PLYMOUTH Argyle are one of Ipswich Town's chief rivals for a play-off spot, so Colchester United can do their East Anglian neighbours a huge favour at Home Park this evening.

Carl Marston

PLYMOUTH Argyle are one of Ipswich Town's chief rivals for a play-off spot, so Colchester United can do their East Anglian neighbours a huge favour at Home Park this evening.

The Pilgrims suffered their heaviest defeat of the season on Saturday, losing 3-0 at West Brom, but they fancy their chances of bouncing back into the top six with three games against lowly opposition over the next eight days.

After tonight's game against the basement U's, Plymouth entertain struggling Sheffield United on Saturday and then travel to lowly Scunthorpe next Tuesday.

Pilgrims boss Paul Sturrock said: “We have got two games at home and then Scunthorpe away, which will determine whether we are in the rat race at the end or not. Hopefully, we will get back into the play-off positions.”

Ironically, although Colchester are rock bottom of the table, they have actually scored one more goal (46) than seventh-placed Plymouth.

And two of the Pilgrims three leading scorers are no longer at the club. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake scored 13 goals, before his £1.5m move to Wolves in January, and it was he who scored the winner for Wanderers at Layer Road on Saturday.

Midfielder David Norris contributed five goals before his switch to Ipswich, which just leaves Peter Halmosi (eight goals) as the one current Plymouth player who has scored more than three goals.

Hungarian striker Halmosi has been in a rich vein of form lately. During the last few weeks, he has scored the winner at Leicester, broken the deadlock in the 2-0 win at Southampton and bagged a brace in the 3-1 win over Burnley.