REPORT: Plymouth Argyle 0, Peterborough United 3: Posh are top of the table after a stunning awayday display

After a goalless, and very even, first-half, Posh scored within 20 seconds of the re-start through Sammie Szmodics. A superb team goal converted by Jonson Clarke-Harris and a brilliant late strike from Jack Taylor sealed a 3-0 win.

That’s five League One wins in a row and three, three-goal second-half bursts in a row.

And remember this was a Plymouth side unbeaten in 2021 with a strong home record. Posh fans are surely starting to believe this could be their year at last.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson named an unchanged side again, but he altered the starting formation to the one he had used to finish the last two matches.

It was a flat back four with Joe Ward and Siriki Dembele playing as out and out wingers and initially Posh looked the sharper side. Dembele even had an early shout for a penalty rejected after darting into the penalty area.

But the better Posh chances arrived after Plymouth errors in possession. Szmodics twice curled wide from 20 yards and 10 minutes before the break Jonson Clarke-Harris took advantage of some miscontrol on the halfway line and surged forward.

He didn’t have the pace to stay free, but checked and slipped the ball side to the onrushing, and very in-form, Szmodics who went for the first time finish from the edge of the area and sent the ball into an empty stand.

Posh also helped Plymouth threaten early on. Posh ‘keeper Christy Pym baled out his captain Mark Beevers after a poor back pass to race out and clear in the 13th minute and two minutes later Danny Mayor found top scorer Luke Jephcott out wide. He hit his shot well, but straight at Pym.

Plymouth passed the ball around neatly at times and created their best opportunity five minutes before the break when Patuche Camara burst into the penalty area and slapped in a shot that forced Pym into a diving save.

Camara then poked a volley goalwards which Frankie Kent let go without realising Jephcott was close behind him. The striker didn’t react quickly enough.

But Posh were certainly quick off the mark in the second-half. Virtually from kick off Kent’s long pass freed Ward down the right and he gained a inch of space before delivering a perfect cross for Szmodics to tap home from close range.

Posh now started to press and harry the home side from the front and took complete control of the contest.

Clarke-Harris promptly missed a sitter from a fine Dan Butler cross, but he wasn’t to be denied on 63 minutes following a terrific move.

Jack Taylor picked the ball up deep in his own half and fed Dembele. He slipped it to Szmodics who played a cracking pass inside the full-back for Ward.

Ward could have gone for goal, but instead delivered the perfect pass for Clarke-Harris to slam home from close range. The assist king had recorded another double to reach double figures for the season.

Posh eased off a little and Pym had to make a terrific save from close range after Camara met a left wing cross eight yards from goal.

Plymouth worked their way into several other good crossing positions, but wasted them all.

And punishment duly arrived with a cracking striker from Jack Taylor. Dembele teed him up 25 yards from goal and the midfielder unleashed a rocket into the top corner.

It was a goal worthy of confirming top spot.

Substitute Harrison Burrows almost added a high class fourth goal after lobbing the ball over his marker and then the ‘keeper, but the ball bounced agonisingly wide.

Posh: Christy Pym, Frankie Kent, Nathan Thompson (sub Niall Mason, 87 mins), Mark Beevers, Joe Ward, Dan Butler, Reece Brown (sub Ethan Hamilton, 74 mins), Jack Taylor, Sammie Szmodics, Siriki Dembele (sub Harrison Burrows, 87 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris (sub Mo Eisa, 87 mins).

Unused substitutes: Mark Tyler, Ricky-Jade Jones, Idris Kanu.

Plymouth: Michael Cooper, Kell Watts (sub Adam Lewis. 81 mins), Will Aimson, Tyrese Fornah, Jerome Opoku (sub Sam Woods, 72 mins), Conor Grant (sub Ryan Hardie, 71 mins), Danny Mayor, Byron Moore (sub Joe Edwards, 81 mins), Panutche Camara (sub Ben Reeves, 81 mins), Niall Ennis, Luke Jephcott.

Unused substitutes: Luke McCormick, Kliadi Lolos.

Goals: Posh - Szmodics (46 mins), Clarke-Harris (63 mins), Taylor (84 mins).

Cautions: Posh - Beevers (foul).

Plymouth - Hardie (foul).

Referee: Chris Sarginson 7.