Plymouth players have ‘bit between teeth’ after win at Barnsley – Tom Cleverley

Tom Cleverley praised his Plymouth’s side performance in a 3-0 win at Barnsley on Easter Monday – and now has his eyes on Saturday’s derby against Exeter.

A double from Owen Oseni either side of Lorent Tolaj’s 15th League One goal of the season sealed all three points for the Pilgrims in south Yorkshire.

Plymouth are now just two points outside the top six and face their local rivals at the weekend.

Cleverley said: “The players have got the bit between their teeth. Take that into Saturday, knowing how big the game is for our supporters as well – and we give ourselves a good chance of winning the game.

“I know exactly what that has done for us today – not just winning, but getting a plus three (goal difference). It’s really, really important.”

Plymouth, who had started the game the brighter of the teams, took a deserved lead in the 16th minute.

The returning Tolaj did well to flick the ball over two Barnsley defenders onto the onrushing Oseni, who made no mistake from five yards out, volleying the ball past Owen Goodman.

Oseni and Tolaj combined well in the box before the Swiss forward turned his man and fired low past Goodman to double his side’s lead.

Plymouth made it three in the 79th minute after referee Tom Reeves pointed to the spot when Jack Shepherd brought down Oseni and the striker doubled his tally for the day from 12 yards.

David McGoldrick thought he had pulled one back for the hosts four minutes from time but he received the ball in an offside position.

Cleverley added: “We felt in control even when they had the football for the first 20 minutes but that changed a little.

“I thought they were causing us problems and we didn’t feel as in control and 10 minutes after half-time the same.

“So credit to Barnsley, they’re a good footballing side.”

Barnsley have now not kept a clean sheet in 25 games, equalling a club record set in the 1952/53 season.

Head coach Conor Hourihane said: “We obviously know that Plymouth are in a really good place and they’re high on confidence.

“I think we’ve mentioned it a lot over the course of the season about the goals that we give away and it’s a big head-scratcher because we do untold work on defending as a team, defending around the box. So it’s really frustrating.

“I felt like we could have done more then in the last 35-40 minutes then to try and push forward.

“I just felt like there wasn’t any intensity or energy there to try and get back in the game.”