Five wins from their last six league matches have given rise to League One play-off hopes for Plymouth Argyle.
Another excellent performance away from Home Park, which has for a few years been the club’s Achilles heel, saw them dominate a Wigan side who had won back-to-back home games following head coach Gary Caldwell’s appointment.
Two quickfire goals from Bim Pepple – who now has 10 goals in 11 matches for the Greens – and a clinching strike from Caleb Watts approximately 20 minutes from time sealed a 3-0 win in Greater Manchester on Tuesday night.
But it is their new-found defensive solidity, formed by an improved Mathias Ross and Charlton Athletic loanee Alex Mitchell, which has arguably been just as impressive as their attacking spark.
Adding that to the smart signing of Ronan Curtis, as well as the loan additions of Herbie Kane and Wes Harding, in the January transfer window and Argyle now look capable of gatecrashing the top six for the first time this season.
“I thought the second goal was one of the best we’ve scored all season, so deservedly [we] went in at half-time two goals to the good,” Cleverley told BBC Radio Devon after the match at the Brick Community Stadium.
“Ronan [Curtis] has been outstanding since he’s come to the football club and he’s ours.
“Herbie, we’re obviously very happy with. I’d like him to be ours, he’s doing great for the football club and he adds real class into the middle of the park and you can put Wes Harding in that [class] bracket as well.
“He’s [Herbie Kane] a real football nut, he watches every level of football. He loves the game, he studies the game and he just loves playing.”
