Tom Cleverley hails a near-perfect away performance as Plymouth thump Burton

Plymouth head coach Tom Cleverley praised a near-perfect away performance as his side ran out 4-0 winners at bottom club Burton.

Striker Lorent Tolaj bagged a brace to go along with goals from fellow strikers Owen Oseni and Bim Pepple to make it back-to-back away victories for the first time since their League One title-winning season.

“Forever the perfectionist, we were a little bit lacking in conviction from set pieces in the first half but apart from that, which is nitpicking, I thought we were outstanding today,” Cleverley said.

“The important thing was that we got the ball down and played in the first half and I thought we cut them open a few times.

“We took the chance to go ahead and in the second half I thought we were really efficient, well-structured and organised, we took our chances in transition but most importantly was keeping that clean sheet.”

Cleverley opted to reinstate goalkeeper Conor Hazard for the game, making him captain and he felt it was the right thing to do.

“It was a difficult decision to bring Conor back in,” Cleverley admitted. “Last time out we looked like we lacked leadership on the pitch, and he brings that. Today was always going to be a physical game so at 6ft 6ins he brings that as well.”

The Argyle boss had to watch from the stands as he served a touchline ban but knew his team were in safe hands.

“I was gutted I couldn’t be at pitch level today” he said. “But taking a backward step and seeing it all unfold how you planned it is really rewarding. Damon (Lathrope) and Nance (Kevin Nancekivell) are more than capable hands to deal with things from the dugout.”

Burton boss Gary Bowyer was left to reflect on a chastening defeat coming on the back of a promising performance at Huddersfield last week.

“Quite simply not good enough,” said Bowyer. “We have gifted them the goals today. We were beaten by the better team, as simple as that.

“We had opportunities in the first half. We thought we knew areas where we felt we could get some joy, but we didn’t quite execute that enough. I have just watched all the goals back and they are all easily preventable and we haven’t done it.”

The unrelenting fixture list sends Albion to another freshly relegated side in Cardiff next, and Bowyer is looking for a response from his side.

“We have to take our medicine today, be honest with ourselves collectively and prepare to go to Cardiff next and have a response from today’s performance,” he said.

“We feel the same as the supporters will. We didn’t want that today and we didn’t expect that today but we have to own it and take responsibility and move on. The lads who have arrived at the end of the window have settled in now and we have to start performing better than that.”