Plymouth Argyle Ladies needed a second half Zoe Cunningham hat trick to see off Larkhall at Plain Ham to keep up their promotion challenge.
This was the Lady Pilgrims first league match since November 5th when they beat fellow title challengers Keynsham Town 5-2. In between they have played four cup ties away from home.
The first half ended without anyone getting on the score sheet as Argyle were subject to some hefty challenges but thankfully for them they kept their cool.
Rowland said: ‘We weren’t really at the races as we got involved in a physical game.’ Argyle did have a fright just before half time when a defensive mix up led to the ball rebounding on to the crossbar before being cleared.
The second half was a different story as Argyle began to show the recent form that has seen them progress in three cup competitions.
Rowland added: ‘We came out for the second half in a more positive and authoritative mood and controlled the game a lot better, in fact they never really got in behind us.
Argyle eventually took the lead in the 54th minute with a bit of ingenuity. An indirect free kick from just outside the penalty area was touched on by Ebony Dover to Cunningham who fired it into the net.
The second goal came just four minutes later when a great run down the wing by Amber Pollock, who beat two players before with her cross being met by the late run of Cunningham into the penalty area who dummied the goalkeeper before lofting the ball over the prone goalkeeper and into the net.
Rowland made a change on the hour mark when Kayley Lane replaced Ezme Wells.
Ten minutes later Kayleigh Brown came on for Becky Atkins.
The move didn’t seem to upset Argyles rhythm as in the 72nd minute striker Natasha Knapman chased down a lost cause on the right before cutting in to fire in a shot. This effort was blocked but Cunningham who had followed up the play raced in to slam the ball into the net to complete her hat trick much to the delight of her team mates.
The final substitution came in the 80th minute when Jessie Boston replaced Amber Pollock.
Argyle ended the game with ten players as Ebony Dover came off with a slight leg strain. This meant Mollie Taylor taking up a central defenders position.
But Argyle saw out the game for their eighth straight win which leaves them in third place but with games in hand over the teams above them Southampton and Keynsham Town.