Plymouth Argyle 3-2 Sunderland: Wayne Rooney claims first league win after five-goal thriller

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Plymouth Argyle and Sunderland at Home Park on Saturday | Joe Edwards strikes late to earn Wayne Rooney's side a thrilling win - his first in the league in charge of the club.

Saturday 14 September 2024 19:11, UK

A sensational stoppage-time winner from skipper Joe Edwards ended Sunderland's unbeaten Championship start and gave Wayne Rooney his first victory as Plymouth manager as they triumphed 3-2 at Home Park.

Man-of-the-match Edwards was first to react when Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson brilliantly save Kornel Szucs' thundering effort in the third minute of added time.

Edwards let fly with an equally venomous strike which gave the Sunderland number one no chance.

A Daniel Ballard own goal and Ryan Hardie's penalty had seen Plymouth come back from behind after Patrick Roberts' first-half penalty, with Romaine Mundle equalising late on for Sunderland before Edwards had the final say.

Sunderland went close in the opening minute as Mundle's pacy cross from the left flew across the face of goal and somehow eluded his team-mates.

Jobe Bellingham fired high and wide from 20 yards for the visitors before Argyle keeper Dan Grimshaw - making his Championship debut in place of the injured Conor Hazard - saved Chris Rigg's angled strike.

But the Black Cats took a 24th-minute lead from Roberts' left-footed penalty, sending Grimshaw the wrong way after Bali Mumba, making his 100th Argyle appearance, was adjudged to have fouled Chris Rigg on a run into the box.

Referee John Brooks - well placed a few yards away - had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Argyle had a good chance to respond in the 32nd minute when the ball broke to Darko Gyabi, unmarked on the edge of the box, but the 20-year-old midfielder's first-time strike flew over.

Homegrown midfielder Adam Randell let fly with a thumping 25-yarder which Patterson was forced to go full length to tip around his post after 49 minutes.

It was the closest Argyle had come to scoring against their high-flying visitors.

The Greens restored parity after 54 minutes following a spell of sustained pressure.

Ibrahim Cissoko's cross from the right fell to Callum Wright, whose shot was blocked.

The ball fell to Morgan Whittaker, who hammered the ball past Patterson and in off the bar off defender Ballard.

Then when Wright's 61st-minute cross was cleared, it fell to Edwards, who let fly with a volley from the right which skimmed the far post.

New Swedish attacking midfielder Rami Al Hajj announced his arrival - as a 65th-minute substitute - by firing just wide.

Cissoko came close to putting Argyle ahead in the 68th minute when he cut in from the left and let fly. His shot beat Patterson but crashed off the crossbar.

The home side went ahead in the 73rd minute when substitute Hardie was fouled as he attempted to latch on to a cross from Cissoko. Brooks was on the spot to award a penalty, which was coolly converted by the Scottish striker.

Sunderland levelled in the 86th minute when Mundle's shot from the left went through a crowded penalty area and in at the far corner before Edwards' dramatic clincher.

The managers

Plymouth's Wayne Rooney:

"Obviously we are delighted with three points. I am pleased for the players because they worked hard for it. I think any win is a big win. We have had some good performances all over the pitch.

"We were a bit sloppy in the first half, gave away a penalty and go in 1-0 down at half-time. I said to them 'If you up the energy and get your shots off we open the game and we will win the game'.

"We were much better in the second half, played with more energy, put crosses in and got players into the box. When they equalised you think 'oh no not again' but then Joe gets the late winner.

"If you have a good captain it makes your job easier. Ryan does what you want him to do, comes off the bench, wins the penalty and scores to put us 2-1 up.

"It always feels nice to win in any game and to get off the mark in the league. It will now be when is the second win coming? I am genuinely pleased for the team and the fans because the fans have seen what we have been trying to do.

"It was a big win for the lads. Hopefully that's the start of a good run for us. I felt the game would be won late on. Not that late on but I had to make a decision on the team that started and finished."

Sunderland's Regis Le Bris:

"We scored two goals and it's never easy to score two goals away. We conceded three goals as well so that's our problem.

"The first half we had kind of control of the game but it wasn't a strong control and we felt we had many problems to solve, especially their wingers.

"With the ball we felt it was possible to unbalance their team but we didn't make the most of that possession.

"A key point is we can have the ball and defend and not always showing a willingness to unbalance (the opposition) and create chances.

"During the second half we still had this problem with their wingers, who were strong today. The game became more chaotic as well with many second balls. We lost one, two or three balls during our build-up.

"Our shape was open and at that moment they had the possibility to attack and create chances. We need to learn from this experience. When we are not so good with the ball, you can still manage the game to win or to keep the score. It wasn't the case today.

"It's been interesting to observe the reaction in the dressing room. We were not too optimistic after our four wins in a row and we are not too pessimistic after a loss. Now it's a question of balance."