Pilgrims find form to vacate drop zone
DEREK Adams saluted Plymouth’s biggest win of the season as they climbed out of the drop zone for the first time since mid-September.
The Pilgrims made a dream start after Toumani Diagouraga and Graham Carey put them 2-0 up inside the opening six minutes.
Anthony Gerrard gave Oldham hope with a header on 56 minutes but Plymouth romped to a third straight home win thanks to further goals from Ryan Edwards and Jake Jervis.
Pilgrims boss Adams beamed: “We have been putting points on the board for a period of time now and I am delighted we are out of the bottom four.
“We are four points off 12th position and that shows you how tight this league is.
“I was watching Oldham warm up and they were defending as a back three. So we decided to play three strikers against their three centre-halves.
“Graham Carey, Ryan Taylor and Ruben Lameiras gave them a hard time. It was a comprehensive performance and we could have scored more goals.”
Ryan Taylor was the architect for the first goal, sliding the ball into the feet of the unmarked Diagouraga.
The former Leeds midfielder rounded keeper Johny Placide and slotted the ball into an empty net.
The stunned Latics suffered a further blow on six minutes after more static defending allowed Carey to ghost into the box.
David Fox flighted the ball into the danger area and Carey was on to it in a flash, delicately lifting the ball over Placide and into the bottom corner.
Oldham made a double switch at the break and pulled a goal back on 57 minutes after Gerrard rose highest to head home Jack Byrne’s corner. But any hopes of a fightback were extinguished two minutes later as Edwards stooped to head in Carey’s freekick.
Plymouth wrapped up the win as sub Jervis scored with his first touch, racing on to Taylor’s flick-on and finishing with aplomb.
Oldham boss Richie Wellens groaned: “Conceding two goals in six minutes gave us a mountain to climb.
“You can’t defend like that and our two centrehalves were bullied by Ryan Taylor. The only positive I can see is we have got another game in a few days.
“I made four changes because there is an illness in the camp. It is not ideal but you can make all the excuses you want. We have to start games better. Their third and fourth goals were ridiculous.”