Club News

Point Taken

ARGYLE’S team coach had not left the tarmac of Crawley Town’s car park before defender Peter Hartley was already gearing up for the Pilgrims’ next game.

The Pilgrims’ trip to West Sussex had looked to be a fruitful one, as Ryan Brunt’s 58th minute goal had given Argyle a 1-0 lead they thoroughly merited. 

However, Shamir Fenelon’s late equaliser from a set-piece not only took the air from the Pilgrims’ figurative sails, but snapped the mast halfway up and left the crew of the good ship shell-shocked below decks. 

The mood of Argyle’s players as they shipped out of the Checkatrade.com Stadium seemed solemn, as if defeat had been inflicted and not what would often be seen as a vital away point, such was the level of dominance.

By about 9pm on Saturday evening, the team coach would have passed by a signpost to Yeovil Town Football Club, and it would not shock anyone who knows him to think that perhaps Hartley pointed it out to his team-mates. 

Speaking in the minutes following the final whistle at Crawley, Hartley said: “We’ve got Yeovil Tuesday and we’ve got 15 games left. We’ve got to win as many games as we can. 

“We’ve got to look to win every single game, no matter who we play, and we’ll go to Yeovil looking to take three points.”

Argyle certainly controlled proceedings from the first whistle at Crawley, but other than Brunt’s header from Gregg Wylde’s cross, they were unable to add to their tally.

Reuben Reid was added to the frontline at half-time, and Jake Jervis came into the fray late on, with Wylde peppering the goal, especially in the first half. Graham Carey, too, had his efforts, but could not find the net.

“You can’t take anything away from the boys up top because they’ve been phenomenal this season,” said Hartley. 

“[Ryan Brunt] has been phenomenal. He works really hard in training, he’s really picked up his pace. And you can see Gregg as well, playing with confidence. 

“When you have people in front of you playing with confidence it makes our job easier. I just hope no-one’s head drops and we look forward to Yeovil. 

“We’ve got two days now to recover, then it’s Yeovil away. We’ll have a big following like we did today, and we want three points. Full stop.”