Adams hails dominant Argyle

Manager Derek Adams praised his Plymouth side as they climbed to 14th in League One following a 5-1 home win over 10-man Rochdale.

Freddie Ladapo’s double helped Argyle punish Ethan Ebanks-Landell’s dismissal.

Adams said: “The team are in fantastic form and look very good going forward. We were probably not clinical enough in the first half but we certainly were in the second.”

Striker Ladapo took his season’s tally to 15 goals with the opener and Argyle’s third after Rochdale had been reduced to 10 men following the 58th-minute dismissal of Ebanks-Landell for handball.

Matt Done pounced on a poor pass by Ryan Edwards to make it 1-1 just after half-time but Edwards atoned for his error by scoring Argyle’s second.

Substitute Oscar Threlkeld made it 4-1 before Ashley Smith-Brown crashed in a stoppage-time fifth.

Adams said: “We dominated possession in the first half with the amount of opportunities we had inside the 18-yard box. The goalkeeper (on-loan Andy Lonergan) has had a very good game for them.

“We have been able to go in at 1-0 at half-time but straight after we give away a sloppy goal. They got a lift from that but then got a player sent off.

“From then on we go on to get a further four goals. There were good finishes for all the goals.

“It was good for Oscar to get game time and he got a good goal.

“Ashley scored an unbelievable goal, it was a terrific finish from him, curling it into the far top corner.

“I was delighted to see Freddie get two and Ryan’s goal was important to make it 2-1.

“We have won a good number of games since New Year.

“We were on the front foot and played in a way that we were always going to score goals. It was just a matter of time and how many we were going to get.”

Rochdale boss, and former Argyle defender, Keith Hill said: “Plymouth were the better side in the first half. I had to change it at half-time.

“I was looking for momentum even though we didn’t get the result on Tuesday but it was non-evident in respect of what we planned to do in the first half and Andy Lonergan kept us in the game.

“I can’t argue or disagree with Ethan’s dismissal, he has handballed it, he is probably the last man so I haven’t got any complaints to the referee. But there is a definite handball which leads to them scoring the second goal.

“Plymouth are a good side, there is no question about that.

“I wouldn’t say we imploded but it was there for everybody to see, the extra man, the way Plymouth play and the beautiful pitch that they play on. They are impressive when they are like that.

“It is hard on the keeper because he has been superb. But it is like that sometimes, you keep getting kicked in football when you are down there and when you are playing against opponents with an extra man it can be soul-destroying.”