21 Game Salute

“IT is a tough place to come to – they don’t lose many games at home – so I was very pleased to get the three points.”

As understatements go, Pilgrims’ manager John Sheridan’s summation of Argyle’s 3-1 dismantling of Cheltenham on the Robins’ own manor was right up there.

Mark Yates’ men have reached the play-offs twice in the last two seasons thanks to making Whaddon Road the toughest of tough places for opposing teams – it took Argyle just 38 minutes to smash their 21-game unbeaten home run.

With still seven minutes to go to half-time, goals from Marvin Morgan, captain Conor Hourihane and Rommy Boco had set Argyle on their way to their first three points of the season after two winless, goal-less games.

“It was a very good team performance,” said John. “We can feel a bit of a lift at the first win.”

 Despite the lack of goals in the Pilgrims’ previous three hours of League 2 football, John had showed faith with the same midfield and attack and was rewarded with some fine team goals in an attackiing display led by Morgan and Reuben Reid.

“For an hour, those two played really well,” said John.

“I like my strikers playing as strikers. Everyone’s playing this ‘striker up front and one in the hole’, a Dennis Bergkamp, but we’re in the second division and we’re not Arsenal.

“So I want my strikers to play as strikers. I told them to both play up and play high up the pitch and I think you could see the difference.  Marvin was tremendous today, with his work-rate, and Reuben, again.

“It’s good to get three goals from different scorers, and different players involved. I know I’ve got players who can score in attacking areas; if we all chip in with what I think they could get over the season, I think we’ll be okay.

“It was good Rommy got a goal, another player who worked his socks off.”

Despite the easy win, John believes there is even more to come from his players.  

“I’m even moaning when we are 3-0 up because I think we still do things on the pitch that we can do better,” he said.

“I could take my foot off the pedal and think ‘3-0 and we’ve won the game’ but I’m not like that. We’re not a good enough team to think that, so we’ve got to keep on our toes.

“I won’t change, whether we win or lose. I’ve got to believe and stick to my beliefs. That’s just the way I am.”