Three-sy does it for clinical Pilgrims

PLYMOUTH Argyle go into the first two-week international break of the season on the back of a superb 3-0 win against Blackburn Rovers at a sold-out Home Park on Saturday.

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

The Pilgrims had lost their previous three matches two in the Championship after conceding last-gasp goals, the other in the Carabao Cup second round against Premier League side Crystal Palace.

So manager Steven Schumacher would have been looking for a reaction from his side against the former Premier League champions and he got it.

Argyle led 1-0 at half-time after a goal from on-loan Aston Villa midfielder Finn Azaz with a deflected shot from outside the box.

Blackburn applied plenty of pressure for the whole game but could not break them down and Argyle came up with further goals from Ryan Hardie and substitute Luke Cundle in the 77th and 81st minutes.

The result leaves Argyle 10th in the Championship with seven points from their first five games after promotion as League One champions, which represents a very encouraging start to the campaign.

Spanish defender Julio Pleguezuelo made his first Championship start for Argyle against Blackburn in place of Dan Scarr, who dropped down to the substitutes' bench.

Otherwise, it was the same team which had played in the previous league game, the 2-1 defeat away to Birmingham City.

Blackburn's attack was led by Sam Gallagher, who was in the youth ranks at Argyle until he joined Southampton at the age of 16 in 2012.

Striker Niall Ennis, who swapped the Pilgrims for Rovers in the summer, missed out on a return to Home Park due to a knee injury.

Morgan Whittaker had an early shot blocked behind for a corner before Blackburn had a tremendous chance to take the lead in the sixth minute.

The ball broke to Ryan Hedges and he had only Conor Hazard to beat, but he lacked the necessary composure as he sent his shot wide of the goal.