About Conceding

Nine minutes into the Pilgrims’ Boxing Day fixture – an annual event they had not previously experienced defeat in since 1997 – they found themselves behind. After an Exiles corner from Mark Byrne was half-cleared by the men in green, Byrne was able to deliver again and find the head of ex-Argyle player Chris Zebroski, who found space to head beyond Luke McCormick and into the far corner.

John Sheridan: “The first goal is a poor goal because we should deal with it – just defend properly with it, but we end up conceding.

“There is no danger, but it ends up breaking and they score a goal.”

John’s lads pushed for an equaliser throughout the game, and were much the better side for large periods of it, but the game was put beyond them eight minutes from time when a corner delivered low towards the near post found a way through a sea of bodies and rolled into the net.

John said: “Then they get the second goal, which I thought was harsh on us, but is a soft goal and a poor goal to concede.

“It was two poor goals on our part. With the first goal, if they were going to score, that was how they were going to do it.

“We said ‘Do not let them get corners and long throws. They just put balls in the box; they will play off the front, get in and around you and make life difficult for you’.

“That is something we have to stand up to, and have to get used to.”