Pilgrims get good workout as MacLean heads winner

​Plymouth Argyle’s preparations for their npower League One campaign continued last night with a satisfactory 1-0 win in a friendly at Hereford United.

Steve MacLean climbed off the substitutes’ bench at half-time and headed the winning goal 15 minutes later, in a game which saw the Pilgrims keep their League Two opponents at bay and give almost every fit member of their squad some valuable match-practice.

Having decided not to sign Bermudan goalkeeper Freddy Hall for now, Argyle took a look a potential new recruit for the position last night. Colin Doyle, a 25-year-old Republic of Ireland international, started for the Pilgrims at Edgar Street.

Doyle is Birmingham City’s third-choice ’keeper, and went to China with their first-team squad this month for a pre-season tour. He is understood to be keen to seek a loan transfer away from St Andrew’s in order to play first-team football. He has seen Premier League action for the Blues, with whom he began his professional career seven years ago.

The Plymouth defence which played in front of Doyle included two players who did take part in last week’s training camp in the Netherlands. Marcel Seip was deployed at right-back, while Onismor Bhasera lined up at left-back.

Argyle’s midfield included Anton Peterlin, who signed a one-year contract with the Pilgrims at Home Park yesterday morning. The Californian has played in all of the Devon team’s friendlies this summer, and has looked the part.

In attack, Rory Fallon made his first appearance for Argyle in their pre-season schedule. The New Zealander, who played for his country in the World Cup finals last month, started training with the rest of the Pilgrims’ squad on Monday this week.

Central defender Kari Arnason wore the captain’s armband for Argyle, in the absence of the injured Carl Fletcher. After a steady opening to the game, the first half-chance went the visitors’ way in the 12th minute. Seip galloped down the right and delivered a cross which was met by Peterlin, whose shot was under-clubbed and was easily held by home ’keeper Adam Bartlett.

At the other end, Doyle was called upon to make his first save a minute later. He plunged to his left to keep out a Mathieu Manset effort, but an offside flag meant that his agility was not crucial.

Argyle almost scored soon afterwards when Rory Patterson lofted the ball over Bartlett, and Michael Townsend came to his ’keeper’s aid with a timely clearance. In response, James McQuilkin fired just wide for the Bulls.

Just past the half-hour mark, Damien Johnson’s left-wing corner was flicked on to Fallon’s forehead, but the centre-forward was unable to make the most of the opportunity. Then a couple of low shots from Patterson and Yannick Bolasie were clutched by Bartlett.

Argyle were enjoying more possession than their hosts, but penetration remained elusive and the scoreboard stayed unchanged until half-time.

The Pilgrims sent on five substitutes at the start of the second half, when Krisztian Timar, Luke Summerfield, Maclean, Craig Noone and trialist left-back Lee Molyneux all joined the fray. Positional switches saw Bondz N’Gala go to right-back, Bhasera move to left-midfield and Bolasie play up front.

MacLean was soon involved. Eight minutes after the restart, the Scottish striker jumped high to meet Bhasera’s cross with a downward header which Bartlett did well to save. MacLean made the breakthrough in the 60th minute. Bhasera set up the goal with a strong run down the middle of the park and a firm right-foot shot which Bartlett beat out. MacLean swooped on the loose ball and headed home.

Molyneux got to the byline soon afterwards, but Noone could not make contact with his low cross. At the other end, Doyle was called into action when he tipped a deflected header by Janos Kovacs over the crossbar.

It was a decent save by the Irishman, who then saw McQuilkin slam a shot high and wide. In terms of making a worthwhile assessment of the Birmingham man, however, the Pilgrims might have been happier if Doyle had been given more to do.

Hereford United (4-3-3): Bartlett (Connor h-t); Green (Weir 67), Kovacs (Rose 82), Townsend, Valentine (Kanouté 67); McQuilkin, Lunt (Thomas 83), Gwynne (Stratford 69); Canham (Evans 83), Fleetwood (Reid 83), Manset (Malsom 77).

Plymouth Argyle (4-4-2): Doyle; Seip (Timar h-t), N’Gala, Arnason (Paterson 80), Bhasera; Clark (Noone h-t), Peterlin, D Johnson (Summerfield h-t), Bolasie (Wright-Phillips 80); Fallon (MacLean h-t), Patterson (Molyneux h-t).

Goal: MacLean 60.

Referee: P Gibbs (West Midlands).

Attendance: 1,343.