PREVIEW: PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (H)

5 January 2021

A look at Town’s Emirates FA Cup opponents

- Preview to Town’s match against Plymouth Argyle
- A look at Ryan Lowe’s key men
- Watch the game on the FA Player

Huddersfield Town’s attentions turn to the Emirates FA Cup this weekend as they take on Plymouth Argyle in the Third Round of the competition at the John Smith’s Stadium.

The match will take place on Saturday 9 January 2021 and will kick-off at 6pm after being selected for broadcast on the FA Player.

The Terriers have been knocked out in the Third Round for the last three seasons, however in the two prior (2016/17 and 2017/18), Town reached the Fifth Round of the competition.

Town have lifted the FA Cup once (1921/22) and have finished as runners-up on four other occasions.

THE OPPOSITION

Plymouth Argyle currently sit 15th in the Sky Bet League 1 table with 26 points from 21 games.

Under the guidance of Ryan Lowe (below), Argyle won promotion back to the third-tier of English football last season – at the first time of asking - finishing third after the season ended early due to COVID-19.

Interestingly, Argyle have been the most in-form team in the league on their own turf! They have picked up 23 points from 12 games, which includes seven victories. On the flip side, they are yet to record a league victory away from home this season – drawing three and losing six.

Plymouth entered the Emirates FA Cup in the First Round and were handed a draw away at fellow-Sky Bet League 1 side Charlton Athletic. A goal from top scorer Luke Jephcott saw them victorious.

They then beat Sky Bet League 1 leaders Lincoln City at Home Park in the Second Round of the competition 2-0!

This is only the third time Argyle have reached this stage of the competition in the last 10 years.

FORM GUIDE

Plymouth Argyle come into this weekend’s match with just two wins since the beginning of December; they have both, however, come in their last four games.

They got off to a winning start in 2021 as they beat Gillingham 1-0 at Home Park!

Like aforementioned though, they have only won one game on their travels this season, which came in the Emirates FA Cup against Charlton.

Huddersfield Town come into this game off the back of a 2-1 defeat against Reading; that was the Terriers’ first defeat at home since 7 November 2020.

ONES TO WATCH

Kelland Watts

The 6ft 4’ defender joined Argyle on loan from Newcastle United in the summer – his latest loan move to a club in the EFL.

Apart from goalkeeper Michael Cooper, he has actually racked up the most minutes in the Plymouth squad this season (1829) and has started 21 Sky Bet League 1 games.

Conor Grant

The midfielder, who has also featured as a left-wing back this season, joined Plymouth from Everton in June 2018.

He has been a key player for Ryan Lowe this season scoring three goals and setting up five goals for his teammates. One of those assists came in their 1-0 win over Gillingham in their last outing.

Luke Jephcott

The striker is currently the top scorer in Sky Bet League 1 with 12 goals to his name!

Jephcott has bagged seven goals in his last nine games and has scored in both of Plymouth’s Emirates FA Cup victories so far this season. The 20-year-old became a regular at Argyle last season after a successful loan spell at Truro City.

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS

Town have met Plymouth five times in the Emirates FA Cup! The last cup meeting came in 1966 as the Terriers ran out 2-0 winners!

Interestingly, Town have never lost to Plymouth Argyle in the competition – winning four and drawing one.

In all competitions, the pair last met at the John Smith’s Stadium in January 2011. Town won 3-2 after an own goal from Kári Arnason and strikes from Jordan Rhodes and Peter Clarke.

ACTION ELSEWHERE

There’s a number of Emirates FA Cup ties taking place on Saturday 9 January 2021!

Boreham Wood vs Millwall - 12pm
Everton vs Rotherham United - 12pm
Luton Town vs Reading - 12pm
Norwich City vs Coventry City - 12pm
Nottingham Forest vs Cardiff City - 12pm
Chorley vs Derby County - 12.15pm
Blackburn Rovers vs Doncaster Rovers - 3pm
Blackpool vs West Bromwich Albion - 3pm
Bristol Rovers vs Sheffield United - 3pm
Burnley vs Milton Keynes Dons - 3pm
Exeter City vs Sheffield Wednesday - 3pm
Oldham Athletic vs AFC Bournemouth - 3pm
Queens Park Rangers vs Fulham - 3pm
Stevenage vs Swansea City - 3pm
Stoke City vs Leicester City - 3pm
Wycombe Wanderers vs Preston North End - 3pm
Arsenal vs Newcastle United - 5.30pm
Brentford vs Middlesbrough - 6pm
Manchester United vs Watford - 8pm
Southampton vs Shrewsbury Town - 8pm

TEAM NEWS

Carlos Corberán will give an update on his side’s fitness in his press conference on Thursday 7 January 2021.

