Sims hits jackpot in a bruiser

By JOHN HARRISON

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 2,
EXETER CITY 1

STRIKER John Sims hit the jackpot against his old club when he conjured up a goal out of nothing, as Argyle swept to a richly deserved victory in this bruising Devon derby yesterday.

Sims struck in the 30th minute to put his side two up as Exeter wilted under the pressure of Plymouth's remorseless second half surge towards goal.

Chris Harrison's free kick floated across the box. Sims controlled the ball, wriggled past two defenders with an electric burst of speed and lobbed over stranded 'keeper Len Bond. Exeter pulled one back eight minutes later, when Tony Kellow lashed the bakl gratefully home from the penalty spot for his 19th goal of the season. But the credit must go to diminutive midfielder Paul Giles who burst into the box with verve and resolution before being up-ended by Gordon Nisbet. Any hopes of a complete City revival however, evaporated under an avalanche of Argyle attacking moves, prompted by the ceaseless midfield running of Leigh Cooper and continued with skill and penetration by winger Andy Rogers. Only some desperate Exeter defence kept them out. In quick succession Sims blasted wide when completely in the clear. Jeff Cook headed against the bar and Martyn Rogers was forced to a last-ditch clearance from Kevin Hodges' skilful chip. Phil Roberts nodded John Uzzell's goal-bound header off the line in the 71st minute, and Sims fiercely-struck shot from the edge of the box two minutes later brought a splendid fingertip save from Bond. Sims, revelling in the special derby atmosphere, continued to create havoc up front, and was only denied a hat-trick by two breathtaking saves from Bond in the last three minutes. If the second half had provided pulsating entertainment for the biggest Home Park crowd of the season, its predecessor had been remarkable only for the errors which were sprinkled liberally throughout. Exeter were slightly unlucky to go in behind at the break as they had matched Argyle for effort and commitment in a game punctuated throughout by in- creasingly cynical fouls from both sides. Sims missed the best chance of the half when he headed Cooper's corner tamely wide after 14 minutes. Cooper's fiercely-struck shot from 20 yards was capably dealt with by Bond, before Exeter came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock. Peter Rogers, City's main threat throughout, was put clear by Kellow, but Rogers was thrown out of his stride by the despairing challenge of 'keeper Geoff Crudgington, who had rushed out of his box to intercept, and the ball was hacked thankfully to safety. Martyn Rogers nearly caught the Argyle defence napping with a snap shot in the 29th minute, which just whistled over the bar, but the game began to die a slow death from then on. It was rescued from obscurity two minutes before half-time by a goal of memorable power from Nisbet. He picked up Mike McCart- ney's rolled pass before hammer- ing a savage 25-yard shot past a bewildered Bond. From then on, the fire and self-belief disappeared altogether from City's game as the Argyle attacking machine clicked effort- lessly into overdrive. A minor miracle of the game was that no players were cautioned until the last ten minutes, when Tony Mitchell, Giles and McCartney all went into the book. A whole host of offences had earlier gone unpunished by referee Stephen Bates.

Attendance: 9,458.

PF