Convert The Hurt

ANTHONY O’Connor has stated losing 2-1 to Morecambe was a real body-blow - but he expects the team to use that pain to exact their revenge in upcoming home games.

After Kevin Ellison’s early opener at the Globe Arena was quickly cancelled out by Peter Hartley, Jamie Devitt scored an 82nd minute winner that prevented the Pilgrims taking anything from a game they looked set to take at least a point from.

Speaking post-match, the defender-turned-midfielder, on loan from Blackburn Rovers, had clearly taken the defeat to heart, and was intent on not letting it happen again.

“That is just my character: I do not like losing football matches,” said Anthony. “I do not like losing in general – I do not care what it is. I presume it is the same for all the lads.

“To travel all this way and lose like that… I can’t even describe it.

“Coming off the back of two wins, we wanted to get a bit of a run going. The game was looking comfortable for us. The gaffer was saying that we looked the better team.

“We probably needed to just take it up a gear – kick it up a notch, grab the game by the scruff of the neck and win it, but we didn’t.

“I really had the feeling that we were going to go on and win it. The lads were buzzing in the dressing room. We were a comfortable side, we were good on the ball, and we did not really look like conceding again. I do not think Luke had to make many saves.”

Anthony already has his mind set on turning the negatives of today into positives when Argyle return to Home Park for their next two games, against Wycombe Wanderers and Hartlepool United.

“All we can do now is try and focus and forget about it, but saying that, I do not want to forget it too much,” said O’Connor.

“I want to take that hurt into Tuesday night and bring it all on to the field, to make sure we do not feel that again.
 
“Home form is massive, if you can win your games at home, whilst picking up points away, which we should have done today, and we won last week against Luton, so there are some positives from the last two games.

“We go into two home games now looking to take maximum points – no less. It is early days, but home form is massive.”