FIVE-STAR WIN DELIGHTS JOHN
PLYMOUTH’S play-off push received a huge shot in the arm with this thumping win over Morecambe – but boss John Sheridan has pleaded for patience from Pilgrims fans.
Lewis Alessandra’s double and strikes from Durrell Berry, Curtis Nelson and Andres Gurrieri moved the Pilgrims to within two points of the play-offs – and left the Shrimps without a win in their last ten matches.
Plymouth have won four out of their last five and have hunted down the top seven, which looked to have seen off the chasing pack.
But Pilgrims boss Sheridan is not getting carried away, although he couldn’t help but drool over his side’s five-star performance
He warned: “Our feet will be firmly on the ground because I know what is around the corner in football.
“This result will put a smile on our faces, but we can’t look any further than the next game.
“We are in a position where we have given ourselves a chance.
“Everyone has been looking at the top seven and thinking that no one is going to catch them.
“But it hasn’t gone that way and we are a team with a bit of momentum.
“The magic word is consistency and we are showing a bit of that at the moment.
“We were outstanding and totally dominated the game. To score five goals at home is very pleasing.”
Berry kick-started the rout when he rammed home the rebound after Matt Parsons’ shot was pushed away by Barry Roche.
Plymouth continued to pile on the pressure and an Alessandra shot deflected narrowly wide before Max Blanchard headed over the top from the resulting corner.
Plymouth’s leading goalscorer Reuben Reid sprung the Morecambe offside trap and twisted his way past Mark Hughes only to see his shot saved by the legs of Roche.
The second goal arrived five minutes before the interval after Conor Hourihane’s beautifully measured pass sent Alessandra scampering clear and he produced a composed finish.
Plymouth ran riot in the second half but had to wait until the 77th minute to add a third.
Nelson was in the right place to head home Luke Young’s corner before Plymouth’s three substitutes combined to set up the fourth.
Marvin Morgan slipped the ball to Tyler Harvey and his cross was beautifully fired home by Gurrieri.
Alessandra completed the rout with a stunning curling effort for his 12th goal of the season.
Morecambe boss Jim Bentley raged: “I am not happy. It is embarrassing and hard to take.
“We looked nervy and disjointed and it was too easy to play against us. Once Plymouth got the first goal we seemed to collapse.
“It is not acceptable. At the start of the season we went nine games unbeaten and we were hard to play against.
“That’s just dipped a bit and if that happens you struggle.”