When Argyle headed to Peterborough United recently, it felt like a chance to assess just how good the Pilgrims’ form really was.
Tom Cleverley’s team came through that test with a 1-0 win against a Posh team whose own form was as good as any side in the division.
After following that with another single-goal victory, this time over play-off adjacent Luton Town at Home Park, Argyle’s recent record now reads as one defeat in ten games, but that will be put to the test when Mansfield Town visit Devon on Tuesday night.
Mansfield drew on Saturday – their opponents Stevenage scored a late, stoppage-time equaliser – but before that the Stags won five in a row, and against several top-half teams, too. It has moved Nigel Clough’s side up to 11th in the table, on the same points as the Greens, who are 14th.
All set, then, for a clash of two upwardly mobile teams, with some decent recent scalps.
“We're in a good moment,” Cleverley said, speaking to Argyle TV. “We've won seven out of the last ten. But we're absolutely not thinking about what we have achieved in those last ten games. We're full focus on Mansfield, and how we can replicate the performances we've put in, in the last two games especially.
“They're in about as good form as we are; one of the real form teams of the league. They've got some great experience in their team; a lot of know-how, manager included, as well as some real quality.
“It’s an important game for us both. We want to both keep the forward momentum.
“We’ve played Peterborough, who were the best form team in the league, and comfortably won that game. Saturday was a little bit less comfortable, Luton were a strong team, you could see that, and to beat them and deserve to beat them was really pleasing.
“Tuesday will be a little bit of a different type of challenge, but just as tough, and we have to be well prepared for that, which we will. Like always, we have to attack the game with the intensity and aggression that we have been recently to give ourselves the best chance.”
The Luton game saw Argyle win, but lose two players – Joe Ralls and Brendan Wiredu – to injury. In addition, a few others, Lorent Tolaj included, looked to be struggling as a high-tempo game came to a conclusion.
Cleverley gave Argyle TV an update, including news of some returning players.
He said: “A mixture of news, really, going into this week. The positives are [Jack] Mackenzie returns, Owen Dale returns, Owen Oseni returns, and then a positive from the weekend is Wiredu is not as bad as we thought, so he will be available.
“[Joe] Ralls will go for a scan. We're still waiting for the extent of that. And Tolly (Lorent Tolaj) will face a fitness test tomorrow to see if he's recovered from a small knock on Saturday.”
At the conclusion of Saturday’s win, supporters inside Home Park celebrated what they saw, and were greeted by an air-punching Cleverley, who clearly enjoyed the manner of the hard-working, high-quality victory.
It was a slightly rare show of emotion from the Head Coach, but one reciprocated by a jubilant Green Army.
“I think you know me well, and I don't do anything for show,” Cleverley said. “It'll always be authentic feelings and emotions - and that was. It was a sort of relief, joy, a lot of hard work going into creating moments like that, and there'll be a lot more hard work to make sure there's plenty more.
“We don't take our support for granted. We feel like we should be the catalyst but, right now, the connection's there. I think in tough moments they're there for us, and in flat spells we're really creating the passion and energy when needed.
“We're really pleased with how the connection is between all areas of the football club at the minute and we need to stay humble to make sure we keep that.”
