Derek Adams hails vital win as Plymouth climb out of relegation zone

Plymouth boss Derek Adams hailed a “vital” win as the Pilgrims made it four League One wins in a row with a 2-1 victory over Walsall to climb out of the relegation zone.

Central defenders Ryan Edwards and Niall Canavan headed home the second-half Argyle goals – both from Graham Carey free-kicks.

Walsall dangerman Andy Cook made up for missing a header from six yards by scoring a superb solo goal in the 82nd minute but Argyle held on for an impressive win.

Adams said: “It was a very good win for us tonight. We knew we were one of only four teams playing tonight so to get the victory and put us into 17th position in the league was vital.

“Four wins in a row and that will have sent a lot of our Argyle fans home happy tonight in awful weather conditions.

“They were great goals and the set-piece deliveries from Graham Carey were exceptional, two of them, right on the heads of Ryan Edwards and Niall Canavan.

“It looked like we were going on again and win convincingly but we had to see off a bit of a storm at the end of the game.

“I said about getting more goals from set plays and we got that, with great deliveries from Graham tonight and we’ve had the same from David Fox as well this season.

“Ryan and Niall are big players for us and can go up there and get the goals.

“I thought the two of them dealt well with Cook tonight and he didn’t get much of an opportunity to get in on goal but then somehow he gets his goal through really poor defending from us, because we had a number of player around him.

“How he got the goal I am not quite sure yet.

“A clean sheet would have aided the goal difference but the three points is vital.”

Saddlers boss Dean Keates said: “We knew that they would probably start on the front foot as they have had a few decent results.

“We knew the front three play behind (Freddie) Ladapo up top and try and play in little pockets. So we had to be resilient and we knew we might be under the cosh early on.

“We weathered the storm, literally with the weather, and we grew into the game. Towards the end of the first half we created some good opportunities. Even though they started brighter, we had the better opportunities in the first half.

“We work on our set-pieces and getting the ball in the right area. It is our conviction and desire to actually go and head it and make sure you get the contact on it and score from it.

“We have had three clear headers but they were not proper headers.

“The work rate and the character was there so it is frustrating to concede at two set-pieces, with people not doing their jobs.

“There are certain things we do for set-pieces, the players are given their man before the game and if you stop that player scoring you have done your job.”