TOM Cleverley praised a “thoroughly deserved” victory after Plymouth Argyle’s emphatic 3-0 win over Burton Albion lifted the club out of the League One relegation zone and underlined the progress made during a crucial mid-season revival.

The Argyle head coach was delighted with his side’s authority at Home Park, where the Pilgrims dominated from the opening whistle to claim their first home win of 2026 and climb to 16th in the table.

The result extended a strong run of form that has seen Argyle collect 17 points from their last 10 matches, following a pivotal 1-0 victory away at Port Vale on November 22.

“I thought it was a thoroughly deserved win,” said Tom Cleverley. “We started the game very well, hitting the crossbar in the first minute. I thought we tried hurting them in behind and played with real purpose.”

The Pilgrims were on the front foot almost immediately, striker Lorent Tolaj seeing a looping effort strike the crossbar just 51 seconds after kick-off. The hosts continued to press and were rewarded in the 21st minute when defender Brendan Galloway finished from close range after meeting a corner delivered by Joe Ralls.

Cleverley revealed he had challenged his players to be ruthless in attack, a target they comfortably exceeded.

“We gave the players a challenge of double figures attempts on goal in the first half and I think we had 12,” he said. “We ended up with 20 in the game. It was a good balance of control but also having purpose to it, and I thought we were well worthy of the three points.”

Argyle carried that dominance into the second half. Substitute Mathias Ross doubled the lead before Tolaj sealed the win from the penalty spot, capping a commanding individual performance and ensuring a comfortable afternoon against Burton Albion.

The victory marked the end of a 10-game period Cleverley had identified as pivotal for the club’s survival hopes. “Today marks the end of that 10 games that we spoke about and the 17-point target we have managed to achieve,” he said. “We are heading in the right direction. Now it’s about the players having a couple of days’ rest and then attacking the next block of games.”

Off the pitch, the club confirmed midfielder Ralls has extended his stay at Argyle until the end of the season. The 32-year-old joined after being released by Cardiff City and has made seven appearances, scoring once. His initial deal had been due to expire this month.

“Joe has made an immediate impact since his arrival, both on and off the pitch,” Cleverley said. “His football league experience has been invaluable to our young squad.”

Meanwhile, England Under-20 international Law McCabe will return to Middlesbrough after his loan spell was cut short. The 19-year-old made 13 appearances but struggled for regular starts.

“I think Law will have learned a lot,” Cleverley added. “He goes back a more experienced player and will be a top player in the future.”