SkyBet League Two - Plymouth Argyle vs Morecambe - Match Preview

Are Plymouth Argyle dreaming of Wembley, I would think so, 8^th in the table, three consecutive away victories the highest position in many years.

The Pilgrims return to Home Park on March 1^st 2014 to face 13th in SkyBet League Two Morecambe managed by Jim Bentley. 

Whilst Morecambe had a free week without no midweek fixture, Argyle made the long trip to Fleetwood on a cold Tuesday night.  Six points on the road from two game games, fans were dreaming, but it was turned into reality following a 2-1 win at Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday, the 149 members of fans watched their team run out winners at Highbury Stadium.  Reuben Reid set Plymouth on their way just after the 20minute mark.  The score line was made even better minutes after half time.  Luke Young fired a shot from outside the area and the ball made its way past Chris Maxwell into the bottom right corner following a slight deflection.  Two goals from the visiting team were still to come.  Maxime Blanchard headed home the third goal from a Young corner, getting in front of his man.  The best goal was jet to come.  A free kick was awarded just outside the penalty area.  Luke Young and Captain Conor Hourihane were both over the ball. Who was to take it?  Captain Conor Hourihane slotted home a top class finish in the top left hand corner, the keeper was well and truly beaten.  Argyle had won 4-0.  Fans couldn’t believe it.  Play-offs who knows.  

Current Pilgrim and former Morecambe attacking midfielder Lewis Alessandra will face many friends and former teammates this coming Saturday.  Lewi spent two years with the North West side.  Between 2011-13 Alessandra made 82 appearances scoring 7 goals in the process.  Signed on a two year deal in the summer of 2013 after rejecting a new contract with Morecambe, Lewis Alessandra reunited with John Sheridan, who gave him his footballing debut when at Oldham Athletic in 2007.  During his first season as number 7 at Plymouth the striker has made 32 appearances whilst scoring 10 goals in all competitions for the South West Club.       

Anyone remember last year’s game at Home Park? Days after being named Carl Fletcher’s successor, John Sheridan walked out at Home Park to enjoy he’s first fixture as he took he’s seat in the wooden home dug-out.  On Saturday 12th January just over 6,400 members of the green army turned out to watch Argyle come out 2-1 winners over the Lancashire side.  Two goals within six minutes gave the Pilgrims a two goal cushion.  Captain Conor Hourihane scored the home sides first on tenth minute.  Soon after Paris Cowan-Hall scored Argyle’s second that afternoon to give them a two goal lead at the break.  The Shrimpers did however pull a consolation goal back ten minutes from time but it wasn’t enough to take all three points away from John Sheridan.   

Weeks within joining the Pilgrims from Premier League club Crystal Palace, Jason Banton has been ruled out for a number of weeks due to a groin injury.  The attacking midfielder was substituted in the early stages of the 2-1 win at Dagenham and Redbridge the previous Saturday.  John Sheridan is likely to name an unchanged squad for the visit of the Shrimpers with no new injury concerns.  Morecambe’s Jim Bentley will be nursing the fitness of striker Padraig Amond as he is recovering from a hamstring injury.  Also returning to the match day squad will be Jack Redshaw who has recovered from illness.  A player who wouldn’t have travelled to Devon is Chesterfield loanee Jamie Devitt.  The 23 year old midfielder is currently serving a ban after being shown a straight red card at St James Park.        

Available: Jake Cole, Cameron Dawson, Paul Wotton, Maxime Blanchard, Neal Trotman Curtis Nelson, Durrell Berry, Matt Parsons, Ben Purrington, Jamie Richards, Luke Young, Dominic Blizzard, Conor Hourihane, Nathan Thomas, Andres Gurrieri, Tope Obadeyi, Rommy Boco, Rueben Reid, Lewis Alessandra, Marvin Morgan, Isaac Vassell, Tyler Harvey

Unavailable: Luke McCormick (dislocated and fractured finger), Ryan Lane (knee injury), Matt LeCointe (knee injury), Jason Banton (groin injury)

SkyBet League Two - Dagenham & Redbridge vs Plymouth Argyle - Match Preview

Plymouth Argyle will look to bounce back from their 4-0 defeat at home against York City when they travel to Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday. 

On the afternoon both sets of players, management staff and fans will pay their respect to Bill Edmands who passed away last weekend in his sleep.  The former Dagenham & Redbridge kit man was at the London club for 30 years.     

The Pilgrims sit in 14^th position in the SkyBet League Two following the defeat last Saturday at Home Park.  Only one points separates Plymouth and Dagenham & Redbridge who are 10^th in the table with 40 points.  The Pilgrims will be looking to get back to winning ways and also to the play-off chase.  The Daggers have not won a SkyBet League Two fixture at home from New Year’s Day when a 1-0 victory was enough to beat of AFC Wimbledon. The London Borough of Barking & Dagenham Stadium hosts have won away during that time, on 1^st February they walked away from Deepdale with a surprised 1-0 away win against high flying Rochdale.  The goal came from Rhys Murphy in the second half.  Argyle’s last victory on the road was two weeks to this day when the Pilgrims travelled to 24^th placed Northampton.  Reuben Reid and Lewis Alessandra scored the first half goals which secured Argyle all three points.           

