Wayne Rooney angry over Plymouth Argyle performance despite stunning fightback

Wayne Rooney called Plymouth Argyle's performance against Preston North End 'nowhere near good enough' even though they battled back from trailing by three goals in the second half at Home Park to draw 3-3.

Rooney accused his side of 'schoolboy defending' and admitted he felt sorry for goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw that he had to face so many one-on-one situations as Preston repeatedly opened up the Pilgrims defensively.

The Argyle head coach was 'really pleased' to get a point in the end after second half goals from 18-year-old Freddie Issaka, substitute Andre Gray and Morgan Whittaker, whose equaliser came in the second minute of added time, but he was still fuming about the overall display.

A visibly annoyed Rooney said: "I'm angry, to be honest. That performance is nowhere near good enough. I was really disappointed for an hour of that game.

"It didn't look like us at all. We were easy to play against. We weren't putting tackles in, we weren't getting to the ball. I'm obviously pleased we get a point out of the game but I can't accept that performance.

"I'm frustrated. At 3-0, you are looking at it and you are concerned. I tried to get attacking players on and get more balls in the box. We didn't do that enough, which is something we have worked on and looked at over the last couple of days, and we didn't do that at all for an hour. Really pleased to get a point at the end but the performance was nowhere near good enough.

"We have to keep working. There has been games this season where we have been really good. The last three we have hit a little bit of a blip so we need to snap out of it because today could have been a lot worse."

Argyle were without key defender Lewis Gibson against Preston due to a thigh injury so Victor Palsson slotted into his centre-back position alongside Kornel Szucs but they, and those around them, simply could not contain Preston.

Sam Greenwood opened the scoring in the 16th minute and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen added a second goal with almost the last kick of the first half before Brad Potts made it 3-0 in the 48th minute. The damage for the Pilgrims would have been even worse had it not been for some good saves from goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw.

Rooney said: "I felt for him because how easy they were getting through us and getting shots off in one-on-one situations. It was schoolboy defending really. We have to make sure we tighten up and be a lot harder to play against."

There were plenty of boos around Home Park when referee Andy Davies blew for half-time and Rooney understood the reaction of the fans. "They had every right to boo and have a go at whether it's me or the players because that performance isn't good enough," said Rooney.

"But I think they saw us pushing, they saw us make changes. We were getting more balls in the box and trying to get back in the game. You could feel the atmosphere growing towards the end and I'm delighted we could at least get them a point. I was on the sideline as well and it wasn't good to watch for an hour."

He added: "When I look at Preston, if we do the right things we win this game today, no doubt about that, so that's the frustrating part."

Issaka made his first Championship start for Argyle as he replaced Mustapha Bundu in the wide left attacking role while Ibrahim Cissoko sat out the second match of a three-game suspension.

The Wales under-19 international grabbed his first senior goal in the 55th minute to start the incredible Argyle comeback when he slotted home after reacting first to a free-kick from Adam Randell being pushed out by goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

Rooney said: "I'm really pleased. It was a good game for him, I think, and a lot for him to learn from as well, but as a young player all you are hoping is they have some sort of impact.

"You know they are going to make mistakes but he gets his reward for following in from the free-kick and gets his goal. I think he has been waiting a long time to start a game and today felt like the right moment."

Rooney was forced into a 50th minute substitution because of an apparent hamstring injury to captain Joe Edwards so Julio Pleguezuelo was sent on immediately after Preston's third goal and went into central defence, with Victor Palsson moving across to right-back.

A double change followed eight minutes later as Gray and Darko Gyabi were sent on for Adam Forshaw and Rami Al Hajj, before the final two permitted substitutes were called upon by Rooney, as Mustapha Bundu and Ryan Hardie replaced Issaka and Michael Obafemi.

Rooney said: "One goal makes a big difference and you hope you can make changes just to swing the momentum of the game and get something for us to push for. I thought the lads who came on made a difference, all of them. I was really pleased with that."

Gray headed home Argyle's second goal in the 82nd minute after an excellent deep cross from the left by Bali Mumba. It was the 33-year-old striker's first game at Home Park and just his second appearance for the Pilgrims since joining them as a free agent at the start of October.

"He has done that his whole career and that's why you bring a player like Andre in," said Rooney. "The ball goes out wide and he's in the right position in the middle of the goal. It's a great cross from Bali and a really good header as well."

The comeback was complete when a left-foot shot from Whittaker after he was set up by Bundu proved too powerful for Woodman to save. It was the latest in a long line of late Home Park goals scored by Argyle over recent times.

Rooney said: "Even at 3-0, I felt if we got a goal early enough we could get something out of the game. I really did believe that. I said to the lads at half-time at 2-0 I thought we could win the game. We just had to up everything by 10 per cent.

"At 3-0 we kept pushing. You can talk about character and fight and belief but we shouldn't have been in that position today and we were because we weren't good enough but I will never knock the players for their desire to keep going until the end. If you keep pushing you get your rewards."

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