Pivotal

JOHN Sheridan’s first away match as Argyle manager could yet turn out to be the most pivotal game in the club’s history.

With points becoming increasingly vital as the season ebbs away, and the Pilgrims and their hosts on Saturday, Aldershot, fighting to preserve their Football League status, the weight of a win for either side cannot be understated.

Not that John wanted to downplay things. “We know the importance of the game,” said the Argyle manager. “We’ll go there confident we can win the game, and that’s what we’re going to try to do.

“We know it’s going to be a tough game. Aldershot are the home side and they will see it as a good opportunity to get three points.

“Aldershot are down there with us. When you look, there are five or six teams, all fighting, all picking up the odd point here and there. If they keep doing that, someone else is going to get roped into it.”

Despite the parlous position of Dean Holdsworth’s side – which narrowly missed out on the League 2 play-offs last season – they have performed well recently in an FA Cup defeat in the north east and a goal-less league stalemate in the south west.

“I’ve seen them a couple of times and they are a decent side,” said John.  “I think they are in a false position.

“They have got some good players. They came back from Middlesbrough only a couple of weeks ago – they put up a good performance there – and they picked up a good point at Exeter.

“They are fighting for the cause, and have got one or two decent players. We’ll be aware of that, but we know we’ve got to try to win the game.”

Since John succeeded Carl Fletcher four weeks ago, he has swiftly revamped the squad, bringing in five players and letting another three leave the club.

He said: “It’s improved us – we are unbeaten in three games.

“It is hard, when you bring new players in, and so many. It’s not ideally what I’d really like to do but I think it’s something I had to do to, just give everyone a lift and get the results we are trying to get.

“We have got a short period of time to get a few wins.  They are all new to each other but they all get on with each other. They are a good group.

“I’ve said before – training has always been spot on. They are working very hard in training. I’d just like to take it into games a little bit more.”