Plymouth reclaim pole position with home defeat of Morecambe

Plymouth returned to the top of Sky Bet League One with a 2-1 home win over basement side Morecambe.

Goals from Niall Ennis and Sam Cosgrove meant Anthony O’Connor’s late reply counted for little for Derek Adams’ team.

Plymouth should have taken the lead in the 42nd minute but Connor Ripley dived to his left to save Morgan Whittaker’s penalty, following a foul on Joe Edwards.

Ryan Hardie’s 62nd-minute introduction made all the difference to the Argyle attack.

Striker Ennis got the 70th-minute opener, cleverly clipping the ball home at the near post from Hardie’s pacey cross from the left.

The Scottish ace came within a whisker of making it 2-0 with 13 minutes remaining but his deft touch to beat Morecambe keeper Ripley, from Cosgrove’s first-time cross, skipped past the far post.

It did not take long for Cosgrove to make it 2-0 and ensure Argyle returned to winning ways after four league games without a win.

The on-loan Birmingham forward only needed one touch to tuck away Edwards’ measured pass from 12 yards out.

It was a crucial goal as O’Connor cut in from the right to hammer the ball past Michael Cooper in the home goal in the first minute of stoppage-time.