Middlesbrough (H) | Kesler-Hayden's Preview

For Argyle, so far this season, there has been a familiar pattern.

There have been a notable number of games in which for large parts of the match Argyle have been very competitive – dominated, even – but have not always come away with the points they may feel their performances have merited.

It would be understandable if this was dragging down the morale of the squad, but Kaine Kesler-Hayden says that this is not the case.

The on-loan defender, speaking to Argyle TV, says that the mood remains upbeat, and that the players are buoyed by the fact that they have been visiting teams, such as second-placed Ipswich Town last weekend, and more than played their part.

“I think everyone in the dressing room is positive,” said Kaine. “We’ve probably not got the points that we could have got, but I think the way we've been playing in games, competitively, even in the Ipswich game we could have or should have grabbed a point or even a win in that game, had things gone differently.

“We're all positive with the way we're playing, competitive in almost every game. I think we see every week, we play fast-flowing football. We're creating the chances, it's just about getting the results now.

“We've just got to be patient, really keep at it, keep competitive and results should come.”

After high-flying Ipswich, now comes a home fixture against Middlesbrough. Michael Carrick’s side are in 10thspot in the Sky Bet Championship table, but this has come following a terrible start, but recent flying form. Although they lost their last league game, they won their previous six.

Kesler-Hayden, though, is unperturbed.

“We played Ipswich last week, which was a really tough game,” he said. “They're near the top of the table, a really in-form team and we took it to them. We’ve showed that if we can battle with teams like that, then we can battle with anyone in this division.

“We'll take Middlesbrough the same as everyone else and hopefully get three points.

“Mostly, we're always the underdog. People can take that in a way where they will push to the side or come to the game and not give it 100%, and then we just go ‘bang’ and we're straight at it. I think teams get shocked by that.

“We've done really well this season, now it's just about picking up those results. Against Middlesbrough could be the place to do it.”