REACTION: Crewe Alexandra
Argyle manager Ryan Lowe felt that his side created enough opportunities to win their Sky Bet League One encounter with Crewe Alexandra on Saturday afternoon.
In the end, the Pilgrims were forced to settle for a point, with Oli Finney’s strike just after the hour cancelling out Luke Jephcott’s first-half opener.
Lowe said: “I thought we were very good overall, throughout the game. Crewe are a good team, let’s have it right.
“When we scored, we were on top, and we had a few great chances to score again, and the first-half performance was excellent.
“In the second-half, we had to deal with a little bit of pressure, and Crewe dropped their wingers into 10 positions. We knew it was going to be tough, they’re a good team.
“I felt that we had more than enough chances to win it, but, overall, it’s another point in the right direction, and we’re building a small little run.”
The Greens, as they have often done this season, enjoyed a largely dominant opening period against an Alex opposition that arrived at Home Park unbeaten in their last seven.
Jephcott’s spot-kick on 11 minutes was the least that their efforts deserved, with visiting stopper Dave Richards denying Argyle the second which, in Lowe’s view, could have been enough to secure the win.
He said: “I wouldn’t say killed it off, because Crewe are a good team and they would’ve kept coming, but what it would have done is given us a little bit more belief to go and get another one, and another one.
“When you come under a little bit of pressure, Kelland was booked, and Jerome, it’s tough, isn’t it? If you’re one foot wrong, or one tackle wrong, you’re a little bit worried. I thought we were bright, we worked a lot of patterns of play that we’ve worked on and created loads of good chances.”
Despite a more challenging second-half, the Greens still created opportunities, particularly down the left flank, and Lowe is keen to focus on the positives ahead of Tuesday’s long-haul trip to Sunderland.
He said: “The ball Conor put in in the second-half, you’re thinking that someone just needs to throw their body at it. Overall, the lads have worked their socks off, they’ve had a tough week, and we’ve not got to recover them to save their legs for another good game on Tuesday night.”
The Greens will be without effervescent midfielder Panutche Camara for the trip to the Stadium of Light, as he was dismissed for a second bookable offence in the dying moments of the game.
Lowe said: “It’s just a little bit reckless, isn’t he? He plays with his heart, he doesn’t mean to get sent-off.
“It was a small foul, but I’m not disappointed with Pan. We’ll be missing him, but maybe it’s time for him to have a little rest anyway, it’ll do him no harm."