'No Doubting' - Thomas

NATHAN Thomas says that the Argyle dressing-room will be full of disappointment...

...if the Pilgrims fail to reach this season’s Sky Bet League 2 play-offs.

Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Mansfield, in which teenager Thomas came on as substitute to set up a dramatic late equaliser for Lewis Alessandra, leaves Argyle 11 points outside the play-off positions with 18 games of the season to play.

Despite the gap, Nathan, 19, says everyone is fired up for the run-in.

“You have just got to keep doing what you are doing and playing well, and results will come,” he said. “We are still there or thereabouts – three or four games won on the bounce and you are in the play-offs. 

“I’ve never played in a league where anybody can beat anybody. We’re talking about top to bottom.

“You can see the quality we have got in our team. We have got a lot of players who have played at a higher level. I definitely think we can challenge for the play-offs.

“That’s the big goal for the season. If we don’t get in the play-offs, we are going to be very disappointed. That’s what we have set our target as. It’s in our own hands.”

Nathan is hoping that his increasingly influential cameo roles from the Argyle bench will soon lead to his full debut for Argyle, who he joined just before Christmas.

“Every week, I hope to start,” he said. “I wanted to come to play football. I think, gradually, over all the little spells I’ve been getting, whenever I’ve had the chance, I’ve done pretty well. I don’t think I’ve had a bad game yet.

“I think I’ve put myself in good stead, hopefully, to get a start; if not, I’ll do the same again – when I come on, I hope I can come on and make a difference. I can go past people. That’s what I do – that’s my job and, when I get my chance to do it, I like doing it.

“It’s the worst thing on a Friday afternoon when you know you’re not in the team, and you go home disappointed. But I look at it this way – I’m only young and there are players out there who have played 200-300 games at this level, and I’ve played seven.

“You have just got to be patient and, when you get the chance, make sure you take it.  If I get my chance, hopefully I can take it and cement my place in the side.”