MARCH OF PILGRIMS GOES ON AT ALEX...
Seven in a row for Adams
PLYMOUTH boss Derek Adams paid tribute to his side’s winning mentality as they set a club record for consecutive league away victories after coming from behind to beat Crewe.
Alex Kiwomya gave the Railwaymen an early lead but George Cooper’s penalty miss was followed by Craig Tanner’s equaliser before Pilgrims top scorer Graham Carey sealed the league leaders’ comeback.
And Argyle boss Adams, whose side have won seven successive league games away from Home Park, admitted he never anticipated seeing the Pilgrims’ current 14 match unbeaten run come to an end in Cheshire.
“We’ve got a group of players that are very together,” he said.
“They have got that winning mentality – you don’t come away from home and win seven games on the trot if you don’t have that.
“We’re on a very good run, there are a lot of teams on good runs in the league and we’re just trying to stay ahead of the pack.
“Obviously the penalty save does change the way the game’s going, it would have made it 2-0 for Crewe.
“But I still felt we would get back into the game at some point in the match and I didn’t see us losing the match.”
Argyle had the first real chance after six minutes when Carey’s pass cut through the Alex rearguard and Ben Garratt was quick off his line to deny Ryan Donaldson.
After play resumed following a flare being thrown on the pitch, James Jones’ sublime pass with the outside of his boot found Kiwomya and the Chelsea loanee gave Crewe a 16th-minute lead with a sweeping right-footed finish past Luke McCormick.
Kiwomya nearly turned provider after feeding in Callum Ainley with the midfielder only denied by David Fox’s last-ditch 23rd-minute challenge as the league leaders struggled.
Pilgrims winger Jordan Slew then took matters into his own hands and drifted centrally to unleash a fierce 27th minute drive which fizzed just wide.
Ex-Crewe man Fox slid in late on Jones and referee David Miller
pointed to the spot, but Cooper’s poor 37th-minute penalty straight down the middle was easily claimed by McCormick.
Cooper nearly made amends two minutes later after curling a 30 yard effort off the top of the bar with McCormick beaten.
But Argyle made the Alex pay when Carey found Tanner who curled in a marvellous strike on 41 minutes to draw his Plymouth side level.
Plymouth striker Jimmy Spencer could not control Carey’s low and powerful cross with the goal gaping as Pilgrims started the second period brighter.
And the pressure told when substitute Jake Jervis darted down the right wing to deliver a low cross to the back post which Carey buried for his eighth of the season.
Donaldson nearly extended Plymouth’s lead with a long-range cannon seven minutes before the end but the strike flew just past the post.
But Cooper nearly drew Crewe level at the death with a stoppage time free kick which flew just over the Plymouth goal and the Pilgrims held on.
“I thought we were excellent, I have to say. I’ve just said it to them there,” said Crewe boss Steve Davis.
“I thought our performance was lively and energetic. Our football was terrific at times.
“It’s just unfortunate that marginal things in the game sometimes go against you. I think that the penalty was very decisive in the end.
“At 2-0, I’m 99 per cent sure we’d have gone on to win the game because of the control you can get from that.
“I can’t fault them, I thought they were excellent and it is a bit of a hard luck story in the end I suppose.”