Dyson’s scoring feats in Peninsula League are put in perspective
Derek Adams has insisted that Plymouth Argyle’s involvement in the South West Peninsula League only serves the purpose of getting players some game-time.
Those matches are not used by the Pilgrims’ manager to gauge whether the players should be considered for firstteam selection.
For example, Adams did not read anything into the fact that striker Calum Dyson netted five times for Argyle when they beat bottom-of-the-table Cornish side Sticker 9-0 in the SWPL Premier Division last Saturday.
With the Pilgrims struggling to score goals in League One, Dyson’s goal spree will have caught the attention of some of the ‘Green Army’. So far, the former Everton forward has made only one first-team appearance for Argyle as a substitute in a 3-0 home defeat to Swindon Town in the Checkatrade Trophy last week.
Adams told the Plymouth Herald: “In some people’s language, anybody that scores in a Peninsula League is always rewarded with a first-team contract for five years.
“That’s the nature of the business that we are in, and the league that we are in at this moment in time.
“They have got to perform at the first-team level and reserve team level to be rewarded.”
Argyle are currently top of the SWPL Premier Division by seven points from Falmouth Town, but have played far more games than any other team. The Pilgrims have a record of 12 wins, two draws and four defeats from their 18 matches, and have scored 65 goals in the process.
To put their league position into perspective, fourth-placed Tavistock are ten points behind them but have played eight games fewer.
Adams explained there was “a massive gap” between playing at first-team level and in the SWPL.
“We all know that, but it’s the best solution to the problem we have at this moment in time to give players gametime,” the Scot said.