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City's dominance and attacking display was worth far more than a 1-0 half-time lead, Thompson's goal apart, Jerome incredibly produced the miss of this and most other seasons on a day which he could, perhaps should, have netted a hat-trick but got nothing.
The second half was a tense siege on City's goal. I lost count of the number of Argyle corner kicks but, tough though it was to watch, City's defending was exemplary. Neil Alexander didn't have a save and City broke well to make chances for the killer second goal but failed with more misses and top goalkeeping. 800 travelling fans lapped it up in chilly but sunny conditions.
For once, I drove. Barry to Plymouth is 165 miles, it was bitterly cold and breezy but the roads were quiet clear other than a long stretch of motorway works near Weston, the journeys well under two and a half hours. Got there early so had time for a look about, the whole town centre appeared to be under construction so went to see the Hoe - there was no sign of bitches anywhere! Ended up in an area known as The Barbican at the waterfront, packed with old, traditional pubs, pasty shops and fish and chip shops - an away traveller's delight! A few other City fans were out and about too sampling some excellent ales down there, must be a cracking place for a night out.
One other thing also noticeable about Plymouth was the number of trailer hoardings around the town advertising Argyle games. This match was £5 for all kids. Everybody in Plymouth would have known, it was in their faces everyday. The crowd of 13,494, even with our support, was below their average.
Home Park is a very good example of how to modernise an old ground. It's three quarters complete and, this week, the local council agreed to sell the freehold to the club for £2.7M, finishing the stadium by clearing its very traditional Grandstand with terracing in front is high on their agenda and they will then have a fully enclosed bowl-shaped stadium.
The Pilgrims were in serious relegation trouble in the first half of the season but Newport-born, Bluebird-supporting Tony Pulis came to their rescue. He never produces the most exciting brand of football but he has successfully managed to steer the same group of players, a squad as small as City's, into mid-table - 14 points ahead of the relegation spots and now, 11 points behind Cardiff.
Argyle were unbeaten in 7 home games before this one but, like City, aren't currently getting results on the road. Their biggest problem, though, is scoring goals. Only Sheffield Wednesday, Millwall and Brighton - all in the bottom four - have scored fewer and this game produced their 3rd successive blank and their 7th in the last 9 matches. This game showed why.
Pulis' side were Larrieu, Connolly-Doumbe-Aljofree-Hodges, Norris-Wotton-Nalis-Capaldi, Evans-Pericard. Skipper Paul Wotton had a pre-match presentation for making his 400th first-team appearance. He is a one club man, you don't see that too often in the modern game. His 200th and 300th appearances saw him score and Plymouth win at home so he was on a hat-trick and, ominously, also seeking his 50th career goal. He had a couple of trademark free-kicks but they were blocked or spiralled away.
City not only had to win to keep alive flickering play-off hopes but also wanted to avenge last week's dismal showing at Wolves. They also wanted to put right home defeat to The Pilgrims who succeeded 2-0 at Ninian Park in a game going nowhere at Xmas until a dubious penalty was awarded and Captain Darren Purse was sent off.
With midfield looking unhinged and unbalanced in recent games, change had to be made. Jeff Whitley was sacrificed, fit again Kevin Cooper started and Joe Ledley came inside. At the back, as well as Neil Cox had performed, it was time for change too as Glen Loovens, who had patiently waited his chance, had his first start since being injured at Arsenal in January.
I cannot criticise the performances of any of our centre-halves this season but Cox and Purse are too alike, we look better in my opinion with Loovens who sweeps, has a little more pace and looks to play balls out of defence. I don't think it's any coincidence that under second half pressure, City played their way out of trouble and broke playing football rather than hit and hope whacks which has been a recent theme.
Despite hints other players may be changed, that was it in a week where Dave Jones told players to shape up and perform until the end of the season or risk their futures at this club over the summer. So we went with Alexander, Ardley-Loovens-Purse-Barker, Koumas-Scimeca-Ledley-Cooper, Thompson-Jerome. With Martin Margetson injured, Lee Worgan was reserve keeper for the 1st time (was I the only one saying, "who's he?" when he was warming up??) and joined by Cox-Nsungu-Weston-Whitley.
