Plymouth Argyle Ladies walked off the pitch wondering how they managed to lose 4-0 at home to Loughborough Foxes in the Women’s National Southern Division.
The players were locked in the changing rooms after the match with the management team and coaching staff trying to analyse want went wrong.
Joint manager Leonard said: “In all my years in football I don’t know how we lost that 4-0.
“I am not saying we should have won but the goals were all down to individual errors.”
He added: “The scoreline doesn’t reflect the match but as a team we had eleven players who all had such a bad day
“It really isn’t worth analysing, to be honest. I am lost for words, but we go again and it’s back to the drawing board.”
With Jessica Jones rested after collapsing last week, managers Leonard and Trevor Rodd included Amber Pollock and Kayley Lane in starting roles, with youngsters Faye Ivall and Tamsin Medd-Gill reverting to the bench.
Argyle came off at half-time arguably the better of the two sides and could have been two goals in front. Unfortunately, the second half proved to be disastrous by conceding four goals.
In heavy rain, Argyle could have taken an early lead as Amber Pollock raced clear only to see her low shot saved by Amy Burle. Goalkeeper Lindsay Rogers then came to the rescue with a good save.
Next to try her luck was Helen Bleazard, who fired the ball against the outside of the post following a finger tip save by Burle.
Argyle then suffered a blow when Kayley Lane went off injured to be replaced by Ivall. The unfortunate Bleazard then had a goal disallowed for off side when she headed in a Pollock cross.
The Pilgrims came out for the second half confident of grabbing that all-important first goal which eluded them in the first period. Unfortunately it was the visitors who struck when a Becky McGrother fierce cross shot found the corner of the net.
Argyle had little chance to recover as minutes later, Chloe Young powered in a header following a Laura Steele corner.
The visitors added a third when McGrother fired in from 30-yards out.
And there was no stopping McGrother who completed her hat-trick with a well-placed shot into the corner of the net.
Argyle kept battling with Becky Dandridge setting up Pollock whose half volley was well saved. Unfortunately that was as good as it got for the Greens.
Argyle squad: Lindsay Rogers, Darcey Hepworth (Tamsin Medd-Gill), Ebony Dover, Kate Middleton, Helen Bleazard, Kayley Lane (Faye Ivall), Zoe Cunningham, Becky Dandridge, Amber Pollock, Steph Beck, Mollie Taylor (Becky Wakley).
However, there was better luck for Argyle’s development team who beat Feniton 3-1 at Saltmill to remain top of the South West League Western Division.
Argyle started the better with Gabi Alphous latching on to a long ball from Nicola Champion to shoot narrowly wide.
Jodie Randall then found Alex Hugh, who in turn sent over the perfect cross-field pass that found Maya Ridge on the right. The teenager strode forward before firing home in the fourth minute.
Argyle keep up the pressure but were almost caught out when Feniton broke quickly only to shoot over the crossbar.
Feniton went close again following a free-kick with a high lob that was well-taken by goalkeeper Amy Darnley.
The visitors were coming more into the game and Darnley dived bravely at an attackers feet.
Argyle, though, made it 2-0 in the 38th minute when Sally Salter played in Shania Fenlon, who latched on to the ball to fire in from 30 yards.
Darnley then almost blotted her copybook when she had pull off a save after gifting the Feniton striker the ball from a poor clearance.
Ridge, who always looked dangerous down the right wing, then saw her shot blocked by the goalkeeper.
In the second half Argyle almost increased their lead through the ever willing Gabi Alphous, but her cross come shot went wide.
With the defence well marshalled by Becky Parkyn and Vicki Fannon, Feniton’s chances were restricted.
However, the visitors did reduce the arrears when Natalie Matthews cut in from the left to fire into the net.
But Argyle responded and made it 3-1 in the 74th minute when another terrific run and cross from Ridge was side-footed into the net by Kiara Robins.
Coach Si Parnell said: “We got off to a great start by taking an early lead but we then failed to capitalise. We were guilty once more of squandering several chances.
“I felt we coped with their direct approach reasonably well even though they created a couple of chances.
“Second half was much of the same and we really should have had more than the three goals we scored, especially on the chances we created.”
Argyle Development squad: ‘Amy Darnley, Shania Fenlon, Becky Parkyn, Vicky Fannon, Jodie Randell, Sally Salter, Alex Hugh, Kiara Robins, Maya Ridge, Gabi Alphous, Nicola Chapman Sarah Prior, Hannah Brock, Kelly Vinnicombe.
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