MANAGER Carl Fletcher praised the Green Army for sticking with Argyle as they battled back for a 2-2 draw against Southend United on Saturday.

The Pilgrims trailed 2-0 at half-time, after conceding the first goal only 59 seconds after kick-off.

And it was not until the 86th minute that they started their fightback, with a goal from striker Nick Chadwick.

Then, a couple of minutes later, substitute Alex MacDonald scored on his debut to earn Argyle a point.

Fletcher said: “I thought the fans were great, especially in the first half when things weren’t going the way we wanted them to go.

“They kept behind the team non-stop, which was pleasing. We got the result at the end, and the fans were as big a part of that as the players were.”

Argyle were totally off the pace in the first half, but, almost immediately from the restart, they were a totally different proposition.

Fletcher continued: “We ironed out a few things and said a few bits and bobs.

“But you can talk ‘til you are blue in the face, it’s down to the players once they step over the white line to do what they need to do.

“They did that in the second half, and the never-say-die attitude we have in that changing room at the minute is a rare thing.

“In my years as a player, I have probably seen it maybe once or twice. If you can channel that in the right way and keep hold of it, it’s a real bonus for your football club.”

Southend went ahead when an attempted clearance from Argyle keeper Jake Cole was blocked by Michael Timlin.

The ball ricocheted off the Blues midfielder and bounced into the empty net, much to the dismay of the home side.

Fletcher said: “It was obviously disappointing. You work all week on certain things you want to do and it suddenly changes straight away.

“That’s football, and things happen like that, so you have to deal with it. As the game goes on, it’s up and down.

“At the end of it, the lads’ character and their desire to do well for themselves and the club was a real credit to them.”

Argyle cut the deficit to 2-1 when United keeper Glenn Morris was deceived by a swerving 20-yard shot from Chadwick.

It was Chadwick’s first goal since returning to action from a hamstring injury.

He had made his comeback the previous Saturday, playing for nearly an hour in the 1-0 defeat away to Port Vale.

Fletcher said: “It was good for him to get those minutes under his belt last week.

“You could see he went out there and worked his socks off, as did everyone else. It was a bonus for us.”

Chadwick was also involved in the equaliser, scored by MacDonald in the 88th minute.

A shot from Chadwick beat Morris and hit the inside the left post, but it rebounded to MacDonald and the new loan signing from Burnley finished it off.

The part that Chadwick played in the goal did not go un-noticed by Fletcher.

Fletcher said: “Before he got injured, he was scoring and setting up chances, and he has come back and done that, which is pleasing. It’s nice to have him fully fit.

“The way we played in the second half, we wanted to be more on the front foot.

“The lads’ desire to get balls in the box was always going to create, and someone has got to be there to put them away.

“I’m just glad Chaddy got one, and Macca got a nice easy one.”

MacDonald was one of two debutants for Argyle, with on-loan Preston North End striker Juvhel Tsoumou starting the game.

Tsoumou played for the first 70 minutes before making way for MacDonald.

Fletcher said: “They (Tsoumou and MacDonald) have been here since Thursday and the lads have made them feel welcome. They have fitted right in.

“The pleasing thing for us is you can see they want to do well for themselves and for the team.

“They are both different types of players, which is what we wanted. We didn’t want to just bring in people who were the same as what we had got.

“I was pleased for Juvhel to get his first start and for Alex to come on and get the equaliser.

“It was a nice five-yard tap-in with no-one around him. I’m sure he will take a few more of them,” added the Argyle manager.