Conditions were difficult. City fans were thawing slightly as bright sunshine glowed on us but, on the field, arctic blasts were behind City as they attacked the goal furthest from us and swirled around the pitch too. Just as the game was about to start, who's walking down the pitch but Steve Day, the Pine Man, who is involved with Devonshire Pine, game sponsors. Day-o waved to us, with his pint, from Plymouths' stand and got told off for it, quite right too.
This was a match was a fast, frantic and open start. It could have been 2-2 in the first 15 minutes, it's hard to believe the chances missed. Plymouth were first out of the blocks, Tony Capaldi got past Chris Barker, sent a low pass across the 6 yard box for Micky Evans at the near post who put wide.
That was a big escape but Plymouth enjoyed the biggest of all. Before 10 minutes were on the clock, Loovens made his comeback mark. Firstly by winning a big tackle, injuring his opponent and winning a free kick in one. From that, he smashed a 70 yard ball that was chested down neatly by Thompson for Scimeca to instinctively hit a 20 yarder that bounced off the top of the bar, the looping shit winning a corner after taking a slight deflection.
The resulting corner saw Purse narrowly miss a header, Plymouth fire away but City gathered possession, cut down Argyle's right through Koumas who then switched inside, fed Thompson who turned and set Kevin Cooper loose behind the last defender. His squared ball across goal had Larrieu beaten and on the floor at the near post and there was Jerome free and unmarked 5 yards out at the far post. City and Dave Jones fans were already starting to celebrate but, I still don't know how he did it and neither does he, yet Jerome, with the most open of goals, unbelievably got it wrong and side-footed back across goal into the helpless keepers arms. The City end were in total disbelief.
Both sides now had a let off each and City had another as, once more, Capaldi scampered down the left regaining possession off Barker and sent over a cross which Cameroon striker Pericard met in front of goal but touched too lightly sending it wide of the far post.
The remaining half hour of the period was all City as we put together our best football, home or away, for a few weeks. The passing and movement was very good, Koumas usually the instigator, we looked a step above Plymouth and had that extra touch of quality which, finally, they made count.
Jerome fluffed another clear opening on 25 minutes when Jason Koumas ghosted past midfielders and hit a stunning pass on the outside of his left boot to Jerome inside the area, Jerome's touch and shot let him down. He put wide when, once more, you would have backed him to finish. Shortly after, Larrieu was made to save his low glancing header. Cooper tried his luck but Larrieu was behind that effort, Koumas won a free-kick in prime position but his shot started wide and curled wider.
With 10 minutes of the half remaining, joy at last and a great goal. Kevin Cooper won the ball and found Jerome on the right touchline, he took the ball on before sending over a classic ball which STEVE THOMPSON finished with aplomb by getting up and guiding his header down with power and precision to leave Larrieu helpless. It was his first goal since his City debut and reward too for Dave Jones who kept faith with him despite heavy pre-match hints that he would be sidelined. I think Thommo woke up to a kick in the pants, his display and work-rate was terrific today. He showed what a good player that he can be, the challenge has to be to maintain this standard.
City survived a couple of Plymouth moments before the break with Purse, Ledley and Cooper booked, Wotton shots being blocked or fired high and wide and a corner went across the face of goal, was nudged by a Plymouth player and touched the outside of the far post before City scrambled away. Loovens had the last say of the first save, a 20 yard shot giving Larrieu more glove-work.
Half-time: PLYMOUTH 0 CITY 1
There was focus on City fans today after last week's shenanigans at Wolves. The policing was better and more relaxed but it was not without its moments. A couple fo City fans ejected before the game started, incidents most of the afternoon with stewards under order fighting a losing battle to get City fans to sit down. What chance do they have when City score just as they are close to succeeding or, in response to Argyle fans singing Ingerlund chants, someone starts up with "stand up if you hate England" or, more to the point, "stand up if you hate sitting".
One fan refusing to sit had to be taken out for medical inspection to prove he had numerous stitches in his ar*e - I don't want to know how he got them but he made his point and was back and standing.
It did seem petty especially as Plymouth fans were freely standing in the thier stand closest to us. Most made their point reasonably but the way a few of our number are so openly confrontational doesn't do them, or the rest of us, any favours. A few more didn't see the end of the match but with City ahead at the interval, the bar open - albeit with two coppers with the catering staff - the boys were happy indeed, having some good natured chat with the police and singing "Tell Laura I Love Her", "Doh Re Mi" and assorted old gold tat.
