Job Done All Over

CONOR Grant’s spectacular first Argyle goal and a fine display of goalkeeping from Alex Palmer were the eye-catching highlights of a great all-round team performance as the Pilgrims claimed a 1-0 Sky Bet League Two victory at Mansfield.

Conor returned to the starting line-up to smash home a 25-yard strike from Antoni Sarcevic’s set-up in the 13th minute and give Argyle a deserved half-time lead.

“Fantastic build-up play for it. Laid it off for Conor. Touch. Bang. Goal,” was manager Ryan Lowe’s succinct summary of the game-winning moment.

“It was a fantastic strike.

“We asked for more shots on target. He had another one when the ’keeper made a good save and another one that was blocked.

“Perfect. We want that; we want more shots. We want to play pretty football as we always will but also there’s nice football which is shooting from the edge of the box.”

After an Argyle-dominant first-half, the second period was more of a rearguard action for the Pilgrims, with no-one more involved in keeping the clean sheet than Alex Palmer, whose save at the feet of substitute Andy Cook was the pick of a bulging portfolio.

Ryan said: “He’s big and strong and he’s got to do that for us: he’s got to come and collect the ball; he’s got to come and punch; he’s got to take whacks, which he did. It’s what he’s there for.

“He’s been immense today [Saturday], along with the back three and even the wing-backs and midfielders who were in there. They were solid.”