Plymouth ARGYLE vs Oxford United-Match Preview

Plymouth Argyle will return to Home Park on Saturday after their victory away at relegation rivals Aldershot Town last Saturday.   

John Sheridan’s men will now welcome Oxford United to the theatre of greens for the Npower League Two encounter on Saturday. Since the arrival of Sheridan the Pilgrims are beginning to pick up valuable points home and away to avoid relegation to the Conference Premier, with the most recent success coming on their travels away at Aldershot. Argyle are unbeaten for four games with an outcome of two draw and two victories picking up eight points out of a possible 12.

 The last time both met was on a cold Tuesday evening on 4^th December 2012 in the Johnstone Paint Trophy.  The outcome of the fixture was a 1-1 draw.  As the fixture had to be settled on the evening, the game went straight to penalties with Oxford coming out victorious and progressing to the next round of the cup.   The last time Argyle and Oxford encountered either other in the league was on Saturday 25^th August 2012.  The outcome of this fixture was a victory for United at the Kassam Stadium after they won 2-1; the constellation goal was from a free-kick from Robbie Williams. The previous meeting between the Pilgrims and United in the league was last season, the 2011-12 season.  That contest was very important for everyone connected to Argyle as a draw was enough to keep the Pilgrims in the league. The full result was in Argyle’s favour as the Pilgrims had drawn 1-1.   

There will be a familiar face returning to Home Park on Saturday when Plymouth Argyle face Oxford United.  Formally of the Pilgrims Luke McCormick has returned to Professional football after he signed from Truro City in the January transfer window.  The goalkeeper has been absent from football after he had his contract terminated by Plymouth Argyle in 2008. After being released in the summer of 2012 on good behaviour he went on trial at Swindon Town.  After Swindon didn’t offer him a permanent contract he signed for Truro City on non-contract terms in November 2012.  When making 11 appearances for the Cornwall side he re-joined league football after an absence of four and a half years.   Oxford United came in for McCormick after their first team goalkeeper was ruled out for the rest of the season. 

Sheridan’s latest signing Lee Cox will be aiming to making his home debut for Argyle after he signed on loan from Swindon Town last Friday.  If he is to make an appearance in Saturday’s fixture he will be playing against his former team mates after he spent the first half of the season on loan to Oxford.  Both Rene Gilmartin and Curtis Nelson will still be unavailable to face Oxford at Home Park due to Hamstring and Groin Injuries.  Striker Nick Chadwick will also be missing the encounter as he servers his fifth match ban after he was given a sixth match suspension. Gozie Ugwu will be targeting to make the starting 11 at Home Park.  He has been absent since his arrival to Home Park through injury.        

 Available: - Jake Cole, Ollie Chenoweth, Durrell Berry, Guy Branston, Maxime Blanchard, Jamie Richards, Anthony Charles, Onismor Bhasera, Jason Banton, Gozie Ugwu, Paris Cowan-Hall, Luke Young, Conor Hourihane, Paul Wotton, Lee Cox Jamie Lowry, Andres Gurrieri, Reuben Reid, Matt LeCointe, Jared Sims, Ronan Murray, Isaac Vassell.

Doubtful: - Tyler Harvey (Knee Injury)

Unavailable: - Rene Gilmartin (Hamstring Injury), Nick Chadwick (suspended), Curtis Nelson (Groin Injury)., Warren Feeney (Ankle Injury).