eSports Preview: Back on Form

Argyle eSports ended a barren run of form in some style on Thursday night, securing three wins out of three in Virtual Pro Gaming (VPG) action.

Opening with a 3-2 win over Scunthorpe United in the VPG English Premier division, the Pilgrims followed up with VPG League One South victories over VPG Primo (1-0) and ANFA eSport (3-1) to make it a perfect night.

The catalyst behind arresting the Greens’ slump was a tactical tweak, according to Argyle eSports’ manager, Ben Taylor.

He said: “It was a better night for us. We decided to change formation, play a bit wider, with a few more players in attack. We started to create more chances, took them well, and won the games. It worked, so we’re going to stick at it tonight and hopefully get two more wins.”

The Pilgrims are back in action in both competitions on Monday night, facing Leyton Orient in the VPG English Premier, before taking on Yxng Boys in VPG League One South.

“Leyton Orient are a new team, so I don’t really know much about them,” said Taylor. “In League One South, we play Yxng Boys. They beat us in the first game, so we’re looking to get revenge tonight.”

Having only been in existence for a few short months, Argyle eSports have experienced a rollercoaster start to life in competitive gaming. Despite recovering from a six-game losing streak at the beginning of their League One South campaign to challenge the top sides, promotion is now a mathematical impossibility with two games left to play.

However, in the English Premier division, which runs in parallel to League One South and is open exclusively to teams affiliated with professional football clubs, the Pilgrims have belied their inexperience to sit firmly in mid-table.

Taylor said: “Most of these teams have been around a lot longer than us, so, at the minute, I feel like we’re giving a good account of ourselves.  There is still plenty of room for improvement, so hopefully we can keep improving and move ourselves further forward.”

“We’re in the top-half. If we get the three points tonight, it’ll boost us further. We’re not doing too badly in that league, considering it’s our first time in there. Hopefully, we can get further up the table, and show people that we’re a good team.”

Argyle eSports kick-off against Leyton Orient at 8pm BST in the VPG English Premier, before taking on Yxng Boys an hour later in VPG League One South. Both fixtures will be available to stream live through our Facebook and Twitch channels.