Cleverley was full of praise for his players as they treated a large travelling Green Army to a 4-0 win at Bloomfield Road
18:36, 14 Feb 2026Updated 01:18, 15 Feb 2026
Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley celebrates after the 4-0 League One win against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on 14 February, 2026 (Photo by Steve Taylor/PPAUK)
Tom Cleverley thought Plymouth Argyle showed ‘the best version’ of themselves as they cruised to a convincing 4-0 victory over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.
The Pilgrims bounced back from back-to-back defeats against promotion contenders Stockport County and Lincoln City with a dominant display and a seventh away League One win of the season.
With Conor Hazard returning from an ankle injury as goalkeeper, and the duo of Bradley Ibrahim and Lorent Tolaj fit again to be named among the substitutes there was more depth about the Pilgrims’ squad.
Read More: Argyle hammer Blackpool in dominant away-day display
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And that showed as Cleverley was able to make a number of changes during the second half, when the game was already won, with a view to the away game coming up against Leyton Orient on Tuesday night.
Argyle opened the scoring with a first goal for the club from on-loan Charlton Athletic defender Alex Mitchell in the 30th minute and then netted twice in first half added time through Bim Pepple and Malachi Boateng.
Caleb Watts made it 4-0 in the 60th minute as the Pilgrims, who had taken the lead in all three of their previous games without winning any of them, produced a dominant display throughout.
Cleverley said: “Very pleased. I thought in every aspect of the game, so that’s in possession, out of possession, set plays and the basics we were dominant today, we were our best version of ourselves.
“That results in the type of performance that you see and I thought it was thoroughly deserved. There has been a lot of hard work going into sustaining performances but when you look at your bench and it has got the depth we did have today that also helps. I thought the players were outstanding.”
Given the amount of scoring chances they created and the quality of them, Argyle could have won by an even wider margin.
Cleverley said: “I think 11 shots on target, I’m not sure when their first shot on target came but it was late. I thought we deserved a goal from open play today.
“All the goals coming from first and second phase throw-ins or set plays, which is really pleasing we can have that dimension but I thought we deserved a goal in open play for some of our quality. We were excellent to a man.”
Asked whether the win ranked compared to others for Argyle this season, Cleverley replied “It’s right up there,” but he added: “For me, Tuesday is the game now.
“I always looked at these two games against teams in and around us as two defeats, or a draw and a defeat, and we would be looking over our shoulder.
“A win and a loss and we pretty much are what we are, a mid-table team. We win both games, or we perform like that in both games, then maybe, maybe we can start looking upwards and Tuesday is all about following today up.”
It is now five wins from the last seven away league games for Argyle, which is a far cry from their struggles to pick up points at Home Park this season.
Cleverley said: “A lot of work goes into trying to replicate this at home. I think it takes a special character to play in front of our home supporters and really rise to that, so we are really working on the mindset of that.
Goal celebrations for Caleb Watts of Plymouth Argyle who celebrates with Bim Pepple during the EFL League One match between Blackpool and Plymouth Argyle at Bloomfield Road on 14 February 2026 in Blackpool, England (Photo by Steve Taylor/PPAUK)
“There has been a few disappointments there this season and it affects confidence a little bit, and all the refereeing decisions that have gone against us seem to have fallen at home.
“We are working hard as to why, but first half last week we were excellent. If we had the bench and the depth we did today I think we could have sustained it a lot more against Lincoln, and Stockport as well.”
The convincing victory over Blackpool came in front of around 1,400 members of the travelling Green Army and they gave Cleverley and his players a great ovation after the game.
Cleverley said: “If you could pick a performance like that, you would play it at Blackpool because you know the challenges our fans have to get there.
“A lot came yesterday, a lot set off the early hours of this morning, and we repaid them with a performance that they deserved.
“We were conscious of that pre-match, the players were, they drive that themselves, along with Nance (Argyle first team coach Kevin Nancekivell), and I’m so, so pleased we are sending them home happy, and we will see you again Tuesday.”
Herbie Kane, the on-loan Huddersfield Town midfielder, made his full debut for Argyle and provided the assist for Mitchell’s opening goal in what was an impressive individual performance from him, along with Boateng.
Cleverley said: “I thought my midfield was outstanding today, the two going up against the three of them. Herbie brings a real calmness to us in possession, he controlled the game.
“He had a hand to play in a lot of the goals with his technical quality from set plays or recycling it from the edge of the box.
“And Malachi, that is how you deliver the basics of being a midfielder, and that is not going to find yourself on any Youtube reels what Malachi did today but how important he is to this team when he plays like that is big.”
Blackpool were already reeling on the ropes towards the end of the first half but the two stoppage time goals from Pepple and Boateng were effectively a knockout blow.
Cleverley said: “It’s difficult when you are not having such a good time at home, we know that. We smelled that today and we really pounced on it.
“It’s pleasing to see the work we have done about extending leads and not defending leads has paid off. We are really motivated to show what type of team we want to be from now until the end of the season, and Tuesday is significant towards that.”
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