Plymouth Argyle are battling against the drop, but manager Wayne Rooney is up against it as the former Manchester United star tries to keep his team in the Championship
Plymouth Argyle manager Wayne Rooney ended his team’s losing run on Saturday, but the 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough came at a cost.
Ryan Hardie started the match up front and laid on the opening goal for Lewis Gibson. The striker was forced off after an hour, though, and is now expected to be out of action until the new year.
Rooney’s team had lost their previous four matches, conceding 14 times in the process. It was a different story against Boro, though, with Argyle leading three times but being forced to settle for a point as Emmanuel Latte Lath scored the visitors’ third leveller just six minutes from time.
Hardie was one of two players forced off injured, with Michael Obafemi lasting just nine minutes. Hardie’s injury isn’t as bad as first feared, but Rooney still expects to be without the Scot for the busy festive period.
“Initially when they looked at Ryan they thought it had gone through his tendon but from assessment it hasn’t,” Rooney said. “It’s quite a deep gash, which he has just had stitched up.
“It’s in an awkward place really, it’s right on the bottom of his knee and bending his leg won’t help it heal. I haven’t seen it back but when he slid in for the tackle I’m assuming he has caught the lad’s stud.
“I’m a player who has had a lot of them gashes and I think it was the right call to take him off. I’m sure it will probably be the Christmas period he would be out. That’s disappointing because in the last two games he has done well for us. Normally your stitches are in for a week or so but just given where it is, every time he walks or moves he’s going to have to bend his leg so it’s a tricky one to heal.”
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Gibson’s goal seven minutes before half-time meant Plymouth led at the break as they chased a first win since November 5, only for Jonny Howson to equalise early in the second period. Darko Gyabi and Hayden Hackney then exchanged goals, before Mustapha Bundu’s effort was cancelled out by Latte Lath.
Plymouth are bottom at Christmas after results elsewhere went against them, though they’re only one point from safety. Middlesbrough, meanwhile, are just inside the play-off spots on goals scored.
Middlesbrough boss and Rooney’s former Manchester United team-mate Michael Carrick was left frustrated, saying his team gave too much away defensively. “The boys kept going, but to come to a place like this… and defend like we did at times makes it much more difficult than it should have been,” he told club media after the draw.
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