ADAMS TOAST TO LOAN DUO

DEREK ADAMS felt his Plymouth side got their promotion push back on track with a Bank Holiday bang, as his loanee signings did the business.

Chelsea loanne Jordan Houghton’s superb strike early on buoyed the visitors, before a reckless two-footed tackle from Alex Kenyon reduced the Shrimps to ten men.

Jamille Matt wrapped up the three points soon into the second half and ensured Argyle fans who travelled more than 600 miles had something to smile about.

The Pilgrims recorded their first away victory since January and Adams was over the moon with every aspect of his side’s performance.

“No game is easy in this division, but here we have shown we can come away from home and do the business,” he said.

“I thought that it was a reckless two-footed tackle and had to be a sending off, you just can’t tackle like that these days.

“We’ve been playing well and not turned the performances into goals, but to get 20 wins is very important, and it’s good to see the loan players making an impact and getting on the scoresheet.

“We’ve been in very good spirits throughout the season, and to be in the position that we are in now with eight games to go we have to kick on and keep going in the hunt for promotion.”

Fleetwood loanee Matt should have given the travelling supporters something to smile about after six minutes when Carl McHugh slotted him through one-on-one, but the Jamaican could only find the side netting.

The visiting Pilgrims were rewarded for a quick-fire start after 14 minutes when Houghton’s first-time strike from the edge of the area flew past youngster Kieran O’Hara in the home goal.

Former Argyle man Lee Molyneux could have pulled the Shrimps level five minutes before half-time when he connected with Shaun Beeley’s whipped cross, but his header went wide.

The struggling Shrimps went down to ten men minutes before the break, when a heavy twofooted tackle from Kenyon on McHugh saw the former Everton man given his marching orders.

Matt doubled the Pilgrims lead just two minutes into the second half when Jake Jervis’ drilled cross found him unmarked five yards out and the Jamaican calmly slotted past O’Hara.

Shrimps substitute Kevin Ellison hit the crossbar twice in the dying minutes. First a cheeky chip forced Luke McCormick to tip onto the woodwork before Ellison’s deflected shot struck the woodwork once more.

And Shrimps boss Jim Bentley felt the result summed up his side’s luck, saying: “Here I don’t think we started particularly well, but I think a lot of decisions went against us.

“We have a young back line and we have to give these boys a chance, we did look jittery and inexperienced early on but we have to look to the future.”

“Even one of Plymouth’s players came up to me at the end and said in front of the referee that it wasn’t a sending off and that it spoilt the game.”