The victory, achieved despite going behind to a superb 20-yard strike from in-form Bim Pepple, made it 13 games unbeaten for second-placed City, with 10 of those wins.

Freddie Draper levelled from a Hackett cross before the provider turned scorer with two second-half goals, the second direct from a corner, to turn the game on its head.

One rounded off the win with a stoppage-time solo goal.

Skubala said: “I really like the way that all our front line are chipping in (with goals) and that goal Ryan scored today, to run from the halfway line and finish like he did, was not an easy finish.

“Reeco was great today and took his goals really well.

“Every game we play at the moment is a big game and every result you get is a big result.

“Every game is tough. I thought Plymouth started the better and it just shows you the crowd here can get on top of you a little bit, but I thought we weathered it really well.

“We came out second half, with a few tweaks, a few tactical changes, and I thought we got on top second half for sure.

“It was calm, let’s find these passes and let’s attack their back line with more bravery.

“At 3-1 I thought we were in complete control.”

Argyle boss Tom Cleverley said: “I thought it was a strong performance first half, which has been quite consistent with us getting on the front foot and being really aggressive and intense.

“We knew the threat they had from set-plays and we didn’t deal with it anywhere near well enough today in both halves.

“The disappointing thing for me is in the second half we came completely away from what has made us successful recently.

“It not only makes the opposition more effective, it makes us look much less effective.

“My job is I have got a week now to make sure everyone is educated and on the same page on why we have been so successful for 10 games and today in the second half we looked back to what we were like at the start of the
season.

“We are absolutely crippled by injuries at the moment, seven starters.

“It’s like every time someone scores a goal for this club they are injured for the next game, but the reason I am so angry is I know the players coming in can deliver what we want.

“Today, though, it was a real swerve away from our gameplan. We looked like a team we saw in August and September and we don’t handle setbacks very well, even when we’ve gone in front.”