Plymouth and Accrington both showed their playoff credentials in an entertaining tussle at Home Park

John Coleman and Ryan Lowe will have left this one relatively pleased as both sides showed their class in a high quality fixture.

Going into the game Stanley would have shaded the favourites tag, but it was clear from the outset that this one could not have been more closely matched in style.

For the vast majority of the game it was a battle of the number 10’s with Danny Mayor and Joe Pritchard running the show for their respective sides.

Mayor for Arygle surprisingly has a low output this season with just one goal and two assists in 28 games in all competitions. Yet, he drove his side forward on a number of occasions and was the linkman between defence and attack, enabling Ryan Lowe’s side to have fluidity and pace in their play.

He provided three key passes in the game and all of them showcased his quality on the ball.

A driving run found Mayor cutting inside towards the edge of the box trying to find an opening to shoot, but with none forthcoming he intricately fed the ball by three Accy defenders to lay off Joe Edwards who’s powerful strike was tipped over by Nathan Baxter in the opposition goal.

His second saw him again driving on the counter attack through the lines and caressing a delicate through ball to top scorer Luke Jephcott, who skimmed the right hand post with his placed effort.

Finally, Mayor’s playmaking efforts found their reward as he linked up well with substitute Niall Ennis on the left wing, before driving into the box and laying it back to Ennis again who finished to find a vital equaliser for the away side.

Mayor seemed to have been given more of a license today, with both sides playing 3-5-2 formations. This allowed him the freedom to work in between the lines. He is an intelligent player who is quite delicate and measured in his play, apart from his shooting.

Shooting is the facet of Mayor’s game that lets him down. There were a couple of occasions where he cut inside and tried a bending curling effort into the top corner rather than placing the more prominent pass that would open up a better goalscoring opportunity.

But it is a common theme with players who are not matching their ambitions when it comes to goal tallies, they become forced in their efforts. He seemed to realise this and looked increasingly unselfish as matters went on and his single-handed drive in the final third no doubt took the point for Plymouth.

Going into this game it was noted how closely matched these sides were in terms of their expected goals this season. There were always going to be goals and it played out that way.

Dion Charles had a lot to do with that. He is the catalyst to everything positive about John Coleman’s side. He has everything that is required of a top striker in this league.

First of all, he has a relentlessness about his play. If he is dispossessed trying to drive past players, that does not affect his next attempt, he will continue to do what he knows he is good at in the confidence that it will eventually come off.

One thing that many might not notice about Charles is that he drifts out wide to carry the ball on occasion, whilst also having the ability to run in behind when required. His assist for Joe Pritchard’s opener came from him always seeking the ball in that manner.

His pace eased him past Panutche Camara and his sublimely-weighted lofted delivery from the left hand side found the smart run of Pritchard who placed his header straight into the bottom right hand corner. And this sort of play was apparent throughout Charles’ game.

He could not leave this fixture without adding to the scoresheet himself, a well-worked move in the final third so the ball swing across the face of goal before Tariq Uwakwe cut back to find Charles who was not going to miss from the penalty spot.

This is the thing about Stanley, they react first to everything in every aspect of their play. If a ball is fed through the lines into a Plymouth attacker, Michael Nottingham will react first and intercept, ball lofted at a slow pace into the penalty box, Pritchard does not presume it will be swept up and gets in front of his marker, ball looking likely to go out of play, Charles still gets himself into space in the box.

It is the fine margins that this side do so well that is pushing them up the league week by week.

Mentions have to be made for Plymouth finally however. With all the hype around Accrington due to their games in hand, Arygle seem to be quietly going about their business and staying in the picture.

They are blessed with a number of quality ball carriers and in possession they are delicate, smart and patient which is the style of football everyone wants their side to play. In Mayor, Camara and Tyrese Fornah they have a well-balanced and well-drilled midfield machine, each adding to the collective that has become their main outlet this season in a creative season.

It will be a struggle for Argyle to make a go of the playoffs this season with so many clubs in contention, but if they keep showing the quality they did in this one, they could join Accrington in their push come the end of the season.

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