Feeno Fired Up

...and marked his first appearance during pre-season with a typically bustling performance – and a goal.

Feeno partnered Matt Lecointe in the Argyle frontline for the second period, and after the hosts had halved the Pilgrims’ lead, the Ulsterman burst beyond the Weston defence and was clattered to the floor by the home goalkeeper. 

He dusted himself down to convert the resultant penalty and restore Argyle’s two-goal lead, which they maintained to the final whistle at the Woodspring Stadium. 

“A goal’s a goal,” he said, “I think if had been in a proper match he might have been off, to be honest. I felt the full force of it in the head! 

“I won the penalty so I wanted to make sure that I hit it and it’s always nice to see it hit the back of the net."

Manager Carl Fletcher has talked constantly of the need for minutes, a sentiment echoed by Feeney.

He said: "There’s plenty to go. Getting 45 today was the most important thing and I need to get my fitness up.

"The only way to do that is by playing matches. Hopefully I can get longer whether it’s against Tiverton or in the Birmingham or Preston games. 

“We worked on a few things during the week, on when to close teams down. 

"I felt good, and we’ve always got willing runners in the team. I think the best ball in football is to get the ball in behind, stretch teams and play in their half. We did that superbly in the second half.”

A minor injury had kept Feeno out of the Greens’ games with Yeovil and Truro, so he was understandably pleased to be back in action for the first time since the summer break. 

He said: “I was disappointed to miss the first two because I was carrying a wee niggly injury. At the end of the day pre-season is about getting fit and I hate missing it, but I’ve done most of the running and I just had to give it a rest and make sure it was right. What happens in the season is what counts. 

“It was good to get 45 minutes under my belt and to get a goal was pleasing. It breeds confidence and it’s what I’ve got to keep doing right up until the first kick off.”

Youth team graduates Lecointe, Luke Young and Jared Sims were all given chances to impress and gave good accounting of themselves, while new signing Paris Cowan-Hall was handed a role on the flanks supporting the front two. Warren acknowledged the part they may all play in the season to come. 

“It’s good for Paris coming from non-league football, a big step for him, but he looks like he is enjoying it. We know what Matty’s got, we know what Simsy’s got in the first half, and Youngy too. It’s a good crop. 

“It’s a big season for them, and hopefully they can progress.”