Regal Company

WHOEVER you are, whatever the stage of the season, there is always a bit of a buzz in the air when you play the league leaders.

Argyle manager Derek Adams knows this. Not just because of his experience of management, but his experience of being part of league leading sides for long stretches if time. 

The feeling that people used to have when Argyle came to town is what we must deal with on Saturday, when Steve Evans’ unbeaten Peterborough United arrive at Home Park. 

The Posh have scored 10 times, winning four straight league matches, but although they have gone 100% so far and top the table, they have kept just one clean sheet, and it took a late penalty for them to overcome Charlton on Tuesday. 

“We are going to have to be at our best to stop them,” said Derek. “They’ve performed very well this season. They have recruited well over the summer, they’ve used the money they got from Jack Marriott to do that and they’ve been very successful.”

Marriott was sold to Derby County for several million pounds in the summer, but Evans has seemingly recruited well in replacing him with the likes of Ivan Toney, Mark O’Hara, Jason Naismith, Colin Daniel and Matt Godden, as well as a loan for Jason Cummings of Nottingham Forest.

The depth of the squad has seen Toney, a former Newcastle forward signing for a significant fee, playing from the bench, where he was joined on Tuesday by creative midfielder George Cooper and another of last year’s star players, returning from injury, Marcus Maddison. 

“We know we have got players that can cause Peterborough trouble, and likewise with them,” said Derek. “I know a few of the players. I tried to get O’Hara in the summer, he eventually went to Peterborough. He is a midfielder that likes to get forward. 

“Naismith as well from Scotland; Cummings that they have on loan from Nottingham Forest, he played at Rangers last year so they’ve got a bit of experience in their team as well.

“O’Hara is one that gets box to box, sometimes a wee bit uneasy on the eye but he does make up the ground and get himself in the penalty area. 

"There was never anything in [rumours of Naismith being an Argyle target]. There was never going to be because there was transfer fee involved. O’Hara was going to be a free signing.

“It was [an impressive bench for Peterborough on Tuesday] but we can say likewise with the experience that we’ve got on our bench as well. It has improved our squad this year, from last year. 

“It’s going to be a difficult game, we know that, they are not at the top of the League for nothing; they’ve won games to be there. We’ll have to defend well but we also have to take our chances when they come along.”

The best news for Derek is that he faces Posh with a fully fit squad. 

“Nobody called into the medical team on Tuesday night and nobody called in yesterday, which is good,” said Derek. 

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Supporters who have not yet got a ticket for the match are urged to purchase as early as possible. By buying before Saturday, supporters can save £2 on the price of a ticket. 

For home supporters arriving on Saturday and wishing to pay on the day, a reminder that policy for the entirety of the 2018-19 season is for there to be no cash taken on the turnstiles. Those paying on the day must go to the Ticket Office and purchase from there, before heading to the necessary turnstile.

Turnstiles close at 3.10pm, with a ‘late gate’ located at turnstile number six in the Devonport end, 15 in the Lyndhurst and 22 in the away end. 

Be aware that the Ticket Office gets busy between 2pm and 3pm, for collections and purchases. The earlier you can get to the Ticket Office, both to quicken your process and to alleviate strain on the facility, the better.