PREVIEW: Argyle vs Peterborough United

Having extended their unbeaten league run to nine games, Ryan Lowe’s Pilgrims take on promotion-chasing Peterborough United at Home Park on Tuesday evening.

The Greens secured a hard-fought goalless draw at Rochdale last time out, preserving their unbeaten start to 2021 – with Premier League leaders Manchester City the only other side in England to boast such a record.

Dale put on a strong defensive display to deny the Pilgrims an advantage, but they too were unable to find a way past a resolute Argyle defence. As it turned out, the best chance of the game came as early as the third-minute, when Conor Grant’s searching delivery was headed goalward by Panutche Camara, only for Dale keeper Gavin Bazunu to make a superb close-range stop.

While the Greens are in excellent form, they face stiff opposition in the Posh. Tuesday’s visitors have won four out of their last five league fixtures, a return which has hauled them into the automatic promotion places in Sky Bet League One.

Darren Ferguson’s side put in a scintillating second-half display to see off strugglers AFC Wimbledon 3-0 in their last fixture. After a goalless first half, a Sammie Szmodics brace and a late strike from the division’s leading marksman, Jonson Clarke-Harris, ensured a comfortable victory.

Posh’s last away trip saw them ease past Steve Evans’ Gillingham outfit at MEMS Priestfield Stadium. A John Akinde penalty saw the Gills enter the break with a slender advantage. However, Posh blasted their way beyond their Kent opponents after the interval, through a Clarke-Harris double and a Siriki Dembele strike.

Striker Clarke-Harris, who joined Peterborough from Bristol Rovers for a reported seven figures at the beginning of the season, is Posh’s top goalscorer. The former Coventry City man has netted 20 times in all competitions, with one of these deciding the reverse fixture between Posh and Argyle back in November.

Posh reserve goalkeepers Dan Gyollai and Will Blackmore are both self-isolating due to contact with positive COVID-19 cases, so 43-year-old goalkeeping coach Mark Tyler will likely take a spot on the bench for the trip to Devon, while defender Ronnie Edwards remains absent with a thigh problem.

Reece Brown and Nathan Thompson were both substituted in the victory over AFC Wimbledon, but the pair are expected to be fit for duty.

For the Pilgrims, long-term absentee George Cooper continues to recover from knee surgery, while club captain Gary Sawyer and Scottish midfielder Lewis Macleod are both back in training.

ARGYLE AT HOME TO PETERBOROUGH UNITED IN THE EFL

The record: P 13 W 7 D 1 L 5 F 21 A 19

The first time: 19 October, 1974. Division Three. Argyle 2 Peterborough United 0

Tony Waiters’ Argyle beat top-of-the-table Posh 2-0 in the teams’ first meeting at Home Park. Skipper Mike Green and Scottish forward Billy Rafferty were our scorers. We finished the season in second place and were promoted to Division Two. Peterborough went on to finish seventh.

The last time: 25 August, 2018. Sky Bet League One. Argyle 1 Peterborough United 5

Derek Adams’ struggling Greens were thrashed 1-5 by Steve Evans’ United in League One – our record defeat in this fixture.

Matt Godden and Siriki Dembele had the Cambridgeshire side 2-0 up after just 11 minutes. A brace from Jason Cummings early in the second-half, including one from the penalty spot, made it 4-0. Argyle substitute Ryan Edwards pulled a goal back in injury time at the end of the match only for Godden to grab his second before referee Chris Sarginson blew the final whistle.

Biggest win: 4 March, 2003. Nationwide Division Two. Argyle 6 Peterborough United 1

Two of our goals came courtesy of Peterborough’s Sagi Burton and Matt Gill putting through their own net. This is one of only seven occasions that we have benefitted from two own goals in a single league match. The other scorers for Paul Sturrock’s side were of four different nationalities: Marino Keith, Paul Wotton, David Friio and Jason Bent. Leon McKenzie netted for our visitors.

Most goals in a single game: Seven, in our 6-1 victory in March 2003.

The game kicks-off at 7.30pm, and is available to stream live, worldwide, on iFollow Argyle. Click here to purchase your pass.