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Plymouth sail north as Blackburn look to extend winning run

By James Smith

Plymouth Argyle visit Ewood Park in an effort to climb off the bottom of League One as mid-table Blackburn look to increase their play-off prospects.

The home side will be keen to bounce back having lost 1-0 to Richie Wellens’ rejuvenated Oldham Athletic.

On the other hand, Argyle have won just once all season and haven’t registered a victory since early August when they beat Charlton Athletic 2-0.

Tony Mowbray’s side are two points outside the top six and have two games in hand on Oxford United, who occupy the final play-off position.

Former Middlesbrough boss says Mowbray says that places are ’up for grabs’ in his team. Yet he will attempt to win the game without Corry Evans and Paul Downing, while Darragh Lenihan remains out with a broken metatarsal.

Plymouth will be hoping that new signing and ex-Leeds United midfielder, Toumani Diagouraga is fit enough to continue in centre-midfield after making an impression in the Pilgrims’ 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury on Saturday.

The signing of Diagouraga could yet be followed up, with Plymouth boss Derek Adams telling BBC Radio Devon that he is still in the market for free agents.

The Greens’ injury list increased last weekend with Antoni Sarcevic becoming the latest casualty. Jamie Ness and Nadir Ciftci missed Saturday’s victory altogether.

Ryan Taylor, Luke McCormick and Oscar Threlkeld also look set to miss the long trip up north with youngster Alex Fletcher, and reserve goalkeeper Kyle Letheren expected to keep their places.

Tonight’s game will be the 49th meeting between the two clubs, with both sharing identical records having chalked up 19 wins each and 10 draws.

The last meeting between the two sides was significant. Blackburn’s 3-1 win at Home Park consigned Argyle to relegation, whilst Rovers finished the season promoted.

Rovers do struggle in front of goal – alluded to by winger Peter Whittingham. Dominic Samuel has the most with five, but they can boast the joint second-best defence in League One.

Plymouth also find goals hard to come by, having struck just nine times all season, and just four times on their travels.

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