Canny About Kennedy

ARGYLE signed Matty Kennedy on loan from Cardiff City in the closing hours of January, following a 2-1 defeat at Yeovil Town...

...and the Scottish winger has been pivotal in Argyle’s performances since then. 

He caught the eye at Cambridge, in a 1-0 victory earned by an Antoni Sarcevic goal, and has scored in three successive games since then. 

He scored an opener against Exeter, and provided an assist in the 3-0 win that day; he was on the scoresheet against Leyton Orient in a midweek 3-2 reverse, then completed a stunning eight days with an equalising goal in a 1-1 draw at Hartlepool. 

The latter two goals were each solo efforts, cutting in from the left flank and driving home from range. The first was no tap-in either, and all efforts – not just his goals – have been noted and appreciated by his temporary gaffer. 

“He’s got undoubted quality,” said Derek. “He’s quick and direct; coming off the side he can score goals. He probably could have done that in the first half as well today. It was a fantastic goal.

“With 15 minutes to go, he’s put it in the top corner. He’s played really well for us since he has come in. I felt with could have got another one after that, but it was not to be.”

Adams was also delighted to welcome one of his key players from the beginning of the season back into the Pilgrims’ fold on Saturday at Hartlepool. 

Jimmy Spencer played the last half an hour at the Northern Gas and Power Stadium – his first active minutes since suffering the injury, in training, in mid-November. He joined Ryan Taylor – and later Nathan Blissett – as Derek introduced a litany of attacking options in trying to salvage something from the game. 

“He hasn’t played for a long period of time,” said Adams, “but he has trained with the squad continuously. He took the ball in well at times; it wouldn’t have been easy for him coming on, but he showed in glimpses what a good player he is. 

“We have good competition now in that area. He and Ryan Taylor can both play in there, and it is important we have that until the end of the season.

“I wanted to win the game. It was probably a little bit high risk, because they could get on the counter attack, but with ten minutes to go I wanted to try and get the win I felt we deserved.”