Fox Trot

...David Fox says that the Pilgrims want to be there at the end of the season and that there has been a belief in the squad from the very beginning of the season.

Argyle were at the foot of League Two after losing their first two league games, but now the Pilgrims sit at the opposite end of the table after a 2-1 win over Cambridge continued a six-game winning streak. 

"I am sure the fans travelling back from Carlisle probably would not have thought that we would be top now," saidDavid. "But we always had that belief. The manager has brought us all together so there is that belief in the squad. It is great that we are there at the minute. Long may it continue because we know that ultimately that is where we want to be at the end of the season.

"It is pleasing the way we are winning as well. Some games where we have been completely dominant, some games where we have hung on in there, clean sheets, and the goals are getting spread around. It is important that we just keep going now. Last season I was on the other side of things and you get that losing momentum, and now it is the same, but a winning one and the momentum is growing and building and you feel confident going into every game."

Despite five changes, for large parts of the 2-1 win over Cambridge the Pilgrims looked relatively comfortable. Cambridge pulled back a goal with ten minutes of normal time left to play, which made for a nervous finale, but Argyle held on for the three points.

"That was frustrating," said David. "How we did not ram home the advantage from the good first-half that we had? It was important in the second-half because we knew they would come out at us, so we had to weather it and get the next goal and we did that and you are thinking to yourself, let's see what we have got and hit them on the break. We could have made that last ten minutes a lot easier for ourselves. They got a goal, and they are not going to lie down and let us win, no team is going to do that, so we really had to grind it out at the end so it was pleasing to get the result.

"It was a lot more nervy then we would have liked. We are disappointed with the goal; it was one that we should have prevented. They are not going to come and roll over and you have got to be on the metal all the time. We switched off and we got punished. We made it a lot harder for ourselves then it had to be."

David was a product of Exeter City's academy, despite moving to Manchester United in July 2000. This will be David's first Devon Derby, despite growing up watching them, and he is eagerly anticipating Argyle's trip to St.James' Park.

"It is a massive game," said David. "It is one where everything takes care of itself. You have just got to go out there and give everything because the form book goes out of the window for derbies. The one next Saturday will be no different. We have got to take it as a different game and one that will cause different problems. We are confident at the minute, momentum is good and it is a game that we are all looking forward to.

"I have probably got more in it then a lot of people, I grew up with it. I know what it means, I have been to enough of them to know how important they are, and how important they are to the fans, and what a big game it is. I know how big it is and I am sure I am going to let everyone know about it. I am on a different side of it this time, but I know to both clubs how important it is, and I look forward to it. From a personal point of view, it is the one game I have been looking forward to, and fingers crossed I am in there, because it is a big game."