KIT

Town will be wearing blue and white stripes against Plymouth Argyle with the Libra Europe logo on the front – CLICK HERE to get yours!

HOW TO WATCH

Huddersfield Town supporters will be able to watch Carlos Corberán’s side against Plymouth Argyle FOR FREE on The FA Player!

The Terriers’ Emirates FA Cup Third Round match was selected for broadcast on the FA’s streaming platform; The FA Player.

That means that the game WILL NOT be available for Huddersfield Town supporters on iFollow HTAFC because the match isn’t an EFL product!

CLICK HERE for more information!

Match Reports

REPORT: TOWN 2-3 PLYMOUTH

9 January 2021

Huddersfield Town were knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup following a 3-2 defeat to Plymouth Argyle at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Romoney Crichlow and Aaron Rowe both scored their first Town goals to put the Terriers ahead twice in the first half, but the visitors responded on both occasions through Ryan Hardie and Panutche Camará to ensure the teams went in level at the break.

In the second half, it was Joe Edwards who got the all-important goal to bring an end to Town’s 2020/21 campaign in the competition in the third round.

As alluded to in his pre-match press conference the day before, Head Coach Carlos Corberán rested the 11 players who had started the last five games over a 17-day festive period.

It meant a much-changed line-up for the visit of the Green Army with 19-year-old centre back Mustapha Olagunju and 17-year-old winger Pat Jones handed senior debuts by the Spaniard.

The Terriers nearly made the perfect start to the tie and would have been ahead inside three minutes if not for a superb stop from Plymouth ‘keeper Michael Cooper.

He clawed away Kieran Phillips’ goal-bound effort after the young forward, making his first senior start, was well found by a low cutback from Pat Jones on the break.

From the resulting corner, Town did take the lead. The inswinging ball from the left from Jones was met at the near post by Romoney Crichlow who glanced it into the bottom corner to put the Terriers ahead with his first goal for the Club.

Shortly after, Phillips was involved again, showing his strength on the right side of the box before pulling the ball back to Matty Daly who had his effort blocked.

At the other end, Will Aimson went close for the visitors, flicking a corner over the bar just before they did get level.

Ryan Hardie got through one-on-one and slotted the ball past Ben Hamer at the near post to make it 1-1 on 24 minutes.

Town looked to respond instantly and twice went close through Jaden Brown. The young full-back’s free-kick from range drifted just wide before his curling left-footed strike was deflected away from the target moments later.

The Terriers did restore the lead just after the half-hour mark through Aaron Rowe. The 20-year-old powered an amazing effort into the far top corner after cutting in from the right to put Town back ahead!

In what was continuing to be an end-to-end contest, the visitors levelled the game back up just before the break.

Panutche Camará latched on to a ball into the box from the left to take the game into the break at 2-2.

After the interval, Ben Hamer was called into action. The Town skipper for the evening pushed Hardie’s close-range effort on to the woodwork as the visitor looked to go in-front.

With just over 20 minutes left to play, the Green Army did take the lead for the first time in the game.

Danny Mayor carried the ball along the byline before squaring to Joe Edwards to tap into an empty net.

As Town looked to get back on level terms, there were debuts for Rolando Aarons, Myles Bright and Etienne Camara from the bench.

But the visiting side held firm in the closing stages to see out the victory and knock Town out of the Emirates FA Cup at the third-round stage.

Next up for Town is a return to Sky Bet Championship action and a trip to Vicarage Road to face Watford on Saturday 16 January 2020; 3pm kick-off.

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)

Ben Hamer (c); Jaden Brown (Ben Jackson, 76’), Romoney Crichlow, Mustapha Olagunju (Brahima Diarra, 76’), Demeaco Duhaney; Álex Vallejo; Josh Austerfield (Myles Bright, 83’), Matty Daly (Etienne Camara, 83’); Pat Jones (Rolando Aarons, 71’), Kieran Phillips, Aaron Rowe

Unused subs

Ryan Schofield; Loick Ayina, Sam Sharrock-Peplow, Kit Elliott

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (3-1-4-2)

Michael Cooper; Kelland Watts, Jerome Opoku, Will Aimson; Tyrese Fornah (Byron Moore, 85’); Conor Grant (Scott Wootton, 85’), Danny Mayor, Panutche Camará, Joe Edwards; Ryan Hardie (Frank Nouble, 77’), Luke Jephcott (Dom Telford, 81’)

Unused subs

Jack Ruddy; Niall Canavan, Ben Reeves, Luke McCormick

REFEREE

Martin Coy

Standings