Lewis and Ennis back for Pilgrims
ADAM Lewis is set to return to the Plymouth Argyle squad for the League One away game against Swindon Town on Tuesday night.
The loan signing from Liverpool sat out the 2-1 FA Cup fourth round defeat at Sheffield United on Saturday due to an ankle problem.
He hurt an ankle during training on Friday and manager Ryan Lowe decided not to take any risks with the 21-year-old.
Instead, apprentice defenders Ethan Mitchell and Brandon Pursall were among the permitted nine substitutes for the Pilgrims at Bramall Lane.
That gave them an invaluable insight into a first team match at a Premier League stadium.
Lewis had scored on his full debut for Argyle in the 2-1 league win away to Sunderland last Tuesday.
Lowe said: “He just jarred his ankle a little bit in training on Friday. He was fine, he could have easily been on the bench and he did want to give it a go.
“I didn’t want to risk him so we brought the two young lads, Ethan Mitchell and Brandon Pursall., with us. They filled the bench.
“There was no rush with Adam. He was getting protected anyway really today.
“He just jarred his ankle a little bit, he’s fine, it’s okay. We have just left it with Dave (Galley, Argyle’s head physio) to monitor.
“There was no point in risking him. He will be alright, he will be fine to train on Monday.”
Striker Niall Ennis is also set to return to the Argyle squad against Swindon after missing out against Sheffield United.
Ennis was signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers for an undisclosed fee last Monday and made his debut as a substitute against Sunderland.
The 21-year-old was ineligible for the FA Cup tie at Bramall Lane, though, because he had played on loan for Burton Albion in the first round of the competition, when they lost at Barnet.
Meanwhile, eighteen-year-old defender Ollie Tomlinson has ‘come a long way in a short space of time’ according to Lowe.
The Pilgrims’ boss has been impressed with the development of the academy graduate this season.
They have included his performances in training against the club’s senior strikers - Ryan Hardie, Luke Jephcott, Frank Nouble and Dom Telford.
Lowe wanted to reward Tomlinson for his progress by including him in the squad for the FA Cup third round tie at Huddersfield Town earlier this month.
However, Tomlinson was ineligible because he had played on loan for Southern League side Barnstaple Town earlier in the season.
That led to Tomlinson being named among the seven substitutes when Argyle won 2-1 away to Sunderland last Tuesday.
Although he did not play in the League One game, Lowe thought the experience would have been invaluable for the teenage prospect from Ivybridge.
Lowe said: “Ollie has been fantastic. He’s a great kid - as all the young lads are that we have.
“Ollie has been a breath of fresh air to work with of late. He has been listening, he has been learning.
“He has been defending extremely well in (training) games, coming up against Frank, Dom, Ryan and Jephcott.
“He’s doing good so we wanted to reward him. We wanted to take him to Huddersfield but he was cup-tied because he played for Barnstaple.
“He’s probably not quite ready to start any League One games just yet but the experience is very important for him. He has come a long way in a short space of time. Ollie deserved that opportunity being on the bench.
“We felt we needed another defender, hence the reason he was on.”
Tomlinson has made one first team appearance, which was when he started the 3-2 EFL Trophy group game defeat by Norwich City Under21s at Home Park in September.
He joined Barnstaple on loan soon afterwards but their season was later suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Even though Tomlinson could not be selected for the FA Cup fourth round tie at Sheffield United he still travelled with the squad.
Apprentices Ethan Mitchell and Brandon Pursall, as well as 21-yearold Ryan Law, were all named among the nine permitted substitutes.
Lowe said: “With the Covid situation and the tests coming twice a week we feel we need to make sure that we cover ourselves and have these players available.”