PILGRIMS AND GRECIANS CAN STILL ACHIEVE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVES

 In the end, it wasn't the result that either side would necessarily have hoped for at the start of the day. However, Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City will still feel that they can achieve their ultimate objectives at the end of the season. 

After a goalless first half, Reece Cole gave the Grecians the lead on 47 minutes before the Pilgrims hit back to equalise with 11 minutes to go through leading Lorent Tolaj. It was then the turn of City's leading Jayden Wareham to restore their lead with a deflected strike in the 84th minute. 

Nevertheless, the drama didn't end there as Malachi Boateng scrambled home a late equaliser in injury time for Argyle to ensure that the spoils were shared. 

The result leaves Argyle four points adrift of the play-offs on 63 points, but three wins from their last four games could be enough to see them sneak into the top six. Their final two league fixtures of 2025-26 are against already relegated Northampton Town and Port Vale. 

Meanwhile, the Grecians are three points away from safety and could do the Pilgrims a favour if they manage to beat Stockport County, one of the sides currently occupying one of the places in the top six, next Saturday. 

Next up is a trip to Burton Albion, who are four points above them, before they host Bradford City, who will surely have a play-off spot wrapped up, on the final day. 

THE MOST IMPORTANT DEVON DERBY EVER

 Plymouth Argyle manager Tom Cleverley's last experience of a Devon derby turned out to be something of a 'baptism of fire' as the Pilgrims lost 2-0 to Exeter City at St James Park last October. 

Now, with Argyle heading into what is being billed as 'the most important Devon Derby ever' - Cleverley, who recently won the League One manager of the month award for March 2026, has the chance to write his own chapter in the history of the fixture. 

The Pilgrims are currently seventh in the League One table with 62 points from 41 games, and a win over the Grecians would propel them towards the play-offs. 

By contrast, City head into the fixture in search of three points for very different reasons; they are occupying 21st place after winning only once in their last 16 fixtures, which came in their Easter Bank Holiday win over Doncaster Rovers, and badly need the victory to avoid relegation to League Two. During their barren run, they also changed managers as Matt Taylor returned to the club on an interim basis, following the departure of Gary Caldwell to Wigan Athletic. 

However, in derby matches form can often go out of the window, which the Grecians can take a crumb of comfort from. 

Nevertheless, history is in favour of the Pilgrims, who emerged as winners in this fixture 38 times compared to the Grecians 30 - the remaining 26 have ended in draws. 

With the game kicking off at 12.30pm, either side will be able to enjoy the satisfaction of an improved league position for a couple of hours. 

One thing that both sides can agree on is that any less than three points may not be enough for either sides 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS BATH CITY

 1. The Dylan Morgan Show

It proved to be the Dylan Morgan for Torquay United as the United winger netted the first hat-trick of his senior career for the Gulls against Bath City. 

After Jordan Alves cancelled out Reece Evans' opener, United restored their lead in the 34th minute when Sonny Blu Lo-Everton played a corner short to Morgan, who played a neat one-two with skipper Matt Worthington before his cross evaded everyone in the box before nestling into the top corner. 

Three minutes after the re-start, United added a third when Jay Foulston won a challenge on the left-hand side and fed Morgan, who raced down the wing before cutting inside to fire past Binns with a right-footed strike. The goal took Morgan's total for the season to ten. 

In the 59th minute, the Gulls made it four for the afternoon when Worthington played a ball down the right which picked out Deon Moore, and his cross found Dan Hayfield who saw his shot blocked before the rebound fell invitingly to Morgan who fired home to complete his treble. 

Morgan’s haul now takes his tally for the season to 11, leaving four behind joint-leading scorers Jordan Young and Louis Dennis. 

2. Reece Evans' first goal for the club. 

After making his first start for the Gulls against Weston Super Mare on Good Friday, Reading loanee Reece Evans opened his goal scoring account for United in the 11th minute. 

