Neal: "It's Been Coming"

NEAL Trotman finally got off the mark for Argyle with a vital late-winner in the 1-0 victory at Mansfield and admitted: “It’s been coming.”

The Pilgrims’ central defender headed home Conor Hourihane’s injury-time free-kick to end a frustrating personal run that has seen him hit the woodwork at least twice and go close in several previous games.

“I think I could have scored a few this season already,” he said. “Hopefully, this is one of many.

“Conor put the ball in a great area – he does it most of the time – so it was up to me to finish it, which I did. I think it was fitting it was in the last minute.

“I’m just glad to get a result. I think we were due one. We have been playing really well in recent games and creating a lot of chances but, unfortunately, we haven’t been able to finish them.

“Even other teams have been saying we are the best team they have played against this season. We just haven’t been scoring. Not just the strikers – the midfielders and defenders as well.

“Probably it was not the best we’ve played all season – I think we’ve played better – but we ground it out and got a great win.”

At the final whistle, the players gathered for a post-match huddle. "We just said ‘Well done - we deserved it’,” said Neal.

“Obviously, the fans haven’t been happy, which is fair enough, but we’ve been sticking together – we’re a close bunch – and we’ve truly believed we should be higher than the position we’re in.

“We were under pressure quite a bit but I think we deserved [the win], especially the way we have been training and the way the gaffer is with us. And the way we are – we’ve got good players.”

The manager fielded a 3-4-3 formation at Mansfield, after employing 4-4-2 and 3-5-2 earlier in the campaign, but Neal is untroubled by switches of system.

He said: “We have had clean sheets and created chances in whatever formation we’ve played and with whatever personnel. We have got some great players in all positions.

“No matter what formation we play, it’s alright. Formations don’t win you matches.”