SkyBet League Two - Morecambe vs Plymouth Argyle - Match Preview

Can Plymouth Argyle make it three consecutive victories when they travel to Morecambe on Saturday?

John Sheridan and his team will travel to Lancaster full of confidence after two back to back wins, a 3-1 away win at Cheltenham Town and a 1-0 victory at home to Rochdale Athletic.  Following the two wins, Argyle have made their best start to a season since 2006 when current Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway was in charge of the Pilgrims.   The SkyBet League Two table make better reading after recent years as the Pilgrims are placed in 9^th position.   As of Saturday’s opponents, Morecambe, they are situated in 19^th position.

The Lancaster side will be aiming to get back to winning ways against the Devon club after the defeat of Newcastle at the Globe Arena Stadium on Wednesday.  The televised fixture on SkySports 4 was part of this seasons Capital One Cup second round encounter.  The Shrimps lost 2-0 after the Ameobi brothers scored one each in the second half.  Plymouth Argyle were not in action in midweek after they lost in extra time to Birmingham in the first round at St Andrews.        

Plymouth Argyle last travelled to Morecambe nearing a year ago to this date as it was a game of two halves.  The home side had scored straight off from kick-off in the second minute after a goal from Jack Redshaw.  Following that goal the Shrimps went into the half time break 1-0.  In the second half Morecambe had made it 2-0 on the 51^st minute following a Richard Brodie goal. The much travelled green army were seeing three goals in less than 20minutes from the Argyle players.  The first goal came from Ross Jenkins who volleyed the ball into the top hand corner.  The next two goals came from the penalty spot on the 80^th and 87^th minute, Warren Feeney scored both and Argyle had won the fixture 3-2. 

Midfielder Lewis Alessandra will be making his first ever trip back to the Goble Arena Stadium when his current club face his former club, Morecambe. Alessandra signed a 2-year contract with Plymouth as he reunited with his former manager John Sheridan, who he played under at Oldham Athletic.  Paul Wotton, Nick Chadwick and Matt LeCointe will miss the game due to injuries.  Matt LeCointe had an operation on his knee on Tuesday as he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season.  Jim Bentley will be without Jack Redshaw through a hip injury.  Defender Chris McCready and forward Marcus Marshall will be aiming to take some part in the fixture after recovering from            

Available: - Jake Cole, Luke McCormick, Durrell Berry, Guy Branston, Maxime Blanchard, Curtis Nelson, Jamie Richards, Neal Trotman, Andre Blackman, Ben Purrington, Andres Gurrieri, Conor Hourihane, Romuald Boco, Dominic Blizzard, Luke Young, Ryan Lane, Lewis Alessandra, Reuben Reid, Marvin Morgan, Tyler Harvey, Isaac Vassell. 

Unavailable: - Paul Wotton (broken rib), Matt LeCointe (knee injury), Nick Chadwick (knee injury)

 

SkyBet League Two - Plymouth Argyle vs Rochdale - Match Preview

Following on from Argyle’s first victory of the season, a 3-1 away win at Cheltenham, John Sheridan and his players will welcome Rochdale to Home Park.   
The Pilgrims will be searching for their first back to back victories since season 2012-13 when Plymouth Argyle won three games consecutively in March 2013, the second time that season, the first victory came on March 16^th where Argyle defeated Fleetwood 2-1 at Home Park, the next three points on the board came 3 days after the first when Plymouth Argyle travel to Essex to play Southend United.  The Green Army had witnessed a 2-0 victory after goals from Paul Wotton and Reuben Reid.  The third victory came on the Saturday, March 30^th, where Exeter City visited the theatre of greens.  Argyle won 1-0, with the only goal coming from former player Jason Banton just before the first half interval.

The fans will definitely remember the last time Plymouth Argyle met Rochdale Athletic in League Two.  More than 2000 fans travelled to Lancashire to witness a day to remember after Argyle avoided relegation to the Conference Primer but currently called The Skrill Premier after results going the greens way after Rochdale won 1-0 after 90minutes.  The game at Home Park earlier on in that season, season 2012-13, Argyle were awarded two penalties in the 3-1 victory in Plymouth.  Formerly a Pilgrim Guy Madjo and current Pilgrim Andres Gurrieri had put Argyle 2-0 up in the first 7minutes from the penalty spot and a headed goal. Dele Adebola had scored for the Dale on the 76^th minute but it wasn’t enough as Guy Madjo converted his second penalty of the afternoon in added on time of full time.     

Last Two Encounters in Npower League Two 2012-13   

Plymouth Argyle 3-1 Rochdale 20^th October 2012 – Home Park  

Rochdale 1-0 Plymouth Argyle 27^th April 2013 – Deepdale  

Plymouth Argyle manager will welcome back defender Maxime Blanchard; the Frenchman has missed the season so far through a two game suspension and being on compassionate leave. Maxime had been suspended for two games at the start of the SkyBet League Two following the defender picking up two red cards last season the 2012-13 season.  The first red card he was given was in the away fixture to Exeter City in the 1-1 draw.  The second red card he picked up was in the final fixture of last season away to Rochdale in the 1-0 defeat.  The defender has now served his suspension and has recently returned from France after being on compassionate leave following a family bereavement.  John will also welcome back Jake Cole into the team, the London born was absent from the Victory at Whaddon Road last Saturday due to an ankle injury which he sustained in last Friday’s training session following a collision with Marvin Morgan.  The team is likely to be unchanged following the result against Cheltenham Town at The Abbey Business Stadium.  Rochdale manager and former Pilgrim Keith Hill will be without his captain Peter Cavanagh through suspension.  The midfielder was sent off in the match against Burton Albion. After failing to overturn the red card the midfielder will now serve his second of a three match ban and will miss the trip to Devon.                 

