Club News
To The Point
10th January 2015
ARGYLE manager John Sheridan believes a 0-0 draw against Southend United was a fair result for both teams.
Despite the Pilgrims recording their second goalless draw in a row - and Southend their third - it is fair to say the Sky Bet League 2 fixture at Roots Hall is one of the better 0-0s one is likely to see this season.An end-to-end affair threatened to break out into a goal-glut on a number of occasions, none more so than ten minutes from full time, as an Andy Kellett effort was deflected onto the bar by Tom Flanagan and fell to Reuben Reid, who also hit the woodwork from a tight angle.
Luke McCormick also pulled out a number of saves to keep the scores level, meaning the Shrimpers and the Pilgrims maintain their sixth and seventh positions in Sky Bet League 2, respectively.
A point apiece, in Sheridan’s view, was a reasonable outcome, and he is pleased to see a visible progression from last week’s outing at York.
“Both teams had a go, and I think a draw was a fair result,” he said. “It is a tough place to come. It was tricky conditions as well with the wind, and the pitch was really bobbly.
“The performance is a big improvement from last week at York, and a good response from the players.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get the goal, but I thought we were quite lively on the break. They do not let many goals in here; we have battled well, and the lads have defended well.
“I never thought we were going to lose the game. I was quite comfortable with how the game was going.
“There were one or two scary moments with the ball bouncing around and breaking, but I thought we always had a chance of getting a goal ourselves, so I did not really want to change too much.
“At the end there the ball has gone into the box, and Luke has made some great saves with the ball bouncing around him, so I think a draw was a fair result.”
The stalemate means not just an away point for the Greens but also yet another clean sheet, and whilst the boss is encouraged to be keeping the opposition scoreless, he is looking for much more than that in the side’s next two games.
He said: “It is another clean sheet. We all want to win games like I keep saying, but a clean sheet is a good point.
“We have got two important games now against Luton and Morecambe and we have to try and win them.
“It is a good habit, keeping clean sheets, but we know the importance of three points. We have two home games now, and it is important that we try and win both games.