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Derek Adams highlighted one unusual reason why Plymouth Argyle were able to get the better of Oxford United at Home Park on New Year’s Day.

The Pilgrims came out on top 3-0 in the bottom-of-the-table clash, with an inspired Ruben Lameiras getting two of the goals.

Oxford had travelled to Plymouth on New Year’s Eve and stayed in the Crowne Plaza Hotel on The Hoe.

Their players were filmed swimming in the hotel pool by Sky Sports during the course of the evening.

After his side beat Oxford, for the first time in three attempts this season, Adams made a point of mentioning that swimming session.

He thought that had worked in the Pilgrims’ favour as they secured three very important points.

Adams said: “We should have won games where we haven’t won. That has been the story of our season.

“We have made individual errors that have enabled teams to get a start in the game.

“Today, we were the ones that got on the front foot. We had a very good energy to the team.

“We knew that Oxford had gone swimming last night and we thought ‘well, they will be a bit jaded’.

“So we thought ‘listen, let’s try and run the legs off of them’ and we did that.

“We knew that energy levels wouldn’t be the same as ourselves because the swimming on a Friday night takes a lot out of your body.

“You become dehydrated and it was good for us that we capitalised on that.”

He continued: “We have tried it in the past where we have gone swimming on a Sunday before a Tuesday game, and I haven’t thought it worked.

“We don’t do that any more. We try and keep the legs and the body away from the swimming.”