Conor Hourihane says he has struck up a rapport with Plymouth Argyle's recruit Ross Jenkins

CONOR HOURIHANE has admitted he has struck up an immediate rapport with new Plymouth Argyle recruit Ross Jenkins.

Hourihane thought the pair 'just clicked' when they played in the centre of midfield for the Pilgrims in their thrilling 3-2 win away to Morecambe in League Two on Saturday.

Jenkins made his debut after signing on a one-month loan from Championship club Watford last Friday.

The 21-year-old marked the occasion by scoring a stunning goal which sparked a tremendous fightback from Argyle.

They were trailing 2-0 in the 72nd minute when Jenkins crashed a first-time 20-yard shot high into the net.

It provided the momentum for the Pilgrims to go on and clinch their second league win of the season, courtesy of two late penalties from striker Warren Feeney.

Jenkins slotted into the starting line-up at the expense of 19-year-old Luke Young, with Jamie Lowry and Paul Wotton still sidelined by ankle and groin injuries respectively.

Morecambe took a 2-0 lead, against the run of play, with a penalty in the 51st minute, but Jenkins' spectacular strike – only the third goal of his senior career – proved to be pivotal.

Hourihane told Herald Sport: "We battered them in the second half and I knew as soon as we got the first goal we would win it.

"It was just getting that first goal, and then it was away from there."

He continued: "It was a great finish (from Jenkins). I enjoyed playing with him in the middle of the park. We both like getting on the ball so it suited me.

"He trained with us when we did shape on Friday and he looked well. Me and him were passing it around so I was fairly confident going into the game.

"We just clicked really. We kept passing to each other and it worked well. I'm looking forward to next Saturday now (when Argyle take on Southend United at Home Park).

"When I saw he had made 80 appearances in the Championship for Watford I thought he must have a bit about him, and he showed (at Morecambe) he's a good player."

Either side of Hourihane and Jenkins in midfield for Argyle against Morecambe were Andres Gurrieri and Alex MacDonald.

Gurrieri was making his first start since the 2-1 defeat away to Oxford United on August 25, in the absence of the injured Onismor Bhasera.

The Argentine winger was heavily involved as the Pilgrims outpassed the home team.

Then, when Gurrieri was substituted in the 62nd minute, his replacement, Paris Cowan-Hall posed all sorts of trouble for Morecambe.

Hourihane (above) said: "I like Andres. He gets in pockets of space and he's good for a midfielder to find him.

"Macca is always a threat because he gets in good positions, and Paris came on and I thought he did very well. All round, it was a good performance."

Feeney scored his penalties in the 80th and 87th minutes, after a handball offence and a foul on Cowan-Hall respectively.

Argyle left-back Robbie Williams had netted a spot kick in the Capital One Cup second round tie away to Burnley at the end of August, when Feeney was an unused substitute.

On Saturday, however, Feeney was determined to take the penalties, and did so with total conviction.

Hourihane said: "I thought Robbie would have snatched the ball off him. If he had got those two penalties he would nearly be the top scorer in the league now!

"But, fair play to Feens, he's experienced and it was never in doubt."

Argyle are sitting in 16th position in League Two with nine points from their first eight games.

Hourihane is convinced that after a shaky start to the season the Pilgrims can keep pushing up the table.

He said: "Whether we are winning or losing, we always believe in ourselves.

"I know a lot of people probably don't believe in us, but we don't care.

"We know what we are trying to do and the gaffer (Carl Fletcher) knows what we are trying to do. We will just keep going with it and it will work for us."