Confident Pepple is poised for penalty duties

WHEN Plymouth Argyle were awarded a penalty early in the second half of their League One game against Doncaster Rovers, many inside Home Park expected inform striker Bim Pepple to take it with top scorer Lorent Tolaj out injured.

- By CHRIS ERRINGTON

Bim Pepple celebrates Plymouth Argyle's weekend win over Doncaster Rovers with Owen Dale while below right, youngster Joe Mwaro takes his place on the Pilgrims bench

(PICTURES: DAVE ROWNTREE/PPAUK)

Pepple had scored the Pilgrims’ equaliser in first half added time and they were presented with the chance to take the lead in the 50th minute when a shot inside the Doncaster box from Ronan Curtis struck the arm of Rovers’ captain Owen Bailey.

Referee Stephen Parkinson immediately awarded a penalty and it was Curtis not Pepple who took it, and his attempt was saved by goalkeeper Zander Clark.

Curtis could not convert with a followup attempt either before the ball broke to Pepple, whose fierce shot smacked into the face of Doncaster's Neill Byrne and rebounded away.

Argyle still went on to win 2-1 after a direct free-kick from substitute Herbie Kane from out on the left touchline in the 74th minute curled all the way into the far corner of the net.

Head coach Tom Cleverley was asked after the game about why Curtis took the penalty and not Pepple, who has scored 10 goals in the last 15 games. Cleverley said: “It's a good question. It was simply down to I watched all their previous penalties and was really impressed with the calmness that Ronan had at this level in these environments.

“So that one is completely on me. We have to assess confidence and how good a moment Bim is in moving forward with the penalties. We live and learn.”