Derek post BRovers 3

THE renaissance of Graham Carey and Joel Grant helped Argyle to a decent Sky Bet League One point from a 0-0 draw at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Graham was recalled to the starting 11 and played off main forward Freddie Ladapo until Joel’s introduction as second-half substitute, a tactical move which turned the game fully Argyle’s way.

Joel set up chance after chance from the left side of the attack, with Rovers goalkeeper Jack Bonham making a superb save to deny Graham from one of them.

“He was terrific when he came on,” said Derek. “He really changed the game in our favour. He took [Daniel] Leadbitter on – Leadbitter obviously got substituted – time and time again. He took us up the pitch and allowed us to play in that final third.

“He’s a wide player and, with wide players, you sometimes don’t get that consistency all the time, but we have seen, in training this week, that he can take people on.

“He’s got outstanding ability. He needs to do it more, but he’s that type of character. We try to get it out of him all the time.”

Graham was handed the No.10 role in which he has excelled in recent seasons, and was a constant menace.

Derek said: “He wasn’t able to get on the ball much, but he was pivotal in some of the good things we had today.

“I felt there might be the opportunity to play between the middle and the front. [Bristol Rovers] leave big gaps in there. [Chris] Lines and [James] Clarke, in the middle of the park, sometimes like to get forward, but they had a problem because they had three to play against.”