What a load of rubbish - that was the sight to greet the returning players as the wind had whipped no end of carrier bags, wrappers and assorted junk on the pitch. With it now generally behind Plymouth and them trailing, it was now their turn to apply some pressure.
It wasn't good to watch as The Pilgrims were camped in City's half, drilling in long balls from everywhere and winning a stupid number of corners which seemed to always be in bunches of three or four - someone suggested it was almost 20 in one half!
One again, City could be criticised for defending too deeply and with too many numbers. We certainly rode our luck but, again an improvement, we stood firm, defended well, broke playing intelligent football rather than wellying away and made excellent chances, the best of either side. For all that pressure, Neil Alexander wasn't called on to make a save of note. His only blocked save saw Pericard flagged for offside.
The closest Argyle came was a header that had Alexander beaten but was just over his bar. For City, Jerome missed another outstanding chance that he'd normally bury with eyes shut when Kevin Cooper put him behind Plymouth's defence. This time, he fired wide from 12 yards with only the keeper facing him. He fared better later when Koumas burst clear and found him, a poor control touch was compensated by a superb edge of area curler which Larrieu acted as brilliantly to leap across goal and push over.
Koumas burst clear from midfield a couple of times, the best when he seemed to be away and closing on goal before slowing up to seemingly invite an edge of area challenge. He won a free-kick which missed by a fraction, hitting the stanchion post behind goal...Kevin Cooper made Larrieu take another distance drive and he also had to get behind another glancing Jerome header.
The pressure was all Plymouth's, the chances were all City's but it was tense and nervous to watch. Confidence wasn't high amongst our following that we could hold out under near-constant siege. "How long left?"" was heard almost as regularly as "C'Mon City".
That confidence increased at final whistle got closer, Men of Harlech and many other chants being belted out. Home fans going quieter and, in some cases, going home. Argyle threw on all their subs, Jerome and Cooper got booke dto bring the total to 5 as City continued with the same eleven until very late when Nsungu replaced Jerome. Final whistle brought wild joy and extreme relief in one.
City's players had a great reception. As news filtered in that Palace and Wolves drew, Preston surprisingly lost at Sheffield Wednesday, a great three points became a fantastic three points. Now on 58 points, City remain 8th but just two points behind the final play-off spot. Faltering Preston in 6th now only have one game in hand and while there's hope, City will battle until it's impossible. All credit to them for that.
Next up, QPR at home - certainly winnable and with great offers, City should be backed by a big Ninian Park crowd. They certainly deserve that.
The Cost of Being A City Fan: (Cost are for two today)
Tickets: £44
Programme: £ 2.50
Petrol: £35
Car Parking: £ 3
Food/Drink: £25
Total for game: £110
Total for Season to date: £2,822
Report from FootyMad
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The Scottish international striker headed home a right-wing cross from forward partner Cameron Jerome ten minutes before the interval to seal the Welsh side's victory.
There had been a question mark over Thompson's selection before the game, with the former Dundee United and Rangers man having failed to find the target in six previous outings, but manager Dave Jones found his loyalty rewarded.
Cardiff's margin of victory should have been greater against a Plymouth side who have now scored once in their last five matches.
After Argyle forward Micky Evans fired wide in the second minute following Vincent Pericard's low near-post cross, the Pilgrims found chances few and far between against a defence well marshaled by recalled Dutchman Glenn Loovens.
Cardiff hit the bar when midfielder Ricardo Scimeca's shot deflected off Lilian Nalis before skimming the crossbar, before Jerome incredibly missed a golden opportunity three yards in front of an unguarded goal.
At the other end, Pericard was inches away from opening the scoring with a lunge at Paul Connolly's dangerous cross, before Cameron made amends for his earlier gaffe by setting up Thompson for the winner.
Argyle threw the kitchen sink at Cardiff in the opening stages of the second half, but the nearest they came to breaking the deadlock was when French midfielder Nalis headed Tony Capaldi's inswinging corner delivery narrowly over Neil Alexander's crossbar.
They also won an indirect free-kick just inside the penalty area after Loovens had passed back to Alexander, but Pilgrims skipper Paul Wotton was unable to celebrate his 400th first-team appearance with a trademark free-kick goal.
Cardiff nearly caught Argyle on the break when the impressive Jason Koumas played Jerome in, but the teenage striker was this time denied by a spectacular flying save from Argyle goalkeeper Romain Larrieu.
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