Argyle pay the price for another sluggish start in loss to Bristol City

PLYMOUTH Argyle conceded two goals in a torrid opening eight minutes of their Championship game against Bristol City on their way to a chastening 4-1 defeat at Ashton Gate.

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

Steven Schumacher's Pilgrims have now lost four of their last five league encounters after making a promising start to life in the second tier of English football.

Their previous three defeats had been by 2-1 results and they gave a good account of themselves in all of them, but it was a different story against a rampant City in the first half.

The early goals from Sam Bell and Matty James gave the Robins a firm grip on the game and after Adam Randell replied later in the first half it was Mark Sykes who added a third goal for City in the 33rd minute. There were loud boos from sections of the 3,000-strong travelling Green Army as the Argyle players left the pitch at the end of the first half.

Schumacher made two substitutions at the break, and three more during the second period, but it had no effect as Argyle never looked staging a fightback and City extended their lead to 4-1 with a late goal from substitute Harry Cornick.

On-loan Everton midfielder Lewis Warrington made his full league debut for Argyle as Schumacher made seven changes to his starting line-up from the 2-1 defeat at Preston North End on Saturday.

With it being the second of three games in eight days, to be followed by the visit of Norwich City to Home Park on Saturday, the Pilgrims' boss freshened up the side significantly.

The Argyle front three from the match at Preston Bali Mumba, five-goal top scorer Ryan Hardie and Morgan Whittaker were all named among the substitutes for the Ashton Gate clash, as was Finn Azaz and Jordan Houghton.

There was no place in the matchday squad at all for Julio Pleguezuelo and Mickel Miller.

Coming into the side, in addition to Warrington, were captain Joe Edwards, Dan Scarr, Adam Randell, Tyreik Wright, Ben Waine and Callum Wright, as the Pilgrims lined up in their usual 4-3-3 formation.