DEREK SAYS TITLE’S OUT OF REACH
DEREK ADAMS claims Plymouth’s title dream is in tatters after his side suffered a fourth home defeat in their last six games.
Jordan Clark grabbed the only goal as Accrington stretched their unbeaten run to 12 games, and moved within seven points of the play-offs.
The Pilgrims trail leaders Doncaster by six points but still boast a ten-point cushion on fourth-placed Stevenage.
Yet Adams warned his side must improve if they are to clinch automatic promotion.
“It is a wake-up call for everyone at the club, not just the players,” he said.
“We have got 75 points but the teams below us have won and closed the gap. We have got six games to go so there is still a lot to play for.
“But we are out of the title race now. Six points behind Doncaster, who have a better goal difference, means the title is out of the question.
“We have to make sure we gain automatic promotion but we have to play a lot better than we did here.
“We didn’t defend the freekick very well and it gave them something to hold on to.”
Accrington came flying out of the traps and broke the deadlock with the first chance of the match in the eighth minute.
Sean McConville supplied a tantalising free-kick and Clark glanced a deft header past Luke McCormick for his first league goal of the season.
Plymouth failed to heed the warning signs and Shay McCartan swept through the heart of their defence, only to be denied by the legs of Luke McCormick. But the visitors continued to threaten and Clark’s cross gifted Billy Kee a glorious chance but he planted a free header straight at McCormick.
Plymouth stirred midway through the first half and Antoni Sarcevic forced a stunning one-handed save out of Marek Rodak.
Accrington then almost doubled their lead in the 52nd minute when Matty Pearson’s volley clipped the crossbar.
After Oscar Threlkeld headed wastefully over, Plymouth laid siege to the Stanley goal but Rodak’s heroics foiled Yann Songo’o, Graham Carey and Ryan Taylor.
And Stanley manager John Coleman has not given up hope of his side making a late charge for the play-offs.
“A lot of people thought our season was dead four or five weeks ago, but we want to finish as high as we can and every game means a lot,” he said. “Maybe we can sneak through the back door this year.
“We have got to amass as many points as we can now. We are 12 games unbeaten and we have looked a threat in all of those games. We started this game really well and the players carried out the game
plan to the letter.”