Brunt in the Hunt

Ryan netted twice in a comfortable 3-0 win over Mansfield at Home Park, after being handed a starting role ahead of this season’s top marksman Jake Jervis and the club’s leading scorer for the past two campaigns, Reuben Reid.

The victory – which was started off when Gregg Wylde netted his sixth goal of the season – maintained Argyle in second place in the division, five points behind leaders Northampton and ten ahead of Wycombe, the team immediately outside the automatic promotion places. 

“We all want to win the league,” said Ryan. “We’d be stupid not to think that; you have got to think the highest possible. We are a few points off Northampton but, if you play three games in a week, that can all change. You’ll see Northampton have a dip, and we’ve get to exploit that. 

“First of all, we have got to look at being top; then, the gap between third and fourth. It’s promising and we’re just in the right position not to be above ourselves and think ‘we’re doing it easy’ but we’re training hard and putting our foot on the gas. Today was a prime example of that.” 

Ryan was one of three changes to the Argyle side that had lost to Wycombe in their previous match – another was on-loan Hibernian defender, who replaced ever-present Kelvin Mellor at right-back – being given the manager’s nod for the central striker role. 

“As I’ve said on previous times, whether it’s me, Rubes, or Jake who starts, we have just got to do the best and really work for the team playing in that role,” he said. “It’s normally a thankless task; it was nice to grab a couple of goals and show a bit more. 

“It’s now a sign that we have got a squad to win the league. Kelvin was very unlucky to be left out – he’s been class all season – but Jord’s come in and has done really well. Obviously, Rubes and Jake are great players. They score goals and Rubes has got a fantastic record. 

“As long as one of us is doing the right things, it’s happy days. 

“My ratio of starts to goals is something I have been working on. I probably could have had three, four, five today, but I’m pleased with two, pleased we got three points, 3-0, clean sheet – it really shows what we are about.”