Available: - Jake Cole, Luke McCormick, Durrell Berry, Guy Branston, Maxime Blanchard, Curtis Nelson, Jamie Richards, Neal Trotman, Andre Blackman, Ben Purrington, Andres Gurrieri, Conor Hourihane, Romuald Boco, Dominic Blizzard, Luke Young, Ryan Lane, Lewis Alessandra, Reuben Reid, Marvin Morgan, Tyler Harvey, Isaac Vassell. 

Unavailable: - Paul Wotton (broken rib), Matt LeCointe (knee injury), Nick Chadwick (knee injury)

SkyBet League Two - Cheltenham Town vs Plymouth Argyle - Match Preview

With both teams searching for their first victory of the season, Cheltenham Town will welcome Plymouth Argyle to The Abbey Business Stadium on Saturday, for the third league game of the season. 

 Argyle will be aiming to make it a great week for the Green Army after planning permission for Higher Home Park was given the go ahead on Thursday afternoon after hours of consolation by Plymouth councillors.  A victory at The Abbey Business Stadium will make it a fantastic few days on and off the field for The Pilgrims. 

The Greens will make the short trip to Cheltenham on the back of three defeats and looking for their first three points of the season.   Currently placed in 23^rd position, the Pilgrims are used to looking at the bottom halve of the SkyBet League Two having been fighting relegation for the past couple of seasons. In similar circumstances, Cheltenham Town have only picked up a point from their first two league game of the season.  The Gloucestershire club are placed in 18^th position on one point. 

The last time Plymouth Argyle and Cheltenham Town met at The Abbey Business Stadium was last season, season 2012-13, 23^rd October 2012, where Argyle lost 2-1.  Conor Hourihane had put The Pilgrims 1-0 up on the 30minute.  Just under 10minutes later Cheltenham Town had equalised following a goal from Steve Elliott.  Mid-way through the second half Cheltenham scored again from a Kaid Mohammed goal on the 70^th minutes.         

During the summer Cheltenham Town have had to let go, two if not the best players of last season.  Marlon Pack, a 21year old midfielder joined Bristol City on August 2^nd after impressing the club following a trial.  The clubs reached a compensation fee in the region of £100,000 and joined on a 2 year deal.  Striker Darryl Duffy has also left The Abbey Business Stadium after his 2 year contract with the Robins was not renewed for the current season.  The Scotland born 29 year old who scored 15 goals in his first full season as a Robin has signed for Salgaocar FC in the Indian I-League after impressing on trial.      

 Following the tough decision Plymouth Argyle manager John Sheridan took the previous Saturday on which goalkeeper will play regularly, Jake Cole is look set to keep his place in the team.  Jake and Luke competed against each other to impress the boss on who should be the regular goalkeeper.  Defender Guy Branston who did not take part in Pre-season training or friendlies due to a calf injury and illness is set to be included in the squad that travel to Gloucestershire on Friday.  The central defender played 60minutes in a 2-0 defeat to Yeovil in a behind closed door friendly on Tuesday afternoon in Somerset. Also in the squad was Argentine midfielder Andres Gurrieri, who also missed out on Pre-season due to injury, played the full 90minutes at Huish Park.  Defender Maxime Blanchard will not be in the squad that travel to Cheltenham for Saturday’s fixture, the versatile player is on compassionate leave after the sudden death of his older brother and has returned to France to be with his family. Also missing from this fixture will be Paul Wotton, the 36 year old broke his rib on the opening weekend of League Two following a collision with goalkeeper Luke McCormick.   As for Cheltenham, manager Mark Yates will be without summer signing Jamie Cureton, who signed from Exeter City in the summer, after he dislocated his shoulder following a collision with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, on the opening weekend of the SkyBet League Two season, during the 2-2 draw with Burton Albion at Whaddon Road.  On Thursday Mark Yates brought in a replacement for the injured striker, Steven Gillespie arrives at Whaddon Road on a one month loan deal from Fleetwood.                   

Available: - Jake Cole, Luke McCormick, Durrell Berry, Guy Branston, Curtis Nelson, Jamie Richards, Neal Trotman, Andre Blackman, Ben Purrington, Andres Gurrieri, Conor Hourihane, Romuald Boco, Dominic Blizzard, Luke Young, Ryan Lane, Lewis Alessandra, Reuben Reid, Marvin Morgan, Tyler Harvey, Isaac Vassell.  

Unavailable: - Maxime Blanchard (compassionate leave), Paul Wotton (broken rib), Matt LeCointe (knee injury), Nick Chadwick (knee injury)