Twine effort.

It didn't look like it was Twine's day as he rocked the crossbar with a fierce drive, but seconds later he celebrated an opening goal that opened the floodgates.

Argyle lacked effort but were completely outplayed and offered little in the closing stages as City continued to dominate.

Mehmeti came in from the left and fired a sweet shot into the opposite bottom corner before finding the roof of the net with an excellent finish in the 70th minute after Wells' pass.

Substitute Armstrong stormed off to head home at the death and cap off a fine afternoon for his side.