Evans hails table-topping Peterborough after they extend perfect start

Posted Sunday, August 26, 2018 by PA

Peterborough boss Steve Evans was full of praise for his side after their extended their 100 per cent start with a 5-1 win at Plymouth.

Jason Cummings and Matt Godden each scored a brace and Siriki Dembele also scored, with Ryan Edwards’ late goal little consolation for Plymouth.

Evans said: “To set a new club record of five opening wins makes me immensely proud but immensely proud of the players because it’s them who deliver these performances and get these results.”

It was 2-0 after just 11 minutes with Cummings creating openings which Godden and Dembele converted. Godden returned the favour when Cummings made it 3-0 at the start of the second half, and the Scot made it 4-0 from the penalty spot.

Edwards headed home in stoppage time but Peterborough were not finish as Godden scored his second of the game.

“We started the game particularly well, we got a couple of goals through brilliant play by our strikers,” Evans said.

“We missed two big chances – Jason goes through one on one and you would expect Mark O’Hara to score from a header – and then they have a little bit of pressure and that’s where the team comes in.

“That’s where it takes your back four, back five with the goalkeeper to come into their own and defend properly.

“It was important we kept a clean sheet then because if they got a goal then my feeling is their team talk at half time will be a lot different.

“At the end of the day we get three points for this and nothing else.

“The clinical side of our game was told with the five goals we scored because we would take a 1-0 win down here because we know how tough it is to get three points.”

While Peterborough sit pretty at the top, defeat leaves Plymouth rock bottom of League One with only two points from five outings.

Argyle boss Derek Adams said: “We gave away two early goals and it was always going to be difficult. The way we lost the two goals was very poor.

“They didn’t pick us off, we gave the ball away and allowed them to get the two goals.

“It did go wrong for the defenders today, they made bad decisions which have cost us.

“We had a lot of good opportunities in the first half. We have to do better in the forward areas. They were very clinical when they had their opportunities and we weren’t clinical.

“To lose 5-1 when we have created 22 chances and they have created 11 is disappointing. But the scoreline is the one everyone looks to.

“There is nothing I can do on the sidelines, we gave the ball away and you just can’t do that. You have to keep possession of the ball.

“I don’t think there were four goals between us, but there were and when you give good players opportunities to score goals you are going to have a problem.

“To defend in the way we did, I had to take off three centre halves which is unheard of. The back four and the keeper didn’t do us any favours today.”