New trialists

FINNISH international Tuomas Rannankari faces an anxious wait to see whether he can continue his Home Park trial.
The 22-year-old defender injured his thigh in Tuesday’s 3-0 pre-season friendly victory against Elburton, less than 48 hours after arriving at Argyle.

The injury came early in the second half at Haye Road, where Tuomas played the first 45 minutes at left-back before switching to the left side of midfield at the break.

“Unfortunately, Tuomas has just gone to cross a ball and he’s felt a pull to his thigh,” said Pilgrims’ manager John Sheridan after the game. “We’ll just have to assess him and see.

“It’s a shame for the kid. He’s come over and is trying to show us what he can do. We don’t know how serious it is yet.”

JS visibly brightened when asked about the 3-0 victory over Villa.

Strikers Matt Lecointe, in the opening period, and second-half penalties from Marvin Morgan and Reuben Reid saw off the resilient and competitive South West Peninsula League Premier Division hosts.

Sheridan said other than the fact he felt the winning margin should have been wider, he was ‘very pleased’ with his players and also that the friendly had brought a large crowd to Haye Road.

“I thought it was a good work-out our players, who have put a lot of work in on the training ground on their fitness,” said Sheridan.

“So everybody got a bit of football which they and I wanted.

“It was very hot conditions to play in and the grass was a little bit long for me, but I have to say that it was a good test.”

Sheridan switched things around at half-time with new signings Reid, on a season-long loan from Yeovil and Morgan playing competitively together for the first time and another new arrival Dominic Blizzard joining skipper Conor Hourihane in midfield.

Another welcome return to the Argyle line-up was Luke McCormick, in his second spell with Plymouth, who swapped goalkeeping duties with Jake Cole after the break.

However, Sheridan lost Tuomas Rannankari to injury in the second period and it has yet to be confirmed whether the Finnish international defender’s trial with the Pilgrims is over.

The 22-year-old injured his thigh and limped off with Sheridan opining: “It’s a shame for the lad. But we’ll just have to assess him and see.”

Another of Sheridan’s summer additions to the squad, striker Lewis Alessandra, and also Andres Guerrieri were carrying injuries and not risked.

“It’s nothing serious with either player, they’ve just got knocks and we felt it was worth risking them,” said Sheridan, who said for the same reason, he did not risk Guy Branston in central defence.

Argyle’s next pre-season friendly is on Saturday at Tiverton Town (3pm

Tgwu wrote:

JS visibly brightened when asked about the 3-0 victory over Villa.

FFS. Why can't they say Elburton

Freathy wrote:

Tgwu wrote:

JS visibly brightened when asked about the 3-0 victory over Villa.

FFS.  Why can't they say Elburton

  It's all part of the Brent/jamboys inspired hype surrounding Argiggle these days.

Greatest fans/club in the world you know.

How many we takin Tiverton ? 

Tringreen wrote:

Freathy wrote:

Tgwu wrote:

JS visibly brightened when asked about the 3-0 victory over Villa.

FFS.  Why can't they say Elburton

  It's all part of the Brent/jamboys inspired hype surrounding Argiggle these days.

Greatest fans/club in the world you know. 

Surprised a friendly hasn't already been booked in with Spurs......Newton Abbot Spurs:cheers: 

The Red Star wrote:

Tringreen wrote:

Freathy wrote:

Tgwu wrote:

JS visibly brightened when asked about the 3-0 victory over Villa.

FFS.  Why can't they say Elburton

  It's all part of the Brent/jamboys inspired hype surrounding Argiggle these days.

Greatest fans/club in the world you know. 

Surprised a friendly hasn't already been booked in with Spurs......Newton Abbot Spurs:cheers: 

Ffs ! Don't give them ideas Red.

We did beat Albion yesterday too!!! (Plymouth Albion at crown bowls)

Freathy wrote:

Tgwu wrote:

JS visibly brightened when asked about the 3-0 victory over Villa.

FFS.  Why can't they say Elburton

FFS. why can't people say Plymouth

Chemical Ali wrote:

We did beat Albion yesterday too!!! (Plymouth Albion at crown bowls)

Look how far we have come.  

Thigh injury Finn-ishes luckless Rannankari's trial with Plymouth Argyle

MANAGER John Sheridan's search for a versatile left-sided defender goes on after Tuomas Rannankari's trial with Plymouth Argyle ended before it had hardly begun.

The luckless Finnish international's bid to impress Sheridan and win a contract with the Pilgrims has been cut short by a thigh injury suffered in the pre-season friendly at Elburton Villa on Tuesday evening.

Rannankari, who had only been in Plymouth for less than 48 hours, played the first half at left-back before switching to left-side midfield at the break.

The cruelly-timed injury came early in the second period at Haye Road, when Rannankari suffered the thigh injury attempting to cross the ball.

Argyle went on to defeat their South West Peninsula League Premier hosts 3-0 with goals from Matt Lecointe – in the first half – and fellow strikers Marvin Morgan and Reuben Reid both from the penalty spot, after the break.

Sheridan confirmed Rannankari's ill-luck means Sheridan's hunt to replace Zimbabwe international Onismor Bhasera, who is on trial with Yeovil, must continue.

"We've had the lad's (Rannankari) injury assessed and unfortunately, he's going to be out for a few weeks," said Sheridan.

"So, that rules him out of our pre-season plans, I'm afraid.

"It's really bad luck and a shame for the lad.

"We all feel for him but he's going to get a flight and we'll reassess the situation once he gets himself fit again."

Sheridan added: "Positionally, I'd like a left-back, a left-sided midfielder and a left-winger or at least someone who can play on the left side.

"I'm talking to people at the moment and, hopefully, we can get someone in as quickly as possible."

Sheridan has two other defenders on trial with the Pilgrims – Martin John and former Pilgrim Ryan Dickson, with the latter sidelined through injury.

"Ryan (Dickson) will be fit but he's carrying an injury niggle at the moment, and it's one of those (injuries) that if you train or play on it, you can make worse. The same goes with Andres (Guerrieri) and Lewis (Alessandra), and Guy Branston who have got little knocks, which I don't want to make worse."

Sheridan's squad travel to mid-Devon tomorrow before heading off to Bath City for Tuesday's pre-season testers.

He said: "Tiverton, I'm sure will be a tough test for us and a step up against from Elburton," added Sheridan.

"And then we've Bath (City) on Tuesday night so the games are coming thick and fast.

"But this is what we want as we are still in pre-season and although the lads have worked hard in training, it's games now that we're going to be getting our fitness from.

"We'll still be training hard as it's still pre-season.

"However, leading up to the final two matches of pre-season we'll be working hard on our shape and I'll be looking at what team I'll be fielding against Yeovil and MK Dons and our first (League Two) game against Southend."