Plymouth Argyle delivered a resounding performance, securing a 5-1 victory over Millwall on Wednesday night at Home Park. This win came on the heels of Argyle's stunning FA Cup triumph against Liverpool, propelling them off the bottom of the Championship table.
The Pilgrims wasted no time asserting their dominance, racing to two goals within the opening ten minutes. An own goal from Millwall's Joe Bryan set the tone early, as he inadvertently directed a low cross from Callum Wright past his own goalkeeper, Lukas Jensen. Shortly after, Ryan Hardie converted a penalty kick after Casper De Norre fouled Adam Randell, doubling Argyle's lead and igniting the home crowd.
Despite some promising attempts from Millwall, including efforts from Mihailo Ivanovic and record signing Camiel Neghli, they struggled to break down the resolute Plymouth defense. The home side, full of confidence, managed to exploit Millwall’s defensive miscommunications effectively.
The second half continued the onslaught for Argyle. Just seven minutes post-intermission, Mustapha Bundu found the net, finishing off the rebound from Victor Palsson’s header, leaving Jensen helpless. Another defensive blunder soon followed, allowing Hardie to score his second of the night by capitalizing on a poor back pass.
Millwall finally registered on the scoreboard late, with Bryan redeeming himself by converting Femi Azeez's assist at the back post. Yet, it was Plymouth's Nikola Katic who had the last word, scoring the fifth goal during the closing moments after failing to deal with a corner kick situation, sealing the emphatic victory for the hosts.
This win marks Argyle's most significant league triumph since their 6-2 dismantling of Norwich earlier this season and is pivotal as they look to escape the relegation zone for the first time this season. They now sit just one point from safety, trailing Luton Town, who suffered defeat at Sunderland.
On the other hand, Millwall, sitting mid-table, faced their heaviest defeat this campaign and failed to capitalize on their recent run of form, which included four consecutive victories before this clash.
Looking at the game statistics, Argyle, who had only 30% possession, created six attempts at goal compared to Millwall's four, which speaks volumes about their efficiency on the night. Despite the scoreline, Millwall maintained greater possession but lacked the cutting edge to transform it to their advantage.
Argyle's head coach, Miron Muslic, expressed pride after the match, stating, "The players showed tremendous character, especially after our historic win against Liverpool. We need to keep this momentum going as we face tough fixtures coming up."
Millwall's manager, Alex Neil, reflected on his team’s performance, noting, "We struggled against their intensity and clinical finishing. We'll need to regroup quickly and return to our previous form if we want to push for the playoff spots. This defeat should serve as motivation to bounce back."
With the win, Plymouth Argyle gives their supporters something to cheer about, igniting hopes for survival as they face Blackburn Rovers and Luton Town in their next fixtures. Meanwhile, Millwall must reassess their strategy and regain their competitive edge ahead of their subsequent matches.