PLYMOUTH Argyle Ladies will go into Sunday’s National League Southern Division match against C&K Basildon at Elburton Villa in confident mood (2pm).
The Pilgrims are looking to build on two successive wins over Milton Keynes and Gillingham, where they have scored four games in each match.
Argyle have not met Basildon since the 2015/16 season when the Essex side completed a double over the Greens.
The Pilgrims are hoping they can get a good crowd at Haye Road on Sunday with the club now playing an impressive standard of football in the third tier of women’s football
They are still waiting for international clearance for England under-20 international Jessica Jones, who has been playing in Canada. They will also again be without top striker Natasha Knapman due to injury.
Argyle’s joint manager Dave Leonard is hoping the team can reproduce the form they showed at the Priestfield Stadium last weekend against Gillingham.
“It was great for the girls to play on a professional pitch again as the surface suits our style of play,” said Leonard.
“We were proud of how the girls played at Gillingham. We identified weaknesses in certain areas and were never in trouble. The ultimate proof was that everyone did their job off the ball so that we were always in control of the game and produced a professional performance.”
He added about Sunday’s game: “Basildon have not got off to the best of starts this season but at this level there are no easy games. We know they lost at home to Gillingham this week (Wednesday) so they will react like a wounded animal, so we have got to be prepared.”
Argyle’s Cornish teenagers Gaye Ivall and Tamsin-Medd-Gill (pictured above) are once again in the squad.
Meanwhile, Argyle’s Development team will look to bounce back from last week’s defeat against local rivals Plympton when they take on newcomers St Agnes in the South West League Western Division.
The game is being played at the Salt Mill (2pm) while the club waits to move to the Manadon Sports Hub.
Manager Rob Bonney said: “The second string are looking to bounce back after last week’s set back. They had a hard and productive training session Wednesday and are now totally focused on this coming Sunday.”
They do have a few injury setbacks to deal with. Influential defender Charlie Rollerson had to leave the field last week has a broken nose, while youngster Kiara Robins is nursing a knee injury and they are still without Abbie Scurr.
On the plus side, they have the experienced Kayleigh Brown ready to make her début. She joins them to get in some valuable game time.
Meawhile, Plymouth Argyle will start the defence of the Devon Women’s Senior Cup when they travel north to play Bideford in a first round tie on October 21.