Resilience and Character
ARGYLE displayed all the mental and physical powers any team needs in securing a dramatic late win over Stevenage at Home Park.
The Greens played some tremendous football in the first period and looked to be on course for a routine three points in Sky Bet League Two when Byron Moore’s deflected effort hit the Stevenage net.
The pattern changed from fluency to fight in the second period, as Elliott List equlaised on the hour and the Pilgrims had to wait for a last-gasp winner from Niall Canavan.
“In the first-half, I thought we should have been out of sight and that’s been the case for probably a large part of the season, but it was then about the resilience and character the lads showed in the second-half,” said manager Ryan Lowe.
“We knew Stevenage would be tough to break down. They were solid and resolute, as Graham Westley’s teams are, so it was tough. I’m just pleased with the character and resilience to break them down in the last minute.
“The flowing movements was us in a nutshell, that’s our style of play. We play in flowing movements, fast and quick. The second-half wasn’t as quick but we believed we would get one more chance.
“We believed in the patterns of play that we play, the overloads we play, that we would create chances. It’s just that last little bit and it’s a great win for us.
“We scored with 30 seconds to go and we haven’t had one of them this season. It’s gone against us before, so it’s a big plus for us. It was a little bit different to what we’re about, high ball into the box, but sometimes you have to do that. I’m so pleased for the boys and the group.
“We didn’t play our best in the second-half and we know that, it wasn’t quite as free-flowing, but these lads are putting everything into it and you can’t criticise them.
“It was the second game in four days and they are a bit on the floor in terms of tiredness, so we’ll make sure we put the recovery into them. They’ve given us everything, the lads put their bodies on the line and the resilience of the boys showed with a 96th-minute winner.
“The home advantage is the crowd behind us and making Home Park a fortress. If you can also keep nicking points away from home, you become a good team. The resilience and character of the boys is something they’ve worked hard to get.”