The Blues and Accrington Stanley remain locked at 0-0 at half-time.

Town started all three of their former Accrington players, Kayden Jackson, Janoi Donacien and Cameron Burgess.

Jackson was the lone central striker with Tyreece John-Jules and Marcus Harness behind him.

Skipper Sam Morsy and Lee Evans were at the centre of the midfield, while Leif Davis and Wes Burns were the wing-backs.

Donacien and Burgess were either side of Luke Woolfenden in the back three with Christian Walton in goal.

Deadline-day signing Gassan Ahadme we on the bench but as expected Panutche Camara we not included in the 18 having been sidelined with a groin injury in the opening weeks of Plymouth’s season.

Conor Chaplin was included among the subs despite having suffered a minor groin niggle in the warm-up ahead of the 6-0 Papa Johns Trophy thrashing of Northampton on Tuesday.

Richard Keogh was on the bench for a league game for the first time, having made his debut against the Cobblers, but there was no place for George Edmundson.

Accrington make one change from the team which drew 0-0 at home to Exeter in the league last week with Korede Adedoyin dropping to the bench and Matt Lowe taking over.

The home side had the better of the opening minutes but on five Davis fed Jackson in space on the left. The striker’s initial cross was blocked and the ball ran out to the corner quadrant without going out of play. Jackson paused briefly with plenty believing the ball had gone out before crossing low into the six-yard box but a defender cleared.

Morsy hit a shot through to Stanley keeper Lukas Jensen moments later, then Harness was dispossessed as he looked to take the ball into the area, the Blues’ press having forced an error from the Lancastrian side.

On nine, Stanley skipper Sean McConville struck a low shot through to Walton in the Town goal.

A minute later, Harvey Rodgers was found in space on the right of the Town area but Walton batted away his shot, the best chance of the half up to that point with the Blues struggling to get their football going against Accrington’s usual determined physical approach.

Woolfenden was shown the game’s first yellow card in the 14th minute for a foul on Lowe 40 yards out.

The resultant free-kick taken by Ethan Hamilton, who played for Blues boss Kieran McKenna in the academy at Manchester United, deflected off the wall and wide for a corner, which was played short to Joe Pritchard, who hit a cross-shot which Walton was forced to tip over from under his bar.

Davis was shown the game’s second yellow card for a foul on halfway in the 20th minute with the Blues still to impose themselves on the game and play much football in the Stanley half.

However, on 24, Evans sent in a dangerous ball from the right following a swift break from Donacien and Burns and Mitch Clark headed behind from the edge of the six-yard box.

From the short corner on the right, the ball was played to Evans, who sent over another cross, which Burgess headed towards goal, however, it struck a defender and looped over.

Town went even closer from the subsequent flag-kick on the left, a loose ball falling to Davis at the far post from where the former Leeds man hit an effort against the woodwork with the keeper perhaps getting a touch.

Morsy blazed over on 27 after a Burns ball in from the right had deflected to him on the edge of the box. The captain knew it was a good chance and exchanged a rueful laugh with the home fans behind the goal.

Town had got themselves well on top after a slow start and on 32 John-Jules played in Burns on the right of the box from where he lifted it over keeper Jensen but Doug Tharme nodded it behind from inside the six-yard area.

In the final scheduled minute, with Accrington starting to see more of the ball, a poor Burns clearance fell to Pritchard 30 yards out but the midfielder’s shot flew over the roofless stand housing the Town support.

Seconds before the whistle, Evans sent in a free-kick from the left which keeper Jensen claimed having initially tried a cleverer effort which had played Davis in on the left of the box but too quickly for referee Anthony Backhouse’s liking.

After a slow start, the Blues had got themselves well on top and creating opportunities with the best Morsy’s shot and Davis’s effort off the post.

Accrington, who had started well before coming more into it again just before the break, had had their moments, but with Town so far dealing with their long throws into the box with Burgess nodding most clear. Which way the first goal goes in the second half looks crucial.

Accrington: Jensen, Clark, Hamilton, Astley, Coyle, T Leigh, Lowe, Pritchard, McConville (c), Rodgers, Tharme. Subs: Savin, Whalley, Sangare, Adedoyin, Conneely, Sloane, Woods.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Burns, Evans, Morsy (c), Davis, Harness, John-Jules, Jackson. Subs: Hladky, Keogh, G Leigh, Ball, Chaplin, Ahadme, Ladapo. Referee: Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria).

Photo: Pagepix

RobsonWark added 16:02 - Sep 3 Jackson up front for Town. 0-0 at half-time. Enough said.
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