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League Two

John Sheridan pleased with Plymouth Argyle home comforts

30 August 2014

Plymouth boss John Sheridan hailed his side for maintaining their unbeaten home League Two start with a 2-0 win over 10-man Southend.

Second-half goals from Lewis Alessandra and Reuben Reid saw the hosts cruise past Southend, who had Cian Bolger sent off early, in Sky Bet League Two.

Sheridan said: "It's another home win and if you are going to be successful you have to do well at home.

"I thought we were very good, against a team that will be right up there, I think.

"I thought we competed really well. I was really pleased with the way we played, even before they had a man sent off.

"I thought we started well, and the only downer from the performance is that when Southend went down to 10 men, they were the better team.

"That's just a bit of know-how. It is always difficult, even if you are playing against 10 men, but I expect us to be dominating the game a little bit more, and have a little bit more know-how. But in the second half, I thought we were very good and professional.

"I said to them at half time: 'just keep playing two or three-touch football, keep stretching the play and keep the ball moving.'

"I was pleased Lewis got his goal after some great play by Kelvin Mellor and Reuben has got another one - and I said he should score more headers."

Southend were reduced to 10 men in the 15th minute following a second caution for central defender Bolger, both for fouls on Plymouth target man Marvin Morgan.

Plymouth made the most of their advantage in the second half as Alessandra scored in the 52nd minute after superb play by attacking right back Kelvin Mellor.

Mellor and Alessandra combined down the right again to tee up striker Reid to power a downward header past United keeper Daniel Bentley for his fifth goal of the season 67th minute.

Southend boss Phil Brown said: "I have just been across to the supporters and they said why didn't I take Cian off after the first yellow card and it's a fair point.

"He's got to learn the hard way that this division is physical and you are going to come up against people like Adebayo Akinfenwa a couple of weeks ago and Marvin Morgan this week. He's got to be able to stand up to that.

"I was proud of the performance to tell you the truth I thought the lads really dug in. The goal just after half time kills us to a certain extent.

"We had young lads working hard for the shirt and they wore the shirt with pride to be fair.

"W e didn't create enough clear cut chances to tell you the truth. We were working towards set pieces - we had four or five of them after the sending off in the first half - but really didn't work the goalkeeper."


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