Ian Baird bagged a brace as Plymouth Argyle romped to a straightforward success over out-of-form Fulham at Home Park this afternoon.
Neil Warnock’s side moved into the Third Division’s top four with a convincing win having dominated this contest from the get go. They took the lead on 20 minutes when the Whites fell asleep at a free-kick. Chris Leadbitter’s quick thinking found Micky Evans in space and the forward’s clever ball allowed Adrian Littlejohn to drill his seventh goal of the campaign past Tony Lange’s right hand. Argyle doubled their lead three minutes later when Mark Patterson run fully 75 yards deep into Fulham territory without being challenged and fed Baird, who deftly stroked his finish beyond a helpless Lange.
Fulham’s brightest attacking threat came from substitute Danny Bolt, whose first half introduction for Mark Taylor ended Ian Branfoot’s disastrous experimentation with three centre halves. Bolt looked bright and sent over a number of threatening crosses but the visitors only managed two shots on target during a chastening afternoon. Bolt’s free-kick on the stroke of half time didn’t overly extend Plymouth keeper Kevin Blackwell, who also easily dealt with Nick Cusack’s speculative 25 yarder with three minutes to play.
By then, the hosts had wrapped up the three points through a fabulous free-kick from Baird – who lashed home from more than 20 yards – after Simon Morgan had been dubiously penalised for handball. It summed up a forgettable afternoon on the south coast for the Cottagers, who are sliding down the table at an alarming rate of knots.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: Blackwell; Patterson (Clayton 90), Williams, Barlow, Heathcote, Baird, Mauge, Littlejohn, Evans, Leadbitter. Subs (not used): Magee, Twiddy.
BOOKED: Barlow.
GOALS: Littlejohn (20), Baird (23, 77).
FULHAM: Lange; Jupp, Taylor (Bolt 28), Angus, Blake (Cusack 45), Moore; Mison, Morgan, Thomas; Conroy, Brazil. Subs: Harrison.
BOOKED: Thomas, Moore, Morgan, Angus.
REFEREE: Alan Wiley (Walsall).
ATTENDANCE: 6,681.
