Home Sweet Home
ARGYLE manager Derek Adams wants his side to keep up their consistent run at home in this Saturday’s Westcountry derby against Bristol Rovers.
Both sides are separated by a place and a point in the Sky Bet League One table, the Pilgrims in the loftier position of 12th with 45 points, and Derek says the aim is to stay ahead of our rivals.
“We are looking forward to it but obviously are above them in the table by one position; we have done very well to catch them,” said Derek. “We’ve gone past them and we want to keep ahead of Bristol Rovers because we’ve been on a very good run ourselves, especially at home. [We are] seven games unbeaten and want to continue that form.”
Seven seems to be the lucky number at the moment, because Argyle’s seven-game unbeaten streak at home can be matched by former Pilgrim Graham Coughlan’s team, who have not lost in seven on the road, and so Derek predicts a tight affair tomorrow afternoon.
The aforementioned Coughlan will no doubt relish a return to Home Park, he was a favourite here and was integral to our double-promotion-winning sides in 2002 and 2004. However, while Derek agrees it is nice to see old faces at former stomping grounds, he believes he has two of the most well-known faces under his current employ.
He said: “We have two of the biggest legends in Kevin Hodges and Paul Wotton in our staff. There are a number of players coming back from the opposition as well, it is always nice to go back to your own ground and meet them, but we are obviously looking after Argyle tomorrow.“
The unusual nature of the division this season means that it is extremely difficult to be sure of how many points will be required in order to guarantee League One football next season, and the manager hopes we keep picking up points to ensure survival, sooner rather than later.
“We have eight games to go and they are eight very big games, but we are hopeful we pick up the required points well before then,” said Derek.
“This league is very difficult to predict but both of us have shown very good form. We have got players who are in form and we have one of the top goal scorers in the division in Freddie Ladapo. We have [Graham] Carey and [Ruben] Lameiras both in good form and we know they have got a threat as well, we have got to be mindful of that.”