Chipping In

FOUR goals for a centre-back at this stage of the season is quite the achievement...

...but Peter Hartley is already focused on adding to his goal tally for Argyle.

Goals against Morecambe, Fylde, Northampton Town and Cheltenham Town have seen the defender rise to third in the team’s goal-scoring charts for this campaign, behind only forwards Reuben Reid and Lewis Alessandra.

Without forgetting his primary duty of keeping the ball out of his own net, Hartley has his mind set on chipping in more and more in the opposition’s area, and believes the quality of his teammates can only serve to help him achieve that.

“Obviously it is nice to contribute towards scoring goals,” said Peter.

“It is not my main job, but I like to chip in, and I have set myself a goal target for the end of the season, and I am well on my way to it.

“The boys have been different class, and there have been a few amazing deliveries – some of them, I have just had to make contact with it. It was a great ball by Bobby (against Northampton), and Cheltenham at home, Andy Kellett’s ball: I just had to connect and it was a goal.

“I know that if I get in the right areas, we have got the quality to deliver the ball, so I just concentrate on getting a yard on the guy that is marking me, and hopefully the ball ends up in the right place.”

Both Curtis Nelson and Carl McHugh have also managed to get on the scoresheet from the centre-back position this season, and Peter expects himself and his defensive partners to continue contributing in attack and defence for the Pilgrims.

“In the attacking box, Carl McHugh has scored from a set piece, Nelse has scored, and I have got four,” said Peter.

“I think we have really got to build around getting five or six goals each as defenders, and really let the strikers pick up and do the rest of the work, then we will be there or thereabouts.

“I think we have defended set pieces fairly well. I can remember one: I think Wycombe scored here off a set piece, in the second phase, but I do not think we have conceded many goals – I think Cambridge on the first day of the season as well, when we were a fairly fresh squad.”