One of the Best
ARGYLE manager Derek Adams has hailed Freddie Ladapo as one of the division’s best, after the Pilgrims’ striker netted another Sky Bet League One brace in the 5-1 demolition of Rochdale on Saturday.
“He’s one of the best strikers in the division, and I think that his goal record shows that,” said Derek.
Coming into the game, Freddie was on a relatively barren run of one goal in his last 11 appearances, and Derek is pleased to see him return to the scoresheet.
“Delighted for Freddie, his first one was outstanding, he took it with his right foot, he swiveled and hit it into the top corner,” said Derek. “His second one as well, he runs away, which he does quite a bit, and was composed with the finish.”
Ladapo’s double moves him on to 15 goals for the campaign. Of those 15, 12 have been scored at Home Park, which includes five League One braces. While it’s important to Derek that his forward players are netting goals, he was also delighted to see others get on the scoresheet on Saturday.
“We rely heavily on Freddie Ladapo to score goals as well, but to get different goal-scorers in the team is important, and the goal difference has certainly helped us because it’s put us in a much better position.”
Also on the scoresheet were Oscar Threlkeld, the first of his fourth spell at the club, and Ryan Edwards, who atoned for an earlier error to net Argyle’s second. Most-surprising of all, however, was surely Ashley Smith-Brown, who grabbed his first goal in green with what was, more or less, the final kick of the game.
“It was a terrific finish, to curl it in with his right-foot, into the far top corner,” said Derek on Smith-Brown’s goal. “Oscar’s was a good one as well because it got cut back. Edwards gets a goal as well, to make it 2-1. I think it was great for the team that were here , from the 1970s [Tony Waiters’ era reunion weekend], to see the outstanding play that gets fans off their seats.”