LOWE HAILS PILGRIMS’ PROGRESS

By Andrew Smith

SHREWSBUR Y TN 0

PLYMOUTH A 3

Hardie 24, 65, Jephcott 50

Att: 5,737 Rating: ★★★★★ Ref: Paul Howard 6/10

ALL OVER: Luke Jephcott makes it 3-0 to Plymouth

PICTURE: AMA Sports Photo

RYAN LOWE insisted his Plymouth Argyle side can open up any team in the league after they put three without reply against winless – and goalless – Shrewsbury Town.

Ryan Hardie’s first-half strike was followed by a Luke Jephcott strike, and then later in the game Hardie bagged his second to send the travelling Pilgrims home happy.

It was Argyle’s second game of the campaign and a delighted Lowe insisted his side have shown a ‘class attitude’ in recent weeks and they executed his game plan. If you’re thinking of backing Argyle for promotion this season then check out these online bookmakers for the latest odds.

Lowe said: “We’ve recruited well this summer and improved the squad and I thought every single one of them was fantastic today.

“This is not an easy place to come, we got the ball down and played and when we do that we can open up anyone on our day.

“We stuck to the plan and the attitude the lads showed today and in the last few weeks has been different class.

“The strikers will keep doing what they are doing, and keep on scoring, and every single one of the lads produced today.

“They executed the plan today and also, it’s the third clean sheet we have had and we know that we need clean sheets if we are going to get where we want to be.

“The togetherness is also there to see. The lads have each others backs. We look solid at the back, and the lads enjoy defending. They are doing a fantastic job.”

Striker Sam Cosgrove went close to a home debut goal in the opening 15 minutes of the game, with Salop much the better side early on.

However, they fell behind for a fifth straight game after 24 minutes as Hardie finished off a neat move to curl the ball beyond Marko Marosi.

Four minutes into the second half it got worse, as Hardie squared for Jephcott, who was able to calmly slot the ball home.

And 25 minutes time it was three as Plymouth broke with from as th Hardie chipping Marosi to notch his second of the afternoon.

Luke Leahy hit the bar late on for Salop, but they failed to create any real openings and slipped to another defeat.

Town boss Steve Cotterill didn’t believe it was a 3-0 game, as his side remained bottom of the table and the only side in the EFL yet to score a league goal this season.

“It is a feeling of disappointment,” said Cotterill.

“It wasn’t a 3-0 game, defi- nitely not 3-0. We had possession and put something like 28 shots in the box today, but we have to get on the end of them.

“We weren’t ruthless and then we gave away poor goals, and we can’t do that,” he added.

SHREWSBURY: Marosi 6, Ogbeta 6 (Whalley 62, 6), Pennington 7, Pierre 6, Nurse 6, Bloxham 6 (Leshabela 71, 6), Bennett 7, Vela 7, Leahy 6, Cosgrove 6 (Pyke 62, 6), Udoh 7. Subs not used: Burgoyne, Ebanks-Landell, Daniels, Caton.

PLYMOUTH: M. Cooper 7, Scarr 8, Gillesphey 8, Galloway 7, Edwards 7, Camara 7, Houghton 7, Broom 6 (Randell 83, 6), Grant 6 (Law 57, 6), Hardie 9, Jephcott 8 (Garrick 88, 6). Subs not used: Burton, G. Cooper, Tomlinson, Shirley.