Ibrahim keen for Pilgrims to kick on after a slow start to the new season

BRADLEY Ibrahim believes that both he as an individual and Plymouth Argyle as a team are finally starting to find their feet in League One this season.

- By CHRIS ERRINGTON

The Pilgrims lost their opening four league games, following relegation from the Championship last term and a massive summer overhaul of the squad at Home Park, but have now picked up back-to-back home wins, first against Blackpool (1-0) and then, much more impressively, Stockport County (4-2).

Ibrahim scored his first goal for Argyle to put them 3-1 up early in the second half, after Stockport had scored just before the break with a penalty which was controversially awarded against Ibrahim when he challenged for the ball with Nathan Lowe.

It was the Pilgrims' best performance of the season so far and the 20-year-old midfielder said: "It has been a long process for it to finally start gelling on the pitch out there on matchday. We are finally seeing our principles and what we stand for.

"I think it's really important for us to do it for our manager (Tom Cleverley). He always believes in us, has stuck by us, the same with the fans, they have stuck by us through a tough time.

"Now it's important for us to keep going, keep taking steps forward. I think previously we have had a win and we then took three steps back. We have to keep progressing as a team."

He added: "All the boys put in a real good shift (against Stockport). I think we worked hard defensively for us to be able to take our chances in the final third. It was just a really good team performance."

Argyle went ahead midway through the first half when Stockport striker Kyle Wootton headed a corner into his own goal as he tussled for the ball with Ibrahim. "I just saw the ball go up and I tried to put off their striker," said the Argyle midfielder. "Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for him, he scored an own goal. Part and parcel of football."