ASHLEY Barnes has agreed an extension to his current contract, keeping him at Home Park until 2011.

His current deal was due to expire this summer but a sensational arrival on the first-team scene has prompted manager Paul Sturrock to offer him a new contract.

"Ashley came in at an important time of the season," said Luggy.

"It was a decision I didn't take lightly. I put a lot of pressure on that boy and in the last couple of games that pressure has shown with his performances.

"He has been asked to do an awful lot and has had that pressure on his shoulders. I was delighted with how he has reacted to that in the first six or seven games.

"It's been playing on his mind him not scoring a goal, which has made him so eager, he gets himself in offside positions a lot of the time.

"The way he sniffs around the box he's going to score a lot of those easy goals, the ones off the goalie.

"I'm very hopeful another year's work on him, another pre-season with him, on a regular occurrence will get him better and better."

Barnes first became a Pilgrim when he was plucked from the relative obscurity of Paulton Rovers in Somerset by former manager Ian Holloway in 2007.

He enjoyed loan spells with Grays Athletic, Oxford United and Salisbury City before a move to Eastbourne Borough earlier this season transformed his career.

Having previously only made one substitute appearance for Argyle in a Carling Cup win over Wycombe Wanderers in August 2007, Barnes was thrust into a Championship relegation fight.

Luggy cited the maturity Barnes had developed in his spell with Eastbourne as the main reason for his elevation to first-team duty.

His partnershi[p with Jamie Mackie in recent weeks was a central feature in Argyle's improved form, and their subsequent retention of Championship football.