Plymouth Argyle hunting for another striker

MANAGER John Sheridan has not finished adding to his Plymouth Argyle squad despite two more new arrivals at Home Park.

Another forward remains on the wish-list for Sheridan as he tries to plot a path to Football League safety for the relegation-threatened Pilgrims.

The 48-year-old would prefer someone with a record of scoring goals in Leagues One or Two but realises that might not be possible in the club's current predicament.

Striker Gozie Ugwu, 19, and centre-back Anthony Charles, 31, completed moves to Argyle yesterday.

Sheridan had previously swooped to take speedy attacker Ronan Murray on loan from Ipswich Town and also brought in free agent centre-back Guy Branston.

Both of those players made their debuts in the 2-1 victory over Morecambe at Home Park last Saturday.

Ugwu has signed on a one-month 'youth loan' from Premier League club Reading, with the possibility of that being extended until the end of the season.

Charles, a free agent after leaving Northampton Town, has put pen to paper on a deal for the rest of the campaign.

The pair trained with Argyle for the first time yesterday as Sheridan prepared his players for the League Two trip to Paul Sturrock's Southend United tomorrow.

However, there was set to be a pitch inspection at Roots Hall at 10.30am today after a week of freezing weather in Essex.

The playing surface has been covered but the overnight temperatures have been so low that Southend chief executive Steve Kavanagh did not seem optimistic about the prospects of the game going ahead.

Argyle are short on experienced attacking options, with Nick Chadwick suspended for another five matches and Warren Feeney ruled out for up to two months by an ankle injury.

Sheridan told Herald Sport: "Ideally, I would like to get a 25 or 26-year-old with a bit of experience.

"I have got Tyler Harvey, who is still learning. I have got to be careful with him but I can see lots of good things in his game.

"Gozie is 19 and Ronan is 21, so we are young in that department.

"I would be very pleased if I could get a 25 or 26-year-old who has been around League One or this division and scored goals."

Ugwu spent the first five months of this season on loan to League One outfit Yeovil Town, scoring three goals in five starts and 13 substitute appearances.

Sheridan said: "He's a big lad, he's quick and he works the front line hard. I'm hoping he's going to stretch the game for us.

"If he can do that, it will give us a little bit more space to try to get our creative players in the game.

"He went to Yeovil and he's still learning. He's a lovely polite lad, and he wants to come here and score goals. Hopefully, he can do that."

Ugwu has yet to play any first team football for Reading, but was an unused substitute in a recent FA Cup tie against Crawley Town.

Sheridan said: "They (Reading) speak very highly of him and they accept he needs to go out on loan and play football.

"He's only 19 and this is a very tough league. I'm sure he will cope with it. More than anything else, I hope he scores one or two goals to help us."

Charles had his contract at Northampton terminated by mutual consent after being told he was surplus to requirements by manager Aidy Boothroyd.

He had made 10 starts and one substitute appearance for the Cobblers this term.

Sheridan said: "He was captain of Aldershot when they got in the play-offs in this division only a couple of years ago.

"I have always liked him and you don't get many left-footed centre-halves. He can also play at full-back, so he covers those areas.

"I have even looked at the games he has played in for Northampton this season and they have always had good results.

"My thoughts are that you shouldn't be sitting around and watching football at his age. You should be playing.

"He wants to come and try to impress us and probably earn himself a longer contract. I hope he does that. He will definitely help us with his experience."

The outcome of the pitch inspection at Southend this morning will be on the thisisplymouth.co.uk website and also on twitter@ChrisErrington1.