Ennis's Cambridge Preview

Niall Ennis has pointed to the spirit that pervades the Argyle camp as a major reason for the Pilgrims topping the Sky Bet League One season with just four games remaining.

On Tuesday night, Argyle ensured they would enter the final two weeks of the season in top spot by virtue of a 2-1 win at Shrewsbury Town. The result came via a Callum Wright goal, deep into injury time, giving the Greens a second straight come-from-behind victory.

Niall says that those type of late goals and comebacks are by no means an accident or fluke.

“It's about not giving up till the final whistle,” he told Argyle TV.

“I saw a stat that said we have scored 15 goals after the 80th minute. It shows that the character that we've got in the team. We just don't give up and we're there for the big moments - long may it continue.  

“When [Shrewsbury] went one up, I was looking at the fans and I was thinking: ‘surely not now. We know what's at stake.’ Because the goal was early, it gave us enough time for us to do what we do. It was basically attack v defence and it was just about trusting teammates to create that chance.

“It means everything to the players and sometimes I feel like I'm a fan of the team as well.

When we lose, some might think the players don't care but every game we just want to win. Every game, every training session, we put it all out there. Because of the stakes, you're seeing it more visually, but every game we want to win.

“We wouldn't be on 89 points if we didn't care. We are passionate and we want to take the club to where they belong.”

Argyle now have three games at Home Park – against Cambridge United, Bristol Rovers and Burton Albion – in a week. The arithmetic of the situation is fairly simple. Given that eight points from the remaining four fixtures would guarantee promotion, it means that three home wins this week would seal things even before Argyle head to Port Vale on the season’s final weekend.

In simple text, it looks simple. Of course, the reality is much tougher, especially given that first opponents Cambridge are fighting for their place in the division at the other end of the table.

For Ennis, he believes that, backed by the Green Army, the team can get the job done, and put the perfect bow on a memorably season.

“I feel like it's in our hands really. Technically, it is,” Niall said. “We just need to focus on ourselves and make sure we do what we need to do, get the wins, because if we win all our games, there's not a question.

“Don't look anywhere else, just look at ourselves and just focus on our games. If at the start of the season someone said we'd have three home games out of four to try and go up, we would've taken that. We’ve got a good opportunity, we just need to take it.

“We've seen it all season, sold-out games. Hopefully, they can just help give us the atmosphere that they deserve and we deserve, and we just get the wins.

“That's all we strive for, that's what we've been trying to get all season, and that's the reward that we want: to get promotion. Our away fans have helped us as well. Let’s just win. Let's just get promoted. That's the main thing.

“A win on Saturday and you never know.”

Ennis has had a little bit of a stop-start season with injuries, but has a career-best tally of 11 goal this campaign, as well as his immense general contribution. Having started the last two fixtures – both wins – he is hoping to play his part in a conclusion that will hopefully go into the record books.

“I’m happy to be back on the pitch,” he said. “It's not nice to be in the stands watching, but I was there for the team when I wasn't involved and now I hope I'm showing that I'm there when I am involved. There’s not many games left, we just need to do what we do and hopefully we can go where we belong.

“I feel I’ve had a decent season. I had that injury that broke it up a little bit, but I feel like I’ve played my part, which I'm happy with. I just want to end it with a promotion. That's the main thing. We don't want to have all of what we've done - all the moments, the memories - and then we don't have that at the end of it.

“There's four games to go. Let's leave it all out there.”