Bobby Dazzler

JOHN Sheridan called Argyle’s Tuesday night failure to overcome a resolute AFC Wimbledon side at Home Park “a shame” as, indeed, it was.

Perhaps the biggest shame of all at the 1-1 draw which nevertheless kept the Pilgrims very much alive and kicking in the race for the Sky Bet League 2 play-off spots was that one of the best individual performances of the season by an Argyle player went relatively unrewarded.

For most of the game, the midfield belonged to Bobby Reid. The 22-year-old playmaker barely put a foot wrong, from his sublime passing in open play to plenty of expertly crafted set-pieces.

“I’ve been waiting for a performance from myself like that for a while and it was good to enjoy it and play like that,” he said. “At the same time, it was a decent performance from the lads; we gained a point, rather than losing two, and we are still in the play-offs.

“We had a lot of chances and maybe, on another day, we would have scored four or five. It goes like that; sometimes, you don’t play well and you win 2-0 or 3-0. We have just got to take the positives.

“Everything came off and we all played with a tempo; I got on the ball a lot more; and we passed it well. That’s our strong point and we’ve got to keep doing it.”

Starting at Carlisle United on Saturday, the first of the Pilgrims’ final three league games which will decide if they remain in Sky Bet league 2’s top seven and, hence, qualify for the post-season play-offs.

Carlisle – like Tranmere Rovers, Argyle’s visitors for their final Home Park game of the league campaign the following week – are not sure of Football League survival.

However, a 1-1 midweek draw at divisional leaders Burton Albion, who needed an equaliser in the final of nine minutes added time, showed their mettle, and makes absolute sense of the club’s decision to plot their trip to Cumbria with precision.

Bobby said: “We take each game as it comes but, in our minds, we know what we’ve got to do: we’ve got to win Saturday and maybe our last home game. That is what we are going to do.

“They are going to be fighting for their lives, so it’s not going to be an easy game by any means.

“It’s a long journey and I think that breaking it up is easier for us and will get the best out of us.”