Ladapo is the hero as Argyle win at last
PLYMOUTH Argyle boss Derek Adams praised striker Freddie Ladapo for his winner as the strugglers beat AFC Wimbledon to claim their first league win of the season.
Adams said: “I was delighted for him. It would have been easy for me to have taken him off the pitch, but he was leading the line well.”
Ladapo headed home at the far post in the 75th minute after missing a first half one on one opportunity to put Plymouth ahead.
The match turned on a superb save by on-loan Arsenal keeper Matt Macey to deny former Argyle forward Jake Jervis.
The win lifts Argyle off the basement above Oxford, ahead of their clash at Kassam Stadium next Saturday.
Adams said of the win: “It’s been a long time coming. We have been close at times this season, but we haven’t been able to get that victory but today we did.
“We played with confidence, flicked things around the corner and ran forward.
“Confidence is a major thing in football. We all know that players have got ability, but you need to be confident.
“We have been confident, but we haven’t been able to execute at times.”
Ladapo headed home after Graham Carey latched on to a short corner on the right and sent over an inch-perfect cross.
Argyle had threatened five minutes earlier when central defender Ryan Edwards headed just over from Carey’s corner from the left.
Carey nearly made it 2-0 with a thumping shot minutes after the goal, but keeper Joe McDonnell saved well, low at his post.
Argyle keeper Macey saved on the line to deny Jervis from point blank range after 62 minutes.
Jervis, a former Argyle forward, seemed certain to score when he met a cross from skipper Deji Oshilaja at the far post, but the 6ft 7in Macey got down to turn the ball away to safety.
Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley said: “I asked the boys to go out, play, attack and be brave and not fear. They gave me all of that.
“We were the better team up until they scored.
“We switch off at a short corner and get punished and that is the way things are going for us at the moment.
“I don’t think we deserved to lose.”