Right-back Will Tizzard’s ball into the midfield found Reading loanee Reece Evans, who then ran at the Bath defence and found the back of the net with a shot from the edge of the area that took a deflection before flying past Romans’ keeper Charlie Binns. 

With Cody Cooke out of the season with a shoulder injury, United manager Jimmy Ball now has the choice of calling upon either Evans or short term signing Deon Moore. 

3. A first glimpse of Charlie Osborne. 

Monday's clash also gave the Plainmoor faithful the first glimpse of new loan signing Charlie Osborne from AFC Bournemouth. Osborne had previously played under Jimmy Ball at AFC Totton and he made his bow for the Gulls in the 56th minute in place of right-back Will Tizzard. 

4. Old boys on show. 

As well as United assistant manager lining up in the opposite dug out against the team who dismissed him earlier this season, there were also a number of connections between the two clubs out on the pitch. 

For the Gulls, Jordan Dyer and Dan Hayfield lined up against their former clubs, whilst ex-Gulls' Ollie Tomlinson and Will Jenkins Davies featured for the Romans. 

Disappointingly for Jenkins Davies, who was born in Torquay and had two loan spells with United from Plymouth Argyle in 2023-24 and 2024-25, his afternoon ended early as he went off injured after four minutes. 

5. It remains tight at the top. 

United's win over the Romans moves Jimmy Ball's side up to third in the table, four points behind leaders Worthing, who overtook Dorking Wanderers after beating them 2-1 at the Meadowbank Stadium to lead them on goal difference. 

The Gulls are level on points with Ebbsfleet United, but are ahead of them by virtue of goal difference. Hornchurch trail them by a point in fifth with 73, after they lost 5-4 away to Maidstone United, and Maidenhead United and Hemel Hempstead Town make up the remainder of the top seven with 72 points. 

Last season, only three points separated the top six and it looks like as though that could be the case again in 2025-26. 

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE FRIDAY

 Good Friday 2026 proved to be a mixed bag for South West sides, as their fortunes turned out to be varied. 

Torquay United enjoyed the most success on the day as they came away from Weston Super Mare's Optima Stadium with a 3-0 win over the Seagulls. 

The Gulls took the lead on 15 minutes when skipper Matt Worthington curled home his third goal of the campaign from the edge of the penalty area after being teed up by loanee Reece Evans. In the second half, United's win was confirmed in the second half when sub Louis Dennis netted a quick fire brace, with fellow sub Sonny Blu Lo-Everton provided the assists for both efforts. 

It was also the first time that United have secured back-to-back wins under new manager Jimmy Ball. 

Plymouth Argyle's play-off hopes in League One suffered a blow as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to fellow play-off hopefuls Bolton Wanderers, who spent the majority of the game playing with ten men. 

Bolton were reduced to ten two minutes before half-time when John McAtee received a straight red card. However, despite their numerical disadvantage, the Trotters took the lead from the penalty spot when Johnny Kenny converted from the spot on 49 minutes after the Pilgrims' Mathias Ross was penalised for a hand ball. 

Argyle drew level in the 57th minute when Ronan Curtis latched onto a through ball from Herbie Kane before slotting home. Nevertheless, Bolton found a winner in bizarre circumstances on 70 minutes as the Pilgrims' Malachi Boateng turned the ball into his own net, which ultimately proved to be the difference. 

At the other end of the table in League One, Exeter City find themselves three points from safety following a 1-0 loss to relegation rivals Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. Tom Bloxham scored the decisive goal for the Tangerines in the 29th minute - extending the Grecians' winless run to 15 games - a decline that interim manager Matt Taylor hasn't been able to halt since he returned to St James Park in the wake of Gary Caldwell's departure to Wigan Athletic. 

Truro City's stay in the fifth tier will be coming to an end after the Tinners lost 1-0 to Yeovil Town at Huish Park. A late solo effort from Will Merry secured the win for the Glovers, who move into mid-table.