Text at top (next game etc)

Next Game: Marine At Edgar Street On Saturday 9th November At 3.00pm

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Preview: Plymouth vs Bulls

The Bulls travel to Home Park for the first time in 15 years to face Plymouth Argyle.

The two sides last met in the 1995/6 season and were battling it out at the other end of the table. While the Bulls succumbed to Darlington in the end of season play-offs, the Pilgrims beat the Quakers at Wembley to earn promotion. That season the Bulls did the double over the team then managed by Neil Warnock, following up a 3-0 home win with a 1-0 victory at Home Park.

The Pilgrims are clear of their financial troubles and aiming to climb the table at the earliest chance, but their newly available financial clout is unusable until the January window so now is a good time to face their still weakened squad. They are regularly turning to their youth team to fill the bench, thanks to a string of injuries and suspensions, and are fielding players in the starting XI with only minimal first team experience. Top scorer is midfielder Simon Walton, who missed the bulk of last season through injury. Four of his six goals have come from the penalty spot.

The Bulls travel south having deserved plenty, but getting nothing, from their last three games. Messrs Pitman and Peters will surely have been honing their defenders on clearing set pieces after recent misdemeanours. Up front, the partnership of Delroy Facey and Yoann Arquin clicked in parts last weekend and may well be persevered with despite fans calls for a return for Nathan Elder. The return to fitness of wide man Joe Colbeck will be useful for the busy Xmas period, but Saturday's game may be too early after he played his first match in three months at Ludlow on Wednesday night.

Plymouth Argyle vs Hereford United, Home Park, Saturday 17th December, 3.00pm.