No Better Feeling
ARGYLE striker Jake Jervis was delighted to get the feeling back after spearheading the Pilgrims’ first home win of the new Sky Bet League 2 season.
The Black Countryman had been a big doubt to start the 4-1 Home Park win over Carlisle United after missing the game against Portsmouth four days earlier with a groin strain.
However, after some hard work with Argyle head physio Paul Atkinson, Jake returned to set the Pilgrims on their way to a victory over his former club which he then sealed with the final goal of an impressive quartet.
The crucial opener came two minutes before half-time, when Jake turned his marker on the left flank, took a few strides towards goal and unleashed a fine shot.
After Tuesday night’s game, Jake said: “As I turned inside, he slipped and I’ve looked to get inside and get a shot off. Happily it ended up in the top corner. It was a great feeling. It always is to score goals; no better feeling.
“I was in with Paul on Saturday and Sunday and he’s done a lot of work to get me fit for the game, which he’s told me to make sure I mention! I came through that and trained [on Monday] and got told today that I’d be playing. I was really happy with that.
“I felt great. On Sunday, we did a hard session, which was probably more intense than training, just to make sure I was okay. I got through that and I was ready to go.”
The goal opened the floodgates as Argyle, who tweaked their formation and replaced Gregg Wylde with Josh Simpson at half-time, strode away from their visitors after the break and scored three times in the first 20 minutes, through Reuben Reid, Graham Carey and Jake.
“[Carlisle] were moving the ball around well and I think, the way we were playing, we weren’t getting close enough to them,” said Jake. “We came in at half-time and made changes. Gregg was unlucky to come off, but obviously it was just tactical and we came out and did well; we reacted.
“We got the ball down a bit more and kept the ball as well because it seemed, in the first half we’d give it back to [Carlisle] and they’d keep it.”
The win was Argyle’s second from their first three league games – sandwiching a home defeat by Portsmouth – during which they have scored seven goals and conceded only one from open play, Carlisle’s late consolation from Joe Thompson. Next, on Saturday, is a visit to Northampton.
Jake said: “The fans have been great from the get-go, getting behind the boys – even in the away game and in pre-season; there were fans coming there –and it was good to get a big crowd on a Tuesday night; we put on a good show for them.
“Portsmouth didn’t go as well; we needed to bounce back and obviously we did. Northampton is another massive game. They have brought in some good players this summer.
“But we don’t concern ourselves with other teams too much. We know what we can do.”