Something in Hand

ARGYLE manager Derek Adams believes that the Pilgrims were better value for their victory at Oxford United than the 1-0 scoreline suggests.

Sonny Bradley’s header in first-half stoppage-time was enough to secure a fifth successive victory, as Argyle were able to frustrate the home side’s efforts before and after the winner.

Derek said: “We had to grind it out in the end but we probably should have been two or three up – Ryan Taylor hit the bar; Graham Carey had a chance; Antoni Sarcevic had an opportunity, as well.

“We didn’t really allow [Oxford] the opportunity to have too many clear-cut chances. We had probably the better of the opportunities and should have gone further ahead in the game.

“If we’ve created more clear-cut chances than the opposition, we must be better than the opposition, and that’s the way it is today. We were better than Oxford because we created the better opportunities; we kept a clean sheet; and we scored a goal. 

“It’s a difficult league and Oxford are one of the better teams in the league and we’ve come here and won 1-0; we’ve taken the three points and we’re delighted about that. 

“You can see the way that [Oxford] want to play. They want to have their two central midfield players on the ball and try to play diagonal passes but it didn’t really trouble us because we sat off the game and allowed them to either knock it into our full-backs or knock it out of play.” 

Taylor, who joined Argyle from Oxford just over a year ago, was eager to leave his mark at his former home, and came close when he rattled the frame of the goal in the second half. 

Derek said: “He probably delayed it just a second and hit the top of the crossbar, but it was very good play leading up to that and we were unfortunate not to have gone 2-0 ahead.”