The last time Argyle and Dagenham & Redbridge met in the league was Saturday 23^rd November 2013.  Reuben Reid had put the Pilgrims ahead just before half time.  Argyle were unable to hold on to the lead before the whistle and Zavon Hines equalised soon after.  Home Park had to wait for the 77^th minute before Luke Young fired Argyle to a goal and the three points.    

Brit 2014 award winning Bastile drummer Chris ‘Woody’ Wood will make his commentary debut alongside BBC Devon Sport commentator Gordon Sparks on Saturday afternoon, when his beloved Plymouth Argyle take on Dagenham & Redbridge.    

Neal Trotman will now serve a one match suspension after being shown a straight red card in the 11^th minute last Saturday.  The central defender was sent off for giving away a penalty and being the last man.  John Sheridan will mix with his back four.  The most possibly sign of action Sheridan will take is to bring Maxime Blanchard into his preferred central defence position.  The right back position will then be taken up by Durrell Berry, who last week returned to the squad following a groin injury.  A player who could make his second debut for Argyle is Tope Obadeyi, the speedy winger re-joined the Pilgrims on loan from Bury until March 25^th.   Wayne Burnett will be without defender Jack Connors who was sent off in their away fixture at Burton Albion in the 1-1. Femi Ilesanmi is expected to return to the Daggers squad after recovering from an ankle injury.     

Available: Jake Cole, Cameron Dawson, Paul Wotton, Maxime Blanchard, Curtis Nelson, Durrell Berry, Matt Parsons, Ben Purrington, Jamie Richards, Luke Young, Dominic Blizzard, Conor Hourihane, Nathan Thomas, Andres Gurrieri, Tope Obadeyi, Jason Banton, Rommy Boco, Rueben Reid, Lewis Alessandra, Marvin Morgan, Isaac Vassell, Tyler Harvey

Unavailable: Luke McCormick (dislocated and fractured finger), Ryan Lane (knee injury), Matt LeCointe (knee injury), Neal Trotman (suspension) 

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

Chris Wilder will take charge of his first home fixture at Sixfields since being named the manager on 27^th January 2014.

Following resigning from his position at Oxford after six years with the promotion contenders, Wilder signed a three and a half deal with the Clobbers sitting bottom of SkyBet League Two. 

The last time Northampton and Argyle faced each was on Saturday 2^nd November 2013 at Home Park.  Then manager Aidy Boothroyd was in charge of the Clobbers.  The game went down to the last couple of minutes of the SkyBet League Two fixture when Lewis Alessandra scored the winning goal slotting past goalkeeper Matt Duke.  

Not long ago did the January loan market open for SkyBet Championship and League Clubs.  Plymouth Argyle have signed a replacement goalkeeper, Cameron Dawson, has signed until the end of the season on a youth loan, from Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, for cover for Jake Cole.  Northampton have also been very busy both in the January transfer window and the loan market which opened today since Chris Wilder took over the managerial duties.  Striker Alan Connell formerly of Bradford City has signed on a contract until the end of the season.  Also moving from Yorkshire, Ricky Ravenhill, the midfielder has signed an 18 month contract with the Clobbers.  Leon McSweeney has also signed for Chris Wilder, the 30 year old defender signs until the end of the season.  Crawley Town Striker Emile Sinclair joins Northampton Town on loan for the remainder of the season.  Starting his career at Nottingham Forest, Gregor Robertson a 30 year old defender will remain at Sixfields Stadium for the rest of the current season. The final signing Chris Wilder has made is Brennan Dickenson, the winger has signed on loan from Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the 2013-14 season.       

Jake Cole will return to goalkeeping duties as Luke McCormick will miss the majority of this current season.  The 30 year old suffered a dislocated and fractured finger in the 1-1 draw at home to Mansfield Town.  Stags striker Sam Clucas accidently stood on the finger of McCormick in the second half.  Missing for the trip to Northampton will be Andres Gurrieri, the attacking midfielder has been suspended for the previous two games and must sit out one more game before being included in the team.  In Chris’s first couple of weeks in charge, the manager has let some loan player’s return to their parent clubs.  Matty Blair, who scored the equalizing goal at Cheltenham in Wilder’s first game in charge, has return to Fleetwood, whilst Sean McGinty has returned to League One outfit Sheffield United.  James Hurst has also returned to Crawley Town, his parent club, as a run in the team was very limited. Chris Hackett is set to return on Saturday against Plymouth Argyle after suffering a hamstring injury.       

  

Available: Jake Cole, Cameron Dawson, Paul Wotton, Maxime Blanchard, Curtis Nelson, Neal Trotman, Ben Purrington, Jamie Richards, Luke Young, Dominic Blizzard, Conor Hourihane, Nathan Thomas, Jason Banton, Rommy Boco, Rueben Reid, Lewis Alessandra, Isaac Vassell, Tyler Harvey

Doubtful: Matt Parsons (dead leg),

Unavailable: Luke McCormick (dislocated and fractured finger), Ryan Lane (knee injury), Matt LeCointe (knee injury), Durrell Berry (groin injury), Marvin Morgan (shoulder injury), Andres Gurrieri (suspended)