Lowe calls on Pilgrims to rediscover their touch
PLYMOUTH Argyle must rediscover the winning formula ‘very quickly’ so they can have a strong finish to the season, manager Ryan Lowe has declared.
The Pilgrims have dropped to 14th position in League One after losing three of their last four games, including a 2-1 defeat away to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
They return to action tonight when Wigan Athletic, who are fighting against relegation, are the visitors to Home Park (7pm).
Lowe said: “You want to get back as quick as you can, you want to try and win the next one.
“All we can do is go and put a game plan together for the lads and they have got to carry it out.
“What we don’t want to do is we don’t want to keep dropping points when there are points there to be won.
“With all due respect to Doncaster, yeah they are going well but we were the better team and we should have won, but we didn’t.
“Wigan aren’t going to be no mugs. They have won 3-0 at home to MK Dons (on Saturday) and they are fighting for their lives.
“We have got to make sure now we get back on a bit of a winning formula very quickly if we are to get anywhere at the top end of the league.”
Lowe continued: “We have targets - we will keep them in house - of where we want to get to and where we want to finish.
“I don’t want the season to peter out. No chance will I let the season peter out.
“There are 13 games to go and I want to collect as many points as possible and finish as high as possible.
“We have got to be on our mettle every single day, in training and every Tuesday or Saturday match to collect points.”
Lowe will want to see a better defensive display from his side against Wigan after Doncaster scored both of their goals at the Keepmoat Stadium from free headers.
He said: “Is it concentration? Is it ‘oh, it’s alright someone else will head it?’ Is it a trust thing?
“I don’t know what it is. Look, that’s probably why we are at this level.
“We have just got to be a little bit more clever that in them situations you have got to make sure it’s not you that loses your man, for the team.
“If we keep the back door shut, we can go and win any game, and you have seen that.”
Wigan, in 23rd position, beat MK Dons for their second win in four matches with goals from George Johnston, Callum Lang and Joe Doodoo.
Their defence included Scott Wootton, who is on loan from Argyle and cannot play against his parent club this evening.
Wootton has made 10 starts for the Latics and scored the winning goal when they beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 at the Memorial Stadium last month.
Lowe must weight up whether to give former Wigan midfielder Lewis Macleod his first start for Argyle since January 2.
Macleod played for the first time since recovering from an ankle injury as a second half substitute for Tyrese Fornah against Doncaster. Rovers.
Lowe said: “We wanted Lewis getting on the ball and passing it forward, giving him, some minutes.”
The 26-year-old former Rangers midfielder missed Argyle’s 1-1 draw away to Wigan in October due to a knee injury.
Macleod made 11 starts and one substitute appearance in his only season at Wigan before leaving last summer and signing as a free agent for the Pilgrims.