Squad Game

JAKE Jervis believes the Pilgrims’ strength in depth will win more points this season to add to his late penalty game-saver against Hartlepool.

Jake came off the substitutes’ bench at half-time of Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two home game with Argyle trailing to former player Nathan Thomas’s 21st-minute fluked goal.

He, and fellow substitute Jimmy Spencer helped overcome spirited resistance by the north-easterners. Jake drew Argyle level from the penalty spot with six minutes remaining after Jimmy had been fouled.

“In the whole of the squad, anyone can play in the starting 11,” he said. “You saw, in the cup against Newport, how good we were and that was with a totally changed side. That helps the longer the season goes on. Last year, we had a lot of injuries and that hampered us a bit.

 “You know, if you have a bad game, you have got the threat of being dropped so, obviously, that keeps you on your toes and you have got to work even harder. Obviously you are working hard, but you have got it in your mind that you have got to do the business.

“We have got the players to do that and that’s what a promotion team needs. Hopefully we can kick on and go forward.”

The draw maintained Argyle’s place at the top of League Two going into Tuesday’s trip to London to face Leyton Orient.

Jake is one of just eight players in the current Pilgrims’ squad that secured 3-1 win at the Matchroom Stadium in April, when he scored twice in a 3-1 victory. He sees similarities between last season’s front-running Argyle, who eventually fell in the play-offs, and this year’s crop.

“I think we’ve got a winning squad as we did have last year,” he said. “We’ve got players who know how to get out of this league and who are good footballers, as well as mentally strong. All that’s going to help, and obviously it’s got to be a different outcome this year.  

“We are unbeaten in eight, so I think it’s a positive and the boys are going to take that forward and hopefully get the result on Tuesday.