Bit Of Both

THE quandary, when you leave a football match having drawn a game, especially to local rivals, is whether it was a point gained or a couple lost.

The cheers of the Green Army at the final whistle indicated satisfaction at a point that was earned by a positive second half performance by the Pilgrims.

When Joe Lennox equalised with just under twenty minutes to go, Argyle were on top, virtually in total command, and thoughts turning to a potential victory. However, Jamie Cureton missed a late chance to win it for City, and when Maxime Blanchard’s late dismissal saw the Pilgrims down to ten men, a draw would have been satisfactory to most.

So was it a case of a well-earned point, or falling short or nabbing all three?

“You can look at it as a bit of both, really,” said Argyle midfielder Luke Young, “I don’t think they caused us many problems first half, and it was a lucky deflection that went in the net. We were in control, but it was that bit of luck that we didn’t get.

“In the second half we showed what we were made of in the dressing room and what we’ve been doing in training. I feel we deserved to get the three points.”

Plymouth-born Young, the only Janner in the Argyle starting line-up, was playing in his first derby against Exeter.

The boy that has grown into a man before our eyes played all across the midfield at various time in this game, and was instrumental in Argyle’s second half comeback.

“It’s the first derby against Exeter that I’ve actually played in,” he said, “It had a bit of a special occasion feel to it. To come away with something, to not get beat, was something I’ll remember.

“Everyone knew the importance of it. Everyone knows that Plymouth/Exeter is a big derby game. It’s a derby that we haven’t had much of late, but everyone knew their jobs and it showed out there what we are capable of.

“If I’m playing and starting, I’m happy. It’s nice to have that variety in positions. If the gaffer needs me to go somewhere in midfield or a little bit higher up then I feel I can do that.

“When you come into derbies and you are away from home, there’s that little bit more pressure on you. At Torquay, a point was a fair result. A point here, we’ll take obviously, but we did enough to win the game.

"But we’ll look forward to the next few games. We’ve got Accrington away next week, which will be a tough game, and one we’ll use to get ready for Boxing Day.”