Okehampton Argyle 2-2 Newton Abbot

This was a good start for Argyle in their new league. Newton Abbot came to Simmons Park in a very confident mood, almost thinking that they just needed to turn up to get all three points, but Argyle had other ideas and a very hard working performance earned them a deserved share of the points.
In an entertaining game that flowed from end to end, Argyle were first to score on 15 minutes when the referee awarded a free kick just outside their opponents’ area. With a bit of quick thinking Mathew Mortimer spotted a gap to the keeper’s right and nailed a shot hard and low giving the keeper no chance.
Newton Abbot levelled the score after a good period of pressure, when the ball was swung in from the right wing with pace. Striker Richard Whatman sneaked in at the near post getting across the Argyle defence to score.
Early in the second half, Okehampton’s Keeper Daniel Malcolm came out of his area to head the ball clear. Unfortunately his clearance went straight to Newton`s Robbie Fricker who lobbed the ball back into the Argyle net on 48 minutes. Argyle had to work really hard to break down a good Newton Abbot side that were playing with a lot of confidence, and Argyle were very unlucky when brothers Adam and Mathew Mortimer both hit the post of the Newton goal followed by a Robbie Miller strike from fully 30 yards that skimmed off the crossbar.
After a few substitutions, Argyle put in a really strong finish with Phillip Evans and Chris Wills winning some great battles in the middle of the park, and they were rewarded when Adam Mortimer forced the Newton keeper to spill the ball and Paul Yip was on hand to tap in from close range on 86 minutes for a well deserved share of the points.