Going Gets Tough

A TOUGH, tight, physical affair ensued when Argyle last met Stevenage – and defender Carl McHugh is expecting the return meeting to be no different.

The Pilgrims travel to Stevenage for the first time in the club’s history this Tuesday night, following a 1-1 draw earlier in the season. 

That game, also a Tuesday-nighter, was one in which Argyle got off a little lightly, looking second best to a strong Stevenage side before pinching a late equaliser, around eight minutes into stoppage time, from Deane Smalley’s penalty, to cancel out Connor Calcutt’s opener. 

The trip to the Lamex comes a crucial time in the season for both teams, with each sitting just outside the vital top seven places in Sky Bet League 2. Carl expects both sides to be up for a tough encounter, if the last one is anything to go by. 

“(The game earlier in the season) was a poor game,” said Carl. “I don’t think we played well; we got a point at the end with a late, late, late penalty. It was a valuable point in the end. 

 “Tuesday might not be the prettiest game of football you will ever watch, but we’ve just got to go there and try and get a result. It’s that stage of the season where performances aren’t really important – it’s about getting the result. 

“They are a big, strong, physical team. They will be really competitive – to come out of there with a good result we are going to have to work really, really hard. It is not going to be an easy game. We will be put under a lot of pressure, and it is quite a tight pitch. We’re going to have to stand up as men and be counted.”