No Surprises

ARGYLE’S opening half-hour blitz in the Dockyard Derby might have shocked Portsmouth, but it came as no surprise to two-goal Reuben Reid.

Reuben netted a sixth-minute penalty and 30th-minute strike, either side of a Lewi Alessandra goal, as the Pilgrims won the televised Sky Bet League 2 encounter 3-0.

The victory came less than 72 hours after a tough Johnstone’s Paint Trophy encounter at Coventry and a wee small hours arrival back in Plymouth.

“We had a short time to prepare for the game,” said Reuben, “but obviously we prepared well for it and I think that showed in our first-half performance where we’ve come out and we’ve finished the game quite early.

“I don’t think people realise we’re quite a fit bunch so, before the game gets started, some of the senior lads will get the lads fired up, saying ‘Let’s nick two goals in the first 15 minutes, run over the top of them.’ I don’t think a lot of teams expect that.

“When we’re pressing teams and playing at a high tempo – that’s when we’re a good side.”

A five-figure crowd saw Argyle register a seventh successive home victory – two stats that give you a feeling that the good times are slowly coming back to Home Park.

Reuben said: “It’s two massive clubs playing in League 2; great fan bases – Portsmouth fans will say theirs is the best but, in my opinion, Plymouth’s is the best, the way we travel and the support we get – so these games feel like good matches. I think every player would agree, once you are playing in that scenario, that environment, it does lift you. That can only help us.

“We have not done anything yet, but I think we are showing now that consistency in performance. We, as a group – along with the manager and the staff – now know what we’re going to get with certain players and I think the team and this club hasn’t had that over the last few years.

“We have got a good bunch – honest lads. No personalities really stand out in a bad way; everyone’s driving together.

“Hopefully, if we can keep it up, we can be there or thereabouts.”