Plymouth Argyle manager Derek Adams believes his side deserve to be top of the Sky Bet League 2 standings at Christmas.
The Pilgrims trailed Northampton Town going into the weekend, but a last-gasp 2-1 win at Hartlepool United on Saturday elevated them to top spot, after Northampton lost at home to Portsmouth.
Adams, who took charge at Home Park in the summer, praised the work of his players, and says Plymouth are worthy of their place at the top of the pile.
“I have got a group of players who are thoroughly outstanding,” Adams told the club's official website.
“I love them to bits because they keep on going. They are a fantastic group of players to work for.
"It was a difficult game, but it’s a terrific win for us. We’ve seen teams come here [Hartlepool] in the past and struggle to get a point or struggle to get a win.
“Three points is massive in this league – we know that. We know that when you are trying to get yourself in a very good position, you need to win football matches – the more wins you can get, the better opportunity you have.
“We’re obviously delighted to be top of the table. The performance levels have been very good and I think we deserve to be there.”