It’s been three games since Ex-England striker Paul Mariner began to work his magic as head coach at Plymouth Argyle. A loss, a draw and a win; not bad for a man whose only just getting to grips with life in the Championship and not just that, working with a team that has been fighting with relegation since day one of the season.
And these games have not been easy ones either; it was always going to be tough going to Ashton Gate which has not seen an away team win in the league so far. 3-1 may have looked like a bad score but there were positives. Argyle had held Bristol at bay for 73 minutes before Danny Haynes struck the first goal.
And the Pilgrims did not let their heads drop either, within two minute Jamie Mackie had equalised showing signs of resilience and determination from Plymouth which fans had seen in the 2-1 win against Scunthorpe. Not to mention it was Mariner’s first game overseeing the team afterall.
Then onto the Ipswich Town game. In a tense game where both teams were trying to get some points to climb out of the relegation zone, neither wanting to lose, Plymouth took the lead with a fantastic strike from Carl Fletcher. Argyle almost took all three points at Home Park and were unlucky not to as concentration slipped, Gary Sawyer gifting Jon Stead the equaliser, the red card to Darcy Blake not helpful either.
The transformation was beginning to show, a team showing commitment, a desire to win and to get their floundering team out of the grips of League One, which is what they are paid to do. However the next game was to be the true test for Mariner and Sturrock: Middlesbrough. A name that has always been surrounded with top flight football, a team that has had such stars as Fabrizio Ravenelli and Juninho Paulista in the starting 11.
But it is a club in transition, with Gordon Strachan taking the helm only five days before the game against Argyle. So this was the best time as ever to go to the Riverside. A passionate team display resulted in a fantastic 0-1 victory with Sawyer, redeeming his error from the previous week, sending Mackie through the defenders with a long ball, who calmly slotted past Brad Jones getting Argyle to within a point of being free from the relegation places.
And it is not just the results that Mariner has been having an impact on. Paul Sturrock has noticed a significant change in the way he does things saying “it's been a while since I've got my teeth into things like I have over the last ten days, so I've really enjoyed it.
"Him and I have worked hand in hand as far as the training is concerned and I've enjoyed myself as well."
Being a former striker for such teams Ipswich Town, Arsenal and of course Argyle, Mariner was quick to get stuck in with Argyle’s front line, one of which was Ashley Barnes: "I know he's a legend at the club, and hopefully I can learn from him.
"He has already helped me. He told me a few things which I took into the game, and that was good."
This freshness to training has also seemed to have had an effect on the fringe players, with two being involved on Saturday, Yoann Folly and Alan Gow, both who produced excellent performances and will no doubt be in contention for next week’s game against Doncaster at Home Park.
So, bring on the next couple of months, for this will be the time where the Mariner Revolution will hopefully flourish and see Plymouth Argyle lifted to safer heights.
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